Bilingual Schools in Amman: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: which are the best bilingual schools in Amman for expat families? Amman has two routes: English-medium international schools with Arabic as a second language, such as the American Community School, and Arabic-English national schools such as Ahliyyah & Mutran, which runs all four IB programmes. Expect roughly JOD 6,000 to 20,000 a year, depending on school and grade.

Last reviewed: October 2026 by Catherine from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Families searching for bilingual schools in Amman usually want one of two things: a school where their child keeps strong English while picking up real Arabic, or a school where an Arabic-speaking child can move confidently into English-medium study. Jordan's capital serves both groups well, but the word "bilingual" covers very different models here, and the difference matters far more than a brochure suggests.

This guide explains how language actually works in Amman's private and international schools, what the rules on Arabic mean for your family's passport, and which schools are worth a visit. We focus on five schools with profiles on International School Advisor, from a full IB continuum school that switches language by stage to an American school with an Arabic A level option.

Amman for expat families: hills, districts and the school run

Amman draws diplomats, NGO and UN staff, regional managers and returning Jordanian families from the Gulf and North America. The city is calm and well connected by road, but it is built across a series of hills, so distances on a map can mislead. A drive of eight kilometres can take forty minutes at peak time if it crosses the busy circles and the central valleys.

Most expat housing sits in the west: Abdoun, Deir Ghbar, Sweifieh, Um Uthaina, Khalda and Dabouq. Several leading schools follow that pattern. Amman Baccalaureate School is in Dabouq, close to the royal palaces, while the American Community School is in the central west of the city. Others sit further out: the International Community School has a semi-rural campus in Na'our to the south west, and King's Academy is on the King's Highway at Manja, beyond the airport road, which is why it is best known as a boarding school. Before signing a lease, do the school run once at 7am on a weekday. Most schools run buses, and older children often spend more time on them than parents expect.

What "bilingual" means in Amman

When local families talk about bilingual schools, they usually mean a Jordanian private school that teaches in both Arabic and English, follows the national framework for Arabic, religion and social studies, and adds an international qualification on top. Expat families usually mean something else: an English-medium international school with a good Arabic programme. Both exist, and both can work, but the experience for a non-Arabic speaker is very different.

Arabic-English national bilingual schools: Arabic is a language of instruction for part of the day or for whole stages, and Arabic language, Islamic or Christian religious education and national studies follow ministry requirements. Most pupils are Jordanian.
English-medium international schools: English is the teaching language for everything except language lessons. Arabic is offered at native and non-native levels, often with a separate "Arabic as a foreign language" track for expats.
IB schools (PYP, MYP, DP, CP): found in both groups. The IB requires a second language throughout, so Arabic or French sits naturally in the programme.
American curriculum and AP: US standards with Advanced Placement courses in the final years, which suit families heading to North American universities.
British curriculum, IGCSE and A level: English National Curriculum through to Cambridge or Edexcel exams, with Arabic as a timetabled subject.
Third languages: French is the most common, with German, Spanish and Mandarin at some schools.

One rule shapes everything: Arabic is compulsory for Jordanian nationals in private schools, including international ones. If your child holds a Jordanian passport, even alongside another nationality, expect them to be placed in native Arabic classes and possibly in national religion and social studies. Expat children without Jordanian nationality are normally placed in an Arabic as a foreign language track, where the goal is communication rather than literature. Ask each school how it sets those groups and whether a child can move up a level when ready.

Bilingual and English-medium schools in Amman worth visiting

Ahliyyah & Mutran School

Ahliyyah & Mutran is the clearest example of true bilingual teaching in this list. According to its profile, kindergarten to Grade 5 is taught in Arabic while English is built up alongside it, French starts in Grade 1, and from Grade 6 English becomes the medium for every subject except Arabic, PE and religion. Pupils add a third language in middle school, French or German, with Chinese on the boys' campus. The school has been an IB World School since 2001 and is authorised for the PYP, MYP, DP and Career-related Programme. It is large, with more than 1,950 pupils across two central sites and a kindergarten building, and its profile lists it as gender segregated, with separate girls' and boys' sites. Our tip: this model suits Arabic-speaking or heritage families best. A child arriving at age eight with no Arabic would face a steep climb in the primary years, so ask directly how they support newcomers.

American Community School

ACS is a non-profit, coeducational day school teaching an English-medium US curriculum from the Early Years Program (children must be 4 by 1 September) to Grade 12. Its 2026-27 High School Profile reports 646 students from more than 50 nationalities. Its language profile lists English as the teaching language, Arabic at a high level, and Spanish and French as additional options, with English as an Additional Language support from the early years. In high school it offers around 20 AP subjects, the AP Capstone Diploma and International A Level Arabic, and publishes guidance on Tawjihi equivalency. Our tip: if your child is a native or near-native Arabic speaker, the A Level Arabic route is a useful way to turn home language into a recognised qualification.

