International School Fees in Baku: 2026 Cost Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: how much do international schools in Baku cost? In 2026 annual tuition runs from roughly AZN 6,000 at Azerbaijani-owned British-style colleges to AZN 30,000 to 55,000 at The International School of Azerbaijan, with the British School in Baku at roughly AZN 25,000 to 40,000 and Baku Oxford School at AZN 12,000 to 22,000. Add a one-off registration fee, transport of AZN 2,000 to 4,000 and exam charges.

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

Baku's international school market was built by the oil and gas industry and still carries its shape: a small premium tier created for BP-era expatriates, a British-curriculum middle market and a growing group of Azerbaijani-owned schools teaching in English at far lower prices. Since the city hosted the COP29 climate summit in 2024 and diversified its economy, the mix of arriving families has broadened to include diplomats, consultants, technology workers and returning Azerbaijanis. This guide to international school fees in Baku sets out what each tier charges in 2026, what the invoice adds on top of tuition and how the manat's fixed exchange rate affects budgeting.

How the Baku school market is organised

The International School of Azerbaijan, known as TISA, occupies the top of the market on its own campus in Yeni Yasamal, in the hills west of the centre. The British School in Baku, in the Koroglu Rahimov area east of the centre, is the main alternative for British-curriculum families. Baku Oxford School and Azerbaijan British College offer Cambridge programmes at mid-market and lower prices, while Baku International Education Complex, SABIS Sun on the airport highway and a cluster of Azerbaijani international schools complete the picture. Expatriate families live mainly in the central districts around Fountain Square and the Boulevard, in the apartment blocks of Nasimi and Yasamal, or in the villa compounds towards Bilgah and the airport road, where SABIS is located. Baku traffic is heavy at peak times, and most schools run bus services.

Curricula available in Baku

International Baccalaureate: the full PYP, MYP and Diploma continuum at TISA, with the IB Diploma at Baku International Education Complex.
British: the English National Curriculum through Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels at the British School in Baku, Baku Oxford School and Azerbaijan British College.
SABIS and American-style programmes: the SABIS system at SABIS Sun, and US-influenced English-medium programmes at several Azerbaijani-owned schools.
Russian and Azerbaijani-medium international tracks: bilingual and trilingual programmes at schools such as the XXI Century centre, popular with local and CIS families.

What each Baku international school charges in 2026

The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA)

Founded in 1996 with the backing of the oil consortium, TISA is the only school in the country offering all three IB programmes and remains the default for corporate and diplomatic families. Tuition in 2026 runs roughly AZN 30,000 in the early years to AZN 55,000 in the Diploma years, with a substantial one-off capital or registration fee on entry. Almost all families are employer-sponsored, and the school publishes its fees in manats with dollar equivalents.

The British School in Baku

The British School in Baku follows the English National Curriculum from early years through IGCSE and A Levels and has a long track record of sending students to UK universities. Fees of roughly AZN 25,000 to 40,000 a year place it below TISA but well above the local market, and its community is a mix of British, European and Azerbaijani professional families.

Baku Oxford School

Baku Oxford School is the most established Azerbaijani-owned Cambridge school, offering IGCSE and A Levels alongside the national curriculum for local students. Tuition of roughly AZN 12,000 to 22,000 makes it the natural choice for self-funded expatriates and for Azerbaijani families seeking an English-medium route to universities abroad.

Baku International Education Complex

This Azerbaijani school on Matbuat Avenue combines the national programme with an English-medium international track and the IB Diploma, at fees of roughly AZN 8,000 to 15,000. It suits families who want an IB exit qualification at a fraction of TISA's price and who are comfortable with a predominantly local student body.

Azerbaijan British College

Azerbaijan British College offers a British-style curriculum with Cambridge qualifications in the Nizami district, at roughly AZN 6,000 to 12,000 a year. It is one of the most affordable English-medium options in the city and is used by local families and by expatriates from the wider region whose employers do not fund premium schooling.

The extras on a Baku school invoice

Every school adds some of the following to headline tuition:

Application fee: AZN 200 to 700 per child, non-refundable.
Registration, capital or entrance fee: a one-off AZN 1,000 to 8,000 at the premium schools, occasionally partly refundable.
Deposit: some schools hold one term's tuition as security against late withdrawal.
School bus: AZN 2,000 to 4,000 a year depending on route.
Uniforms and books: AZN 500 to 1,500 a year.
External examinations: IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma entries billed at cost, roughly AZN 1,500 to 4,000 in exam years.
Lunch and after-school activities: AZN 1,500 to 3,000 a year where provided.
Language support: intensive English classes may be charged separately at the mid-market schools.

One feature of Azerbaijan simplifies budgeting considerably. The manat has been held at a fixed rate of 1.70 to the US dollar since 2017, so fees quoted in manats are effectively dollar-stable, and the dollar equivalents schools publish do not drift during the year. Prices must legally be stated in manats, and most schools invoice in two or three instalments by bank transfer. Sibling discounts of 10 to 20 percent are usual outside the premium tier.

Practical advice for budgeting in Baku

Check whether your package covers the entrance fee and the Diploma years. TISA's fees rise steeply in the final two years, and one-off registration charges are often excluded from corporate allowances. Ask the school for a written first-year total and negotiate against that figure.

Weigh the mid-market seriously. The gap between TISA and Baku Oxford School is large enough to fund university fees later. Families who expect to stay in Azerbaijan for several years, or whose children are academically independent, often find the Cambridge mid-market schools deliver the qualification they need at a third of the cost.

Plan around the Azerbaijani calendar. The school year starts on 15 September and ends in June, with Novruz holidays in March. International schools begin slightly earlier, and fees are rarely pro-rated for late arrival, so a family arriving in November still pays the full first term.

See how Baku schools rank

To compare your shortlist on reputation as well as price, browse the independent ranking of the best schools in Baku, built from verified profiles, reviews and fee data.

More guides to schools in Baku

Frequently asked questions

Which is the most expensive international school in Baku?

The International School of Azerbaijan is the most expensive, with tuition of roughly AZN 30,000 to 55,000 a year plus a one-off entrance fee, followed by the British School in Baku at roughly AZN 25,000 to 40,000. Both serve mainly employer-sponsored families and offer the strongest facilities and university placement support in the city.

Are school fees in Baku quoted in manats or dollars?

By law prices in Azerbaijan are quoted in manats, and schools invoice in AZN. Because the manat has been fixed at 1.70 to the US dollar since 2017, the dollar equivalents that international schools publish stay stable through the year, which removes the exchange-rate risk families face in many other expatriate destinations.

What is a realistic budget for an expat family in Baku?

A self-funded family should plan on AZN 12,000 to 22,000 per child for a Cambridge mid-market school such as Baku Oxford School, or AZN 25,000 to 55,000 at the British School or TISA, plus roughly AZN 3,000 to 6,000 a year for transport, uniforms and books and a one-off registration fee. Sibling discounts of 10 to 20 percent apply at most schools outside the premium tier.