Cities / Seoul / Gyeonggi Suwon International School
Gyeonggi Suwon International School
A non-profit Christian-foundation IB continuum school in Yeongtong, Suwon, opened in 2006 as the first fully accredited PYP, MYP and DP school in the greater Seoul area.
In brief
A non-profit Christian-foundation IB continuum school in Yeongtong, Suwon, opened in 2006 and the first fully accredited PYP, MYP and DP school in the greater Seoul area.
GSIS sits about an hour south of central Seoul and pulls heavily from the Suwon, Yeongtong and Bundang foreign-passport pool, with around 530 students from Pre-K to Grade 12 and class caps of 20 in elementary and 25 in secondary. Every grade follows the IB pathway, supported by WASC and ACSI accreditation. The site has the usual Korean compact campus, and after-school clubs cover swimming, basketball, soccer and music.
Family voices are mixed. The campus, facilities and IB framework draw real warmth from longer-tenure parents, and the international feel is genuine. The harder feedback flags a leadership culture where parent feedback is hard to land and where some teachers come across as guarded. Annual fees run roughly KRW 25 to 40 million depending on grade, which is mid-tier for the Seoul international market.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Kindergarten (JK) | 3 | ₩25,220,080 |
| Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) | 4 | ₩28,382,480 |
| Kindergarten - Grade 5 | 5 | ₩31,530,100 |
| Grades 6-8 (Middle School) | 11 | ₩35,091,500 |
| Grades 9-12 (High School) | 14 | ₩40,353,960 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | ₩300,000 | |
| Registration Fee (non-refundable) | ₩500,000 | |
| Entrance Fee (non-refundable) | ₩4,500,000 |
Reviews
- GSIS sits in the second tier of Korean international schools in teaching communities, behind Seoul Foreign, SIS and KIS, on a level with Yongsan and Chadwick. One teacher places it in this second tier explicitly.
- Christian-school positioning is the most-cited filter; teaching jobs are flagged as Christian-only and parents are reminded the school holds Christian values across the K-12 IB programme.
- Parents praise the IB continuum, low teacher-to-student ratios and a long list of after-school clubs from basketball to martial arts. The PTA is described as active and supportive.
- Critical reviews say academics, sport and music sit at a solid mid-level rather than excelling, and that elementary sport provision is light until grade 5. One parent flagged that feedback channels to teachers and principals were not always open or well-received.
- Teachers mention internal politics, lawsuits and programme cuts, and describe a school working through governance turbulence.
Considerations
- Tier and reputation. Second-tier in Korea-international-school discussions; respected but below the Seoul flagships.
- Christian identity. Christian values run through hiring and student life; a fit issue rather than a quality issue.
- Academic ceiling. Strong IB foundation but parent reviews say nothing reaches "above average"; sport especially light in lower grades.
- Parent-school communication. Some parents say feedback channels to teachers and leaders are closed or poorly received.
- Governance turbulence. Teacher reviews mention politics, lawsuits and programmes being cut back.
Leadership
Dr. Jaehee Lee
As the newly appointed Head of School at Gyeonggi Suwon International School (GSIS) for the 2024-2025 school year, I am honored to usher you into this pivotal chapter of our school’s history. Embracing this role fills me with a profound sense of calling and responsibility. My tenure as Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees has deepened my commitment to navigate our school through a landscape marked by rapid technological evolution and educational transformation.
Accreditations
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Schools) 01
- Association of Christian Schools International 02
Academic results
- IB DP average course score 5.2