Best International Schools in Phnom Penh: The 2026 Guide for Families

Comparison table

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

The city

Phnom Penh is small enough that you can drive across it in 20 minutes on a good morning. That changes the school decision fundamentally: you are not locked into living near your school the way you are in Bangkok or Jakarta. Most families pick the school first and then find a neighbourhood they like, rather than the other way around.

The city has changed significantly since 2015. The Boeung Keng Kang (BKK) district and the riverfront areas have good Western-style infrastructure, reliable power and water, solid internet, and a growing range of international restaurants and services. Koh Pich (Diamond Island) has become a proper residential neighbourhood with a mix of serviced apartments and family-sized houses. Sen Sok, further north-west, is where a lot of the newer school campuses have been built.

Cambodia's cost of living is lower than most comparable postings. A family house with a garden in BKK1 or Toul Kork rents for roughly USD 2,000-4,500/month. Domestic help is affordable. Eating out is cheap. The tradeoffs are real too: healthcare is limited (most serious conditions get evacuated to Bangkok or Singapore), air quality can be poor in dry season, and the infrastructure outside the main residential areas is unreliable. These are not deal-breakers, but they are worth factoring in before you arrive.

The school market here skews IB, and for families coming from an IB background elsewhere, the continuity is straightforward. If you are coming from a British-curriculum background and want Cambridge all the way through, the options narrow but they exist.

The schools

International School of Phnom Penh

International School of Phnom Penh is the benchmark. Cambodia's oldest international school, non-profit and parent-governed, running the full IB continuum since 1989. Its 2025 IB Diploma average was 33 points with a 98% pass rate, which is comfortably above the global average of 30.5. The school sits in Chamkarmon, close to BKK1 and Tonle Bassac, which means most families in the central residential areas can reach it without a long commute.

Tuition for 2025-26 runs from USD 8,356 (Early Years 1) to USD 26,871 (Grades 11-12), plus an annual capital levy of USD 1,202-2,662. For families coming in on a full corporate package, this is a natural first call. For self-funding families, it is on the higher end, but the 98% IB pass rate gives you something concrete to stand behind. Waiting lists at popular year groups are real; contact the admissions team well before your arrival date.

Northbridge International School Cambodia

Northbridge International School Cambodia is the Nord Anglia network school here, and it carries all the advantages and expectations that come with that. An 8-hectare campus in Sen Sok, the full IB continuum, around 800 students from 40-plus nationalities, and a capital fee of USD 2,730-2,990 on top of tuition (USD 11,340 to USD 29,016 depending on year group). Families already in the Nord Anglia system elsewhere often choose Northbridge for continuity, and the campus quality and programme breadth tend to justify the fees. The Sen Sok location puts it further from the central residential areas; it is a 20-25 minute drive from BKK1 in normal traffic, which is manageable.

Nord Anglia's global music, sport, and performance partnerships give Northbridge access to programmes most schools at this price point cannot match. Ask specifically about what is available in Phnom Penh rather than taking the network brochure at face value.

Australian International School Phnom Penh

Australian International School Phnom Penh is the city's only school authorised across all four IB programmes, combining the Australian Curriculum with the full IB framework. Its 2025 results are strong: 100% IB DP/CP pass rate, with 60% of the cohort earning the bilingual diploma. Around 441 students on a 6-hectare campus in Russey Keo. Tuition runs USD 7,800 (Early Learning Centre half-day) to USD 26,995 (Years 11-12) for 2025-26.

It is a smaller school than ISPP or Northbridge, which families who have been here a few years mention as part of the appeal. At under 450 students, teachers know the children properly. The Australian curriculum connection is also a practical benefit if your family is likely to return to Australia at some point, or if you want dual-pathway flexibility at the diploma level.

Canadian International School of Phnom Penh

Canadian International School of Phnom Penh is the only Alberta-accredited school in Cambodia, which matters if you have a specific need for Canadian university recognition. Two campuses on Diamond Island (Koh Pich), serving roughly 1,000 students from Nursery to Grade 12 with an IB PYP-through-Diploma pathway alongside the Canadian curriculum. It also holds LabelFrancEducation status, the first school in Cambodia to do so, which is relevant for French-speaking families.

Fees for 2025-26 run approximately USD 7,700-24,600, making it slightly more accessible than ISPP or Northbridge at the upper end. The Koh Pich location is convenient if you live on Diamond Island or in the southern residential areas. Parents at the school tend to mention the community feel as a strong point.

Paragon International School Cambodia

Paragon International School Cambodia is the established British-curriculum option, CIS-accredited and running the Cambridge pathway from Primary through IGCSE and A Levels. Three campuses across Toul Kork and Russey Keo, around 1,200 students, fees from USD 5,350 (Nursery half-day) to USD 16,480 (Grades 10-12) for 2026-27. If you want a Cambridge A-Level route to UK universities and the IB feels like the wrong fit, Paragon is where most families in Phnom Penh land.

