Best International Schools in Ankara: 2026 Guide for Families

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

Ankara is a city of postings. Diplomats, staff of UN agencies and NGOs, academics at its universities and engineers working with government and the defence industry arrive, often for a few years, and most need an English-medium school from the first week. This guide to the best international schools in Ankara compares five schools on the points that decide whether a school is right for your family: curriculum, age range, location, language and the community your child will join.

Compared with Istanbul, the international sector here is small, which makes the decision simpler in one way and harder in another. There are fewer schools to visit, but the ones that exist are very different from each other. A British primary school in the embassy district, an American school in İncek and an IB school on a university campus serve quite different families, and the right choice for a diplomat's seven-year-old may be the wrong one for a sixteen-year-old applying to universities abroad. Our separate guides cover fees, admissions and bilingual options in more depth; this one is about fit.

Ankara for international families: where the schools are

Ankara became the capital of the Republic of Turkey on 13 October 1923. A century on, it is a planned, spread-out city of more than five million people on the central Anatolian plateau, roughly 900 metres above sea level, and it is still the country's administrative centre: parliament, the ministries, most embassies and the offices of international organisations are here. Families arrive because of that role, or because of the large universities, among them Bilkent, Middle East Technical University and Hacettepe, and the companies that work alongside government.

Most embassies sit in the Çankaya district, which takes in much of the south of the city centre, including neighbourhoods such as Kavaklıdere and Gaziosmanpaşa. Two of the schools on this list have Çankaya addresses, but they are far apart within a large district: British Embassy School Ankara is on Şehit Ersan Caddesi in the embassy area, while Gokkusagi School is in Alacaatlı, some distance from the diplomatic quarter.

Further out, the other three are spread more widely. Bilkent Laboratory & International School is on the East Campus of Bilkent University, close to the Eskişehir road, which also runs past Middle East Technical University and is followed by the M2 metro line. Oasis International School of Ankara is on Turgut Özal Bulvarı in İncek, a residential area in the Gölbaşı district south of the centre. Hamidiye International Schools is in İlkyerleşim, postcode 06370, outside the southern districts where the other four are found.

Distance is the practical issue. A cross-city drive at rush hour can take a long time, and winters on the plateau are cold, with snow in most years. Many families choose the school first and then look for housing nearby, or pick a school whose bus reaches their street. BESA's bus, for example, covers Çankaya and Gaziosmanpaşa, and other areas where demand allows.

Curricula you can choose from in Ankara

Between them, the five schools cover British, American, IB and Turkish routes:

• British primary: British Embassy School Ankara teaches in English and lists Cambridge as its international programme, with French and Turkish also on the timetable.
• American: Oasis International School of Ankara follows an American-based curriculum from pre-kindergarten (age 4) to grade 12 and awards an American high school diploma.
• International Baccalaureate with Cambridge IGCSE: BLIS runs the IB Primary Years Programme from pre-kindergarten, then Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme up to grade 12.
• Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and International A Level: Hamidiye International Schools teaches the Edexcel route in a K-12 structure, with IGCSEs by the end of grade 10 followed by International Advanced Levels.
• Turkish curriculum with international programmes: Gokkusagi School belongs to a Turkish private school group approved by the Ministry of National Education, with Cambridge programmes and IB authorisation at some of its campuses.

Curriculum choice matters most for teenagers. The IB Diploma, International A Levels and an American diploma are all used for university entry around the world, but universities in the UK are most used to A levels and the IB, and American universities to the high school diploma and its transcript. Think about where your child is likely to apply before the last four years of school, because switching curriculum late is the hardest move of all.

The best international schools in Ankara, and who each one suits

No school on this list is best for everyone, because each serves a different kind of family. As a quick guide:

• Children up to about age 11 wanting a British primary education: British Embassy School Ankara.
• One school from age 4 to 18 with an American diploma: Oasis International School of Ankara.
• University families and mixed Turkish and international families wanting the IB: BLIS.
• Muslim families who want British qualifications within an Islamic ethos: Hamidiye International Schools.
• Families with a Turkish parent planning a long stay: Gokkusagi School.

