Bilingual Schools in Johor Bahru: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: Where can expat children get a bilingual education in Johor Bahru? Most of the city's international schools teach in English with Malay and Mandarin as subjects, while REAL Schools Johor Bahru Sanctuary Campus lists English and Malay as teaching languages. Mid-range fees run roughly MYR 30,000 to 60,000 a year, and premium schools such as Marlborough College Malaysia roughly MYR 100,000 to 180,000.

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

Few cities give children as much daily contact with other languages as Johor Bahru. Walk through a JB mall and you will hear Malay, English, Mandarin, Tamil and several Chinese dialects within a few minutes. That makes the search for bilingual schools in Johor Bahru different from the same search in Europe: the question is less whether your child will hear a second language and more which language a school will actually teach well, and to what level.

The city's international schools are overwhelmingly English-medium, built for families from Singapore, the UK, Korea, Japan, China, India and across Malaysia. Within that, there are real differences in how seriously Malay and Mandarin are taught, and there is a separate world of Malaysian private and Chinese independent schools where Mandarin or Malay carries much more of the timetable. This guide sets out those routes, profiles five schools from our directory and explains what a two-language education costs in ringgit in 2026.

Johor Bahru for international families: geography and the Singapore factor

Johor Bahru sits directly across the Strait of Johor from Singapore, and that border shapes school choice more than anything else. Many families live in JB for the space and lower cost of housing while one parent works in Singapore, and a smaller number cross the Causeway or the Second Link every day for school itself. Malaysia and Singapore signed the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone agreement on 7 January 2025, and the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is scheduled to start operating by the end of 2026, so interest from Singapore-based families is likely to keep rising.

International schools cluster in a few clear areas. Iskandar Puteri, the area still widely known as Nusajaya, includes EduCity and Puteri Harbour in the west, close to the Second Link and Legoland, and is home to several large campuses. Mount Austin and Taman Sutera Utama are established residential districts north of the city centre with plenty of family housing and shops. To the east, Permas Jaya, Bandar Seri Alam and Masai sit towards the Pasir Gudang industrial belt.

Distances look short on a map, but a drive from Mount Austin to Puteri Harbour can take a long time at peak hours, and Causeway queues are unpredictable. Most families choose a home within a short drive of the school and accept a longer journey for the working parent. If you plan to commute to Singapore, think about which crossing you will use before you sign a lease: the eastern schools pair best with the Causeway, the western ones with the Second Link.

What bilingual means in a trilingual city

Families usually find four distinct kinds of school when they look for two languages in JB:

English-medium international schools with language subjects: the large majority. Lessons are in English, with Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin offered as subjects, sometimes with separate tracks for native and non-native speakers.
International schools with English and Malay instruction: a smaller group where Malay is used for part of the teaching. REAL Schools Johor Bahru Sanctuary Campus lists English and Malay as its instructional languages.
Malaysian private schools: schools following the national curriculum privately, where Malay plays a larger role and English is also strong.
Chinese independent schools: privately run secondary schools where Mandarin is the main language of teaching, with English and Malay as subjects. They suit families with a Mandarin-speaking home or a firm plan for higher education in Chinese.

One rule applies to Malaysian families in particular: Malaysian citizens studying at international schools are required to study Bahasa Malaysia. For mixed-nationality households, check which passport the school will record, since this can change the language timetable.

Five schools to look at for a two-language education

REAL Schools Johor Bahru Sanctuary Campus

REAL's Sanctuary Campus is at Lot 2361, Jalan Sri Plentong, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Masai, on the eastern side of the city. Its profile lists English and Malay as instructional languages, which makes it one of the few options on our directory where Malay is more than a timetable subject. The campus is green, and since 2019 the school has been introducing new approaches with the stated goal of preparing children for an uncertain, fast-changing (VUCA) world. Tip: ask what share of lessons is taught in Malay at each stage, as this is the clearest way to compare it with English-medium schools.

Raffles American School

Raffles American School is on Lebuh Kota Iskandar in Nusajaya and teaches in English following an American model: Common Core for Maths and English Language Arts, the Next Generation Science Standards and AERO standards for social studies. Its profile also lists the IB. The American system's flexibility with electives can leave room for Mandarin or another language through high school. Observation: families moving on to North America find the credit system familiar, so ask how language courses count towards the high school diploma.

