Bilingual Schools in Ankara: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: are there bilingual schools in Ankara? Very few in the strict sense. Ankara has around five English-medium international schools, such as Oasis International School of Ankara and British Embassy School Ankara, mostly for foreign nationals, plus Turkish private schools with intensive English. Expect roughly TRY 350,000 to 1,100,000 a year at international schools.

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

Families moving to the Turkish capital often search for bilingual schools in Ankara expecting a menu of English and Turkish dual-language programmes, like those found in some European capitals. The reality is more layered. Ankara's school market is shaped by Turkish law on who may attend an international school, by the large diplomatic community around Çankaya, and by a strong tradition of Turkish private schools that teach a great deal of English without calling themselves international.

This guide explains what "bilingual" actually means in Ankara, which schools on our directory teach in English and how much Turkish they offer, what you can expect to pay, and how to judge a language programme before you sign. It is written for expat parents, diplomatic families and mixed-nationality households who want their children to keep English strong while picking up Turkish along the way.

Ankara for international families: geography, districts and commutes

Ankara is a government city first. Embassies, ministries, international organisations, universities and defence contractors bring most foreign families here, and postings of two to four years are common. That rhythm matters for schooling: many families need a school that accepts pupils mid-year and that prepares children to move on to another system without losing ground.

Most of the city's international schooling sits in the south of the city. Çankaya is the diplomatic heart, home to most embassies and to the British Embassy School, which operates inside the embassy grounds on Şehit Ersan Caddesi. Neighbouring districts such as Gaziosmanpaşa, Kavaklıdere, Oran and Çayyolu are popular with expatriate households because of their apartment stock, green space and short drives to the embassies. Further west, the Bilkent area hosts Bilkent University and its East Campus, where Bilkent Laboratory and International School is based. Çayyolu and Ümitköy, along the Eskişehir road, attract families who want larger homes and easier access to Bilkent and the western suburbs.

Ankara traffic is manageable compared with Istanbul, but peak hours on the Eskişehir road and around Kızılay can still turn a 15 minute trip into 40 minutes. Most international schools run their own bus services, and it pays to look at the bus map before you choose an apartment. Winters are cold and snowy, so a long school run in January is worth taking seriously.

What "bilingual" really means in Ankara

There are three quite different models hiding behind the word, and knowing which one you are looking at saves a lot of confusion on school visits.

English-medium international schools: almost all lessons are in English, following an American, British or international curriculum. Turkish is taught as a subject, usually a few lessons a week, sometimes split into host-country and beginner groups. These schools are mainly for foreign nationals.
Turkish private schools with intensive English: they follow the Turkish national curriculum set by the Ministry of National Education, with a heavy load of English lessons and sometimes science or maths taught partly in English. Some add international programmes on top. Most pupils are Turkish, and the school day runs largely in Turkish.
Genuinely bilingual programmes: a small number of schools with both international and Turkish pupils run English immersion in the early years and then move towards a bilingual model in primary. Bilkent Laboratory and International School describes exactly this path. These are the closest thing Ankara has to a true dual-language school, and places are limited.

Behind this split sits a legal rule that every parent should understand. Under Turkey's Private Education Institutions Law (No. 5580, 2007), international schools are intended for foreign nationals, and Turkish citizens generally cannot enrol unless they also hold another nationality; this is why many Turkish families choose private Turkish schools with intensive English programmes instead. For a mixed Turkish and foreign family, the passport your child holds can therefore decide which schools are open to you.

Curricula available in Ankara's English-medium schools

American curriculum: Oasis International School of Ankara teaches an American-based curriculum in English from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, leading to an American high school diploma.
English National Curriculum and IMYC: British Embassy School Ankara follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales with the International Middle Years Curriculum, for ages 3 to 16.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and International A Level: Hamidiye International Schools offers the Edexcel qualifications within a K to 12 structure.
Turkish national plus international programmes: Bilkent Laboratory and International School and Gökkuşağı School combine national and international education, with English as a language of instruction.

Schools to consider for an English and Turkish education

Bilkent Laboratory & International School

BLIS sits on Bilkent University's East Campus and is one of the few schools in the city open to both international students and Turkish nationals. Its language model starts with English immersion in early childhood and moves to bilingual elementary grades, followed by a transitional stage. That makes it the most natural fit for families who want a real balance of English and Turkish rather than English with Turkish as a side subject. Tip: ask how the language balance shifts from grade to grade and what support exists for a child who arrives at age nine with no Turkish at all.

Oasis International School of Ankara

Founded in 2004, Oasis teaches an American-based curriculum in English to more than 250 students from over 50 countries, from pre-kindergarten (age 4) to grade 12. The school day runs from 8:30am to 3:00pm, and the year is split into two semesters of two quarters each. Most teachers come from the United States. This is an English-first school, so Turkish will be a subject rather than a second language of instruction. It suits families heading on to North American universities or another American-curriculum school after Ankara.

