Notes / Istanbul
Best IB Schools in Istanbul
Istanbul's IB schools, ranked by fees, results, and programme breadth. Where the published DP averages land, and what they cost.
The brief
- MEF International School and Istanbul International Community School are the two English-medium, full-continuum IB schools in the city. Premium fees, CIS and NEASC accreditation, longest IB track record. See MEF IS Istanbul and IICS.
- Koç School and ENKA Schools are the Turkish-rooted IB powerhouses: full PYP-MYP-DP continuum, large cohorts, published DP averages of 36 and 36.46 respectively. See Koç School and ENKA Schools Istanbul.
- Robert College and Üsküdar American Academy are DP-only, selective, and historic (1863 and 1876). Üsküdar publishes a 39.49 DP average, among the highest in the city. See Robert College and Üsküdar American Academy.
- The British International School Istanbul and BISS Istanbul offer the IB Diploma after an IGCSE pathway, British-style middle years feeding IB at 16. See The British International School Istanbul and British International STEAM School Istanbul.
- Sezin and TED Istanbul College report DP averages of 38, well above the global 30.32; both are dual MEB plus IB schools at fees well below the international top tier. See Sezin School and TED Istanbul College.
Istanbul is a deep IB market. Fourteen schools deliver the Diploma, more than any city in the region, and several have been doing it for two decades. The IB DP global average in 2024 was 30.32 points. Istanbul cohorts sit in the 32 to 38 range, with two schools published above 39.
The structural feature that defines the market: most Istanbul private schools are regulated by Turkish MEB (Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, the Ministry of National Education) and run the Turkish national curriculum alongside the IB. That dual-curriculum model is the norm at Koç, ENKA, Eyüboğlu, Hisar, Sezin, TED, NUN, Gokkusagi, and Üsküdar American Academy. The English-medium, international-curriculum-only options are narrower: MEF International School, IICS, BIS Istanbul, and BISS Istanbul.
Fees are in Turkish lira, which means USD figures shift with the exchange rate. The conversions below use an indicative mid-2026 rate of TRY 33 to USD 1. The local-currency fee is the verifiable one.
The top tier
Five schools sit clearly at the top by fees, facilities, and international integration. These are the schools where parents on expat packages cluster, and where teaching staff are predominantly drawn from international recruitment markets.
MEF International School Istanbul
MEF International School Istanbul is the flagship English-medium, full-continuum IB school on the European side: PYP, MYP, DP, plus Cambridge IGCSE in the middle years. CIS and NEASC accredited. Fees TRY 909,000 to 1,781,000 (roughly USD 27,300 to 53,400). Cohort ~400, Levent campus.
Published 2022 DP average: 35 points, 100% pass rate, IGCSE 76% A*-C. Part of the MEF Education Foundation. Purpose-built international rather than international-stream within a Turkish school.
Istanbul International Community School (IICS)
IICS is the oldest international school in the country, founded 1911. Full IB continuum plus AP. CIS and NEASC. Sarıyer campus on the European side, second campus at Hadimköy. Fees TRY 885,500 to 1,882,650 (roughly USD 26,600 to 56,500), among the highest published in the city.
Published 2020 DP average: 34 points, 91% pass rate, top score 40. The figure is stale; ask admissions for the latest. Internationally diverse intake, August to June calendar.
Hisar School
Hisar Schools is a Turkish-American hybrid: MEB-regulated but English-immersion, with IB and AP at the upper school. CIS and NEASC. Founded 1996. Fees TRY 909,000 to 1,814,000 (roughly USD 27,300 to 54,400). Cohort ~2,200.
Hisar publishes AP rather than IB averages: 96% of AP exams scored 3 or above in 2024, 75% scoring 4 or 5 across 517 exams. SAT middle-50% 2024: 1250 to 1480. Most strong candidates take AP rather than the Diploma. A US-pathway school that offers IB, not an IB-first school.
Koç School
Koç School is the academic benchmark of the Asian side, founded 1988 by the Koç family (Turkey's largest industrial group). MEB-regulated, dual Turkish-IB, full PYP-MYP-DP. CIS and NEASC. Fees TRY 612,000 to 1,703,000 (roughly USD 18,400 to 51,100). Cohort ~2,000.
Published 2021 DP average: 36 points, 100% pass rate, average subject score 5.71/7. Selective on entry; the cohort places strongly into US and UK research universities.
Robert College
Robert College is the oldest American school founded outside the United States, established 1863. Ages 14 to 18 only, the most selective school in Istanbul. American-stream with IB and AP. CIS. Fees TRY 743,600 to 1,728,900 (roughly USD 22,300 to 51,900). Cohort ~1,000.
