What Is an International School?

What is an international school??

It’s a valid question since many people working domestically don’t realize such schools exist around the world. I know I didn’t what they were when I was getting my bachelor’s degree.

Most expat educators work in private international schools (that is, schools that aren’t public). A large number also work in language schools, mostly teaching English as a second language, though sometimes other languages. Language schools offer tutoring and after-school classes so students can learn a second language. Language schools are not the same as international schools, however, since they don’t offer a full program of study for students.

There are two general types of private international schools: proprietary (which are for-profit) and non-profit. Parent or government-sponsored groups run some schools. Businesses (e.g., oil or textbook companies) run others, and some are privately owned. Some are part of a brand-name system of schools found in one or more countries. Others are stand-alone schools. Schools can serve a variety of grade-level configurations (e.g., kindergarten, elementary/primary; kinder-middle school, high school, or K-12).

If you find 100 schools, you’ll find 100 unique purposes. Each school serves a specific population. There are many education systems — among them country-based [i.e., American-based (Common Core, AP), British (IGCSE, A-levels), Canadian, French, Korean, etc.], or more internationally focused (IB). Families want an educational system that blends with their child’s prior learning with future plans.

In many countries, local schools in some locations may not be able to provide the educational opportunities that families want. For example, sometimes public education systems may not be well-established or organized or able to accommodate foreign students.

Middle- and upper-class national citizens in these countries may want different educational experiences for their children than what the public education system provides. If this is the case and the government allows national students to enroll, there is a ready market for families who can afford international school tuition. Because of this demand, many entrepreneurs may see great opportunities to make a lot of money.

International schools are a growing business in many areas around the world. Government incentives often encourage building international schools in certain areas, such as international trade zones. Schools serve either the international community, local national students, or a combination of both. Most are day schools, but some are boarding schools.

In some countries, not all domestic students are legally allowed to enroll in international schools. While some countries have no restrictions on who can enroll in an international school, other countries don’t permit enrollment of domestic students at all, or it is allowed but only after meeting certain prerequisites (such as a student having lived abroad a certain number of years). Others may allow a certain percentage of domestic students to enroll in the school, but not beyond that.

International school tuition can be pricey because well-off families are willing to pay for a commodity they cannot get in the public school market. Yet other schools have affordable tuition. Because of the steep prices to enroll in these schools, international schools typically don’t have students from low-income families, which doesn’t allow for economic diversity among their student population – a common shortcoming among this type of school. Students from these schools often go to top universities worldwide – opportunities that are less available to economically disadvantaged students who don’t have access to schools like this. ??

School international schools get started because there are many expat families living in an area where these children need a familiar international-style education that matches the learning path they had back home. Sometimes it’s because families want a similar type of system where they live now. But sometimes it’s because they need education to be delivered in the language and national curriculum their children understand. There can be a variety of internationally based schools (in a variety of languages) — American, German, French, Korean, Chinese, British, international schools, or combinations of nationalities or regions (such as British International, Thai-Chinese).

Student populations are usually diverse in international schools, and staff populations tend to be as well.? While teaching staff come from many places, the common need is that these teachers understand the teaching style of the type of school where they work.? Having a teaching degree or a teaching license in that school’s national system is a strong advantage when it comes to gaining employment in these types of schools.

International schools have employment opportunities for educators in nearly all job areas typically found in schools back home. If you’re thinking about working in school internationally, now is a terrific time to start your job search.

How can I help you find your dream job in an international school?? ?

Copyright 2025 by Kelley Ridings

There are five ways I can help you with career development and preparing for your international school job search.

1. You can contact me through LinkedIn for a FREE initial consultation to learn about the online classes and coaching I offer through EduNetPro Consulting about school job searches and designing school recruitment systems.
2. My book, Teach or Lead Abroad: Easily Find Your Dream Job in International Schools, is available?on Amazon or Audible.
3. My new book, The GIFT Hiring Method: You Can Confidently Recruit Quality School Staff, will be released in January 2025 on Amazon and Audible.
4. Subscribe above to this FREE newsletter.
5. Follow my LinkedIn profile to learn more about international school job search insights and life as a global educator.