Bilingual Schools in Tashkent: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

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

Families relocating to Uzbekistan quickly discover that language is part of daily life in a way it rarely is elsewhere. Street signs, shop menus and official forms can appear in Uzbek Latin script, Uzbek Cyrillic and Russian, while international employers work in English. That makes the search for bilingual schools in Tashkent a practical question as much as an educational one.

The honest picture is that most international schools in the city are English-medium, with Russian, Uzbek or French added as taught languages. A smaller group genuinely teaches in two languages. This guide sets out the difference, profiles five schools whose profiles list more than one language, explains fees and currency, and offers questions to ask on a visit.

Tashkent for international families: context and geography

Tashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan, and the country's economic opening over the past decade has brought more diplomats, development agency staff, engineers, bankers and consultants to the city. It is a large, spread-out city with broad avenues, a metro system and plenty of green space, and summers are long and very hot, which affects how schools use outdoor space and timetable sport.

Uzbek is the state language of Uzbekistan under its Constitution, and a 1993 law moved Uzbek from the Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet; the transition is still incomplete, so families see both scripts and Russian remains widely used in Tashkent. For children this means three useful languages around them, and schools take different views on which of them to teach.

International schools are scattered rather than clustered. The Canadian School is on Ferghana Street in Mirabad District, Al-Beruniy is in Shayhantahur, and Tashkent International School describes its campus as about 10 minutes from the city centre. Expat housing is concentrated in central and residential districts such as Mirabad, Yakkasaray, Yunusabad and Mirzo Ulugbek. Cross-city traffic can be slow at peak hours, so check school bus routes and drive the commute at 7:30 in the morning before committing to an apartment.

What "bilingual" means in Tashkent

When a Tashkent school calls itself bilingual or multilingual, it usually means one of the following:

• English-medium IB with strong second languages: Tashkent International School teaches all subjects in English and every student learns another language, with Russian taught from the elementary years and Russian, French and Korean options in the IB Diploma.
• French national curriculum with English: the French School of Tashkent follows the French system leading to the Baccalaureate, lists French and English as languages of instruction, and teaches English and Russian at primary level.
• Canadian and international curriculum in English and French: the Canadian School of Tashkent lists both English and French as languages of instruction from age 2 to Grade 12.
• Cambridge plus the Uzbek state certificate: CIS Tashkent lists English and Uzbek as languages of instruction and offers Cambridge IGCSE and AS and A Levels alongside the State certificate of Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
• IB in English and Russian: Oxbridge International School lists English and Russian as languages of instruction and is a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Programme.

Truly balanced dual-language programmes, where half of the curriculum is taught in each language, remain uncommon. In most cases English is the dominant academic language and the second language receives fewer hours, so the details matter.

Five schools with more than one language of instruction

Tashkent International School

TIS, on Sarikul Street, is a not-for-profit school founded in 1994 and run by a board elected from the parent community. It offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, is accredited by CIS and NEASC, and students can also earn an accredited US high school diploma. English is the language of instruction, English Language Learner support runs from Grade 1 to Grade 8, Russian is taught from the elementary years with its own library, and elementary pupils take Uzbek Cultural Studies. The profile reports more than 50 nationalities and class sizes of about 14 to 15 in elementary.

Tip: applicants from Grade 9 need fluent English because there is no ELL support in Grades 10 to 12, so families arriving with teenagers who are still learning English should apply for an earlier entry point if they can.

Ecole Française de Tachkent / The French School of Tashkent

The school describes itself as, to date, the only French school in Central Asia. It was started in 1997 by French expatriate parents, operates under a parent association linked to the French Embassy, and teaches from preschool to Grade 12. It reports more than 100 students, around 70% of them from Uzbekistan, and a 99% success rate at the Baccalaureate and the Junior School Certificate since it opened. English and Russian are taught at primary level, and four living languages are offered in addition to French. The campus is on Kalandar Drive.

Tip: this is the natural choice for francophone families who may return to France or move within the French school network. Ask how much English is taught each week if your child also needs to keep English at a high academic level.

Canadian School of Tashkent

Located on Ferghana Street in Mirabad District, the Canadian School describes itself as the first Canadian school established in Tashkent. It teaches children from age 2 to Grade 12 with a blend of Canadian and international curriculum, and its profile lists English and French as languages of instruction. The school places particular emphasis on digital education, robotics, coding and project-based learning.

Tip: Canada's own French programmes vary widely in intensity, so ask whether French here is an immersion stream, a set number of subjects, or a core language class, and how that changes between primary and high school.

