Best International Schools in Nairobi: The 2026 Guide for Families

Comparison table

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

The city

Nairobi has been home to a large international community since the United Nations Environment Programme established its headquarters here in 1972. That history matters for the schools: it means the market has been developing for over fifty years, the best schools have genuine depth, and there is a real support infrastructure around them. Private healthcare, international supermarkets, and a functioning English-speaking professional community are not new arrivals.

The city is large and can feel sprawling. Traffic is the main practical constraint: certain cross-city journeys during the morning school run are genuinely punishing. The good news is that most international families cluster in two or three zones, and the schools cluster there too. If you live in Karen and your children go to school in Karen, daily life is manageable. If you are commuting from Karen to a school in Parklands every morning, you should think about that carefully before signing a lease.

Security is a real consideration, and the better residential areas have good access control and reliable service infrastructure. Most international families adapt quickly. The expat community here is well established and relatively open: new arrivals generally find their feet faster than they expect.

The schools

International School of Kenya

International School of Kenya is the school most international families land on first, and with good reason. It is the largest of the American-curriculum schools, non-profit, CIS-accredited, and has been running since 1976 on a 40-acre campus in Gigiri. Around 1,100 students from 75-plus nationalities attend, and the school offers both the American programme and the IB Diploma for the oldest year groups.

Fees for 2025-2026 run from USD 18,870 (Pre-K) to USD 37,330 (Grades 11-12), plus a one-time capital levy of USD 11,000. That puts it at the top of the Nairobi fee range. Families on corporate packages typically absorb this without much difficulty; self-funding families will want to compare it carefully against Brookhouse or Rosslyn before committing.

Brookhouse School

Brookhouse School is the most prominent British-curriculum school in Nairobi, with campuses in Karen and Runda and around 1,000 students across both sites. It is part of the Inspired group and offers day and boarding from age 2 through to Year 13 via IGCSE and A-Levels. The Karen campus is the larger and longer-established of the two.

Fees run from roughly KES 145,000 per term at Early Years to KES 1,440,000 per term at Year 13, with boarding adding approximately KES 555,000 per term at Karen. The annual total for a secondary boarder is substantial: around USD 28,000-33,000 at current rates. Day fees are considerably more accessible, particularly at primary level. Parents who've been here a few years consider it the strongest British option in the city, with good A-Level results and a settled senior school culture.

Hillcrest International Schools

Hillcrest International Schools is a British day and boarding school on a 35-acre campus in Karen, founded in 1965 and part of the Braeburn Group. ISI-inspected, it takes children from age 2 to Year 13 across day and boarding with IGCSE and A-Level pathways. Around 605 students are enrolled, which gives it a noticeably more intimate feel than Brookhouse or ISK.

Annual fees for 2025-2027 run from KES 384,000 at Playgroup mornings to KES 3,083,099 at Years 12-13, with boarding adding KES 681,898-1,074,600 per year depending on whether it is weekly or full boarding. It sits slightly below Brookhouse in the fee stakes at equivalent year groups and draws a similar mix of UK-connected and locally based families.

Rosslyn Academy

Rosslyn Academy is the other established American school in Nairobi, a Christian day school in Gigiri with around 703 students from 50-plus nationalities. It runs a North American curriculum through to Grade 12, with Advanced Placement courses in the senior years. The ethos is openly Christian, which matters to some families and should be clear before you visit.

Fees are not publicly listed, but the estimated range is approximately USD 6,000-20,000 per year depending on grade. It is noticeably less expensive than ISK for comparable year groups, and families who have tried both schools report a warmer, more community-oriented feel at Rosslyn. The AP programme is solid. If ISK does not have availability or the fees are out of reach, Rosslyn is a credible alternative rather than a fallback.

Peponi School

Peponi School is for secondary pupils only, ages 13-18, on a rural campus near Ruiru to the north-east of the city. ISI-inspected British boarding and day school, founded in 1989, with IGCSE, A-Level, and AS pathways. It has around 400 students and a distinctly different feel from the urban Nairobi schools: a large outdoor campus, a strong pastoral structure, and a culture that parents describe as close-knit.

Annual fees from September 2025 are KES 2,929,110 for day pupils and KES 4,361,610 for full boarders, with a KES 500,000-700,000 refundable caution deposit. The drive from central Nairobi to Ruiru is 30-45 minutes without traffic and considerably longer during peak hours. Families who choose Peponi tend to commit fully: many use the boarding option precisely to avoid the commute.

Aga Khan Academy Nairobi

Aga Khan Academy Nairobi offers the full IB continuum from Nursery to Year 12, with around 1,020 students on a campus in Parklands. It is the main full-IB school in the city: PYP, MYP, and IB Diploma all under one roof. IB Diploma averages have been in the 32-34 point range, consistently above the world mean of around 30-31.

