Australian Independent School, Bali

In Brief

AIS Bali is the strongest pick for Australian families, or any family who wants a fully inclusive school that takes children of all abilities seriously. At IDR 76M-191M, the fee range is mid-market for Bali and the facilities - including a 25m pool and 850sqm multi-purpose court - are among the best on the island.

AIS Bali was built on inclusion from day one. Founded in 1996 by a parent seeking a school for her daughter with Down syndrome, the philosophy has never changed: every child is mainstreamed, curriculum is differentiated to individual need, and learning support is woven into the classroom rather than pulled out. That's genuinely rare in Bali and rare in international schools generally. The current principal, John Milliss, has been at the school since 1999 and has led it since 2007 - a continuity that shows in staff retention.

The campus on Jalan Imam Bonjol in Denpasar was purpose-built and opened around 2018, with a new high school building added recently. At around 320 students it's still well below its 650-student capacity, which means smaller year groups and personal attention. Families with children who need EAL support, learning differences, or simply a school that won't let them fall through the cracks tend to find AIS works well. The vocational education track (hospitality, business management) is a thoughtful addition for senior students not headed to university.

The main trade-off is curriculum reach. The Australian Curriculum is less portable than the IB or Cambridge frameworks for families moving between international systems - university admissions teams outside Australia may be less familiar with it, though the IB Diploma in Years 11-12 addresses this for senior students. With ~320 students, social circles are tighter than at CCS or Dyatmika. Confirm the exact levies (capital levy and materials) for your child's year level, as the total-to-pay figure adds IDR 20M-50M on top of base tuition.