British Embassy School Ankara

Known as BESA, the school is at Şehit Ersan Caddesi 46/A in Çankaya. English is the language of instruction, French and Turkish are taught alongside it, and its profile lists Cambridge as its international programme. A SEND department assesses pupils who need extra or differentiated support and builds personalised learning plans with teachers, parents and specialists; the same team teaches the English as a Foreign Language group and runs enrichment for more able pupils. A full-time qualified nurse keeps medical records and prepares individual care plans, after-school clubs run every day and a Friends, Parents and Teachers Association connects the school community.

Plan ahead for secondary: BESA is generally known as a primary school for children from about 3 to 11, so a family arriving with a ten-year-old should look for the next school at the same time as the first application. The language support makes it a sensible option for younger children who arrive with little English. Ask whether the bus can reach your street before you sign a lease.

Oasis International School of Ankara

Founded in 2004, Oasis is at Turgut Özal Bulvarı 18/1 in İncek, in the Gölbaşı district. It teaches an American-based curriculum in English from pre-kindergarten (age 4) to grade 12, and graduates receive an American diploma. The school describes a community of more than 250 students from over 50 countries, with most teachers from the United States. The year runs in two semesters of two quarters each, and the school day is 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

On this list, Oasis is the natural fit for families heading towards American universities, or for those who want a single school from the early years to graduation. Parent and student reviews on its profile describe a close community and keen school sport. Ask which body accredits the diploma, which advanced courses run in grades 11 and 12, and whether there is transport from Çankaya, since its profile does not cover these points.

Bilkent Laboratory & International School

BLIS sits on the East Campus (Doğu Kampüsü) of Bilkent University and is part of the wider Bilkent family. It describes itself as a school for international students and Turkish nationals that blends national and international education. Children start in an English immersion early childhood programme, within the IB Primary Years Programme from pre-kindergarten, move through bilingual elementary grades and transitional middle years, and finish with Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme in grade 12.

It suits families who want the IB in English, academic families at the university and couples where one parent is Turkish, since it says it serves both groups. On a visit, ask how much of the elementary timetable is taught in Turkish, what support a child with no Turkish receives, and how many international students are in your child's year.

Hamidiye International Schools

Hamidiye International Schools is at 1955. Sokak No: 2/1 in İlkyerleşim, postcode 06370. It teaches the Pearson Edexcel curriculum in English in a K-12 structure, with international teachers, and says it follows Islamic socio-cultural and moral principles. Students take at least five International GCSE subjects by the end of grade 10 and then move on to International Advanced Levels, finishing with at least three subjects; the final exams are set and marked by the Pearson Edexcel board.

This combination will appeal most to Muslim families who want a faith-based ethos alongside British qualifications that universities in the UK and elsewhere recognise. Because the school is away from the southern districts, families living in Çankaya or İncek should time the journey before deciding. Ask which International A Level subjects run each year, because UK university offers usually depend on three specific subjects and grades.

Gokkusagi School

Gokkusagi School (Gökkuşağı in Turkish) has its Ankara address at Alacaatlı 4835. Sokak No: 16 in Çankaya. It belongs to Gökkuşağı Schools, a Turkish private school group founded in 1997, and its profile lists English as a teaching language. The group says it was approved as a Cambridge International School by the Ministry of National Education and Cambridge in 2014 at primary and lower secondary level, and also at high school level, and it names IB authorisations at its Bahçelievler, Bahçeşehir and Ataşehir campuses, including the IB Diploma at Bahçelievler since 2015.

Those IB campuses are not the Alacaatlı address, so ask the Ankara campus directly which programmes it runs and in which grades. Gökkuşağı is best understood as a Turkish private school with international programmes, which makes it relevant for families with a Turkish parent or a long stay in mind. Ask what share of pupils are international and how much of the week is taught in English.