Oxbridge International School

Oxbridge, on Oyimarik Street, lists Russian and English as languages of instruction, which suits families who want their children to keep or build Russian as an academic language while studying in English. It is a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Programme and states that it is pursuing authorisation as an IB World School, and it covers stages from nursery through high school.

Tip: candidate status means authorisation is not yet complete, so ask for the expected timeline and what curriculum is followed in the meantime, particularly in the secondary years.

Cambridge International School, Tashkent Campus

CIS Tashkent has a kindergarten designed for 200 children and a school for 500, taking students aged 2 to 18 and admitting throughout the year. Its profile lists English and Uzbek as languages of instruction and describes a route to two diplomas: Cambridge IGCSE and AS and A Levels, plus the Uzbek State certificate of Education. Four meals a day are provided, and the school lists an educational psychologist and a speech therapist.

Tip: the dual diploma route is useful for Uzbek or mixed families who want to keep the option of a local university, and for expat children who will stay for many years. Ask how Uzbek is taught to beginners and in which script.

Bilingual school fees in Tashkent

Uzbekistan's currency is the som (UZS), but many international schools quote fees in US dollars, and the som has weakened against the dollar over recent years. For families paid in som this creates real exchange-rate risk, while families paid in dollars or euros are largely protected. Only one of the schools above publishes a figure on its profile, so the other ranges below are indicative.

• Early years: roughly US$600 to US$1,500 a month, depending on half or full days.
• Primary: roughly US$1,000 to US$2,000 a month. CIS Tashkent states a range of $1,000 to $2,000 per month per student.
• Secondary and IB or A Level years: roughly US$1,500 to US$2,500 a month, with not-for-profit IB schools typically at the upper end of the market.
• French curriculum: the French School of Tashkent does not publish fees on its profile, and tariffs can differ by nationality, so ask for the full fee schedule and any sibling reductions.

Extras to budget for:

• An application fee and an enrolment or registration fee on acceptance.
• A capital levy or development fee, sometimes charged per family.
• Meals, unless included as at CIS Tashkent, and school bus transport.
• Uniforms and sports kit.
• External exam fees for the IB Diploma, IGCSE, A Levels or the Baccalaureate.
• Devices, residential trips and extra language tuition.

Practical advice for choosing a bilingual school in Tashkent

Choose the academic language first. Decide which language your child will most likely study in at university and make that the main language of instruction. Russian, Uzbek or French can then be built as strong second languages. Switching the main academic language in secondary school is hard, so families who expect to move on within three years usually stay with the language and curriculum they arrived with.

Ask for the numbers. On a visit, ask how many hours a week are taught in each language at your child's age, whether second-language classes are grouped by level, and whether native speakers of Russian or Uzbek get a separate, literature-based course. Ask which script is used for Uzbek. A school that teaches Russian or Uzbek for two lessons a week is not offering the same thing as one teaching maths or science in that language.

Use the city as a language resource. Even in an English-medium school, children pick up Russian and Uzbek from neighbours, sport clubs and drivers. Pair school with a local tutor, sign up for activities run in Russian, and you can add a lot of real fluency without changing school.

Compare the best international schools in Uzbekistan

To see how these schools compare with others on curriculum, ratings and location, browse our ranking of the Best international schools in Uzbekistan and contact two or three before you book visits.

More guides to schools in Tashkent

• How to choose an international school in Tashkent
• International school admissions in Tashkent
• International school fees in Tashkent
• Best international schools in Uzbekistan

Frequently asked questions

Should my child learn Russian or Uzbek at school in Tashkent?

Both are useful. Russian is still widely used in business, shops and daily life in Tashkent, while Uzbek is the state language and is increasingly used in official settings. Tashkent International School teaches Russian from the elementary years and adds Uzbek Cultural Studies, while CIS Tashkent lists Uzbek as a language of instruction, so match the school to your plans.

Is there a French-speaking school in Tashkent?

Yes. The French School of Tashkent, founded in 1997 by French expatriate parents, teaches from preschool to Grade 12 in the French system and lists French and English as languages of instruction. The Canadian School of Tashkent also lists French as a language of instruction alongside English, which may suit families who want a North American style with French.

Can children with little English join an international school in Tashkent?

Often, at younger ages. Tashkent International School provides English Language Learner support from Grade 1 to Grade 8 and sets no minimum English level for those grades, but requires fluency from Grade 9. Other schools assess case by case, so send recent school reports and ask about language support hours and any extra charges.