Branksome Hall Asia
🇰🇷 Jeju · Founded 2012 · IB · Ages 3–18
A premium, full-continuum IB World School with genuine pedigree (sister to Branksome Hall Toronto, est. 1903) and strong published DP outcomes — on a remote Jeju Global Education City campus, with CIS/WASC accreditation unconfirmed in public sources. Now co-ed (a 'diamond model'), no longer all-girls.
Curricula
IB
Age range
3–18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD KRW 21,336,000–26,118,000
Boarding
Yes
IB authorised
PYP, MYP, DP
Accreditations
IB World School
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
Branksome Hall Asia opened in 2012 in Jeju Global Education City (JGEC), a purpose-built international-school enclave in Seogwipo on Jeju Island. It is the 'city campus' / sister school of Branksome Hall in Toronto, Canada (founded 1903), and inherits over a century of that institution's heritage. It is described as Jeju's only IB World School, offering the full IB continuum — PYP (JK Prep–G5), MYP (G6–10), and DP (G11–12).
Originally founded as an all-girls school in the Branksome Hall tradition, it began admitting boys in 2023 and now operates a 'diamond model': students are co-educational in the Junior School, separated by gender in the Middle School years, then reunited in the High School. This is a meaningful change from its founding identity.
Academically, the school publishes strong DP results: a 100% IB Diploma pass rate, a Class of 2024 average DP score of 35, and a high IB Bilingual Diploma rate (school-reported 97%). The medium of instruction is English, with bilingual (English/Korean) outcomes emphasised. The campus is architecturally distinctive — three cylinder-shaped buildings connected by tunnels, an Olympic-style aquatic centre with a 50m pool, and the only on-campus ice rink in Asia (school-reported).
Boarding is available for Grades 6–12 (full-time or weekday-only), consistent with the JGEC model. The trade-off is location: Jeju is a holiday island roughly an hour's flight from Seoul. CIS/WASC accreditation could not be confirmed in public sources — only IB World School status and an ISC 'International School of the Year 2021' award are verifiable — so the tier caps at A on IB-authorisation depth.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
IB World School status (full PYP/MYP/DP continuum) is verifiable; CIS/WASC accreditation could not be confirmed in public sources. South Korea has no public inspectorate, so the tier reflects IB-authorisation depth — capped at A.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) — verified across the school site, ISD and Wikipedia
- Strong published DP outcomes: 100% pass rate, average DP score 35 (Class of 2024), school-reported
- Branksome Hall Toronto pedigree — 120+ years of heritage from an established Canadian school
- Exceptional purpose-built facilities (Olympic aquatic centre, ice rink, performing arts centre); low 1:8 student-teacher ratio (school-reported)
- Boarding options (full-time and weekday-only) make it accessible to families across Korea and the region
- English-medium with strong bilingual (English/Korean) outcomes — high IB Bilingual Diploma rate
Trade-offs
- Jeju location — on a resort island ~1hr flight from Seoul; far from mainland career, cultural and family networks
- CIS/WASC accreditation not confirmed in public sources reviewed; only IB World School status and an ISC award are verifiable
- High fees: KRW ~21M–26M tuition before boarding; total cost with boarding pushes toward KRW ~40M+
- Co-ed model is recent and transitional (boys admitted from 2023) — single-gender middle-school structure may not suit all families
- Total enrolment is not publicly published (only Class of 2024 size, 70, is stated)
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Families seeking a full IB-continuum, English-medium education with a heritage school lineage
- ✓Boarding families across Korea/Asia wanting a self-contained education-city campus
- ✓Strong academic students targeting high DP scores and bilingual (English/Korean) diplomas
- ✓Athletes/swimmers — elite on-campus aquatic and ice facilities
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families who need proximity to a major capital city (Seoul) for work or networks
- ✕Budget-conscious families — premium fees plus boarding/extras
- ✕Those wanting a fully co-educational environment at every stage (middle school is single-gender)
- ✕Families needing publicly verified deep accreditation (CIS/WASC) as a decision criterion
Curriculum
Full IB continuum: PYP (JK Prep–G5), MYP (G6–10), DP (G11–12). IB World School (verified). English medium with strong bilingual outcomes; school-reported 97% IB Bilingual Diploma and 100% DP pass rate, average DP score 35 (Class of 2024). No Cambridge.
Fees
Annual tuition 2025–26 (official site): JK Prep–G5 KRW 21,336,000; G6–10 KRW 24,016,000; G11 KRW 24,588,000; G12 KRW 26,118,000. Boarding (G6–12): full-time KRW 21,098,000; weekday-only KRW 16,854,000. KRW 3,000,000 non-refundable enrolment deposit. Excludes transport, uniforms, meals, trips, activities. (The International Schools Database lists an all-in 2025/26 range of ~KRW 40.5M–49.5M, which appears to bundle tuition + boarding.)
Admissions
Rolling/competitive admissions across JK Prep–G12; KRW 3,000,000 non-refundable deposit on enrolment, credited to first tuition. Boys admitted from 2023 (diamond co-ed model). Boarding available G6–12. Exact admissions assessments not detailed in public sources.
Campus Life
Architect-designed JGEC campus: three cylinder buildings (elementary/middle/high) linked by tunnels, plus a Wellness Center, Olympic aquatic centre with 50m pool, the only on-campus ice rink in Asia (school-reported), performing arts centre, and 24 sports teams. Boarding houses support a residential community drawing students from across Korea and abroad.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: Class of 2024 (70 students) earned ~USD 4.1M in scholarship offers. No independently verified university-destination list is public.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
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