International School of Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Amsterdam · Founded 1964 · IB · Ages 2-18
A historic, full-continuum IB World School in the Amsterdam area, day-only, with deep CIS/NEASC/IB accreditation depth but no graded-band inspection regime.
Curricula
IB
Age range
2-18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD EUR 21,940-31,495/year (2025-26)
Enrollment
1,300
Boarding
No (day school)
IB authorised
PYP, MYP, DP
Accreditations
Council of International Schools (CIS), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), International Baccalaureate (IB)
Tier Profile
We only tier dimensions backed by a public inspection verdict or verifiable accreditation. Other dimensions show a data flag — never a guessed score.
BrightKey's Assessment
The International School of Amsterdam, in Amstelveen on the edge of Amsterdam, opened its doors in January 1964 and grew into one of the most established international schools in the Netherlands. It is an independent, non-profit foundation serving close to 1,300 students from more than 60 nationalities, spanning ages 2 to 18 from Nursery through Grade 12.
ISA's defining distinction is historical: in the school's own words it was 'the first school in the world to offer a complete International Baccalaureate curriculum from Pre-School to Grade 12'. It was authorized for the IB Diploma Programme in 1979 (the first in the Netherlands), the Middle Years Programme in 1992 (again a national first) and, in 1997, became the first school in the world authorized to offer the Primary Years Programme. The result is a single, coherent IB continuum from early years to graduation.
English is the language of instruction, supported by a tiered English-as-an-Additional-Language programme for students whose mother tongue is not English, alongside a broad home-language and mother-tongue offering. Tuition for 2025-26 runs from EUR 21,940 at the youngest grades to EUR 31,495 in Grades 11-12.
On external validation, ISA carries joint accreditation from the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, plus full IB authorization across PYP, MYP and DP. Because the Netherlands has no Ofsted-style graded inspection band for international schools, no verbatim graded rating exists; the school is therefore assessed on accreditation depth, where its layered CIS/NEASC/IB stack is strong.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
No verbatim graded inspection band is available, as the Netherlands operates no Ofsted-equivalent graded regime for international schools, so 'S' is not in play. ISA's joint CIS and NEASC accreditation combined with full IB authorization across all three programmes (PYP, MYP, DP) reflects strong accreditation depth, warranting an 'A'.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Historic 'world's first full IB continuum school' distinction, a genuine and rare differentiator
- Full IB authorization across PYP, MYP and DP for a single coherent early-years-to-graduation pathway
- Layered external validation through joint CIS and NEASC accreditation plus IB authorization
- Tiered EAL support (Elementary, Intermediate, Transition) for non-native English speakers
- Broad multilingual provision, with Language A in five languages and tutored support in many more
Trade-offs
- Premium fees, with upper-grade tuition at EUR 31,495 for 2025-26
- IB-only school, so no A-Level or American-diploma alternative
- No published verbatim graded inspection band under the Dutch regime
- Day school only, with no boarding provision
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Internationally mobile families wanting one portable IB pathway through to graduation
- ✓Non-native-English students who need structured EAL support
- ✓Families committed to the IB continuum philosophy
- ✓Multilingual households wanting home-language maintenance alongside English-medium study
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families seeking British A-Levels or American Advanced Placement
- ✕Households needing boarding or residential provision
- ✕Budget-constrained families
- ✕Students wanting a Dutch national-curriculum education
Curriculum
Full IB-continuum World School (PYP, MYP, DP). DP authorized 1979 (Netherlands first), MYP 1992 (Netherlands first), PYP 1997 (world first). English-medium instruction.
Fees
2025-26 tuition runs from EUR 21,940 (Nursery/Pre-school) to EUR 31,495 (Grades 11-12) on the published per-grade schedule; an optional third-party bus service adds cost.
Admissions
Prioritises international families seeking an English-language, university-preparatory education; EAL placement is tiered by English proficiency.
Campus Life
Day school in Amstelveen, Amsterdam area; an independent non-profit foundation of close to 1,300 students from 60-plus nationalities, ages 2 to 18, Nursery to Grade 12.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: ISA states its 2025 IB Diploma results place students 'well above global averages'; the precise average was published only as an image and could not be independently transcribed.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- ISA — About ISA (enrollment, non-profit foundation, full IB curriculum claim) · 2026-06
- ISA — History (founded January 1964) · 2026-06
- ISA — Accreditation (CIS, NEASC, IB; DP 1979, MYP 1992, PYP 1997 world first) · 2026-06
- ISA — Fees (2025-26 tuition schedule, EUR 21,940-31,495) · 2026-06
- ISA — Language Programmes (English instruction, EAL, mother-tongue languages) · 2026-06
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