Marlborough College Malaysia

Marlborough College Malaysia sits on Jalan Marlborough at Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya, on a 90 acre estate. It is a fully coeducational British boarding and day school, and its profile lists the IB. In IB Diploma terms, that opens the Language A and Language B framework, including the bilingual diploma for students strong in two languages. Tip: boarding communities mix nationalities closely, which helps English but can quietly erode a first language, so ask how the school supports mother-tongue study for boarders.

Repton International School Malaysia

Repton International School Malaysia is at No. 8 Jalan Purnama, Bandar Seri Alam, Masai, and teaches in English. It is linked to Repton School in Derbyshire, founded in 1557, with sister schools in the UAE, China, Egypt and Bulgaria, and its profile lists the IB. Observation: for families on rotation between Asia and the Middle East, a group with schools in several countries can make transfers simpler, so ask whether language pathways are consistent across the group.

Austin Heights International School

Austin Heights International School, established in 2011, is a purpose-built school in Taman Mount Austin teaching in English from Early Years to Secondary for ages 3 to 16. Its residential location makes it practical for families living in the Mount Austin area. Tip: because the school runs to age 16, families wanting a sixth form or IB Diploma should plan the move for the final two years from the start, including how a second language will carry over.

Fees in Johor Bahru for 2026

Johor's main draw for many families is value. At most mid-range international schools, annual tuition runs roughly MYR 30,000 to 60,000 (about USD 6,500 to 13,000), with primary years at the lower end and upper secondary at the higher end. Premium day and boarding schools, Marlborough College Malaysia being the obvious example, charge roughly MYR 100,000 to 180,000 a year once boarding is included (about USD 22,000 to 39,000). Many Singapore families find even the premium end lower than international schools on their side of the border.

Extras to budget for:

Application and registration fees: usually charged once and not refundable.
Refundable deposit: often a set amount or a share of annual fees, returned when the child leaves with notice.
Development or capital fee: some schools charge a one-off or annual levy.
Language support: extra English lessons, or Mandarin and Malay tuition outside school, can add noticeably to the bill.
School bus: priced by distance; cross-border transport from Singapore costs more.
Meals, uniforms and devices: billed termly or at the start of the year.
Exam fees: IGCSE, IB or A Level entries are often charged separately.

Currency is worth a thought. Fees are in ringgit, so a family paid in Singapore dollars benefits from a strong SGD, while one paid in ringgit is exposed if the school prices any services in foreign currency.

Practical advice on choosing for two languages

Decide which second language matters most. Malay is the national language and essential for children staying in Malaysia long term; Mandarin is the more common goal for families heading to Singapore, China or Taiwan. Few schools teach both to native-speaker level, so choose the one that fits your next move and use tuition centres, which are everywhere in JB, for the other.

Visit a language lesson, not just an assembly. Ask to observe a Mandarin or Malay class in your child's year. Check whether native speakers are grouped separately, how much of the lesson is actually in the target language and which qualification the course leads to, such as an IGCSE or an IB language course.

Factor in the RTS Link and your commute. With the RTS Link due by the end of 2026, a home near the Bukit Chagar end of the line could change daily life for a parent working in Singapore. Weigh that against school location before you commit to an area.

Compare schools across the state

To see how these schools sit alongside others in the region, browse our ranking of the Best international schools in Johor, which brings together curricula, locations and boarding options.

More guides to schools in Johor Bahru

Frequently asked questions

Do international schools in Johor Bahru teach Mandarin?

Most do, usually as a subject alongside English, and many offer separate classes for native and non-native speakers. Depth varies a lot, so ask how many lessons a week your child would have and which qualification the course leads to. Families wanting Mandarin as the main teaching language often look at Chinese independent schools instead.

Do Malaysian children at international schools have to learn Malay?

Yes. Malaysian citizens enrolled at international schools are required to study Bahasa Malaysia. For dual-nationality families this depends on which nationality the school records at enrolment, so clarify it early. Some schools, such as REAL Schools Johor Bahru Sanctuary Campus in Permas Jaya, also use Malay as a language of instruction.

Is it practical to live in Johor Bahru and work in Singapore?

Many families do exactly that, choosing housing near the Causeway or the Second Link. The Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is scheduled to start operating by the end of 2026, which should make the daily crossing more predictable. Schools in Iskandar Puteri suit Second Link commuters, while Permas Jaya and Masai sit closer to the eastern side.