Published 2025 SAT average: 1446, consistent with top-decile US private schools. No DP cohort average published. The intake is overwhelmingly Turkish, by national exam; medium of instruction English, destinations skew US and UK. The IB is one of several exit qualifications, not the centre of the model.
Strong mid-tier
These are schools where the IB Diploma is taken seriously, results are competitive, and fees are markedly below the top tier. Most run a dual MEB plus IB model and are Turkish-rooted institutions.
The British International School Istanbul (BIS)
The British International School Istanbul is the ENC option that ends in the IB Diploma, not A-Levels. ENC through to IGCSE at Year 11, then IB DP in Sixth Form. CIS, COBIS, MSA-CESS. Zekeriyaköy campus. Fees TRY 654,500 to 1,611,225 (roughly USD 19,600 to 48,300). Cohort ~600.
Published 2025 IB DP average: 33 points, 100% pass rate. IGCSE 2025 88% A*-C. The hybrid IGCSE-to-DP pathway is deliberate: British rigour through Key Stage 4, IB breadth at 16. Staff predominantly UK-qualified.
British International STEAM School Istanbul (BISS)
BISS Istanbul sits in Etiler, runs Cambridge Primary plus IB Diploma, and carries the highest fee ceiling in the city. CIS, COBIS, MSA-CESS. Fees TRY 1,108,996 to 2,067,952 (roughly USD 33,300 to 62,000). Small cohort.
Published 2025 IB DP average: 33, 100% pass rate, top score 40. IGCSE 88% A*-C. The fee ceiling reflects ambition rather than scale; the school is young and small.
Sezin School
Sezin School sits on the Asian side, founded 1963. MEB-regulated, American-IB. CIS. Fees TRY 681,115 to 1,582,000 (roughly USD 20,400 to 47,500). Cohort ~1,200.
Published 2024 IB DP average: 38 points, with 52% A*-A at A-Level. That places Sezin in the top band of Istanbul schools for results, at fees roughly 25% below the international top tier.
TED Istanbul College
TED Istanbul College is part of the TED (Türk Eğitim Derneği) network, founded 1998. MEB-regulated Turkish-stream with IB on top. CIS, NEASC, COBIS, BSO, and BSME (an unusually heavy accreditation stack). Fees TRY 1,068,606 to 1,187,340 (roughly USD 32,100 to 35,600). Cohort ~1,800.
Published 2024 IB DP average: 38 points; 52% A*-A at A-Level. The fee structure is unusually narrow: lower years cost almost the same as upper years, which is strong value across a full enrolment.
Üsküdar American Academy
Üsküdar American Academy is historic (founded 1876), MEB-regulated, dual Turkish-IB, AP also offered. CIS. Ages 13 to 18 only. Fees TRY 866,569 to 1,431,270 (roughly USD 26,000 to 42,900). Cohort ~895.
Published 2021 IB DP average: 39.49 points, among the highest in Turkey. The intake is highly selective (national-exam entry, similar to Robert); the figure reflects cohort quality more than IB delivery alone. Treat it as ceiling rather than median.
Eyüboğlu Schools
Eyüboğlu Schools is one of Istanbul's longest-standing IB schools (authorisation since the 1990s), founded 1970. Full PYP-MYP-DP. CIS. Cohort ~5,000 across multiple campuses, the largest IB operation in the city. Fees TRY 858,625 to 1,261,500 (roughly USD 25,800 to 37,800).
No current DP cohort average is published. Mostly Turkish-stream; the IB DP runs as a senior-school option for the strongest students.
Best for full IB continuum (PYP plus MYP plus DP)
Some families want their child in the IB framework from age 3 to 18: inquiry-led PYP, criterion-referenced MYP, then the Diploma. The structural argument: a student writing the MYP Personal Project at 15 arrives at the Extended Essay at 17 familiar with how the work is shaped.
Six Istanbul schools offer the full continuum:
| School | Side | Continuum quality |
|---|---|---|
| MEF International School Istanbul | European | English-medium throughout; smallest cohort |
| Istanbul International Community School | European | Oldest international school in Turkey; AP also offered |
| Koç School | Asian | Largest top-tier cohort; dual MEB stream |
| ENKA Schools Istanbul | European | Strong PYP reputation; 36.46 DP avg (2022) |
| Eyüboğlu Schools | Various | Largest continuum cohort; longest-standing |
| Gokkusagi Schools | Various | Multi-campus; published cohort average outlier |
ENKA deserves a flag. ENKA Schools Istanbul is one of the longest-standing IB schools in the country, founded 1996, full PYP-MYP-DP, CIS and NEASC. Published 2022 DP average: 36.46. Fees TRY 549,389 to 1,022,923 (roughly USD 16,500 to 30,700). On a results-to-fees basis, ENKA is among the strongest value in the city for families wanting the full IB pathway.
