International Schools in Mumbai Under INR 8 Lakh

# International Schools in Mumbai Under INR 8 Lakh

Mumbai · Fees & Costs

The INR 8 lakh ceiling is the bracket where most Mumbai families on local salaries or partial expatriate packages do their school search. Below it sit twelve schools that publish recognisable international credentials, IB Diploma, IGCSE, A-Level, ICSE, ISC, in some combination, alongside a handful of standalone Cambridge or ICSE setups. Above it the picture changes: the American School of Bombay, Dhirubhai Ambani International, Oberoi International, all clear INR 12 lakh or more at the senior end.

The INR 8 lakh tier is where dual-curriculum models dominate. Most of these schools run an Indian board (ICSE or CBSE) up to Class 10 and then offer IB DP or Cambridge A-Level for the final two years. A few run pure international tracks. Two run only Cambridge IGCSE. One runs only ICSE with limited international layering. The geographic spread covers South Mumbai, Bandra, the Western Suburbs, Powai, and the eastern and northern fringes.

Written by Mia Windsor · Originally published: 8 June 2026 · 7 min read

TL;DR - Twelve international schools in Mumbai keep their highest year group fees under INR 8 lakh - The bracket spans pure IGCSE, ICSE+IB DP, ICSE+Cambridge, and full IB continuum models - Several schools publish strong results: Cathedral and John Connon (IB DP average 38.38), Garodia ICL (IB DP average 38), Mainadevi Bajaj (IGCSE average 96.33%), Hiranandani Foundation (100% ICSE pass, 102 of 133 above 90%) - Geography is broad: South Mumbai, Bandra, Santacruz, Powai, the Western Suburbs and Other Mumbai are all represented at this price point - The CIS-accredited cluster (Mainadevi Bajaj, Panbai, Kanakia, Podar, Cathedral, Garodia, JBCN Parel) is where the bracket competes hardest against schools twice the price

On this page - The full table - What this bracket looks like - Schools that stand out - What separates INR 1 lakh from INR 7.75 lakh - FAQs

The Full Table

Every school below keeps its most expensive year group under INR 8 lakh. Sorted by high-end fee, ascending.

All figures approximate and reflect the highest published year group. Verify directly with each school. Fees exclude capitation, transport, lunch and uniforms unless stated.

What This Bracket Looks Like

Under INR 8 lakh, the Mumbai market is denser than any single curriculum view suggests. Twelve schools is enough to fill out a reasonable shortlist, and the variation between them is real: a Cambridge-only school in Bandra at INR 1 lakh and a full IB continuum school in Parel at INR 7.75 lakh are not the same product.

A few patterns are worth tracking.

Dual-curriculum is the default. Mumbai's mid-tier internationals rarely run a pure IB or pure Cambridge programme from Class 1 to Class 12. The more common shape is ICSE or CBSE through Class 10, then a fork at Class 11 into IB DP or Cambridge A-Level. Cathedral and John Connon, Hiranandani Foundation, and JBCN Parel all run versions of this model. It keeps Indian university pathways open while preserving the international option.

Pure IB continuum exists but is rarer below INR 8 lakh. Mainadevi Bajaj, NES International, and Kanakia run IB PYP, MYP and DP from the early years upward. So does JBCN Parel. These four are the bracket's pure-continuum options. The rest stitch international qualifications onto an Indian-board base.

Geography spans the whole metro. South Mumbai gets Cathedral, JBCN Parel. Bandra West gets St. Stanislaus. Santacruz gets Sacred Heart and Panbai. Malad and the Western Suburbs get Mainadevi Bajaj and Podar. Powai gets Hiranandani Foundation. Mulund gets NES International. Chembur and Versova get Kanakia. Ghatkopar East gets Garodia. Almost every major residential cluster has at least one option under INR 8 lakh, which is not true of the INR 12 lakh-plus tier.

Published results are uneven. Cathedral and John Connon publishes IB DP averages (38.38 in 2025, 38.48 in 2022). Garodia ICL publishes 38 for 2024. Mainadevi Bajaj publishes IGCSE and A Level averages (96.33% and 88.75% in March 2024). Hiranandani publishes ICSE and ISC distinction rates. JBCN Parel publishes a 100% IGCSE pass rate for 2025 and ranking data. Other schools list 100% pass rates without averages, which is much less informative.

CIS accreditation runs deep here. Seven of the twelve, Mainadevi Bajaj, Panbai, Kanakia, Podar, Cathedral, Garodia, JBCN Parel, hold CIS accreditation. Garodia also holds NEASC. Hiranandani Foundation and Kanakia hold IN_CISCE recognition through their ICSE arm. This is a higher accreditation density than the same price band in many other Indian cities.

Schools That Stand Out

Twelve options is enough to need filtering. Here are the schools that stand out for specific reasons.

Cathedral and John Connon School, the strongest results story in the bracket. ICSE and ISC through Class 12 alongside IB DP and Cambridge A-Level. IB DP average of 38.38 in 2025, 38.48 in 2022. ICSE 2021 had 95% of students scoring 90% or above. South Mumbai location (Fort), CIS-accredited. INR 6.7 lakh at the senior end. For families who can manage the geography and want a school with both a long Indian-board pedigree and a credible IB pathway, this is the headline option.

Garodia International Centre for Learning, the strongest results-to-fee ratio at the upper edge of the bracket. IB DP average of 38 in 2024, 52% A* / A at A Level the same year. CIS and NEASC accredited. Ghatkopar East location, which is well-connected by metro and central line. INR 7 lakh high end.

JBCN International School (Parel), ranked No. 1 or 2 in Mumbai and Maharashtra and No. 2 in India by EducationWorld in 2025. 100% IGCSE pass rate in 2025 and over USD 13 million in university scholarships for the same cohort. Full IB PYP plus DP continuum alongside Cambridge. CIS-accredited. South Mumbai (Parel) location. INR 7.75 lakh high end, right against the ceiling.

