· updated monthly
The five schools Seoul parents researched most this year, chosen from the 34 international schools in the city. Ranked by how many families opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026, then the full picture on curricula, class sizes and fees.
The 2026 ranking
Ranked purely by parent interest — the number of families who opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026.
Korea International School (KIS) Seoul Campus serves students from Pre-K to Grade 5 in the Gaepo-dong area of Gangnam, Seoul, offering an international education in English. The school uses a play-based, Reggio-inspired curriculum in its Early Years, where young learners explore concepts through discovery and play. From Kindergarten to Grade 5, students engage in project-based learning grounded in U.S. Common Core standards for mathematics, English language arts, and social studies, with specialist classes in Korean, Chinese, music, PE, library, art, design, and STEM. KIS Seoul hosts a variety of after-school clubs twice yearly, spanning creative arts, coding, LEGO, sports and more, plus Saturday events geared to broad interests and skills. Furthermore, the campus sits amidst trees, parks and river paths, supporting opportunities for outdoor education and local exploration.
Seoul Foreign School (SFS) is an international school in Seoul serving students ages 2–18. Students learn on a 25-acre hilltop campus across four sections: British School, Elementary, Middle and High School. SFS offers two curricular pathways which are the International Baccalaureate Continuum and the English National Curriculum. In Elementary, students follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and in Middle School, they follow the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). The High School offers the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) in Grades 11–12. Early learners in the British School Foundation follow the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) and primary years they use the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) alongside Maths and Literacy linked to the English National Curriculum. For performing arts, SFS lists multiple theatre venues, including the Lyso Center for the Performing Arts.
Korea International School (KIS) Pangyo Campus is an international school serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Located in Pangyo, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, the campus sits in a planned suburban area south of Seoul that is well known for its technology and business district. KIS Pangyo follows an American curriculum, with Advanced Placement (AP) courses available in high school, supporting preparation for university study, particularly in the United States. Instruction is delivered in English, while students also study Korean and can choose additional world languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, and French, depending on grade level. The school places emphasis on co-curricular participation, offering structured activities and student clubs alongside academic classes. A school bus service operates across Seoul and nearby residential areas, supporting daily commuting. KIS Pangyo is part of the wider Korea International School network and operates as a co-educational, non-boarding campus .
Chadwick International is a Pre-K to Grade 12 school in Songdo, Incheon, founded in 2010. It is an authorized IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP) and Career Programme (CP). English is the language of instruction, and students can study Korean, Mandarin and Spanish as world languages (grade availability varies). Students take part in Outdoor Education trips, including compulsory experiences for Grades 4–12 ranging from two to 12 days. The school also highlights global programming such as exchanges with Chadwick School in California, Round Square conferences and Model United Nations. Beyond classes, the school describes over 50 clubs and student-run organizations and lists examples such as Robotics, Sustainability Council, Drama Club and service clubs.
Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS) is a K–12 school in Yongsan-gu, on Itaewon-ro and the school describes its campus as being in the heart of Seoul. YISS follows a U.S. educational model and its high school offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Families choose between two student programs, which are the NICS Christian program (with Bible class/chapel) or the Oasis program (character education/philosophy and weekly assembly). The school provides student support services, including a Student Learning Support program that includes help for students acquiring English as an additional language. For daily logistics, YISS offers bus transportation and states it operates a fleet of 20 buses, with average rides of 25–30 minutes. In early August, kindergarten families take part in the school’s “Boo Hoo Breakfast” tradition.
What’s on offer
The mix of programmes and teaching languages across all 34 schools. Many offer more than one curriculum, so totals run higher than the school count.
Number of schools teaching each curriculum.
Number of schools teaching in each language.
Size & classes
School size and class size shape day-to-day experience as much as curriculum does.
Schools grouped by total enrolment.
Average school size is 626 students · based on the 22 schools that report enrolment.
Schools grouped by typical class size.
Average class size is 15.7 students · based on the 22 schools that report it.
What it costs
Fees shown are one year for a 12-year-old (or the closest age available), excluding one-time enrolment costs.
Across the 21 schools that publish a price for a 12-year-old. All figures in KRW.
How many schools sit in each annual-fee range.
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