It has been operating since 1997, which gives it a stability and a track record that newer schools cannot replicate. The fee range is one of the most competitive among the accredited schools in the city. Families considering Paragon alongside ISPP typically cite the curriculum difference and the fee difference as the two main decision points.

iCAN British International School

iCAN British International School covers ages 18 months to Year 9 and no further. If your child is coming in at secondary age and needs to sit GCSEs or beyond, this is not the right school. But for families with younger children who want a British-curriculum environment in BKK, it merits a look. Two campuses in Tonle Bassac, around 350 students, using the International Primary Curriculum and the National Curriculum for England. Tuition for 2026-27 runs from USD 5,626 (iCAN Play half-day) to USD 12,100 (Years 1-6), plus an annual capital fee of USD 1,000-1,200. The fees are competitive for what is a genuinely British-focused environment.

Shrewsbury International School Phnom Penh

Shrewsbury International School Phnom Penh is the newest credentialled British school in the city, affiliated with Shrewsbury School UK. Currently a small operation of around 50 students in Chroy Changvar, running Pre-Nursery through Year 10, with fees from USD 10,000 to USD 31,000 for 2025-26. A purpose-built 7.2-hectare Sen Sok campus is planned for September 2026, which would change the school's scale and profile substantially. One to watch, but at this stage it is not yet a proven quantity in Phnom Penh. Families considering it should ask about the September 2026 transition carefully.

Invictus International School Phnom Penh

Invictus International School Phnom Penh is part of the Singapore-based Invictus group, offering Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels from Nursery through Year 13 on Preah Norodom Boulevard in Chamkarmon. Around 300 students, fees from approximately USD 6,150 (Kindergarten 1) to USD 10,820 (Year 9-12) including capital levy. It positions itself as the more affordable full Cambridge school in the city, and for families who want the Cambridge pathway without Paragon's fees, it is a genuine alternative to consider.

CIA FIRST International School

CIA FIRST International School is in a different category from the schools above: Phnom Penh's largest international school by enrolment, with over 5,500 students across four campuses in Sen Sok and Chbar Ampov. WASC-accredited, American-curriculum with AP courses, fees from approximately USD 3,300 (Nursery half-day) to USD 7,500 (Grade 11-12) for 2025-26. It is the most affordable WASC-accredited option in the city by a substantial margin.

For families on local packages, or self-funding families who need a recognised qualification at a price that makes sense, CIA FIRST is often the answer. It is not a small, intimate school by any definition, but the accreditation is real, the fees are honest, and there are families of all nationalities here, not just one community.

Lycée Français René Descartes

Lycée Français René Descartes is Phnom Penh's French state school, AEFE-accredited and running since 1951. Around 1,290 students from Kindergarten through Terminale, following the French national curriculum. Tuition for 2026-27 for non-French/Cambodian families runs USD 7,638 (Primary) to USD 10,151 (High School), with a first-enrolment fee of USD 3,042. For French-speaking families, or bilingual families who want strong French alongside English, this is the natural home.

East-West International School

East-West International School is a WASC-accredited bilingual school in BKK3, centrally located on Street 143. Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels at secondary, IPC and IMYC at primary, with a meaningful Khmer language component throughout. Around 400 students, fees from USD 4,920 (Nursery all-in) to USD 7,740 (Grades 9-12 all-in) for 2025-26. For families who want an affordable, WASC-accredited school close to the central residential areas, East-West merits a look.

Where people live

BKK1 and Tonle Bassac (Chamkarmon)

The traditional heart of international family life in Phnom Penh. BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1) has tree-lined streets, the highest concentration of Western restaurants and services in the city, and good road access everywhere. Tonle Bassac, just to the south, has a similar feel with slightly more apartment blocks. ISPP and Invictus are both in Chamkarmon, and iCAN is just nearby. For most families arriving for the first time, BKK1 is the default starting point, and most families who have been here a few years find they either stay or move somewhere equally central.

Rents in BKK1 for a family-sized three-bedroom apartment run roughly USD 1,800-3,500/month. Houses with gardens are available but rarer and more expensive.

Koh Pich (Diamond Island)

Koh Pich has been developed heavily over the past decade and is now a proper residential area on the island south-east of central Phnom Penh. It has a clean, planned feel, with condominiums, apartment blocks, a Decathlon, and a stretch of riverside. The Canadian International School is here. Families living on Koh Pich can walk or cycle to school, which is not something you can say at most other schools in the city. Rents are comparable to BKK1 for similar sizes.

Toul Kork

Toul Kork is a quieter residential district north-west of BKK1. It has a local feel rather than an expat-enclave feel, but it is comfortable and well-serviced. Paragon has campuses here. Families choosing between BKK1 and Toul Kork often do so based on school location or personal preference for a slightly less busy neighbourhood. Rents are marginally lower than BKK1.

Sen Sok

Sen Sok is where Northbridge and AISPP are located, plus CIA FIRST. Further from the central areas, more suburban, and less walkable for daily life. It is the practical choice if you are at Northbridge or AISPP and want to be close to school. Housing is generally more spacious for the money than in BKK1, with larger villas and more garden space.