Annual fees for 2025-2026 run from KES 700,000 at KG1-3 to KES 1,754,237 at Grades 10-12, which makes it one of the better-value options for secondary. The Parklands location works well for families in that part of the city but adds commute time from Karen or Gigiri. If the IB continuum matters to you, or you are arriving from another IB school and want curriculum continuity, this is the school to look at first.

Braeburn Garden Estate School

Braeburn Garden Estate School is the flagship campus of the Braeburn Group, a 30-acre site in Garden Estate with CIS accreditation and around 750 students. It offers both British curriculum and the IB Diploma, which is a combination not many Nairobi schools provide. Day and boarding from age 2 to Year 13.

Annual tuition for 2025-2026 runs from KES 928,800 at Creche to KES 2,576,000 at Years 12-13. It sits below Brookhouse on fees for comparable year groups and below ISK by a considerable margin. The Garden Estate location is less convenient than Karen or Gigiri for most international families, but families already living in Ridgeways or nearby find the campus well worth it.

Braeburn School

Braeburn School is the founding Braeburn campus, on Gitanga Road in Lavington, established in 1979. It offers the British National Curriculum from Creche to Year 13 with IGCSE, A-Level, BTEC, and Pearson Edexcel pathways, and around 700 students. The BSO and ISI inspection in February 2025 rated personal development as Excellent.

Annual fees for 2025-2026 range from KES 946,200 at Creche mornings to KES 2,551,600 at Years 12-13, with textbooks included. Lavington sits between Karen and Westlands and is reasonably central for families who have not committed to one residential zone. It is a workable choice if Brookhouse is full or if the Lavington location suits your home base.

The Banda School

The Banda School is a British prep school on a 35-acre campus in Langata, adjacent to Nairobi National Park. IAPS-member, founded in 1966, taking children from Nursery 1 to Year 8 only. Around 490 students. Boarding is available for ages 7-13, which is relatively unusual for a prep school in Nairobi.

Annual fees for 2025-2026 run from KES 379,500 at Nursery 1 to KES 2,508,000 at Years 2-7. It is a well-regarded prep school with a strong outdoor ethos and a loyal parent community. The catch is that it goes only to Year 8, so families need to plan a senior school transition. Most Banda children move to Brookhouse, Hillcrest, or Peponi, and the school is generally good at managing that handover.

Lycee Francais International Denis Diderot

Lycee Francais International Denis Diderot is the AEFE-affiliated French school in Nairobi, founded in 1962 on Argwings Kodhek Road in Kilimani. Around 600 students from 50-plus nationalities, with the full French curriculum and a British International Section (SIB) running alongside it. French government subsidy keeps fees noticeably below the comparable English-medium schools.

Annual fees for 2026-2027 range from KES 700,000 at pre-school half-day (French/Kenyan nationals) to KES 2,292,740 at High School for other nationalities. If your child is already in the French system, this is the obvious school. The British section is a genuine option for English-speaking families who want French immersion or whose posting history makes bilingual continuity important.

Deutsche Schule Nairobi

Deutsche Schule Nairobi is on Limuru Road in Gigiri, certified as an Excellent German School Abroad, with around 405 students from 50-plus nationalities. It runs the full German education path from Kindergarten through to Abitur. Annual fees for 2025-2026 run from KES 1,319,024 at Kindergarten to KES 2,220,729 at Grades 5-12, plus a one-time enrolment fee of KES 149,042. For German families, this is the natural first choice. Others rarely consider it unless German is already part of the family's school history.

Where people live

Gigiri and the UN area

Gigiri is the obvious first choice for families arriving on UN, NGO, or US government postings. The United Nations compound, the US Embassy, and Rosslyn Academy are all within a short drive of each other, and ISK is a 10-minute journey. The residential area includes a mix of gated estates and standalone homes, with rental prices reflecting the desirability. A four-bedroom family house typically runs USD 2,500-5,000/month depending on the estate and condition. Runda, which sits just north of Gigiri, is popular with families who want more space or value, and both Brookhouse Runda and ISK are accessible from there.

Karen and Langata

Karen is where a large proportion of Kenyan families, long-term expatriates, and families choosing the British-curriculum schools tend to end up. Brookhouse Karen and Hillcrest are both here, and The Banda School is in Langata just to the east. The area has a particular character: green, spacious, with a village-like feel despite being within the city. Rental prices are somewhat lower than Gigiri for comparable properties, and the roads are easier to navigate than the northern suburbs. A family house in Karen runs USD 1,500-4,000/month depending on size and compound.

