International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is one of the world's most respected educational frameworks, recognised by leading universities across the US, UK, Europe, Asia, and beyond. Developed by the IBO in Geneva and first taught in 1968, the IB now operates in over 5,000 schools in 159 countries, making it the gold standard for internationally mobile families.

The IB offers four sequential programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP, ages 3–12), Middle Years Programme (MYP, ages 11–16), Diploma Programme (DP, ages 16–18), and Career-related Programme (CP, ages 16–18). Most international schools in Southeast Asia and the Middle East offer PYP through DP. The coveted IB Diploma is widely regarded as more demanding than A-Levels and most national qualifications, with top scorers achieving maximum 45 points.

In the regions covered by WorldSchoolFinder, IB schools are particularly concentrated in Singapore (UWCSEA, Singapore American School, Tanglin Trust School), Malaysia (Garden International School, Mont Kiara International School), Thailand (NIST, Bangkok Patana), and the UAE (GEMS World Academy, Dubai American Academy). Annual fees at IB schools typically run 20–30% higher than equivalent British-curriculum schools due to intensive teacher training requirements and IBO accreditation costs.