Bilingual Schools in Ulaanbaatar: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: Are there bilingual schools in Ulaanbaatar for expat families? Yes, but only a handful. The Canadian School of Ulaanbaatar is the clearest Mongolian-English bilingual option, combining the Mongolian national curriculum with New Brunswick's. Three other well-known schools teach mainly in English with IB, British or American curricula. Expect fees of roughly MNT 25 million to 100 million a year.

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

Families moving to Mongolia often ask the same question within a week of arriving: can my child keep their English, pick up Mongolian, and still end up with a qualification that travels? The honest answer is that the market for bilingual schools in Ulaanbaatar is small, and the word "bilingual" gets used loosely. Some schools genuinely split teaching between two languages; others are English-medium international schools that offer Mongolian lessons for local students and little for newcomers.

This guide explains what the label really means in Ulaanbaatar, how to test a school's language claims during a visit, and which four schools are worth a closer look depending on how long you are staying and what you want from the second language. We also cover fees and the extras that catch new arrivals out.

Ulaanbaatar for international families: where the schools are

Most expatriate families in Ulaanbaatar are here for mining and resources work, diplomatic postings, development banks, NGOs or the growing number of foreign companies serving the Mongolian market. Postings tend to run two to four years, which matters when you are choosing between a school that builds Mongolian fluency over time and one that simply keeps your child on track for the next move.

The city stretches east to west along the Tuul River valley, and almost every international option sits on the southern side in Khan-Uul District, around Zaisan and the roads leading towards the Bogd Khan mountain. That concentration is good news: if you rent in Zaisan, the Four Seasons Gardens area or one of the newer compounds south of the river, the main schools are within a short drive of one another. Families who rent in the centre, near Sukhbaatar Square or along Peace Avenue, should plan for heavy traffic over the bridges at peak times, and more so in winter when the roads freeze and the smog settles. A trip that takes fifteen minutes at 7am can take forty by 8am.

School buses help. Several schools run them, but routes are usually built around the southern districts, so ask for the current map before you sign a lease rather than after.

What "bilingual" means in Ulaanbaatar

Three quite different models get described as bilingual here, and it pays to know which one you are looking at.

Dual-language Mongolian and English schools: teaching is genuinely split between the two languages, and students work towards a Mongolian diploma alongside a foreign one. The Canadian School of Ulaanbaatar is the clearest example on our directory.
English-medium international schools with Mongolian provision: lessons are in English, following IB, British (IGCSE and A Level) or North American programmes. Mongolian language and culture classes are offered, mostly aimed at Mongolian students, and beginners may get far less.
Mongolian national schools: state and private schools teaching the national curriculum in Mongolian, often with a strong foreign language strand. These suit families who already speak Mongolian at home or plan to stay long term.

Script is part of the picture. Under the Law on the Mongolian Language adopted in 2015, official documents have had to be issued in both Cyrillic and the traditional Mongolian script since 2025. That has pushed the vertical traditional script further up the agenda in Mongolian schools, and it is worth asking any bilingual school how much time goes into it and at what age it starts. For an expat child staying three years, Cyrillic reading and spoken Mongolian are the realistic goals; the traditional script is a bonus.

Bilingual and international schools to consider

Canadian School of Ulaanbaatar

Opened in autumn 2022 in Hunnu 2222, 18th khoroo, Khan-Uul, CSU is the school that most closely matches the textbook definition of bilingual. It blends the Mongolian national curriculum with that of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, and as a candidate New Brunswick offshore school it allows graduates to leave with both a Mongolian diploma and a Canadian diploma certified by Atlantic Education International. It takes children from age 3 (PK3) through to Grade 12, and reports close to 1,000 students, around 80 teachers from 19 countries and a cap of 25 per class.

The model is concrete: primary pupils have a Mongolian-speaking homeroom teacher and also spend lessons with an expatriate teacher, while older students take subjects taught in English, Mongolian or both. Our tip: if your child arrives with no Mongolian, ask how a non-speaker is supported in a Mongolian-led homeroom, because the school is built mainly around Mongolian families and that is both its strength and the thing to check.

International School of Ulaanbaatar

ISU, on Four Seasons Gardens Road in the 18th khoroo, is an IB World School offering the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes to a community of more than 30 nationalities, from nursery upwards. It is an English-medium school rather than a bilingual one, and its strength for mobile families is continuity: the IB framework transfers easily to IB schools elsewhere. There is an active Parent Teacher Group that welcomes newly arrived families, and parents sit on the Board of Trustees. Ask specifically what Mongolian is offered to non-Mongolian students and whether it counts as the second language within the MYP.