Lavington, Kilimani, and Westlands

These central-to-western suburbs work well for families who need flexibility across different parts of the city. Lavington puts you close to Braeburn School. Kilimani is convenient for the Lycee. Westlands is well-connected and has good amenities, though it is denser and more urban than Karen or Gigiri. These areas attract families who are not anchored to one specific school cluster, or who want shorter commutes to offices in the CBD. Rents are generally lower than Karen or Gigiri for the same floor space.

Parklands

Parklands is the natural base for families using the Aga Khan Academy. It sits north of Westlands and has a strong Indian community and good local services. It is not a traditional international family cluster in the way Karen or Gigiri are, but families who live here find it convenient and affordable. A family house runs USD 1,000-2,500/month.

On traffic

Nairobi traffic during the school run is genuinely bad on certain routes. The Langata Road corridor into Karen in the morning and out in the afternoon is a known pain point. The route from Gigiri into the CBD or across to Karen can be frustrating. Most of the major schools run bus services that cover significant geographical areas, and parents who use the bus avoid the worst of it. If you are planning to drive the school run yourself, factor in 30-50 minutes each way on cross-city routes during term time.

Practical notes

Healthcare: Nairobi has a small number of private hospitals that international families rely on almost exclusively. The Aga Khan University Hospital in Parklands and Nairobi Hospital in Upper Hill are the two most used by the international community. Both have English-speaking consultants and reasonable specialist coverage. Private health insurance through a known international insurer is standard; most employers include it in packages.

Getting set up: Kenya requires a PIN certificate for most financial and administrative transactions. Opening a bank account, registering for utilities, and managing school-related payments all flow from having a valid PIN. The process is manageable but takes time. Most corporate relocation packages include help with this; self-organised arrivals should factor in a week or two before everything is in order.

Altitude: Nairobi sits at roughly 1,700 metres above sea level. Most families do not notice after the first few days, but a small number of children take longer to adjust. Something to factor in if you are arriving in term time.

School fees and currency: Most international schools in Nairobi publish fees in KES, though some quote USD or have USD options. ISK publishes and collects in USD. Others collect in KES at whatever the rate is at the time of invoicing. With KES/USD fluctuation, the effective USD cost of a KES-denominated school can shift meaningfully over a school year. Families on USD-based packages may want to check how the school handles currency risk before signing contracts.

Methodology

This article covers the international schools that serious shortlisting families in Nairobi would typically consider. Selection was based on academic reputation and inspection evidence, range of curriculum offered, school size and operational track record, and parent feedback gathered from international community forums and parent networks.

We have not ranked schools numerically. The right school depends heavily on where you are living, which curriculum your children are already in, and whether you need boarding. Our editorial ordering reflects rough standing in the market, but it is not a points score. Fee data is drawn from school websites and profiles in our database; where KES figures have been converted to USD, we have used an indicative rate of KES 130 to USD 1 and noted this. Verify current fees directly with each school before making decisions.

FAQs

Which Nairobi international school has the best IB results? The Aga Khan Academy Nairobi is the main full-IB school in the city, with Diploma averages in the 32-34 point range. ISK also offers the IB Diploma alongside its American programme. Neither school publishes year-by-year results prominently, so ask the admissions teams directly for recent data.

Is Nairobi safe for families with children at international schools? The areas used by most international families, primarily Gigiri, Karen, Lavington, and Parklands, are reasonably well managed in terms of access control and private security. Gated compounds are standard. The security situation is not static; take current advice from your employer or HR team before finalising a residential area. Most families who arrive expecting a difficult environment find day-to-day life more straightforward than anticipated.

Do I need to live near the school? More so than in some cities, yes. Cross-city routes during school run times can be slow. Most of the major schools run bus services across a wide area, which takes the daily commute problem away for children. If you plan to drive yourself, living within 15-20 minutes of the school is worth prioritising.

How early should I apply? The popular entry years at ISK and Brookhouse in particular fill quickly. Families arriving on corporate postings with a confirmed start date should contact schools six months in advance at minimum. ISK in particular is known to have waiting lists at certain year groups, and the capital levy situation means deposits are significant. Do not assume availability until a school confirms a place in writing.

Are there affordable international schools in Nairobi? Yes. The Aga Khan Academy offers credible IB education at fees that are a fraction of ISK. Braeburn and Hillcrest at primary level are accessible for families without full corporate packages. The Lycee is notably below-market for French-curriculum families due to government subsidy. Light International School in Karen offers Cambridge IGCSE and A-Levels at fees of roughly USD 2,000-4,000/year, which is the lowest end of the international market.

Fees correct as of January 2026. KES/USD conversion used: KES 130 = USD 1 (indicative). We work hard to make every figure, date and description on this page accurate. We don't always get it right. If you spot an error, a fee that's changed, a fact that's out of date, or something we've got wrong, please tell us via the feedback button or email us directly.