The Most Affordable International Schools in Jakarta

Comparison table

Fees converted to USD at indicative 2026 rates. Verify current figures with each school.

Jakarta's international school market starts at around $5,000 a year and runs past $30,000. The headline fees from JIS, ISJ and BSJ dominate most conversations, but most families relocating to Jakarta are looking at the $8,000 to $18,000 range, and what they are and aren't getting for that money.

TL;DR - The mid-tier in Jakarta runs from around $6,000 to $18,000 a year, eight credible schools compete in this range - Lower fees mean lower teacher quality, this is the primary trade-off - One exception: ISJ's early years fees fall in this range, but it is a top-tier school, fees step up steeply as children progress

The Mid-Tier at a Glance

JIS, ISJ, BSJ and AIS are covered separately below.

All figures approximate. Verify directly with each school before financial planning. Fees indicative as of early 2026.

Top-Tier Schools With Fees in This Range

Two top-tier schools matter if your budget sits below $20,000, not because they belong in the mid-tier, but because their fees partially overlap with it.

ISJ charges $9,300 at Pre-Nursery and $10,800 at Nursery, mid-tier figures for a top-tier school. British-qualified teachers, small class sizes, pastoral care mid-tier schools cannot match. But by Year 4 the annual fee reaches $27,400. Model the full picture, not just the entry fee. ISJ's secondary campus opens 2028, taking pupils through to A-levels.

AIS Jakarta runs from around $14,000–$20,000 depending on year group. CIS-accredited, Australian curriculum plus IB Diploma, and the only Jakarta school founded specifically around inclusion of students with learning differences. It sits at or near the top tier by most measures. Covered in more detail in the Best Jakarta Schools for SEN & Learning Support guide.

Mid-Tier School Profiles

GMIS (Gandhi Memorial International School)

GMIS in South Jakarta offers Cambridge-aligned programmes at the lower end of the mid-tier. For families on tighter budgets who want a Cambridge pathway, it merits a visit.

Mentari International School

Mentari operates across multiple campuses and offers a blend of Cambridge and national plus programmes. A practical option for families spread across Jakarta's geography. Fees and curriculum delivery vary by campus.

NAS (Nord Anglia School Jakarta)

Nord Anglia School Jakarta is the city's Nord Anglia-branded campus, offering a British-influenced curriculum with Cambridge qualifications. Fees sit in the $9,000–$15,000 range. Worth visiting if South Jakarta works for your commute.

NJIS (North Jakarta Intercultural School)

NJIS sits in Kelapa Gading and runs an IB programme from primary through to the IB Diploma. For families based in North Jakarta, a geography most international schools ignore, it is one of very few credible options. Fees $10,000–$18,000.

SIS (Sinarmas International School)

SIS operates multiple campuses across Greater Jakarta, offering Cambridge and IB pathways depending on the campus. The multi-campus model gives families geographic flexibility, useful in a city where commute times define school choices. Fees $10,000–$18,000.

Binus International School

Binus runs multiple campuses across Jakarta and offers both Cambridge and national plus programmes. Multiple campuses mean more resources than many smaller independents. Fees vary by campus.

ACG School Jakarta

ACG offers IB Primary Years Programme through to IB Diploma, one of the more affordable routes to an IB pathway in Jakarta. Fees at $12,000–$18,000 sit at the upper end of the mid-tier. If an IB pathway matters and the top-tier IB schools are out of reach, ACG is worth a direct conversation.

NZ School Jakarta

NZ School Jakarta is a smaller independent school offering a New Zealand-influenced curriculum alongside Cambridge qualifications. A less well-known option for families who prefer a smaller environment.

What Mid-Tier Schools Trade Off

Teacher quality is the primary trade-off. International schools compete for a limited pool of qualified, experienced teachers. A school charging $8,000 cannot offer the same salaries as one charging $25,000, and salary determines who applies. The odds are different at lower fee points.

Facilities tend to be more modest. Smaller sports halls, fewer specialist rooms, less outdoor space. Jakarta's land costs are high; schools operating below $15,000 are managing tighter capital budgets.

Specialist staffing is thinner. Learning support, counselling, music specialists, sports coaches, all expensive. Smaller schools at lower fees tend to rely more on class teachers covering multiple roles.

Accreditation is the non-negotiable to verify. CIS accreditation is the most meaningful external quality signal in this market. Schools without it are not automatically poor, but the absence means no external verification of standards, governance, or teacher qualifications.

Exit qualifications matter more as children get older. At primary level, stable pastoral care and adequate teaching can work well. At secondary level, the quality of IGCSE, A-level, or IB delivery has a direct bearing on university outcomes.

Questions to Ask Before Shortlisting on Price

What proportion of teachers are internationally qualified? A school can be registered as international and employ primarily Indonesian-qualified teachers. Ask directly.

Is the school CIS accredited, or working toward it? If neither, ask why.

What is the student-to-teacher ratio? Below 15:1 is reasonable at primary level. Above 20:1 at any level warrants a question.

What happens if my child needs learning support? At the mid-tier, specialist provision is often limited or charged additionally.

What are the full costs? Even at a $10,000 school, lunch, transport, uniforms, and trips can add $3,000–$5,000 a year. Ask for a full cost breakdown, not just the tuition figure.

FAQs

Can I switch from a mid-tier school to a top-tier school later? Yes, and many families do. Most Jakarta international schools admit mid-year and mid-cycle. The main variables are seat availability (top-tier schools have waitlists), curriculum transition (switching from Cambridge to IB at Year 10 is difficult), and whether the new school requires an admissions assessment.

Is there a minimum fee below which I should be concerned? There is no hard floor, but schools offering full international-curriculum education below $5,000 a year warrant significant scrutiny. The $7,000–$10,000 range is achievable for a credible school; below that, ask hard questions about staffing and facilities.

Do mid-tier schools offer sibling discounts? Some do. Ask, particularly at independent schools not tied to large networks. ISJ, for reference, offers sibling discounts from the third child onward.

For schools specifically under $10,000, see Cheapest International Schools in Jakarta. For the full fee picture, see The Total Cost of International School in Jakarta and International School Fees in Jakarta.

Exchange rate: USD 1 = IDR 16,826 (24 February 2026). All fees approximate, verify directly with each school.