Top 10 International Schools in Korea — Tuition‑Only Ranking (2025)
All tuition is shown in KRW and USD (₩1450 = $1).
Costs cover Grades 1‑12 tuition only – boarding, application and activity fees are excluded.
1위 Chadwick International (Songdo)
Total tuition (12 yrs): ₩595,216,500 (≈ US$ 410 k)
Annual: USD 30‑40 k (₩40‑50 m)
Location: Songdo International City, Yeonsu‑gu, Incheon
Founded in 2010 by the renowned Chadwick School of California, this glass‑and‑steel campus borders Songdo Central Park and delivers the full IB continuum, bilingual heritage courses and expeditionary outdoor learning. Students design prototypes in Fab Labs, perform in a 629‑seat auditorium, train in an Olympic pool and secure global university offers through a veteran counseling team.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: Full IB (PYP‑MYP‑DP + CP) with Outdoor Education.
• Boarding: Day school; Songdo / Seoul commute.
• Faculty: 150 + intl. teachers | 8:1 ratio.
• ESL: Structured ELL immersion.
• Safety: Smart‑city campus, gated & guarded.
• Outcomes: IB mid‑30s; Ivy/Oxbridge admits.
• Stand‑out: Whole‑child philosophy & yearly expeditions.
2위 Seoul Foreign School (SFS)
Total tuition: ₩544,185,500 (≈ US$ 375 k)
Location: Yeonhui‑dong, Seodaemun‑gu, Seoul
Established 1912 for missionary families, SFS now hosts 50 + nationalities on a forested hill in central Seoul. It offers dual IB and UK tracks, cathedral‑quality music halls, an ice rink and a service‑learning ethos rooted in its Christian heritage. Graduates score near‑perfect IB marks and matriculate to Ivy, Oxbridge and leading Asian universities each spring.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: IB (PYP‑DP) + British School (EY‑Y9, IGCSE).
• Boarding: None; city‑wide bus network.
• Faculty: Intl., Christian heritage; 40 + yrs IB.
• EAL: Dedicated lower‑grade support.
• Campus: 100 k m² wooded grounds, theatres, sports dome.
• Outcomes: 100 % IB pass; Ivy/Oxbridge offers.
• Stand‑out: Century‑old reputation & strong arts.
3위 North London Collegiate School Jeju (NLCS Jeju)
Total tuition: ₩511,683,900 (≈ US$ 353 k)
Location: Daejeong‑eup, Seogwipo‑si, Jeju‑do
NLCS Jeju transplants a 170‑year London legacy to Korea’s resort island, combining Oxbridge‑style academics, house spirit and full boarding. Diamond‑model single‑sex teaching in Years 7‑11 boosts focus, while ten houses stage spirited competitions and pastoral care. Its alumni routinely post IB 40 + scores and move on to Cambridge, Imperial, Stanford and NYU.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: IGCSE → IB DP; single‑sex classes (Y7‑11).
• Boarding: Full from Y7; British pastoral houses.
• Faculty: Predominantly UK‑qualified; many IB examiners.
• EAL: Targeted early‑year support.
• Safety: Jeju GEC; 24 h security & medical.
• Outcomes: Oxbridge/Ivy offers; IB 40 + achievers.
• Stand‑out: Elite British boarding culture on Jeju.
4위 Branksome Hall Asia (Jeju)
Total tuition: ₩510,440,900 (≈ US$ 352 k)
Location: Daejeong‑eup, Seogwipo‑si, Jeju‑do
Sister to Canada’s top girls’ school, BHA cultivates inquiry, wellness and leadership through the full IB, a STEAM maker‑culture and compulsory Duke‑of‑Ed challenges. Wellness tunnels link residence halls to studios, an Olympic pool and a NHL‑sized rink. Grads earn dual Korean/IB diplomas and scholarships at Toronto, HKU, Korea U, UBC and more.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: Full IB, STEAM focus, Grade 9 Toronto exchange.
• Boarding: From G6; wellness‑centric dorms.
• Faculty: IB‑trained; low ratios.
• Language: EAP + Korean diploma recognition.
• Facilities: Olympic pool, ice rink, makerspaces.
• Outcomes: IB 36 + avg; global admits.
• Stand‑out: Girls‑centred leadership & wellness.
5위 Dulwich College Seoul
Total tuition: ₩476,340,000 (≈ US$ 329 k)
Location: Banpo‑dong, Seocho‑gu, Seoul
Dulwich’s Banpo campus delivers a rigorous British curriculum to 50 + nationalities, blending choir in a black‑box theatre, robotics in Fab Labs and service trips across Asia. As part of the Dulwich family, students join global Olympiads and exchanges. Its IB average tops Korea, feeding graduates to UCL, LSE, Cornell, KAIST and the Russell Group.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: UK NC → IGCSE → IB DP (avg 36.6).