Gokkusagi's published 44-point DP average needs caveats. The figure sits roughly 6 points above the strongest comparable Istanbul cohorts and 14 above the global average. Cohort sizes are not published. Without a verified breakdown, the figure needs direct confirmation from admissions.
At a glance
| School | Area | Fee range (TRY) | Fee range (USD) | IB programmes | Latest published DP avg | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BISS Istanbul | Etiler | 1,109,000–2,068,000 | 33,300–62,000 | DP | 33 (2025) | Highest fee ceiling |
| IICS | Sarıyer | 886,000–1,883,000 | 26,600–56,500 | PYP, MYP, DP | 34 (2020) | Oldest international school |
| Hisar School | European | 909,000–1,814,000 | 27,300–54,400 | DP plus AP | AP heavy | US pathway strength |
| MEF IS Istanbul | Levent | 909,000–1,781,000 | 27,300–53,400 | PYP, MYP, DP | 35 (2022) | Flagship English-medium |
| Robert College | European | 744,000–1,729,000 | 22,300–51,900 | DP plus AP | SAT 1446 (2025) | National-exam selective |
| Koç School | Asian | 612,000–1,703,000 | 18,400–51,100 | PYP, MYP, DP | 36 (2021) | Asian-side academic benchmark |
| BIS Istanbul | Zekeriyaköy | 655,000–1,611,000 | 19,600–48,300 | DP | 33 (2025) | IGCSE to IB pathway |
| Sezin School | Asian | 681,000–1,582,000 | 20,400–47,500 | DP | 38 (2024) | High results, mid fees |
| Üsküdar American Academy | Üsküdar | 867,000–1,431,000 | 26,000–42,900 | DP plus AP | 39.49 (2021) | Highest published DP avg |
| Gokkusagi | Multi-campus | 677,000–1,354,000 | 20,300–40,600 | PYP, DP | 44 (2024, unverified) | Headline figure needs check |
| Eyüboğlu Schools | Multi-campus | 859,000–1,262,000 | 25,800–37,800 | PYP, MYP, DP | Not published | Largest IB cohort |
| TED Istanbul | Asian | 1,069,000–1,187,000 | 32,100–35,600 | DP | 38 (2024) | Heavy accreditation stack |
| ENKA Schools | Istinye | 549,000–1,023,000 | 16,500–30,700 | PYP, MYP, DP | 36.46 (2022) | Strongest value, full continuum |
| NUN Schools | Asian | 451,000–609,000 | 13,500–18,300 | DP | "above world average in 14 of 16" | Cheapest IB option |
Fees converted at indicative mid-2026 rate of roughly TRY 33 to USD 1. TRY moves; verify with each school. Published DP averages are the most recent year the school has made public, which is sometimes several years stale.
The three IB programmes in active use
The IB has four programmes; three are in active use in Istanbul:
- PYP (ages 3 to 12): inquiry-led, concept-driven, transdisciplinary themes. No external exams, culminates in the PYP Exhibition. Implementation quality varies widely between schools.
- MYP (ages 11 to 16): eight subject groups, criterion-referenced internal assessment, Personal Project at 15. Conceptual framing rather than exam prep.
- DP (ages 16 to 19): six subjects (three HL, three SL), plus TOK, EE, and CAS. Graded out of 45. The qualification universities recognise.
The Career-related Programme (CP) is not currently offered by any Istanbul school in this dataset.
The MEB layer changes the daily experience. Turkish private schools must deliver the Turkish national curriculum to Turkish citizens. At Koç, ENKA, Eyüboğlu, Sezin, TED, NUN, and Üsküdar American Academy, that produces a dual-curriculum model: Turkish-stream students study Turkish history, literature, and citizenship alongside the IB.
English-medium throughout vs English-medium upper school. Throughout: MEF, IICS, BIS, BISS. At the dual MEB schools, lower years mix Turkish and English, with English dominance rising toward the DP. For an internationally mobile family leaving before senior school, that matters: a child entering MEF or IICS at age 7 will speak, read, and write English at full grade level; the equivalent child at Koç or ENKA may not.
Foreign passport gating. The four English-medium international schools are licensed primarily for foreign passport holders. Dual MEB schools admit both, but Turkish citizens are required to follow the MEB stream. Dual citizens should clarify status with admissions before applying.