British Embassy School Ankara

BESA is a small, co-educational British school inside the British Embassy grounds in Çankaya, teaching children aged 3 to 16 from nearly 30 countries. It follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales and the International Middle Years Curriculum, with a thematic approach from Nursery to Year 11. Because it stops at 16, families with teenagers should plan where a child will take A Levels or the IB. The setting gives it a close, community feel that many diplomatic families value, and it is worth asking how much Turkish language and culture is built into the timetable.

Gökkuşağı School

Gökkuşağı has been running since 1997 and is based in the Alacaatlı area of Çankaya. It is a Turkish private school group with the stated vision of "Being a World School", offering international programmes alongside the national one and listing English as a language of instruction. It is a good example of the second model described above: a Turkish school with strong English rather than an international school. For a foreign family planning to stay long term and wanting children to become fully fluent in Turkish, this kind of school can make sense, but check carefully how lessons are split between the two languages.

Hamidiye International Schools

Hamidiye offers Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and International Advanced Level qualifications within a K to 12 structure, taught in English by international teachers. The school states that it adheres to Islamic socio-cultural and moral principles, which some families will see as a priority and others will want to understand in detail before applying. Ask about the daily timetable, the place of Turkish and Arabic, and how the school prepares students for British-style exams.

School fees for bilingual and international schools in Ankara

Ankara fees are often quoted in US dollars or euros at international schools, and in Turkish lira at Turkish private schools, which then rise sharply each year in line with inflation. The ranges below are indicative annual tuition for 2026 to 2027; none of the schools above publishes fees on its profile, so treat them as a starting point.

Early years (ages 3 to 5): roughly TRY 350,000 to 700,000 a year at international schools, around USD 8,000 to 16,000.
Primary: roughly TRY 450,000 to 900,000 a year, around USD 10,000 to 20,000.
Secondary and high school: roughly TRY 550,000 to 1,100,000 a year, around USD 12,000 to 25,000.
Turkish private schools with intensive English: roughly TRY 300,000 to 800,000 a year, depending on the campus and grade.

Budget for extras on top of tuition:

application or registration fee, often non-refundable
enrolment deposit or capital levy, sometimes charged once per family
school bus, which can be a significant cost in a city where most families rely on it
lunches and snacks, usually billed termly
uniforms and sports kit
external exam fees for IGCSE, A Level or AP
a laptop or tablet in upper grades, plus residential trips

If your employer pays the fees, check whether the allowance is fixed in lira, dollars or euros. A lira-denominated allowance can lose a lot of value over a single school year.

Practical advice for choosing a bilingual school in Ankara

Start with your child's passport. Before you fall in love with a school, confirm that your child is eligible to enrol. A child who is only a Turkish citizen will usually be steered towards Turkish private schools, while a dual national may have more options. Ask the admissions office to confirm eligibility in writing, as the rules are applied to each case.

Ask for the language timetable, not the brochure. Request the weekly timetable for your child's grade and count the hours taught in English and in Turkish. A school that teaches three Turkish lessons a week is an English-medium school with Turkish as a subject, which is perfectly fine, but it will not produce a bilingual child on its own. Ask too whether there are separate Turkish classes for beginners and for native speakers.

Think about the next move. Many Ankara families are on postings. If your next post is likely to be in the UK, a British curriculum keeps transitions smooth; if it is North America, the American system makes more sense. If you expect to stay in Turkey long term and want children to be at home in both languages, the bilingual path at a school like BLIS, or a strong Turkish private school, may give better results than any English-only school.

Compare the best schools in the city

Once you know which model suits your family, compare fees, curricula and parent reviews side by side in our ranking of the best international schools in Ankara, then book visits to two or three schools before you decide.

More guides to schools in Ankara

Frequently asked questions

Can Turkish citizens attend international schools in Ankara?

Generally not. Turkish law reserves international schools for foreign nationals, so a child with only Turkish citizenship usually cannot enrol. Children who also hold another passport are often accepted. Some schools, such as Bilkent Laboratory and International School, admit both international students and Turkish nationals through a combined national and international programme, so check eligibility with admissions early.

Do international schools in Ankara teach Turkish?

Most do, but usually as a subject for a few lessons a week rather than as a language of instruction. Schools often split classes into beginner and native speaker groups. If you want your child to become properly bilingual, ask for the weekly timetable and count the hours in each language, then add tutoring or Turkish clubs outside school if needed.

Which Ankara schools follow a British curriculum?

British Embassy School Ankara follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales with the International Middle Years Curriculum for ages 3 to 16, inside the embassy grounds in Cankaya. Hamidiye International Schools offers Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and International A Level. Families with children over 16 should plan the sixth form stage carefully.