Best International Schools in Almaty: 2026 Guide for Families

Quick answer: What are the best international schools in Almaty? Most shortlists start with four: Haileybury Almaty (British, A Levels), Almaty International School (American, AP), Miras International School (full IB continuum) and Galaxy International School (Cambridge). Published 2026-27 tuition runs from about USD 9,100 for preschool at AIS to KZT 19.2 million (roughly USD 42,000) at Haileybury.

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

A good share of Almaty's international schooling happens along a single road. Al-Farabi Avenue, running east to west below the mountains, is home to several of the city's best-known private schools, while others sit out in the western micro-districts. That geography, together with a choice between British, American and IB routes, shapes almost every family's decision.

Choosing among the best international schools in Almaty therefore starts with two questions: which qualification do you want at 18, and how far are you prepared to drive every morning? This guide sets out four strong options, what they charge for 2026-27 and who each one is likely to suit.

Almaty as a base for international families

Kazakhstan's largest city remains its commercial capital even though the government sits in Astana. Families arrive with energy, mining, banking, diplomatic missions and international organisations, and a growing number of Kazakhstani families also choose English-medium schooling, so classes usually mix local and expatriate pupils.

The city slopes gently uphill towards the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. Many expatriates rent in the higher, greener southern districts of Medeu and Bostandyk, close to Al-Farabi Avenue, where Haileybury and Miras are located. Almaty International School is the outlier: its campus is in Kalkaman-2 in the Nauryzbay district on the western edge of the city, which suits families living in the newer western suburbs but means a long run from the centre. Galaxy International School is in Microdistrict 4, west of the centre.

Traffic on Al-Farabi and the main north-south avenues builds quickly at peak times, and the metro has only one line, so most families rely on cars or school buses. In winter, temperature inversions can trap smog over the lower city, another reason many families prefer the southern neighbourhoods.

A practical point for anyone coordinating with schools or offices abroad: Kazakhstan moved to a single time zone, UTC+5, on 1 March 2024. Almaty, previously on UTC+6, put its clocks back one hour, so check meeting times with relocation teams and schools abroad carefully.

Curricula you can choose from

British (English National Curriculum): Haileybury Almaty takes pupils from Reception to Year 13, with IGCSEs and A Levels.
Cambridge International: Galaxy International School runs Cambridge Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE and AS and A Levels from Grade 1 to Grade 12.
American college preparatory with Advanced Placement: Almaty International School, part of the non-profit Quality Schools International network, awards a QSI diploma and offers AP courses on site and online.
International Baccalaureate: the IBO lists Miras International School for the Diploma Programme (authorised 2002), the MYP (2004) and the PYP (2008). Other Almaty schools also describe IB programmes.
Kazakhstani national programme alongside international study: Miras students receive the state Attestat and UNT certificate after Grade 11 as well as IB qualifications.

Four Almaty schools in detail

Haileybury Almaty

Linked to Haileybury in the UK, this school at 112 Al-Farabi Avenue offers a British independent-school model from Reception (age 4) to A Level. It is academically selective: applicants sit an entrance assessment, provide two years of reports and, if shortlisted, have an interview with the head of the junior or senior school. Admission is open to ages 4 to 16, and the school also advertises A Level scholarships for 16-year-olds.

The 2026-27 fee list, published on 1 April 2026, starts at KZT 8,840,000 a year for Reception and reaches KZT 19,189,600 from Year 10 to Year 13. Fees are notably inclusive: meals and snacks, most co-curricular activities, stationery and English-language support are all covered. There is a KZT 50,000 registration fee for entrance exams and a KZT 750,000 guarantee payment.

Tip: fees are billed in four instalments, the first due in late April, months before the year starts in September. Kazakhstani citizens must pay in tenge at a rate linked to the National Bank's exchange rate on the day of payment, so the amount can move.

Almaty International School

AIS, founded in 1993, is a non-profit school in the QSI network with a large campus in Nauryzbay. Its 2026-27 school profile reports 466 students from 29 nationalities, around 13% of them American, with English as the language of instruction. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association and affiliated with the US State Department's Office of Overseas Schools. QSI's mastery-learning model means pupils move on once they have mastered a unit, and the secondary years offer AP courses, including AP Seminar and AP Research.

Fees are quoted in US dollars: USD 24,900 a year in tuition from the five-year-old class upwards, plus an annual capital fund fee of USD 1,600. Preschool for three and four-year-olds costs USD 9,100 half-day or USD 10,600 full day. A school bus is USD 2,200 a year, and the school notes that its routes do not serve every district.

Tip: paying each term on time earns a USD 200 discount, with an extra USD 400 off for paying the full year by 1 October. Arriving after 1 October triggers a USD 900 mid-year enrolment fee on top of the USD 600 application fee.