What these schools cost: fees, currency and extras

None of the five schools publishes a fee band on its profile; each asks families to contact it for prices. As an indicative guide for the 2026/27 school year, budget roughly 250,000 to 700,000 lira a year for nursery and the early years (about US$5,000 to US$14,000), roughly 350,000 to 1 million lira for primary (about US$7,000 to US$20,000), and roughly 400,000 to 1.3 million lira for secondary and the final years of the IB Diploma, International A Levels or an American diploma (about US$8,000 to US$26,000). The spread is wide because these are very different types of school, and the final two years usually cost the most.

Currency matters as much as the headline figure. International schools in Turkey commonly set fees in US dollars or euros, while Turkish private schools set them in lira and review them every year. The lira has been volatile: on European Central Bank reference rates, a US dollar bought roughly 42 lira in mid-October 2025 and roughly 49 in mid-October 2026, so a dollar fee rose by around 18% in lira terms over twelve months. The lira figures above use about 49 lira to the dollar. If your salary is paid in lira, ask which currency you will be invoiced in, whether you can pay in lira and on what date the exchange rate is fixed.

• Application or registration fee: usually paid with the form and not refundable.
• Deposit: paid to secure a place; ask whether and when it is returned.
• Capital or development levy: charged by some international schools once or every year.
• Transport: BESA lists a bus service; elsewhere, ask whether routes reach your area and how they are priced.
• Meals: check whether lunch is included or billed separately.
• Uniform and sports kit: budget for both, and for replacements as children grow.
• Exams: entry fees for IGCSE, International A Levels and the IB Diploma in the exam years.
• Devices, trips and clubs: laptops in secondary, residential trips and paid activities.

Many diplomatic and corporate packages include an education allowance. Check what yours covers, since some pay tuition but not levies, transport or exam fees.

Practical advice for choosing the best school in Ankara

Match the school to the whole of your stay. A posting that starts when your child is eight and ends at fourteen spans two school stages. BESA covers the primary years, so families planning to stay longer should look at secondary options at the same time; Oasis, BLIS and Hamidiye run through to the end of school. Ask each school where students usually go next and how easily its curriculum transfers to your next country.

Check eligibility before you fall for a school. Under Turkish rules, international schools are intended mainly for the children of foreign nationals, and Turkish citizens can enrol only in limited cases, so families with Turkish passports should check eligibility with the school first. Raise it early if a child holds Turkish nationality alongside another passport. BLIS says it serves both international students and Turkish nationals, and Turkish private schools such as Gökkuşağı are open to Turkish citizens, so those are the places to start if a passport rules out the others.

Visit at school-run time and ask the same questions everywhere. Drive the route from your likely home at 8 am, and in winter allow for snow. At each school, ask about class sizes in your child's year, teacher turnover, English language support and the mix of nationalities. Set side by side, the answers will tell you more than any single rating.

Compare the full ranking for Ankara

Our shortlist covers five schools with very different profiles. To see how they sit alongside other schools in the capital, and to compare ratings and details in one place, read our ranking of the best international schools in Ankara.

More guides to schools in Ankara

• International school admissions in Ankara
• How to choose an international school in Ankara
• International school fees in Ankara
• Bilingual schools in Ankara
• ranking of the best international schools in Ankara

Frequently asked questions

Which international schools in Ankara offer the IB?

Bilkent Laboratory and International School (BLIS) is the main IB option: it runs the Primary Years Programme from pre-kindergarten, then Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma up to grade 12 on Bilkent University's East Campus. The Gökkuşağı group holds IB authorisations at campuses outside its Alacaatlı address, so ask the Ankara campus which programmes it offers.

Can Turkish citizens go to an international school in Ankara?

Only in limited cases. International schools in Turkey are intended mainly for the children of foreign nationals, so families with a Turkish passport should ask the school about eligibility before applying. BLIS describes itself as serving both international students and Turkish nationals, and Turkish private schools with Cambridge or IB programmes, such as Gökkuşağı, offer another route.

Is there an American school in Ankara?

Yes. Oasis International School of Ankara, founded in 2004, follows an American-based curriculum taught in English from pre-kindergarten (age 4) to grade 12, and its graduates receive an American diploma. It is on Turgut Özal Bulvarı in İncek, in the Gölbaşı district south of the centre, and the school says most of its teachers are from the United States.