CIA FIRST International SchoolVerified

In Brief

CIA FIRST is the school for families who want WASC-accredited American curriculum at a price point well below ISPP or NISC. At 5,500 students across four campuses it's by far the largest international school in Cambodia - if you want a big, diverse school environment, this is it; if you want a small community, look elsewhere.

CIA FIRST occupies a clear lane: the most popular international school in Phnom Penh by traffic, WASC-accredited since its founding, offering Common Core, AERO, NGSS, and AP courses up to Grade 12. The American high school diploma is recognised as equivalent to the Cambodian national Grade 12 diploma, which matters for families with both international and local university options in mind. Four campuses (Sen Sok 1, Sen Sok High School, Chbar Ampov, Russey Keo) give flexibility on location, and a fifth campus is under development.

Fees run from around US$3,300 for nursery to US$7,500 at senior secondary - roughly a third of ISPP at the top end. That makes CIA FIRST the default call for families whose employer is not covering education allowances in full, or for those relocating from countries where American-curriculum schools are the norm. The school serves 40+ nationalities and describes itself as constructivist in approach, which in practice means more project-based and inquiry-led teaching than rote instruction. Sibling discounts (5% for the second child, 20% for subsequent) are notable for large families.

The multi-campus model is the main practical trade-off. Siblings in different year groups may be on different campuses, which families with multiple children should factor into logistics. Teacher forums have rated CIA FIRST as a mid-tier employer by pay, so ask directly about teacher retention and experience mix, particularly at primary level. The school is actively expanding - the Russey Keo campus opened recently and a fifth campus is planned - so growth is ongoing and worth monitoring.