Cities / Almaty / Miras International School
Miras International School
The first school in Kazakhstan to win full IB authorisation across PYP, MYP and DP, opened in 1999 on Al Farabi Avenue. Trilingual delivery in English, Russian and Kazakh.
In brief
The first school in Kazakhstan to win full IB authorisation across PYP, MYP and DP, opened in 1999 on Al-Farabi Avenue. Trilingual delivery in English, Russian and Kazakh.
Around 540 to 580 students, mainly Kazakh nationals with a meaningful international slice. CIS and NEASC accredited. The dual-track design lets graduates leave with both a Kazakhstani state diploma and the IB DP, useful for families who want options on either side of the border.
Reputationally strong on academic seriousness and on language depth across the three mediums. Fees sit between 3 and 8.7 million KZT, materially cheaper than KIS or Haileybury for an equivalent IB pathway, which is a large part of why local professional families pick it. Sister campus in Astana.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten (part-day until 14:00) | 4 | KZT 2,250,000 |
| Kindergarten (full) | 4 | KZT 3,230,000 |
| Pre-school | 5 | KZT 3,890,000 |
| Grade 1-4 (Kazakh/Russian streams) | 6 | KZT 5,170,000 |
| Grade 1-4 (English stream) | 6 | KZT 6,205,000 |
| Grade 5-8 (Kazakh/Russian) | 11 | KZT 5,790,000 |
| Grade 5-8 (English) | 11 | KZT 7,140,000 |
| Grade 9-10 (Kazakh/Russian) | 15 | KZT 5,790,000 |
| Grade 9-10 (English) | 15 | KZT 7,140,000 |
| Grade 11 (Kazakhstani programme) | 17 | KZT 5,950,000 |
| Grade 11-12 (IB Diploma courses) | 17 | KZT 8,120,000 |
| Grade 11-12 (IB Diploma Programme) | 17 | KZT 9,170,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance Fee | KZT 400,000 |
Reviews
Almaty's original IB school, on Al-Farabi in the foothills, with full PYP/MYP/DP authorisation and a Cambridge IGCSE exam centre alongside. Three language streams (English, Russian, Kazakh) and a long-tenured staff. Recent DP cohorts have produced genuine top-of-table scores and offers across the US, UK, Europe and Asia. The picture from current families is more uneven. Praise for teaching and English outcomes sits next to a steady drumbeat of complaints about a hierarchical, long-entrenched administration, a perception that affluent families get smoother treatment, and the daily grind of parking chaos at the gate.
Positives
- IB outcomes. DP results land at the strong end for the city. The 2025 cohort posted scores of 42, 41, 41 and 40 and pulled more than fifty university offers across the US, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore and Hong Kong. Pass rates have run at 100%.
- Languages and English. Parents repeatedly single out the English outcomes. Children come out fluent, and the three-stream structure (English, Russian, Kazakh) is the closest thing in Almaty to a working trilingual model rather than a marketing line.
- Long-tenured staff. Many teachers have been at Miras for years, some since the school opened. Older graduates describe approachable, supportive teacher-student relationships and active help with university applications.
- Campus and facilities. Green, well-kept site in the foothills with a swimming pool, multiple gyms and sports courts. The on-site kindergarten building is purpose-built. A new building is in progress.
Considerations
- Leadership style. The most consistent criticism is of the administration: parents and former staff describe a rigid, top-down management culture and a leadership team that has been in place a long time. Complaints about a harsh tone towards both teachers and students come up often enough to read as a pattern, not a one-off.
- Equity of treatment. Parents talk about families with money or connections getting an easier ride, from day-to-day interactions to academic latitude. Whether that reads as accurate or perception, it comes up often.
- Admissions experience. An applicant in spring 2025 reported unprofessional conduct from examiners during entrance testing. One voice, but it lines up with the broader complaints about tone.
- Maths versus English. English instruction draws strong praise; maths is described by some families as the weaker side of the academic offer.
- Drop-off and parking. Parking at Al-Farabi 190 jams at the start and end of the day. Reviews mention struggling to exit the site and being late to after-school activities as a result.
- Fees. Tuition runs roughly KZT 7.5m to 14.5m for 2025/26 depending on grade, with a one-time first-year top-up. Two full-tuition scholarships are awarded each year on academic merit.
Leadership
Irina R. Vlassyants
Irina Ramilyevna Vlassyants has been with Miras International School Almaty since its foundation in 1999. Under her leadership, the school successfully passed reaccreditation by the Council of International Schools (CIS) in 2021. She is an innovation-oriented leader who has implemented modern teaching methods and international standards for student assessment. She is the author of a Russian language methodological guide for the IB Diploma Programme and has published numerous articles on education. She is a member of the CIS Accreditation Commission and has received state awards, including the title "Honorary Worker of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan" and the Order "Kurmet" for her significant achievements in organizing and improving educational processes.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 02
Academic results
- IB programmes PYP, MYP, DP
- Accreditation CIS, NEASC