Best International Schools in Riyadh: The 2026 Guide for Families

Comparison table

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

The city

Riyadh has changed faster in the past five years than at any point in its recent history. Vision 2030 is visible: entertainment venues have opened, social restrictions have eased, and the city is positioning itself as a regional hub for international business. For families arriving in 2026, the experience is materially different from 2019.

The city sprawls. There is almost no walkable urban core, so a car is the infrastructure. Distances between the main residential compounds and the northern school cluster are not as punishing as they look on a map, and traffic does not dominate daily life the way it does in some other major cities. The Ring Road and King Fahad Road carry most of the load outside peak hours.

The climate is the main adjustment. Summers are extreme: 40°C plus for months, with school holidays structured around this. October to April is dry, sunny, and mild. Most outdoor activity happens in this window.

Saudi cultural norms apply. Dress codes in public are now relaxed but context matters outside the main expat compounds. Arabic isn't required for daily life in the international areas but opens up the city considerably and is worth pursuing.

The schools

British International School Riyadh

British International School Riyadh is the oldest British school in the city, opened in 1979, and with around 3,000 students across three all-through campuses it's also the largest. It offers the British National Curriculum throughout, with IGCSE, A-Level, and the IB Diploma as sixth-form options. Results are solid: 93% GCSE A-C, 84% A-Level A-C, IB average around 33 points. Parents who've been in Riyadh a few years tend to view it as a reliable, well-established choice.

Fees for 2025-26 run from SAR 49,095 (Foundation 1) to SAR 107,933 (Year 12-13), VAT included. At the upper end that translates to roughly USD 28,000 per year. Three campuses means not all year groups are on the same site; check before you apply if you have children at different stages.

American International School Riyadh

American International School Riyadh is the oldest international school in the city, founded in 1963, and operates from a large purpose-built campus opened in 2014 in Al Yasmin. It runs a US curriculum through Grade 10 and offers the IB Diploma for Grades 11-12, with a 100% IB pass rate. The community has historically had a strong US diplomatic and corporate feel, though it's broadened over the years.

Annual tuition for 2025-26 runs from SAR 63,164 (Early Years) to SAR 117,812 (Grades 9-12), VAT included, roughly USD 17,000 to USD 31,000. If your family is tracking to US universities or coming from an American-curriculum background, this is the natural starting point. The IB option at Grade 11 provides a credible alternative to A-Levels for UK and international destinations.

King Faisal School

King Faisal School was Saudi Arabia's first full IB continuum school and sits on a large campus in the Diplomatic Quarter. Founded in 1991 by the King Faisal Foundation, it runs IB PYP, MYP, and Diploma with around 2,100 students from Preschool to Grade 12. IB pass rate of 92%. One of the more established schools in Riyadh, with a mixed Saudi and international student body, which matters if you want your children mixing with local families.

Fees are competitive for a school of this quality: SAR 45,000 (Preschool) to SAR 67,500 (Grades 11-12) for 2025-26, with 15% VAT applicable to non-Saudi families on top. Effective fees for international families run roughly SAR 51,750 to SAR 77,625 (USD 14,000 to USD 20,700). Strong value relative to the British schools at the top end.

Reigate Grammar School Riyadh

Reigate Grammar School Riyadh operates across two campuses in Al Waha (primary at Qurtobah, secondary at Ghirnatah) under a quality assurance partnership with Reigate Grammar School in the UK. The exam results are the best headline figures of any British school in Riyadh: 97% IGCSE A-C, 96% A-Level A-C. Outstanding rating from the BSO on its most recent inspection.

Fees for 2026-27 run from SAR 45,368 (Nursery) to SAR 80,143 (Year 13), excluding 15% VAT. Effective fees for international families are SAR 52,173 to SAR 92,165 (approximately USD 14,000 to USD 24,600). Around 1,100 students across both sites. Families targeting top UK universities tend to shortlist this alongside BISR.

Misk Schools

Misk Schools is the most expensive option in Riyadh and a different kind of school. Backed by the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation and operating from a purpose-built campus at Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City in Irqah, it runs the British curriculum to Year 11 and then IB Diploma, designed around Vision 2030 leadership development. Around 2,000 students from Year 1 to Year 13.

Fees for Years 6-11 are SAR 125,000 per year, approximately USD 33,300, before any extras. The school is selective and has a Saudi-heavy student body. Families who end up here tend to be either senior Saudi corporate families or senior international executives on corporate packages. Not the first port of call for families arriving on a standard relocation package.