British School of Ulaanbaatar

BSU opened in September 2012 with Years 1 to 9 and now runs a full secondary with IGCSE and A Level examinations, from its site on Naadamchidiin Road in Khan-Uul's 4th khoroo. English is the language of instruction. The school states a commitment to helping Mongolian students master their traditional language and script and know their own culture and history, which tells you Mongolian is taken seriously for local students. For an English-speaking newcomer, the useful question is whether there is a separate Mongolian as a foreign language track or whether beginners join native-speaker classes.

American School of Ulaanbaatar

Founded in 2006 and based at Zaisan Hill 11, ASU follows an adapted North American curriculum built on US Common Core standards, with Pre-School, Elementary and Secondary divisions, and holds WASC accreditation. Instruction is in English. It suits families heading back to North America or into US-system schools elsewhere. As with ISU and BSU, treat it as an English-medium school with a language programme rather than a bilingual school, and ask for the weekly hours of Mongolian at your child's grade.

Fees and extra costs

None of these schools publishes a full fee schedule on our profiles, so the figures below are rough indications drawn from what families typically report. Several international schools in Ulaanbaatar quote fees in US dollars, which shields them from swings in the tugrik but exposes families paid in local currency.

Early years (age 3 to 5): roughly MNT 25 million to 60 million a year (about USD 7,000 to 17,500).
Primary: roughly MNT 35 million to 85 million a year (about USD 10,000 to 25,000).
Secondary and diploma years: roughly MNT 45 million to 100 million a year (about USD 13,000 to 29,000), with the IB and A Level years at the upper end.

The bilingual Canadian model has tended to sit below the most expensive English-medium schools, partly because a large share of its teachers are local. Check this for the current year rather than assuming it.

Extras to budget for:

Application and assessment fee: usually non-refundable, paid when you apply.
Enrolment deposit or capital levy: some schools charge a one-off sum on joining; ask whether any part is refundable when you leave.
School bus: charged per term or year, priced by distance.
Meals: cafeteria lunches are often billed separately.
Uniform: CSU uses a tracksuit; others have their own kit, plus serious winter clothing that your child will need for outdoor breaks.
Exam fees: IGCSE, A Level and IB entries are charged per subject in the final years.
Devices and activities: laptops in secondary, trips and some paid clubs.

How to judge a bilingual programme in Ulaanbaatar

Ask for the timetable, not the brochure. Request a real weekly timetable for your child's year group and count the hours taught in each language. A school where half the subjects are taught in Mongolian is a different proposition from one with three Mongolian lessons a week. Ask who teaches those hours: native-speaker teachers with training in second-language teaching make a large difference for beginners.

Match the model to your time in Mongolia. On a two-year posting, an English-medium IB, British or American school with some Mongolian is usually the safer choice, because your child moves on with a familiar curriculum. If you are staying five years or more, have a Mongolian parent, or want your child to read and write in both scripts, a true dual-language school such as CSU starts to make much more sense.

Plan for winter and for the move out. Ulaanbaatar winters are long and air quality drops sharply in the coldest months, so ask how schools handle indoor play, air filtration and sport between November and March. And before you commit, find out which documents the school issues at the end: a dual diploma, IB transcripts or a US-style transcript will each open different doors in the next country.

Compare schools across the city

Bilingual provision is only one part of the decision. To compare all the main options on curriculum, location and parent ratings, see our ranking of the best international schools in Ulaanbaatar, and use it to draw up a shortlist before your first visits.

More guides to schools in Ulaanbaatar

Frequently asked questions

Can an expat child with no Mongolian join a bilingual school in Ulaanbaatar?

Usually yes, especially in the early years, when children pick up spoken Mongolian quickly. Older beginners find it harder, because subjects may be taught partly in Mongolian. Ask the school how many non-Mongolian speakers are in the year group, what language support they get, and whether English-only classes are available for some subjects.

Do international schools in Ulaanbaatar teach the traditional Mongolian script?

Mongolian students learn it as part of the national curriculum, and its importance has grown since official documents began appearing in both Cyrillic and the traditional script. In English-medium schools, newcomers usually start with spoken Mongolian and Cyrillic. Ask at what grade the traditional script is introduced and whether foreign students take it.

Is a Mongolian-English bilingual school a good choice for a short posting?

For a stay of two years or less, most families prefer an English-medium school with an IB, British or American curriculum, so the next move is smooth. A dual-language school pays off over longer stays, with a Mongolian parent, or where a Mongolian diploma is useful. Language lessons and tutoring can fill the gap on short postings.