Forest City International School

In Brief

FCIS is the only NEASC-accredited American school in Johor and one of very few boarding options in the state. The 4:1 student-teacher ratio is exceptional. Go in clear-eyed about the island location and the school's compact size - those factors suit some families perfectly and are dealbreakers for others.

Forest City International School sits on Forest City island in Gelang Patah, about 50km from Singapore and 35km from central Johor Bahru. CATS Global Schools took over management in July 2024, bringing an experienced UK-based operator - CATS Education Group has run international schools and UK pathway colleges for decades. The new Head of School, Matthew Taylor Bott, joined in April 2026 with a BA and MA from Oxford, an MA from King's College London, and 30 years of experience including a headship in Madrid. At roughly 200 students from 20+ nationalities, the school is small by any measure, but that is its character: NEASC-accredited (only the second NEASC-accredited school in Malaysia), EARCOS member, Reggio Emilia approach in early years, AP courses in the upper school, and a 4:1 student-teacher ratio that is essentially unmatched in the JB market.

The American curriculum with AP courses is the right fit for families targeting US university admissions or maintaining continuity with an American school abroad. The boarding programme - starting from Grade 5, age 10 - is an unusual option at this level in Malaysia. Boarding is available in 2-room and 4-room configurations at MYR 30,000-43,000 additional per year. Day student fees for 2025/26 run from MYR 65,500 at Pre-K to MYR 83,500 at High School (inclusive of activities, resources, catering and insurance). For a NEASC-accredited school with AP and boarding, that pricing is competitive with comparable schools in Singapore.

The island location is the defining variable. Forest City is a purpose-built development with its own infrastructure, and living there is genuinely different from living in Johor Bahru city. Families already based on Forest City island will find FCIS the obvious choice; families commuting from elsewhere need to factor in the access journey. The school population of around 200 students across Nursery through Grade 12 means senior year-group cohorts can be small - ask about subject choice breadth at AP level and class sizes at Grade 11-12 specifically. The CATS management transition and new head are very recent, so visit to form your own assessment of the current school culture under the new leadership.