International Community School in Amman

ICS is a non-profit British school for ages 3 to 18 with more than 700 students from over 60 nationalities, according to its profile. It follows the English National Curriculum, adapted to its local context, with all teaching in English by UK-qualified teachers; seniors take IGCSE and A level and many also sit the SAT. It is accredited by COBIS and CIS, a member of BSME, and rated "Good with Outstanding Features" by BSO. The campus is in Na'our, about fifteen minutes from most embassies, and it scores 4.6 from 5 reviews. Our tip: ask how Arabic is grouped for non-native speakers in Key Stages 2 and 3, since that is where expat children either take off or stall.

Amman Baccalaureate School

ABS, in Dabouq, is a secular, coeducational IB school with English as the language of instruction. Its profile highlights a co-curricular programme tied to three award schemes, including the Duke of Edinburgh International Award through the El Hassan Youth Award office. It has a 5.0 rating from 4 reviews, and reviewers describe it as one of the city's longest established baccalaureate schools. Our tip: because the IB requires a second language throughout, ask ABS how many Arabic levels it runs in the Diploma Programme and whether expat students can take Arabic ab initio.

King's Academy

King's Academy, on the King's Highway at Manja, combines an American liberal arts education with Middle Eastern history, traditions, language and cultural values. It is coeducational and secular, teaches in English, and offers boarding. A reviewer notes students from 38 nationalities and financial aid for a large share of pupils. It has a 4.0 rating from 4 reviews. Our tip: for families based in the Gulf or moving often, the boarding option plus a strong Arabic and regional studies element is unusual; ask which grades take boarders and how Arabic classes are set for non-native speakers.

School fees in Amman and the dinar peg

Most Amman schools publish fees in Jordanian dinars, although some expat-focused schools quote in US dollars. Profiles on our site ask families to consult each school, so treat the figures below as rough ranges collected from typical published tuition rather than quotes:

Kindergarten and early years: roughly JOD 4,000 to 12,000 a year (about USD 5,600 to 17,000).
Primary: roughly JOD 6,000 to 15,000 a year.
Secondary and IB/AP/A level years: roughly JOD 8,000 to 20,000 a year, with the American and British expat schools at the upper end.
Boarding: considerably higher; ask for the full boarding package.

Budget for extras on top of tuition:

Application or assessment fee, usually non-refundable.
Registration or enrolment fee for new students.
A seat deposit to hold a place, sometimes credited against the first term.
Building or capital development levy at some schools.
Bus transport, which can be a large line given the city's hills.
Uniform, meals, trips and residential camps.
External exam fees for IGCSE, A level, AP or IB.
Devices for one-to-one laptop programmes.

Currency risk is lower than in many cities. The Jordanian dinar has been pegged to the US dollar at about 0.709 JOD per USD since 1995, so dinar fees are stable for dollar earners. Families paid in euros or sterling still carry exchange risk against the dollar.

How to judge the bilingual offer in practice

Ask for the timetable, not the slogan. Request the weekly hours of Arabic for your child's grade at both native and non-native level. Three short lessons a week build polite phrases; daily lessons with a specialist teacher build reading and writing. Ask also whether other subjects, such as social studies, are taught in Arabic.

Check the passport question early. If either parent is Jordanian, confirm in writing how the school will place your child for Arabic and religion, and whether any ministry exams apply. Families are sometimes surprised in Grade 1 or Grade 7 when national requirements kick in.

Think about the exit language. If you expect to move on within three years, an English-medium school with a foreign-language Arabic track keeps transfers simple. If you plan to stay through graduation, or your child already speaks Arabic at home, a stage-based bilingual school like Ahliyyah & Mutran can give genuinely strong literacy in both languages. Visit a lesson in each language if you can.

See the full Amman ranking

For a wider view of schools, reviews and curricula across the city, see our ranking of the best international schools in Amman, and use it to build a shortlist before booking visits.

More guides to schools in Amman

Frequently asked questions

Do expat children have to learn Arabic at international schools in Amman?

Most international schools in Amman teach Arabic to every pupil, but children without Jordanian nationality usually join an Arabic as a foreign language track focused on speaking and everyday reading. Jordanian nationals, including dual nationals, are placed in native Arabic classes because Arabic is compulsory for them. Ask each school how many weekly lessons each level receives.

Which Amman schools teach in both Arabic and English?

Jordanian private schools with international programmes are the main dual-language option. Ahliyyah and Mutran, for example, teaches in Arabic up to Grade 5 and switches to English for most subjects from Grade 6, adding French or German as a third language. English-medium schools such as ICS or ACS teach in English and offer Arabic as a subject.

Are school fees in Amman paid in dinars or dollars?

Most schools invoice in Jordanian dinars, though a few expat-focused schools quote in US dollars. Because the dinar has been pegged at about 0.709 JOD per US dollar since 1995, the difference matters little for dollar earners. Families paid in euros or sterling should budget a margin for exchange movements across the school year.