Mainadevi Bajaj International School, the value story at INR 2.31 lakh. Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) plus IGCSE and Cambridge A-Level. IGCSE March 2024 average of 96.33%, A Level average of 88.75%. CIS-accredited. Malad West campus. At less than a third of the price of JBCN Parel, with published averages on both Cambridge tracks, this is the bracket's clearest underprice.

Hiranandani Foundation School, Powai's senior international option at INR 2.25 lakh. ICSE plus IB DP plus Cambridge A-Level. 2026 ICSE results show 102 of 133 students scored above 90%. ISC: 100% pass, 100% first class, 90% distinction. IN_CISCE accredited.

Kanakia International School, IB continuum with a 45/45 perfect IBDP score in 2023 (one of 179 globally). Times Survey ranked it second top IB school in Mumbai. CIS-accredited via the ICSE arm. Campuses in Chembur and Versova. INR 4.3 lakh high end.

Panbai International School, Cambridge-only specialist in Santacruz. IGCSE and A-Level, no IB layer. Times School Survey 2024 ranked it 4th Best Cambridge School in Mumbai. CIS-accredited. INR 2.5 lakh high end. For families committed to the Cambridge pathway and not interested in IB, this is the focused option.

NES International School, Mulund's full IB continuum option at INR 2.7 lakh. PYP through DP plus Cambridge A-Level. The school reports 100% pass in IB Diploma and IGCSE with World and Country Topper positions. Year-wise averages are not published, which limits comparison.

What Separates INR 1 Lakh from INR 7.75 Lakh

The fee range inside this bracket is nearly eight times wide at the extremes. The differences map to four things.

Curriculum depth. St. Stanislaus at INR 1 lakh runs Cambridge IGCSE only. Cathedral at INR 6.7 lakh runs ICSE, ISC, IB DP, Cambridge A-Level and AP. JBCN Parel at INR 7.75 lakh runs IB PYP, IB DP, IGCSE and Cambridge A-Level. The higher up the bracket, the more exit options the student has and the more specialist staffing the school needs to fund.

Published exam outcomes. Schools at the top of this bracket publish IB DP averages with year stamps, IGCSE percentage averages, ICSE and ISC distinction rates. Schools at the lower end often publish nothing, or only generic 100% pass statements. The schools that publish detail are easier to compare to higher-priced peers.

Accreditation footprint. Seven of the twelve hold CIS. Garodia adds NEASC. Two schools hold no published international accreditation. The Indian board recognition (IN_CISCE) is a separate layer and applies regardless of fee level.

Facilities and scale. Cathedral, Podar, JBCN Parel, Kanakia and Garodia operate purpose-built campuses with dedicated science labs, sports infrastructure, performing arts spaces and library systems. Schools at the lower end of the bracket are typically more compact, often sharing facilities across age groups. The gap is visible on a site visit and shows up in the co-curricular range.

The curriculum on paper looks similar across several schools here, two schools both offering IGCSE plus IB DP, while delivery quality, teacher recruitment and university counselling vary substantially. The published results above are the single best filter where the schools share them, followed by an in-person visit.

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FAQs

Which schools in this bracket have the best IB DP results? Cathedral and John Connon (38.38 average in 2025) and Garodia ICL (38 in 2024) are the standouts. Kanakia produced a 45/45 perfect score in 2023. JBCN Parel publishes 100% IGCSE pass rates but does not publish a recent IB DP average. The IB DP world average sits around 30, so 38 is meaningfully above it.

Are there any CIS-accredited schools under INR 8 lakh? Yes, seven. Mainadevi Bajaj, Panbai, Kanakia, Podar, Cathedral and John Connon, Garodia ICL, and JBCN Parel all hold CIS. Garodia ICL also holds NEASC. CIS covers governance, teaching quality, student welfare and learning outcomes and is the most rigorous international school accreditation in use globally.

What's the difference between CBSE, ICSE and IB DP for university applications? CBSE is the Central Board's school-leaving qualification (AISSCE at Class 12). ICSE is Class 10 and ISC is Class 12 under the CISCE board, generally regarded as more rigorous in English and humanities. IB DP is the international option for Class 11 and 12 and is the most widely accepted by overseas universities. Most schools in this bracket run an Indian board through Class 10 and a fork into IB DP or Cambridge A-Level for Class 11 and 12.

Which schools work for South Mumbai families? Cathedral and John Connon (Fort) and JBCN Parel (Parel) are the two South Mumbai options at this price point. Both are CIS-accredited, both run IB DP, and both publish results. Cathedral has the deeper ICSE and ISC track record, JBCN Parel has the stronger recent ranking position.

What about Powai, Mulund and the Eastern Suburbs? Hiranandani Foundation School (Powai), NES International (Mulund), Kanakia (Chembur/Versova) and Garodia ICL (Ghatkopar East) cover the eastern and northern arc. Garodia at INR 7 lakh has the strongest published IB and A Level results in that geography.

Are there any schools under INR 3 lakh worth shortlisting? Hiranandani Foundation (INR 2.25 lakh), Mainadevi Bajaj (INR 2.31 lakh), Panbai (INR 2.5 lakh) and NES International (INR 2.7 lakh) all sit under INR 3 lakh and all run international qualifications. Mainadevi Bajaj is the only one with a full IB continuum plus published IGCSE and A Level averages at that price.

For the wider Mumbai picture, see Best International Schools in Mumbai. For a full fee breakdown, see International School Fees in Mumbai.

All fees approximate, verify directly with each school. Figures reflect the highest published year group and exclude capitation, transport, lunch and uniforms unless stated.

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