Downe House Riyadh

Downe House Riyadh is a Cognita-group school in Al Aqiq with around 600 students. Co-ed from Nursery to Year 4, it becomes girls-only from Year 5 upwards, which is worth planning around if you have sons in secondary school or mixed-age children who need to be in one school.

A-Level pass rate was 100% in the most recent reported year, with 18% of IGCSE grades at 9 or 8. Fees for 2025-26 run from SAR 54,855 (Nursery) to SAR 97,520 (Year 12-13), plus a one-time enrolment fee of SAR 5,750. The upper secondary fees translate to roughly USD 26,000 per year.

King's College Riyadh

King's College Riyadh opened in August 2021 as the first school under Riyadh's Royal Commission international schools programme, on a purpose-built campus in Diriyah. Currently runs from Pre-School to Year 7, expanding upwards over time. Still building its year-group range, which matters if you need secondary provision immediately.

Annual fees for 2025-26 run from SAR 52,784 (Pre-School/Reception, VAT included) to SAR 79,175 (Year 7, VAT included), roughly USD 14,000 to USD 21,100. No capital fee. Families with young children planning to stay in Riyadh for several years have reason to consider it, though you'll need a secondary plan unless the school has expanded by then.

SEK International School Riyadh

SEK International School Riyadh opened in 2021 in Al Rabieh and is the smallest school covered here at around 320 students. An IB World School offering PYP and MYP, part of the Spanish SEK Education Group. Class sizes average 18. Fees for 2025-26 run from SAR 35,190 (Nursery) to SAR 82,225 (Grade 11-12), one of the more affordable IB options in the city.

The small size may suit families who want a less institutional environment, but it also means the IB Diploma programme is only now coming online. Families considering SEK for older children should ask directly about the size of the diploma cohort and the range of subjects available.

Advanced Learning Schools Riyadh

Advanced Learning Schools Riyadh has been an IB World School since 2009 and is CIS-accredited, which puts it among the more established IB options in the city. Around 600 students across three An Nakheel campuses: boys, girls, and a co-ed K-5 site. Fees for 2025-26 run from SAR 61,000 (KG1-2) to SAR 75,000 (Grades 11-12), with a 10% sibling discount and textbooks included, which makes the headline fee more representative of total cost than at schools where books are billed separately.

Beech Hall School Riyadh

Beech Hall School Riyadh is a Blenheim Schools campus in Al Khuzama offering a mix of IB and American curricula from Nursery through Grade 11 (Grade 12 arriving September 2026). Around 300 students. Fees run from SAR 40,000 (Nursery) to SAR 95,000 (Grade 11). NEASC accreditation in process. Smaller and newer, positioned below the main British and IB incumbents on price but without the track record. An option if the larger schools are full or the smaller community appeals.

Al Faris International School Riyadh

Al Faris International School Riyadh is a full IB continuum school (PYP, MYP, DP) operating since 2004 with Cognia accreditation, around 2,400 students in Al Tawun, on a new campus as of 2025-26. Fees are among the most competitive for a full IB programme: SAR 42,000 (KG) to SAR 50,000 (Grades 10-12), with a one-time registration fee of SAR 3,000. An older IB Diploma average of 35 points (Class of 2018) suggests academic capability at the top, though that figure is dated and worth pressing on at admissions.

Where people live

Diplomatic Quarter

The Diplomatic Quarter (DQ), in the western part of the city near the National Museum, is where many senior international families and embassy personnel end up. Self-contained: golf club, swimming pools, running tracks, international restaurants, secure compound feel. King Faisal School and the Deutsche Internationale Schule are both here. Delivers community but can feel isolated from the broader city. Rent at the premium end.

Al Waha and Ghirnatah

This north-western cluster has grown into one of the more popular residential areas for international families, partly because of Reigate Grammar School's campuses here. A mix of villas and compounds, with newer developments adding facilities. Less embassy-compound in feel than the DQ, more suburban. Good access to King Fahad Road.

Al Hamra and surrounding areas

Al Hamra, south-east of the DQ, is a more established residential area with several compounds and the main BISR campus nearby. Families at BISR who want a short commute cluster here. The compound infrastructure is solid: tennis courts, pools, international supermarkets on or near most sites.

