Bombay International School

In Brief

BIS is the right call if you want a well-regarded IB school in South Mumbai with genuinely small classes and a community that holds together over years. Fees are not publicly listed - confirm directly with the school, as the range is substantially lower than BKC competitors.

Mumbai's international school circuit puts BIS in an unusual position: one of the oldest (founded 1962) and smallest of the genuinely ranked schools, sitting in a heritage building in Gamdevi rather than a glass tower in BKC or a campus in the suburbs. Ranked 8th nationally for international curriculum schools by CCLP Worldwide, it punches well above what its ~450-student size might suggest. Families who land here tend to stay - sibling retention is notably high.

The IB continuum runs unbroken from Early Years through IB Diploma, with Cambridge IGCSE bridging the middle years. Class sizes cap around 20, and in practice many groups are smaller. The Gamdevi location works well for families in Malabar Hill, Worli, Breach Candy, and lower Parel - the school sits off Babulnath, well clear of the BKC traffic. The SEE Learning programme (Social Emotional Ethical Learning, developed in partnership with Emory University) is woven throughout, which resonates with families who prioritise wellbeing alongside results.

The small size is a genuine constraint as well as a feature. Activity breadth and specialist facilities cannot match a 2,000-student campus. Fees are not displayed on the school website - families must contact admissions directly, which is worth doing early as the waitlist for popular entry years builds well before admission season opens. The campus is a converted building rather than purpose-built, which shapes the physical experience.