Quick answer: how much do international schools in Astana cost in 2026? Annual tuition ranges from roughly 3 million KZT at bilingual Kazakh-international schools to roughly 12 million KZT (about 24,000 USD) for senior years at Haileybury Astana or QSI. Add registration fees, deposits, uniforms, transport and exam fees, which typically push the real cost up by 8 to 15 percent.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Astana is a young capital with an unusually broad set of schooling options for a city of 1.5 million people, and international school fees in Astana reflect that range. At one end sit the state-funded Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, which are selective and almost free. In the middle are locally licensed schools that teach a Kazakh or Russian curriculum alongside Cambridge or IB programmes at prices that would be unthinkable in Dubai or Singapore. At the top are the British and American schools that most diplomats, oil and gas executives and international organisation staff choose, where fees are priced closer to Western Europe. This guide explains what each tier charges, what is included, and what tends to surprise families when the first invoice arrives.
Why Astana fees look different from other capitals
Astana became the capital in 1997 and has been rebuilt almost from scratch since, so the international school market is only about two decades old. Most schools sit on the Left Bank, the modern administrative side of the Ishim river around the Bayterek tower, the EXPO 2017 site and the government quarter, which is also where most expatriate housing is. That concentration keeps commuting times short, but it also means the school bus is less of an issue than in sprawling cities, and some families skip it.
The other structural factor is currency. Fees are set in tenge, and the tenge has weakened significantly against the dollar and euro since 2022. For families paid in a hard currency, Astana schools have become cheaper in real terms; for families paid locally, several schools have introduced double-digit tenge increases to compensate teachers recruited from abroad. Ask each school how it has adjusted fees over the last three years before you sign.
Curricula available in Astana
- British curriculum (IGCSE, A Level): Haileybury Astana is the flagship and the most expensive school in the city.
- American curriculum: QSI International School of Astana, part of the Quality Schools International network, with a mastery-based programme and US-style transcripts.
- International Baccalaureate: offered in whole or part by Miras International School, the International School of Astana and Spectrum International School, usually alongside the Kazakh state programme.
- Kazakh state programme with international add-ons: Nurorda, the International College of Continuous Education and similar schools teach in Kazakh, Russian and English and prepare students for both local and international exams.
- Selective state model: Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, with trilingual STEM-focused teaching and competitive entry from grade 7.
International schools in Astana and what they charge
Haileybury Astana
The British-branded school on the Left Bank, sister to Haileybury Almaty, runs from early years to A Level. Tuition is at the top of the Astana market: roughly 7 to 12 million KZT a year depending on year group, plus a registration fee and a deposit. It is the school most often written into diplomatic and corporate education allowances, so check whether your employer caps the allowance below the senior-school rate.
QSI International School of Astana
QSI quotes fees in US dollars, which makes budgeting easier for dollar-paid families and harder for everyone else. Expect roughly 18,000 to 26,000 USD a year for full-time places, with a one-off capital fee on entry. Class sizes are small and the school handles mid-year arrivals well, which matters for the rotational postings common in Astana.
Miras International School Astana
Miras is authorised for the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes and teaches largely in English with Kazakh and Russian. Fees are roughly 4 to 7 million KZT a year, well below the British and American schools, and the student body is more mixed between Kazakh and expatriate families, which some parents specifically want.
Spectrum International School
Spectrum combines the Kazakh state programme with Cambridge and IB elements and is popular with returning Kazakh families and long-term expatriates. Tuition sits roughly between 3.5 and 6 million KZT a year. It is one of the schools where the tenge price has moved most in recent years, so ask for the last three fee schedules.
International School of Astana
An IB World School with a strong local reputation for university placement, teaching in English with Kazakh and Russian as additional languages. Fees are roughly 4 to 7 million KZT a year. Admission to senior years is competitive, and there is an entrance assessment fee.
Nazarbayev Intellectual School
Not an international school in the fee-paying sense: NIS is a state network with selective entry from grade 7, trilingual teaching and no tuition for admitted students. It is worth knowing about because it explains why some highly academic local families are not in the private market at all, and because a few expatriate children with strong Russian or Kazakh do sit the entrance exams.
Fee ranges and the extras nobody puts on the homepage
The table below is indicative for the 2026-27 academic year. Schools publish new schedules between March and May.
- Early years (ages 3 to 5): roughly 2 to 4 million KZT at local-international schools; roughly 5 to 8 million KZT at Haileybury and QSI.
- Primary (ages 6 to 11): roughly 3 to 5.5 million KZT; roughly 7 to 10 million KZT at the top tier.
- Secondary and IB Diploma or A Level (ages 12 to 18): roughly 4 to 7 million KZT; roughly 9 to 12 million KZT at the top tier.
On top of tuition, budget for the following. Registration or admission fee: a one-off charge, commonly 150,000 to 500,000 KZT, sometimes quoted in dollars at QSI. Deposit: some schools hold a refundable deposit equal to a term of fees. Uniforms: compulsory at the British and Kazakh-programme schools, roughly 80,000 to 200,000 KZT for a full winter and summer set. Transport: the school bus is priced per route and is genuinely useful between November and March, when temperatures fall below minus 25 degrees. Exam fees: IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma registrations are billed separately at cost. Lunches and clubs: usually optional and invoiced termly.
One hard fact to note for 2026: Kazakhstan's new Tax Code raised the standard VAT rate from 12 percent to 16 percent on 1 January 2026. Licensed educational services remain VAT-exempt, so your tuition invoice should not carry VAT, but third-party services such as catering, transport and uniform suppliers can. If a school's all-inclusive quote jumped this year, that is often the reason.
Practical advice for families budgeting for Astana
Negotiate the currency clause, not the price. Schools rarely discount tuition, but several will agree to fix the tenge amount for the full year at the September rate, or accept payment in dollars at a stated rate, if you ask before signing. For a family paid in euros or dollars this is worth more than any sibling discount.
Check what your employer's allowance actually covers. Many Astana packages were written when the top schools cost 5 to 6 million KZT. Senior years at Haileybury or QSI can now exceed older caps, and registration fees and deposits are often excluded. Get the policy in writing before you commit to a school.
Ask about mid-year and pro-rata terms. Postings to Astana frequently start in January or April. QSI and Haileybury pro-rate by month or term; some local-international schools charge the full term regardless of the entry date.
Compare Astana schools side by side
Fees only make sense against results, class sizes and reviews from other families. Use the ranking of the best schools in Astana to compare every school in this guide, read parent reviews and shortlist before you request a visit.
More guides to schools in Astana
Frequently asked questions
How much does an international school in Astana cost per year?
Expect roughly 3 to 6 million KZT a year at bilingual and locally licensed international schools, and roughly 7 to 12 million KZT (about 14,000 to 24,000 USD) at the British and American curriculum schools such as Haileybury Astana and QSI. Early years places are cheaper, and IB Diploma years sit at the top of each school's range.
Do international schools in Astana charge fees in tenge or dollars?
Most schools publish and invoice in Kazakhstani tenge (KZT), which is also what the law expects for domestic contracts. QSI International School of Astana quotes in US dollars. If your package is paid in another currency, ask whether the school fixes the tenge amount for the year or re-indexes it at each instalment, because the exchange rate has moved a lot since 2022.
Are there hidden costs beyond tuition at Astana schools?
Yes. Budget for a one-off registration or admission fee, a refundable deposit at some schools, uniforms, school lunches, the school bus (useful given Astana winters), external exam fees for IGCSE, A Level or IB, and optional after-school clubs. Together these commonly add 8 to 15 percent to the headline tuition.