American International School of Jeddah
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Founded 1952 · American · Ages 2-18
A long-established, US-accredited American school in Jeddah with a continuous PreK-Grade 12 AP pathway, anchored by Middle States/Cognia accreditation and US State Department assistance rather than a graded inspectorate.
Curricula
American
Age range
2-18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD 2026/2027: SAR 40,250-105,110 per year (school-published via international-schools-database.com)
Enrollment
1,000
Boarding
No (day school)
Accreditations
Middle States Association (MSA-CESS), Cognia, Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education, Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA), US Department of State Office of Overseas Schools (assisted)
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 American International School of Jeddah (AISJ) is one of the oldest international schools in Saudi Arabia, founded in 1952 by a group of expatriate parents — originally the Parents Cooperative School set up around the families establishing Saudia Airlines. It sits in Jeddah's Mohammadiyah District, having moved to a purpose-built campus in January 2019, and has operated as an independent not-for-profit since 2005.
The school delivers an authentic American international education built on the AERO (American Education Reaches Out) standards across Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle and High School, culminating in an Advanced Placement (AP) pathway. English is the language of instruction, and a dedicated English Language Learning programme plus Learning Support services back students who need them.
Quality assurance rests on US-style accreditation rather than a domestic graded inspectorate: AISJ is accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA-CESS) and Cognia, affiliated with the NESA council of overseas schools, recognised by the Saudi Ministry of Education, and listed as an assisted school by the US Department of State's Office of Overseas Schools. The State Department fact sheet records that AISJ serves more than 1,000 students representing over 40 nationalities, with US passport holders close to 15.3% of the student body.
Published yearly fees for 2026/2027 run from roughly SAR 40,250 to SAR 105,110 depending on grade. As a day school spanning ages 2 to 18, AISJ is best understood as a continuity-of-education option for internationally mobile and American-curriculum families in Jeddah; it is a day school with no boarding provision.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
Capped at A: Saudi Arabia has no domestic graded inspectorate, and as an American-curriculum school AISJ's quality assurance comes from accreditation (MSA-CESS plus Cognia), NESA affiliation and US State Department Office of Overseas Schools assistance rather than a UK BSO-style graded band. That accreditation depth is strong and multi-body, but it carries no verbatim top graded rating, so it cannot reach S.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Dual US accreditation (Middle States Association MSA-CESS and Cognia) plus NESA affiliation
- Listed as an assisted school by the US Department of State Office of Overseas Schools
- One of the oldest international schools in Saudi Arabia (founded 1952), independent not-for-profit since 2005
- Continuous PreK-Grade 12 American pathway culminating in Advanced Placement
- Purpose-built 2019 campus with broad facilities and a documented English Language Learning programme
Trade-offs
- No domestic graded inspection band exists, so no externally graded quality rating
- School site publishes few hard figures (enrollment, fees and accreditation names render via subpages rather than headline data)
- No IB programme confirmed despite reported authorisation interest; offering is AP-only on the current site
- Institutional financial health is not publicly disclosed
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓American-curriculum and US passport-holding families relocating to Jeddah
- ✓Families wanting a continuous PreK-Grade 12 pathway with AP
- ✓Internationally mobile families valuing MSA/Cognia US-accredited credit transfer
- ✓Students needing English Language Learning support within an American programme
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families specifically seeking an IB Diploma pathway
- ✕Families wanting boarding provision
- ✕Families requiring a British/Cambridge curriculum (see British International School Jeddah instead)
- ✕Families who weigh a government graded-inspection band heavily in their decision
Curriculum
American international curriculum based on AERO standards across Early Childhood to High School, with an Advanced Placement (AP) pathway in the upper grades. No IB programme is confirmed on the current school site.
Fees
International Schools Database lists 2026/2027 yearly fees from SAR 40,250 to SAR 105,110 depending on grade level; the school maintains a Tuition and Fees page but headline figures are not published in plain text on the public site.
Admissions
Day school admitting ages 2-18 (PreK-Grade 12). The US State Department fact sheet notes American passport holders receive admission priority and make up close to 15.3% of the student body.
Campus Life
Located in Jeddah's Mohammadiyah District on a purpose-built campus opened in January 2019, AISJ serves more than 1,000 students from over 40 nationalities, with facilities reported to include libraries, an auditorium, gymnasiums, sports tracks, a pool and tennis courts.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: AISJ describes itself as a college-preparatory institution and features alumni testimonials, but publishes no verified matriculation or placement statistics.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- AISJ official site — About / curriculum / English Language Learning · 2026-06
- US State Dept Office of Overseas Schools — AISJ fact sheet · 2026-06
- Wikipedia — American International School of Jeddah · 2026-06
- International Schools Database — AISJ (curriculum, ages, English medium, 2026/27 fees) · 2026-06
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