Cities / Phnom Penh / East-West International School
East-West International School
Bilingual English-Khmer school founded in 2006 and WASC-accredited, centrally located in BKK3 on Street 143, offering Cambridge IGCSE and A-Levels at secondary alongside the IPC and IMYC at primary. Annual fees for 2025-26 run from US$4,920 (Nursery all-in) to US$7,740…
In brief
A WASC-accredited bilingual school in BKK3 that runs Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels in secondary, with fully bilingual English-Khmer and English-only tracks across nursery to Grade 12.
EWIS positions itself as the affordable bilingual option in central Phnom Penh and the fee schedule reflects that, with most of the range sitting under USD 8,000 a year. Secondary students sit IGCSE, AS and A Level under Cambridge International Education, and accreditations include WASC, Cambridge, EARCOS and the Cambodian MoEYS. Around 400 students on a single BKK3 campus.
Parent voice is mixed. Positive threads centre on caring teachers, a real bilingual outcome at a price that works for local families, and a community feel. The recurring criticism is that academic stretch in the upper years is narrower than at the higher-fee schools, and some families have grumbled about specific school rules. Best read as a credible mid-market bilingual choice rather than a peer of ISPP or CISP at the academic top end.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursery - Pre-Kindergarten | 2 | Annual | $4,920 |
| Kindergarten | 5 | Annual | $6,400 |
| Grade 1 - Grade 3 | 6 | Annual | $6,570 |
| Grade 4 - Grade 5 | 9 | Annual | $6,920 |
| Grade 6 - Grade 8 | 11 | Annual | $7,330 |
| Grade 9 - Grade 12 | 14 | Annual | $7,740 |
| Registration Fee | One-time | $800 |
Reviews
- East-West (EWIS) is one of Phnom Penh's longer-running affordable bilingual options. Public conversation is thin but consistent. Aggregator pools sit around 4.2 across roughly 14 reviews, with most parents praising staff care and the bilingual Khmer-English pathway.
- Recurring positives are the dual-track curriculum and a clear timetable that splits Khmer and English subjects, the Cambridge IGCSE-AS-A Level offer in secondary, and supportive teachers who are open to extra help. One former pupil said the school "gave me a chance to reconnect with my identity and allowed me to study in their Khmer program".
- The clearest dissenting voice is a parent who described "weird regulations" affecting their child's mental wellness and learning, calling out stress and pressure from the school community. This is one negative review against a backdrop of mostly positive ones, and is worth probing during admissions visits rather than treating as the dominant pattern.
- WASC accreditation since 2006 and a Nursery-to-Grade-12 spread are repeated as differentiators in directory and Facebook content. There is no Reddit signal in the standard searches.
- Aggregator parent voices skew towards primary and middle years; secondary-specific parent feedback is less visible online.
Head of school
Mr. Jeffrey Kane
Timothy LaRocco is the Head of School at East-West. He has been with the school for over 12 years in various roles and continues to teach upper-level history and PE. Originally from Long Island, New York, he has lived in Cambodia for 14 years. He holds a Master's in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas and a Master's in International Relations from the City College of New York. Additionally, he earned a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Leeds Beckett University. He describes himself as a servant leader who prioritizes the needs of the school community.
Accreditations
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Schools) 01
Academic results
- AICE Diploma 2021 100% (1) Distinction
- A Level 2021 29% (2) A or A*
- IGCSE English First Language 2021 66% (25) A or A*