Yongsan International School of Seoul
🇰🇷 Seoul · Founded 2006 · American · Ages 5–18
A long-established, fully accredited (WASC + ACSI) Christian American-curriculum K-12 school in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, offering a broad AP program (27 courses) but no IB. A strong fit for families seeking a faith-based US-track education; the explicit Christian ethos (required Bible/chapel) is the central fit consideration.
Curricula
American
Age range
5–18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD KRW 30,141,251–35,241,251
Enrollment
1,000
Boarding
No (day school)
Accreditations
WASC, ACSI, EARCOS
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
Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS) is a co-educational, K-12 Christian international school in the Hannam-dong / Itaewon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul (285 Itaewon-ro, 04347). It traces its origins to ICS Seoul (founded 1990) and was re-established as YISS in 2006. It operates within the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS) and frames its identity around the motto 'Truth. Excellence. Diversity.'
Academically, YISS follows an American, standards-based curriculum across Elementary, Middle, and High School. At the high-school level it offers a substantial Advanced Placement program — 27 AP courses per the International Schools Database — with the College Board, SAT, and PSAT as the principal qualification/assessment track. YISS does NOT offer the IB Diploma Programme; this was confirmed across three independent sources (Wikipedia, the school's own Accreditations & Affiliations page, and the International Schools Database).
The school is fully accredited by WASC (Accrediting Commission for Schools) and ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International), is a member of EARCOS, and is officially recognised by the Republic of Korea Ministry of Education. The faith dimension is integral, not peripheral: weekly chapel, an Oasis/'Ossembly' character-formation strand, and NICS spiritual-growth programming run through school life.
Enrolment is roughly 975–1,010 students representing 43–45+ countries. English is the language of instruction, with Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, and Japanese offered as additional languages. EAL support exists via the Student Learning Support (SLS) program. South Korea has no public inspectorate, so the tier reflects accreditation depth (WASC + ACSI) — capped at A.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
Dual WASC + ACSI accreditation confirmed on the school's own affiliations page and the ISD listing, plus Korean MoE recognition. South Korea has no public inspectorate, so the tier reflects accreditation depth — A.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Full, dual accreditation (WASC + ACSI) plus Korean MoE recognition — accreditation depth at the cap for this market
- Broad AP offering (27 courses) with College Board affiliation — strong US-university preparation
- Long operating history (origins 1990; YISS since 2006) and large, stable enrolment (~1,000)
- Genuinely international student body (43–45+ nationalities)
- Structured learning support (SLS) including EAL
- Central Seoul location (Yongsan-gu / Itaewon), an accessible expat district
Trade-offs
- Explicit Christian-faith ethos with required Bible instruction and weekly chapel — a defining fit consideration for non-Christian or secular families (stated as a feature, not a judgement)
- No IB pathway — families wanting IB DP must look elsewhere; AP is the only advanced track
- No published IB average / externally verified academic-outcome metrics (AP results not public)
- Fees are high (~KRW 30–35M/year) at the upper end of the market
- No public school inspectorate in South Korea — quality signal limited to accreditation, capped at A
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Families seeking a faith-based (Christian) education in Seoul
- ✓US-curriculum / US-university-bound students wanting a deep AP program
- ✓Internationally mobile families wanting WASC-accredited continuity
- ✓Families valuing character/service-learning programming
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families wanting the IB Diploma
- ✕Secular families or those of other faiths uncomfortable with required Bible/chapel
- ✕Budget-constrained families
- ✕Families needing externally verified, published exam outcomes before enrolling
Curriculum
American, standards-based K-12 with a Christian ethos. High school offers Advanced Placement (27 AP courses reported); SAT/PSAT supported. No IB programme. Additional languages: Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Japanese.
Fees
Yearly tuition approximately KRW 30,141,251–35,241,251 for AY 2025/26 (International Schools Database). Excludes likely additional fees (application, capital, etc.), which are not public here.
Admissions
K-12 entry; ages 5–18. Specific admissions criteria, deposits, and waitlist policy were not public from sources reviewed.
Campus Life
Single campus at 285 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu. Faith and character formation are embedded — weekly Chapel, Oasis 'Ossembly,' and service-learning strands (Elementary service initiatives; Middle School CARES & Immersion; High School GOES). Mascot 'The Guardian,' inspired by Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: no university-placement or matriculation data was found in public sources.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- YISS official site — home & about · 2026-06
- YISS Accreditations & Affiliations (WASC, ACSI, College Board, NICS, Korean MoE) · 2026-06
- YISS Academics (NICS/Oasis, SLS/EAL, service learning) · 2026-06
- Wikipedia — Yongsan International School of Seoul · 2026-06
- International Schools Database — YISS · 2026-06
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