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Just like some independent schools are better than others, there are tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 international schools.
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There are three different types of international schools: Type A, B, and C. Type A international schools are market-driven international schools and are denoted as traditional international schools. They cater for internationally mobile, expatriate families and usually operate as not-for-profit organizations. Next, the first international schools were mostly founded for ideological reasons. These schools are referred to as Type B ideological international schools. Ideological schools aim to contribute to international understanding, cooperation and peace. They usually operate as not-for-profit organizations. Type C international schools have a profit motive and are denoted as non-traditional international schools. They are normally privately-owned and function as a for-profit company. They occupy space in two fields: the economic and educational. Type C schools cater to wealthy local families. Today, local children occupy 80% of international school seats.
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Its primary language of instruction is different from the primary language of the host country. However, there are international schools whose language of instruction is the same as the host country. For example, an American international school in London or Johannesburg.
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China has the most international schools. The United Arab Emirates has the most students attending international schools.
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ISC Research identifies international schools using the following criteria:
- a privately operated school that has chosen to deliver a curriculum wholly or partly in English to some or all of its students between 3 and 18, in a country where English is not an official language; or
- a privately operated school that delivers a curriculum other than the host country’s national curriculum wholly or partly in English to some or all of students between 3 and 18, in a country where English is an official language.
Others define an international school as a school that:
- Serves globally mobile parents, and/or
- Espouses a specifically international mission or objective, and/or
- Serves an aspirational middle or high class local host country population.
This definition is not language of instruction centric.
