International Schools in the Philippines
English is an official language of instruction, the international sector is concentrated in Metro Manila, and the country runs a K-12 system that maps neatly onto American schooling. What relocating families need to know before choosing.
Quick answer
A practical guide to international schooling in the Philippines — where the schools are, which curricula are offered, how the local K-12 system compares, and how admissions work.
At a glance
- Country: Philippines
- Sections: 4
- Questions answered: 4
- Schools listed: 5
- Read time: 9 min read
Why the Philippines is an easier posting than most
The easy part
- English is an official medium of instruction throughout
- The K-12 structure maps cleanly onto the American model
- An established international sector, mostly decades old
- The real constraint is traffic, not language
For an English-speaking family, the Philippines is one of the least disruptive moves in Asia, and the reason is linguistic. English is an official language, it is a medium of instruction throughout the education system, and it is spoken widely in professional and daily life. A child does not need to acquire a new language of schooling to function.
That single fact changes the calculus. In Tokyo, Seoul or Bangkok, an international school is effectively mandatory for a foreign family because the local system teaches in a language the child does not have. In Manila, the barrier is not language but curriculum, class size and facilities — which are questions of preference and budget rather than necessity.
The second easing factor is curricular alignment. The Philippine system is a K-12 structure with kindergarten, six years of elementary, four years of junior high and two years of senior high, and it maps recognisably onto the American model that most international schools in the country use. Grade placement is rarely contentious.
The third is that the international sector, while small, is genuinely established. International School Manila and Brent have operated for decades, British School Manila and the German European School serve their respective communities well, and Nord Anglia brings a global group into the market. These are not thin, improvised operations.
What is harder in the Philippines is everything outside the classroom: Metro Manila traffic is among the worst in the world, and school choice is dominated by commute rather than by prospectus.
Where the schools are
The Manila geography
- Bonifacio Global City: the main international cluster
- Makati: primary residential base, short hop to BGC
- Alabang and the south: a separate, self-contained market
- Outside Metro Manila, options are very limited
Provision is overwhelmingly concentrated in Metro Manila, and within it in a handful of districts.
Bonifacio Global City in Taguig is the current centre of gravity. International School Manila and British School Manila are both here, the district is purpose-planned, and it holds a large share of the corporate expatriate population. For a family working in BGC or Makati, this is the low-friction choice.
Makati, the older business district, remains a major residential base and feeds both the BGC schools and several others. Commutes between Makati and BGC are short by Manila standards, which is not a low bar but a meaningful one.
Alabang and the southern corridor host Brent International School Manila and Southville International School among others, serving families who prefer more space and lower-density living. The southern corridor functions almost as a separate school market because crossing the city daily is impractical.
Quezon City and the north hold a range of schools serving specific communities, including the Korean and Chinese international schools.
Outside Metro Manila, provision thins sharply. Cebu has some international schooling, and there are options in a few other regional centres, but a posting outside the capital region generally means a much shorter list.
The operational rule in Manila is unusually blunt: choose the school and the home as a single decision, and treat a commute of more than about forty minutes each way as unsustainable for a primary-age child. Traffic here does not reward optimism.
Curricula available
Curriculum map
- IB: the deepest field, led by International School Manila
- American plus AP or IB: Brent and others, the historic backbone
- British: a short strong list — British School Manila, Nord Anglia
- National-system and accredited Philippine progressive schools alongside
The IB is the strongest single presence. International School Manila runs the full continuum, and several other schools — Chinese International School Manila, Beacon Academy, Southville, Keys School Manila and Reedley — offer IB programmes at one or more levels. For a globally mobile family this is the most portable choice and the deepest field in the country.
American-style programmes are the historic backbone, reflecting the long-standing relationship between the two countries. Brent International School Manila and Everest Academy sit here, generally combining an American framework with either AP or the IB Diploma at the top.
British provision is served principally by British School Manila and Nord Anglia International School Manila, both teaching the English National Curriculum with an IB Diploma exit. Families expecting a UK return, or moving on to another British-curriculum market in Asia or the Gulf, will find this a short but strong list.
National-system schools serve their communities: the German European School Manila, the Lycée Français de Manille, the Japanese School of Manila, the Korean International School Philippines and Singapore School Manila. Several of these teach in the home language and are the natural answer for a family returning to that country.
Finally there is a distinctive local category — progressive and pedagogically specific Philippine schools with international accreditation, such as Multiple Intelligence International School, which combine Philippine DepEd requirements with an international outlook. These deserve a look from families staying longer term.
Fees, admissions and what to ask
Practical checklist
- Most Manila schools do not publish fees — request the schedule in writing
- Ask for grade-specific tuition, one-off charges, extras and payment timing
- Academic year usually runs August to June
- Ask where current families live and which bus routes exist
Fee transparency is the weak point of the Philippine market. Unlike Seoul, Munich or Madrid, where nearly every school publishes a range, most Manila schools ask families to contact admissions for a current schedule. ESG does not publish estimates it cannot source, so the honest guidance is procedural rather than numerical: request the full fee schedule in writing from each shortlisted school before comparing them.
When you do, ask for four things specifically. The tuition figure for the exact grade your child will enter, not a whole-school range. Any one-off charges — application, assessment, enrolment or capital contributions, which are a real feature of the Philippine market and can be substantial. The recurring extras: bus transport, which in Manila traffic is priced by distance and is not cheap, plus lunch, technology, uniform and activities. And the payment schedule, since many schools bill by term or semester with the first instalment due well before the school year starts.
Admissions themselves follow a predictable pattern: an application with school records, an assessment or placement test, an interview for older students, and for the most sought-after schools a waiting list at popular grades. The academic year generally runs from August to June at the international schools, in line with the North American pattern.
For visas, children are usually included as dependents on a working parent's visa, and schools will ask for documentation at enrolment. Start the paperwork early; it moves at its own pace.
One last piece of practical advice specific to Manila: ask each school where its current families live and which bus routes it runs. The answer tells you more about whether the school will work for your family than any prospectus will.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do children need to speak Filipino to attend school in the Philippines?
No. English is an official language and a medium of instruction throughout the system, including in local schools. Filipino is taught as a subject. This makes the Philippines one of the least disruptive Asian postings for an English-speaking family.
How much do international schools in the Philippines cost?
Most Manila schools do not publish fee schedules and ask families to contact admissions directly, so ESG does not quote figures it cannot source. Request the grade-specific tuition, one-off enrolment or capital charges, and transport costs in writing from each shortlisted school before comparing.
Where are the international schools located?
Overwhelmingly in Metro Manila — principally Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Makati, the Alabang corridor in the south, and Quezon City to the north. Provision outside the capital region is limited, with Cebu offering the main alternative.
When does the school year start?
Most international schools in the Philippines run an August to June academic year in line with the North American pattern, though some local and national-system schools follow different calendars. Confirm with each school, since it affects when you need to arrive.
International schools in Metro Manila
- International School Manila
- British School Manila
- Brent International School Manila
- German European School Manila
- Nord Anglia International School Manila
Moving to the Philippines?
Tell us your children's ages, your arrival date and which part of Metro Manila you're considering — we'll shortlist the schools that fit and tell you what to ask about fees.