Cities / Doha / SEK International School Qatar
SEK International School Qatar
The Qatar arm of SEK Education Group, a Spanish family of schools with a 130 year history. Opened in West Bay in September 2013 and runs the full IB continuum from PYP through MYP to Diploma.
In brief
The Qatar arm of SEK Education Group, a Spanish family of schools with a 130-year history. Opened in West Bay in September 2013 and runs the full IB continuum from PYP through MYP to Diploma. Around 500 students aged 3 to 18.
NEASC accredited and IB authorised at all three levels. Instruction is in English, with Arabic and Spanish taught from Preschool 3, which is a distinguishing feature in the Doha market. Marta Rodger leads the school day-to-day, with Nieves Segovia as the group's overall figurehead.
Parent voice is split. The teaching staff and the IB programme earn warm comments, and families who like the trilingual setup stay. The harder criticism centres on management and admin organisation, with consistent mentions of teacher turnover and policies that families say move around. Best fit for families who specifically want a Spanish-curriculum thread alongside the IB and are willing to weather administrative variability for the trilingual benefit.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool 3 | 3 | QAR 30,650 |
| Preschool 4 - Preschool 5 | 4 | QAR 45,891 |
| Grade 1 - Grade 6 | 6 | QAR 50,000 |
| Grade 7 - Grade 10 | 12 | QAR 55,676 |
| Grade 11 - Grade 12 | 16 | QAR 63,099 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee (non-refundable) | QAR 502 | |
| Reservation fee | QAR 2,000 | |
| Registration fee | QAR 2,508 | |
| IB exam fees (Grade 11-12, additional) | QAR 2,800 |
Reviews
The Doha campus of the Spanish SEK group, on West Bay since 2013, taking pre-school through Grade 12 with the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP). Roll sits around 530, drawn from roughly 50 to 58 nationalities with a meaningful Qatari minority. Instruction is in English, with Spanish and Arabic taught from Preschool 3, the trilingual positioning is the headline distinguishing feature against the larger British- and American-curriculum names in the city. Recent IB Diploma cohorts have averaged around 32 points, ahead of the world average. The campus is purpose-built and open-plan, fees sit in the middle of the Doha private market, and the school carries NEASC accreditation alongside its IB authorisation. The picture from current parents is consistently warm on teaching and pastoral feel. Staff-side commentary is harsher: the working environment under the long-tenured head reads as demanding, with recurring complaints about communication style, favouritism and turnover that haven't gone away.
Positives
- Trilingual IB programme. Full IB continuum from PYP to DP, in English, with Spanish and Arabic from Preschool 3. The trilingual positioning is unusual in Doha, where most international schools run English-only with Arabic as an additional language. Useful for Spanish-heritage families and for families specifically chasing a third strong language alongside Arabic.
- Diploma results. Recent IB Diploma cohorts have averaged around 32 points out of 45, ahead of the IB world average of just over 30. Sample sizes are small, so single-year swings carry weight, but the trend across recent cohorts is above-average.
- Small, multinational community. Around 530 students across all year groups, drawn from roughly 50 to 58 nationalities, with about a quarter Qatari. Parent commentary consistently flags the small-school feel: teachers know the children, families know each other, and pastoral care is the strongest thread in parent talk.
- Fees. Annual tuition for 2025-26 runs roughly QAR 30,650 to 63,100 depending on grade, with no separate capital or building fees. That is mid-market for Doha private schools, well below the most expensive British and American names and above the cheaper local-private end.
- Accreditation. IB World School authorised for all three programmes (PYP, MYP, DP) and accredited by NEASC. Recognised by the Qatari Ministry of Education and Higher Education within its Outstanding Schools programme.
Considerations
- Campus and facilities. Purpose-built West Bay campus, prominent location, and a heavily open-plan interior with glass dividers rather than solid walls between many classrooms. The architectural choice fits the IB inquiry pitch but draws complaints from staff about noise control. Parents looking at competing schools at similar price points sometimes flag the facilities footprint as smaller than the bigger British and American campuses.
- Group and ownership. Part of SEK Education Group, the long-running Spanish private-school group with sister schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Dublin, Paris, Riyadh and Doha. Group affiliation brings a defined house style (IB-only, multilingual, inquiry-led) and inter-campus events such as the SEK Mini Olympics with Riyadh in early 2025. Reputation does not transfer across campuses; the Doha school stands on its own track record.
- Leadership and staff turnover. Staff-side reviews from the last two to three years repeatedly describe a demanding internal environment, with the head of school criticised for an unprofessional or disrespectful communication style and for favouritism. Turnover is flagged as high, and a preference for Spanish speakers in the staff room comes up as a complaint from non-Spanish-speaking teachers. None of this is parent-facing in any visible way, parent feedback on day-to-day teaching is warm, but a steady churn of teachers is a reasonable thing to test with the school over multi-year admissions.
Leadership
Dr. Maripaz Aguilera
Dr. Maripaz Aguilera is the Head of School at SEK International School Qatar, having joined in September 2024. She previously held leadership positions at St. Dominic’s International School in Portugal, where she served as Secondary Principal for three years. With a doctorate and extensive background as an IB educator and evaluator, Dr. Aguilera is committed to fostering a community of learners that strives for excellence and innovation. She leads the school in delivering the International Baccalaureate continuum, emphasizing critical thinking and international-mindedness.
Accreditations
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 01
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2023 average 32 points
- World average mark in IB Diploma 2023 30.24 points