Miras International School

Miras opened in 1999 and has a long IB history: the IBO register shows Diploma authorisation in May 2002, MYP in May 2004 and PYP in July 2008. The school also says it is accredited by the Council of International Schools. Teaching runs in Kazakh, English and Russian, with French, Chinese and mother-tongue support, and the IBO lists the PYP as taught in English and Kazakh.

What sets Miras apart is the dual track. Graduates receive the Kazakhstani Attestat and UNT certificate after Grade 11 and can continue to the IB Diploma in Grade 12, so local families keep both university routes open. Facilities listed include a swimming pool, climbing wall and science laboratories.

Tip: Miras does not publish fees in English on its website. Ask for the fee schedule in writing, and check how much of the timetable is taught in Russian or Kazakh if your child speaks neither language.

Galaxy International School

Founded in 2014 by the BILIM ORDA foundation, which runs private schools and a university across Kazakhstan, Galaxy is a non-profit, co-educational day school in Microdistrict 4. It became a Cambridge International centre in October 2015 and says it is a member of the Council of British International Schools. Students follow Cambridge programmes from Grade 1 to Grade 12, ending with AS and A Levels, and the school is also an authorised Cambridge English exam centre.

Tip: Galaxy lists all tuition as "available upon request". Tuition includes learning materials and school events, so when you compare quotes, ask what is added for meals, uniform and transport.

Paying for school in Almaty: 2026-27 ranges

Fees in Almaty are quoted in either tenge or US dollars, which makes currency exposure a real budgeting issue. On 16 October 2026 the National Bank of Kazakhstan's official rate was about KZT 454 to the dollar. On that basis, published fees work out roughly as follows:

Preschool and Reception: about USD 9,100 to 10,600 at AIS; KZT 8.84 million (roughly USD 19,500) at Haileybury.
Primary: USD 24,900 plus a USD 1,600 capital fee at AIS; KZT 12.7 to 14.8 million (roughly USD 28,000 to 32,500) at Haileybury.
Secondary and sixth form: USD 24,900 plus capital fee at AIS; KZT 16.9 to 19.2 million (roughly USD 37,000 to 42,000) at Haileybury.

Miras and Galaxy quote on request, so treat them as unknowns until you have their schedules.

Costs that are often extra:

Application and registration: USD 600 at AIS; KZT 50,000 at Haileybury.
Guarantee payments or capital fees: KZT 750,000 at Haileybury; USD 1,600 a year at AIS.
Transport: USD 2,200 a year for the AIS bus; Haileybury runs its own pupil transport service.
Meals: included at Haileybury; paid separately in the AIS cafeteria.
Uniforms and sports kit: ask each school what it supplies and what you buy.
Exam fees: IGCSE, A Level, AP and IB entries are usually billed separately; confirm with each school.

Getting the choice right

Match the school to the university plan. Families aiming for the US often lean towards AIS and its AP programme. Those set on the UK tend to look at Haileybury or Galaxy for A Levels. Miras makes most sense for families who want the IB Diploma or need the Kazakhstani certificate for a local university.

Decide where you live after the school offer. A home in the southern districts suits Haileybury and Miras; a western suburb suits AIS and Galaxy. Crossing the city twice a day in winter traffic can take far longer than the map suggests.

Ask about language in the playground, not just the classroom. Russian is widely spoken in Almaty, and in some schools it dominates social life. Ask how many pupils are new to English and what language support is included; at Haileybury, English Academy provision is part of the fee.

Explore the full Almaty ranking

For more options, including schools not covered here, see our ranking of the best international schools in Almaty.

More guides to schools in Almaty

Frequently asked questions

How much does Haileybury Almaty cost per year?

Haileybury Almaty's 2026-27 fee list starts at KZT 8,840,000 for Reception and rises to KZT 19,189,600 from Year 10 to Year 13. Fees include meals, most co-curricular activities and English support. Families also pay a KZT 50,000 registration fee and a KZT 750,000 guarantee payment, and the first instalment falls due in late April.

Is there an American school in Almaty?

Almaty International School, founded in 1993 and part of the non-profit QSI network, follows an American college-preparatory curriculum with Advanced Placement courses and is accredited by the Middle States Association. Its 2026-27 tuition is USD 24,900 a year from age five, plus a USD 1,600 capital fund fee and an optional USD 2,200 bus service.

Which Almaty schools offer the IB Diploma?

Miras International School has been authorised for the IB Diploma since May 2002, according to the IBO, and also offers the MYP and PYP. Its students can earn the Kazakhstani Attestat after Grade 11 and the IB Diploma after Grade 12. Families wanting British A Levels instead usually compare Haileybury Almaty and Galaxy International School.