On commuting

Phnom Penh's traffic is genuinely manageable by the standards of comparable postings. The city is small, the road network is mostly grid-based, and there is no equivalent of Jakarta or Bangkok rush-hour gridlock. A 25-minute drive across the city is a realistic bad-day commute. That said, families going from BKK1 to Sen Sok twice a day do feel the distance over time. Factor it in, but do not let it determine the school choice to the exclusion of everything else.

Fees at a glance

All fees in USD. Lower figure is youngest year group; upper figure is Grades 11-12 or equivalent. See individual school profiles for full fee schedules including capital levies and registration fees.

Practical notes

Healthcare: Phnom Penh's medical facilities are limited. Royal Phnom Penh Hospital and Raffles Medical are the main options for routine care; serious conditions typically mean a flight to Bangkok or Singapore. Most corporate health packages here include medical evacuation cover, and most families arrange this if it is not included. It is not optional.

Language: Khmer is the official language and you can live comfortably in BKK1 and Koh Pich without it. English is widely spoken in the international areas. That said, the administrative side of Cambodian life (visas, property leases, dealing with government offices) is smoother with a local contact or a relocation agent who knows the system.

Visas: Most international families arrive on tourist visas and convert to an Ordinary Visa (E-class) for longer stays. The process is straightforward and widely understood by relocation agents here. It is not the bureaucratic obstacle it can be in other postings.

Cost of living: Substantially lower than Bangkok or KL. A family of four with a car, domestic help, and private healthcare should budget around USD 5,000-8,000/month before school fees. Utilities, groceries, and eating out are genuinely cheap.

Internet and infrastructure: Reliable fibre internet is available throughout the main residential areas. Power cuts happen but are less frequent than they used to be. If you are working from home, confirm the internet infrastructure specifically in any apartment before signing a lease.

FAQs

Which schools in Phnom Penh have the best IB results? International School of Phnom Penh scored an average of 33 points in 2025 with a 98% pass rate, against a global average of 30.5. Australian International School Phnom Penh achieved a 100% IB DP/CP pass rate in 2025, with 60% of its cohort earning the bilingual diploma. Northbridge does not currently publish its IB results publicly, as far as we can tell. For the most current data, check each school's website and ask admissions directly.

Is ISPP or Northbridge better? Both are strong IB schools, but they are different propositions. ISPP is non-profit and parent-governed, in a central location (Chamkarmon), with published results that compare well internationally. Northbridge brings the Nord Anglia network's resources and a larger, newer campus in Sen Sok, at a higher fee point. Families choosing between them tend to decide based on location, whether the Nord Anglia network matters to them for continuity, and which community feels like the right fit on a visit.

Are there affordable international schools in Phnom Penh? CIA FIRST International School is WASC-accredited and fees run approximately USD 3,300-7,500/year, making it the most affordable accredited option in the city. East-West International School (Cambridge, WASC) runs USD 4,920-7,740/year. Invictus (Cambridge) and Paragon (Cambridge) are in the USD 5,000-16,000 range depending on year group. There is genuine choice below the USD 10,000 level if the IB flagship schools are not the right fit financially.

How early should I apply to schools in Phnom Penh? For ISPP and Northbridge, the popular year groups (Early Years, Grade 1, and Grade 11 IB entry) can fill up. Contact schools six to twelve months before your intended start date. For AISPP and the Canadian school, the wait is usually less pressured, but contacting early is still advisable. For the Cambridge schools, availability tends to be more open, though it varies by year group.

Do I need to live near the school in Phnom Penh? Less than in most comparable cities. Phnom Penh is compact, traffic is manageable, and the commute from BKK1 to Sen Sok (the furthest stretch most families face) is 20-30 minutes in normal traffic. It is a factor, not a constraint. Most families choose a neighbourhood they like and drive or use school transport. The exceptions are families at the Canadian school on Koh Pich, who often specifically live on Diamond Island to take advantage of the walkable proximity.

Fees correct as of January 2026. All fees in USD. Fees verified against school websites and admissions materials. Figures are indicative; confirm current fees directly with each school before making decisions.

Methodology

This ranking covers the international schools most commonly shortlisted by families relocating to Phnom Penh with children aged 2-18. Selection is based on editorial judgement informed by: accreditation status (CIS, WASC, AEFE, Cambridge International, IB authorisation), published academic results where available, school governance and stability, and parent and community feedback gathered through standard research. Fee data is sourced from school websites and admissions materials published for 2025-26 and 2026-27; where figures differ between sources, we have used the more recent one and noted the date.

Schools without a profile page on this site are included where they belong in the ranking regardless; the link points to where the profile will live. We could not independently verify IB results for all schools; where results are not publicly available, we have noted that rather than excluding the school. The city coverage is not exhaustive: there are smaller, locally-oriented international-style schools in Phnom Penh that are not included here because they are not in the shortlist most relocating families consider.