Cities / Bangalore / The International School Bangalore
The International School Bangalore
Bangalore's long-established benchmark international school, on a 140-acre campus near Dommasandra Circle on the Whitefield-Sarjapur corridor. Day and boarding, IB Diploma alongside Cambridge IGCSE, with one of the smoother Cambridge-to-IB transitions in India.
In brief
TISB is the long-established benchmark international school in Bangalore, a 140-acre campus near Dommasandra Circle on the Whitefield-Sarjapur corridor, day and boarding, IB and IGCSE.
Founded in 2000, TISB offers Cambridge IGCSE alongside the full IB continuum, with one of the few smooth Cambridge-to-IB transitions in India. The IB Diploma average sits around 38, well above the global mean, with a meaningful share of cohorts scoring 40+ and university destinations including Stanford, LSE, Oxford and the broader UK and US tier. The counselling team is one of the strongest reasons families list when comparing TISB against Stonehill, Indus and Oakridge.
Boarding starts from Grade 5 and accounts for roughly a quarter of the student body, run across three houses with full house staff. The parent demographic is heavily Indian professional, often internationally educated themselves, which sets the tone of the community. Fees run from around INR 5.5 lakh in the lower grades to INR 11 lakh at the top, boarding fees additional. Apply early. Places at the established grades move quickly.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Primary (IB PYP) | 3 | ₹550,000 |
| Grades 1-2 (IB PYP) | 6 | ₹600,000 |
| Grades 3-4 (IB PYP) | 8 | ₹620,000 |
| Grade 5 (IB PYP) | 10 | ₹650,000 |
| Grades 6-7 (IB MYP) | 11 | ₹750,000 |
| Grade 8 (IB MYP / IGCSE) | 13 | ₹800,000 |
| Grades 9-10 (IGCSE) | 14 | ₹850,000 |
| Grade 11 (IB Diploma) | 16 | ₹1,000,000 |
| Grade 12 (IB Diploma) | 17 | ₹1,100,000 |
Reviews
One of Bangalore's flagship international schools, on a 140-acre campus off Sarjapura Varthur Road with boarding from Grade 5 and an IGCSE + IB Diploma pathway. Under the NAFL Trust, sister to National Public Schools Bangalore. A new principal took over for the school's 25th year, so the leadership chapter is still young. Academic results land near the top of the city, the rigour is real, and outcomes for university placement get talked up. What comes back consistently from families is that the lifestyle is upper-tier Indian and the price tag matches it.
Positives
- Academic rigour and IB outcomes. An average IB Diploma score of 37 in 2025 with around 28 per cent of the cohort scoring 40 or above and three perfect 45s. IGCSE results sit in the same band. Parents describe a school that takes its results seriously and selects academically motivated students at entry.
- Campus and boarding. A 140-acre site off Sarjapura Varthur Road with full sports, performing-arts and residential facilities. Boarding from Grade 5 is treated as central to the school rather than an add-on, and the campus footprint is hard to match in the city.
- Pathway to overseas universities. Counselling and admissions support for US and UK applications are spoken of as a real strength. The school is built around an outward-facing IB pathway, and families aiming at overseas undergraduate routes tend to value that orientation.
- Sister-school heritage. Part of the NAFL Trust founded by Dr K.P. Gopalkrishna, with deep roots in the National Public Schools Bangalore network. The institutional memory and academic culture come through.
Considerations
- Fees and lifestyle. Day fees sit in the upper bracket of Bangalore international schools, with boarding on top. Parents talk about an upper-class Indian social fabric that some families find aspirational and others find hard to keep up with unless household income is comfortably in that bracket.
- Academic pressure. The same rigour that drives the results comes up the other way too. Families talk about pressure in the senior years and some students adding outside tutoring to stay on top of the workload.
- New principal. Kate Reynolds took over as principal in 2025, her first international headship after leading two day-and-boarding schools in England. The full shape of the new leadership chapter is still being written.
- Boarding experience. Comments from boarding families flag the day-to-day basics, food quality, dorm comfort and the rhythm of residential life, as patchy at times. The boarding programme is central to the school, so the gap between the marketing of it and the lived experience matters.
Leadership
Kate Reynolds
Mrs. Kate Reynolds graduated from Bristol University with a law degree and trained in London specializing in litigation. She later transitioned to education, completing her PGCE at Bath Spa University before teaching English and Drama, working in a pastoral capacity then leading an International Programme for overseas students. Kate completed her Masters in Educational Leadership at Buckingham University and went on to lead two international day and boarding schools in England. TISB is Kate’s first international Principal role and she is thrilled to take over the custodianship of such a prestigious and aspirational school.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2025 multiple 45/44/43 scorers
Location
NAFL Valley, Whitefield - Sarjapur Road, near Dommasandra, Bengaluru, Karnataka 562125