• Boarding: Day; Banpo campus.
• Faculty: British‑trained; Dulwich global PD.
• ESL: Targeted EAL; Mandarin & Korean electives.
• Campus: Black‑box theatre, STEM labs, rooftop pitch.
• Outcomes: #1 IB KR 2024; Ivy/Russell admits.
• Stand‑out: Dulwich Olympiad & global network.
6위 International School of Busan (ISB)
Total tuition: ₩454,111,000 (≈ US$ 313 k)
Location: Gijang‑eup, Gijang‑gun, Busan
ISB, founded 1983, is Busan’s only full‑IB World School, serving 30 + nationalities in a seaside eco‑campus. Inquiry labs overlook the East Sea; beach clean‑ups double as science fieldwork. With class sizes under 18, every learner gets bespoke guidance, leading to IB results above global means and acceptances at McGill, Michigan and Yonsei.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: Full IB continuum; CIS & WASC.
• Boarding: None; coastal lifestyle.
• Faculty: NA & UK; close mentorship.
• EAL: Strong integration model.
• Location: Haeundae coast, clean air.
• Outcomes: IB above world mean; Ivy & Canadian admits.
• Stand‑out: Tight‑knit, caring community.
7위 St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju (SJA Jeju)
Total tuition: ₩451,408,000 (≈ US$ 311 k)
Location: Daejeong‑eup, Seogwipo‑si, Jeju‑do
SJA Jeju adapts an 1842 Vermont legacy to Jeju’s green campus, pairing 20 + APs with capstone projects and craftsman electives such as culinary arts and digital storytelling. Dorm life mirrors U.S. boarding culture with prefects and weekend hikes up Hallasan. Early graduating classes have already landed at Brown, UCLA, KAIST and Yonsei.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: U.S. prep, 20 + AP, Capstone.
• Boarding: Full (G6‑12); American dorms.
• Faculty: New‑England educators; dorm parents.
• ESL: ESL in MS; mainstream by HS.
• Facilities: Modern campus & sports complex.
• Outcomes: Early Ivy & SKY admits.
• Stand‑out: Only American boarding on Jeju.
8위 Korea International School – Pangyo
Total tuition: ₩439,596,500 (≈ US$ 303 k)
Location: Bundang‑gu, Seongnam‑si, Gyeonggi‑do
KIS Pangyo sits five minutes from Tech Valley and infuses STEM into every grade, boasting a NASA‑style Mission Control, esports arena and elective entrepreneurship incubator. With 25 + APs, 1:1 MacBooks and global internships, it routinely produces perfect SAT‑ers and admits to MIT, Berkeley, NYU Stern and Korea’s SKY universities.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: U.S. standards; 25 + AP & Capstone.
• Boarding: Day; tech‑hub Pangyo.
• Faculty: U.S.‑trained, tech‑savvy.
• ELL: Pull‑out & push‑in model.
• Facilities: STEM centre, makerspace, turf field.
• Outcomes: Ivy/UC & STEM admits.
• Stand‑out: Innovative, tech‑forward culture.
9위 Dwight School Seoul
Total tuition: ₩410,988,000 (≈ US$ 283 k)
Location: Sangam‑dong, Mapo‑gu, Seoul
Dwight Seoul anchors the DMC media district, offering the full IB and a “Spark of Genius” ethos that tailors projects from AI filmmaking to social‑impact startups. A rooftop pitch floats above TV studios; a MakerSpace hums with laser cutters. Diplomas average 35 + and graduates span Parsons, NYU Tisch, Cornell Engineering and Korea U.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: IB continuum; “Spark of Genius”.
• Boarding: Day; central Sangam.
• Faculty: IB examiners; global Dwight ties.
• ESL: Robust; mother‑tongue options.
• Campus: Maker Space, rooftop pitch, pool.
• Outcomes: High IB pass; arts & Ivy admits.
• Stand‑out: Small, creative community.
10위 Seoul International School (SIS)
Total tuition: ₩406,447,500 (≈ US$ 280 k)
Location: Sujeong‑gu, Seongnam‑si, Gyeonggi‑do
SIS, opened 1973, is Korea’s oldest U.S.‑style college‑prep. Its SAT mean tops 1400, backed by 20 + APs, an MIT‑accredited Fab Lab and award‑winning math & debate teams. Alumni join Penn, Columbia, UC Berkeley and Seoul Nat’l yearly, while its parent guild orchestrates internships at Samsung, Naver and global law firms.
Why families choose it
• Curriculum: Rigorous U.S. college‑prep; 20 + AP (mandatory).
• Boarding: Day; gated Pangyo campus.
• Faculty: Veteran AP instructors.
• ESL: Entry English required.
• Safety: Suburban, secure.
• Outcomes: Ivy admits; high SAT averages.
• Stand‑out: “Korea’s Ivy factory”, strong parent network.
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