Quick answer: how do international school admissions work in Kathmandu? Applications are rolling, but apply between November and March for an August start because Lincoln School and The British School Kathmandu run waiting lists in early years and at Grade 6. You will need two years of reports, a school reference, passports and an assessment. Application fees are roughly 100 to 300 USD and decisions usually take two to four weeks.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Kathmandu has a small but well-established international school scene shaped by decades of development agencies, embassies and mountaineering. Because families arrive and leave with the aid calendar rather than the academic one, international school admissions in Kathmandu are more flexible than in most Asian capitals, but the flexibility hides a real constraint: there are only a handful of schools that teach fully in English to an international curriculum, and the two best known are frequently full in the year groups where expatriate families most often arrive. This guide explains the timeline, the paperwork, the assessments and how to improve your odds of a place.
The Kathmandu context: two calendars and a valley
Nepali schools run from mid-April, the start of the month of Baisakh, to March. The international schools that most expatriates use, Lincoln School and The British School Kathmandu, run a Northern Hemisphere calendar from August to June. That mismatch matters if you are moving a child from a Nepali or Indian-curriculum school into an international one: they may repeat or skip a partial year, and schools handle that differently.
Geography is simpler. Almost everything is inside the Kathmandu Valley ring road. Lincoln School sits in Rabi Bhawan on the west side, The British School in Jhamsikhel in Lalitpur to the south, the French school nearby, and Sanskriti in Budhanilkantha to the north. Traffic and air quality in winter make the school bus worth the cost, and many families choose housing in Lalitpur or Bansbari specifically for the commute.
Curricula available in Kathmandu
- American curriculum: Lincoln School, with Advanced Placement courses and US accreditation, founded in 1954.
- British curriculum: The British School Kathmandu, from early years to A Level, and Prime International School with Cambridge examinations.
- International Baccalaureate and Cambridge in a Nepali school: Sanskriti International School blends international programmes with Nepali language and culture.
- French curriculum: the International French School of Kathmandu, part of the AEFE network.
International schools in Kathmandu and how they admit
Lincoln School
The American school of Kathmandu, non-profit and governed by a parent board, with roughly 300 students from many nationalities. Admission is rolling with priority for US government dependants and children of international organisations. Expect an application fee, two years of records, a confidential recommendation and an assessment. The middle school years fill fastest. Tuition is roughly 15,000 to 25,000 USD a year plus a one-off capital fee.
The British School Kathmandu (TBS)
A British curriculum school in Jhamsikhel running from age 3 to A Level, with a strong reputation for pastoral care and outdoor education. Admissions are assessed by age group, with English language support available but limited, so the school will want evidence of English for entry above Year 3. Early years and Year 7 are the pressure points. Fees are roughly 12,000 to 20,000 USD a year with a registration fee and a refundable deposit.
Sanskriti International School
A Nepali-founded school in Budhanilkantha offering international programmes alongside a strong Nepali identity. It admits a large number of Nepali and returning-diaspora families, so entry tests for upper grades are more formal and academic than at Lincoln or TBS. Fees are considerably lower, quoted in Nepali rupees.
Prime International School
A Cambridge-curriculum school popular with Nepali professional families and some long-term expatriates. Admissions run on the Nepali calendar, so the main intake is in April; ask about mid-year entry if you arrive in the autumn. Fees are in rupees and well below the two expatriate schools.
International French School of Kathmandu
The AEFE-affiliated French school serves francophone and bilingual families with the French national curriculum. Admission follows the French system, with priority for French nationals and a separate process for non-French speakers who need an integration year.
The admissions timeline, step by step
Step 1, six to nine months before arrival: shortlist two schools, email admissions with the child's date of birth and current curriculum, and ask directly whether there is a seat or a waiting list in the target year group. In Kathmandu, admissions officers will usually tell you honestly.
Step 2, submit the application: online form, application fee (roughly 100 to 300 USD at Lincoln and TBS, a few thousand rupees at Nepali-run schools), passport copies, two years of reports in English, a confidential reference from the current school, and immunisation records. Schools serving expatriates will also ask which organisation sponsors your visa.
Step 3, assessment: play-based observation for the youngest, English and maths screening for primary, subject assessments plus an interview for secondary. Remote assessments over video are routine for families applying from abroad.
Step 4, offer and acceptance: decisions typically take two to four weeks. Accepting usually requires a non-refundable seat deposit and, at the two expatriate schools, a one-off capital or building fee that can be several thousand dollars. Ask whether your employer covers it.
Step 5, before the first day: uniform orders, bus route registration, medical form, and for A Level or AP entrants, subject choices confirmed in writing.
Fees and extras to budget for
Tuition at the expatriate-focused schools is quoted in US dollars, roughly 12,000 to 25,000 USD a year depending on school and age. On top, budget for the application fee, a capital or development fee on entry, a refundable deposit, the school bus (roughly 800 to 1,500 USD a year), uniforms, external exam fees for IGCSE, A Level and AP, and school trips, which in Nepal are memorable and not cheap. Nepali-run international schools quote in rupees and are typically a third to a half of the price.
Practical advice specific to Kathmandu
Be candid about language support needs. The expatriate schools are small and have limited English as an additional language capacity. Disclosing early gets a place with support rather than a polite refusal later.
Ask about the waiting list mechanics, not just its existence. Both Lincoln and TBS prioritise certain sponsors and siblings. Knowing where your family sits in that order tells you whether to hold a second option.
Plan for turnover. Classes change every year as postings end. Schools are good at welcoming newcomers, but a child who has moved several times may value the smaller, steadier community at TBS or the French school over a larger one.
Compare Kathmandu schools before you apply
Use the ranking of the best schools in Nepal to compare the Kathmandu schools in this guide on curriculum, fees and parent reviews before you commit to an application fee.
More guides to schools in Kathmandu
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply to an international school in Kathmandu?
Apply as soon as a posting is confirmed, ideally between November and March for an August start. Lincoln School and The British School Kathmandu hold rolling admissions but fill early years and Grade 6 or Year 7 quickly, and both run waiting lists. Mid-year entry is possible when seats exist, which is common in Kathmandu because of the high turnover of development and diplomatic families.
What documents do Kathmandu international schools require?
Typically a completed application form, passport copies for the child and parents, the last two years of school reports in English, a recommendation or confidential report from the current school, immunisation records, a passport photograph and, for older students, transcripts. Schools serving expatriates will also ask for proof of the parents' Nepal visa or employer letter. Certified translations are needed for reports not in English.
Is there an entrance exam for international schools in Kathmandu?
Most schools run an age-appropriate assessment rather than a competitive exam: play-based observation for early years, English and maths screening for primary, and a longer assessment plus interview for secondary. The purpose is placement and language support planning. Selective Nepali-run schools such as Sanskriti may set a more formal entrance test for higher grades.