How to choose between them
Five practical filters narrow fourteen schools to a usable shortlist:
- Passport status. Foreign-only family: MEF, IICS, BIS, BISS, and Robert (admits foreigners but selects nationally). Turkish or dual: the full list is open.
- Side of the city. European: MEF, IICS, BIS, BISS, ENKA, Hisar, Robert, Eyüboğlu (multi). Asian: Koç, Sezin, Üsküdar, TED, NUN. Cross-Bosphorus commutes are not viable for school runs.
- Continuum vs DP-only. Full continuum: MEF, IICS, Koç, ENKA, Eyüboğlu, Gokkusagi. DP only: BIS, BISS, Robert, Sezin, Üsküdar, NUN. Some middle schools run MYP without PYP, or PYP without MYP. Check each school's authorisation list.
- Fee bracket. Above USD 50,000 ceiling: BISS, IICS, Hisar, MEF, Robert, Koç. USD 30,000 to 50,000: BIS, Sezin, Üsküdar, Gokkusagi, Eyüboğlu, TED. Below USD 30,000: ENKA, NUN. Fee ceilings reflect the senior year, not the average across enrolment.
- Published results. Strongest recent: Üsküdar (39.49, 2021), Sezin (38, 2024), TED (38, 2024), ENKA (36.46, 2022), Koç (36, 2021). Schools that do not publish are not necessarily weaker; small selective cohorts sometimes choose not to expose year-on-year variance.
A defensible shortlist for most families is three schools: one premium English-medium international for cohort and portability, one Turkish-rooted full-continuum for results and fees, and one dual MEB for results value at lower cost. The right match is rarely the cheapest, rarely the most expensive, and almost always the one whose head of upper school can explain how the DP cohort performed last year.
Related reading
- Best international schools in Istanbul. The broader city ranking, including British, American, and Turkish-rooted options outside the IB framework.
- The IB Diploma explained. Six subjects, three HL plus three SL, core (TOK, EE, CAS), grading out of 45.
- IB HL vs SL. When and why a subject is taken at Higher rather than Standard Level.
- IB vs A-Levels. Breadth vs depth, university implications, and where each fits.
- British vs IB vs American curriculum. The three dominant international curricula compared.
- What is CIS accreditation?. What the accreditation stack on every Istanbul IB school checks for.
FAQs
What is a strong IB DP score for an Istanbul school? The 2024 global IB DP average was 30.32 points. Istanbul cohorts typically sit 32 to 38. A school publishing 34 to 36 is solidly above the global benchmark. 37 or above indicates either a highly selective intake or strong delivery, often both. Üsküdar's 39.49 sits at the top of the Istanbul range.
Can a Turkish citizen attend an English-medium international school in Istanbul? Generally no, or with restrictions. MEF, IICS, BIS, and BISS are licensed primarily for foreign passport holders. Turkish citizens are typically required to attend an MEB-licensed school (Koç, ENKA, Sezin, and the rest), where they follow the Turkish national curriculum alongside the IB. Dual citizens have more flexibility but should confirm with admissions.
Why do some Istanbul schools publish stale DP averages? Schools publish what serves their admissions narrative. A school whose 2024 cohort underperformed its 2021 cohort will often keep the older figure on the website. Small cohorts see larger year-to-year swings and may publish only when the number is good. The verifiable signal is the most recent year a school will confirm in writing.
Is the dual MEB plus IB model a handicap for IB performance? The published evidence in Istanbul suggests not. Sezin (38), TED (38), and ENKA (36.46) sit at or above the international-only schools on DP averages. The workload is higher because Turkish-stream students carry MEB content alongside IB, but the strongest students absorb both.
Which Istanbul school places strongest into US universities? Robert College and Üsküdar American Academy have the longest US-placement records, both American-founded and over 140 years old. Koç and Hisar also place strongly into US research universities. The IB Diploma is widely recognised by US admissions; counselling capacity and the school's track record with specific institutions matter more than the qualification label.
Sources
- School fee schedules and results pages: iics.k12.tr, mefis.k12.tr, koc.k12.tr, enka.k12.tr, robcol.k12.tr, bis.k12.tr, biss.k12.tr, uaa.k12.tr, sezin.k12.tr, tedistanbul.k12.tr, hisar.k12.tr, eyuboglu.k12.tr, gokkusagi.k12.tr, nunokullari.com.
- IB DP global average 2024 (30.32 points): International Baccalaureate Organization annual statistical bulletin.
- Turkish MEB regulatory framework: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı regulations for private schools.
- Fee data, curriculum codes, and accreditation status: ISG schools dataset, mid-2026 snapshot.
- TRY to USD conversion: indicative mid-2026 rate of approximately TRY 33 to USD 1. Verify current rates and fees with each school.