Al Yasmin and north Riyadh

Al Yasmin, to the north, is where American International School Riyadh sits. Newer and more spread-out, a mix of family villas and compound living, good road connections towards the airport corridor. Families on US government or American corporate packages gravitate here. Al Aqiq, slightly north of centre, is where Downe House is based.

On compounds vs villas

Riyadh's international families broadly split between compound living and free-standing villas. Compounds offer pool, gym, and community infrastructure, and are an easier landing for families new to the city. After a year or two, many families who could afford either move to a larger standalone villa for the space and privacy, once friends and activities are established outside the compound.

Fees in context

VAT is the thing that catches families out. Saudi Arabia introduced 15% VAT on education fees in 2020. Most international schools have incorporated this into their published figures, but not all present it the same way: some show fees inclusive, some exclusive, and the gap is 15% of a very large number. Check carefully before comparing across schools.

The broad fee ranges in 2025-26:

• Entry-level international options (Al Faris, One World, SEK for younger years): SAR 35,000-50,000 per year
• Mid-range established schools (King Faisal, Reigate Grammar, King's College): SAR 45,000-80,000 per year
• Premium British schools (BISR, American International, Downe House): SAR 55,000-117,000 per year
• Flagship tier (Misk Schools): SAR 125,000 per year

Most corporate packages cover school fees in full or in part. Self-funding families should budget on the basis that fees are a significant proportion of total cost-of-living; housing is an additional major expense in Riyadh.

Practical notes

Applying from abroad: Most Riyadh international schools handle international admissions and are used to receiving families before they arrive in-country. Apply early. Popular year groups at BISR, AISR, and Reigate Grammar fill quickly, and mid-year availability isn't guaranteed even at less pressured schools. Six to nine months ahead is sensible.

Iqama and school registration: Your child's iqama (Saudi residency permit) is required for school registration. The admissions team will advise on timing; expect a short window between arrival and having documents in place.

Term structure: Riyadh international schools follow the British or American academic year, starting late August or September and finishing in June, with the long summer break during the extreme heat. Half-terms, Easter breaks, and national holidays (including Saudi National Day and Founding Day) shift the calendar slightly from UK or US norms.

Healthcare: International-standard private hospitals are well-represented. King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Saudi German Hospital, and several SEHA-network facilities are the main options. Most corporate packages include private health cover. English-speaking GP access is straightforward in the main international compounds.

The wider city: Riyadh is considerably more accessible than it was five years ago. Cinemas, restaurants, sporting events, and outdoor activities are available in a way they weren't before Vision 2030. It isn't Dubai or Singapore for international infrastructure, but it's no longer the isolated posting it once was.

FAQs

Which Riyadh international schools have the strongest exam results? Reigate Grammar School Riyadh has the strongest published headline figures for the British curriculum: 97% IGCSE A-C and 96% A-Level A-C. British International School Riyadh reports 93% GCSE A-C and an IB Diploma average of 33 points. American International School Riyadh has a 100% IB pass rate. King Faisal School's IB pass rate is 92%.

Are there good IB schools in Riyadh? Yes, several. King Faisal School offers the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma) and has an established reputation. Advanced Learning Schools is CIS-accredited and has been an IB school since 2009. SEK International School is newer. For IB Diploma specifically, both BISR and American International School offer it as a sixth-form option alongside their primary curricula.

How much do international schools cost in Riyadh? The range is broad. Budget schools start around SAR 35,000 per year for younger children; established mid-range schools run SAR 45,000-80,000; the premium British schools reach SAR 100,000-117,000 at secondary level; and Misk Schools charges SAR 125,000. All fees now carry 15% VAT for non-Saudi families at most schools. Check whether published figures are inclusive or exclusive of VAT before comparing.

Where do most international families live in Riyadh? The main clusters are the Diplomatic Quarter (embassy and senior corporate families), Al Waha and Ghirnatah (north-west, near Reigate Grammar campuses), Al Hamra (central-south, near BISR), and Al Yasmin (north, near American International School Riyadh). Most families live in compounds when they first arrive, then move to free-standing villas once they're settled.

Is Riyadh a good place to raise children? Most families who've spent time here say it's better than they expected. Compound life provides a ready-made community for children, schools are well-resourced, and the social restrictions that defined Saudi Arabia for decades have loosened considerably since 2017. The main adjustments are the climate, the car-dependence, and a slower daily pace than major Western cities.

Fees correct as of January 2026. 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, please use the feedback button or email us directly.