International schools in Russia

If you move to Russia for a long time then you should enroll your kids in an international school. So, this guide was made for you to get to know more about international schools in Russia including the following:

• the Russian education system;

• international schools in Russia;

• types of international schools in Russia;

• international Primary Curriculum;

• international Baccalaureate in Russia;

• American international schools and Advanced Placement;

• British international schools;

• international GCSE;

• other national international schools;
• method schools;
• should you send your child to an international school in Russia?;
• pros of international schools in Russia;

• cons of international schools in Russia;

• how to choose an international school in Russia.

The Russian education system

Russia does not appear so high in the international ranking of the education but Russian quality of education is considered to be good. According to the 2018 OECD/PISA survey of standards among 15-year-olds, Russia ranked 31st in the world in mathematics, 34th in science, and 30th in reading.

If your kids age from 6 to 15 then visiting school in Russia is obligatory and more students choose to get education till the age of 18. Primary school is compulsory to attend till the age of 10 and then secondary school till the age of 15. Most of all, students attend a single school for the whole duration of their education.

International schools in Russia

Many foreign parents send their kids to private international schools that are widespread in big cities. But they also charge very high fee like about 2 000 000 rubles per year, thus, they offer high standard of primary and secondary education that is close to an international curriculum.

Cosmopolitan cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg have a plenty of available international schools and Moscow contains of 20 such international schools. But smaller cities like Kazan, Samara, and Tyumen also offer the international curriculums.

But if your intension is to send your kid to an international school in Russia then you will always be on the long waiting list. So, you must submit your application at once you choose a school.

Types of international schools in Russia

If you want to send your kids to international school in Russia you will have many options:

• you can send your kids to international schools with British curriculum;
• you can send your kids to international schools with US curriculum;
• you can send your kids to international schools with International Baccalaureate curriculum;
• you can send your kids to international schools with German curriculum;
• you can send your kids to international schools with French curriculum;
• you can send your kids to international schools with Italian curriculum.

There are some boarding schools too. These might be of interest to expats who are based in smaller towns and cities that don’t have their own international schools.

International Primary Curriculum

The International Primary Curriculum is an internationally recognized curriculum for children aged 5 to 12. It is based on the curriculum taught at British international schools and prioritizes intercultural awareness, student engagement, and academic rigor. Furthermore, each subject has learning goals that are tied to students’ personal and community development.

International Baccalaureate in Russia

The International Baccalaureate is an international education program offered to students aged 3 to 19 years by schools in 138 countries.

The countries are:

• Albania;

• Andorra;

• Angolla;

• Anguilla;

• Antigua and Barbuda;

• Argentina;

• Armenia;

• Australia;

• Austria;

• Azerbaijan;

• Bahamas;

• Bahrein;

• Bangladesh;

• Barbados;

• Belarus;

• Belgium;

• Benin;

• Bermuda;

• Bolivia;

• Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• Botswana;

• Brazil;

• British Virgin Islands;

• Brunei;

• Bulgaria;

• Burkina Faso;

• Burundi;

• Cambodia;

• Cameroon;

• Canada;

• Cayman Islands;

• Chile;

• China;

• Colombia;

• Congo;

• Costa Rica;

• Cote Divoire;

• Croatia;

• Cuba;

• Curacao;

• Cyprus;

• Czechia;

• Denmark;

• Dominican Republic;

• Equador;

• Egypt;

• El Salvador;

• Eritrea;

• Estonia;

• Eswatini;

• Ethiopia;

• Fiji;

• Finland;

• France;

• Gabon;

• Georgia;

• Germany;

• Ghana;

• Greece;

• Guam;

• Guatemala;

• Guernsey;

• Honduras;

• Hong Kong;

• Hungary;

• Island;

• India;

• Indonesia;

• Iran;

• Iraq;

• Ireland;

• Isle of Men;

• Israel;

• Italy;

• Jamaica;

• Japan;

• Jersey;

• Jordan;

• Kazakhstan;

• Kenya;

• Kosovo;

• Kuwait;

• Kyrgyzstan;

• Laos;

• Latvia;

• Lebanon;

• Lesotho;

• Liberia;

• Lithuania;

• Luxembourg;

• Macao;

• Madagascar;

• Malawi;

• Malaysia;

• Malta;

• Mauritius;

• Mexico;

• Monaco;

• Mongolia;

• Montenegro;

• Morocco;

• Mozambique;

• Myanmar;

• Namibia;

• Nepal;

• Netherlands;

• New Zealand;

• Nicaragua;

• Niger;

• Nigeria;

• North Macedonia;

• Norway;

• Oman;

• Pakistan;

• Palestine;

• Panama;

• Papua New Guinea;

• Paraguay;

• Peru;

• Philippines;

• Poland;

• Portugal;

• Puerto Rico;

• Qatar;

• Romania;

• Russia;

• Rwanda;

• Saudi Arabia;

• Senegal;

• Serbia;

• Singapore;

• Sint Maarten;

• Slovakia;

• Slovenia;

• Solomon Islands;

• Somalia;

• South Africa;

• South Korea;

• Spain;

• Sri Lanka;

• Sudan;

• Sweden;

• Switzerland;

• Taiwan;

• Tanzania;

• Thailand;

• Timor-Leste;

• Togo;

• Trinidad and Tobago;

• Tunisia;

• Turkey;

• Uganda;

• Ukraine;
• United Arab Emirates;

• United Kingdom;

• United States;

• Uruguay;

• Uzbekistan;

• Venezuela;

• Vietnam;

• Virgin Islands;

• Zambia;

• Zimbabwe.

Because of the international recognition of IB, the foreigners often choose one especially those who regularly travel between countries.

The IB curriculum includes programs:

• Primary Years Program (PYP) – for students age from 3 to 11 and consisting of six main subjects: mathematics, language, science, art, social studies, and physical education;

• Middle Years Program (MYP) – for students age from 11 to 16. The program contains eight main subjects: the six core PYP subjects, as well as literature and design;

• IB Diploma – a pre-university program for students age from 16 to 19. Students study six subjects, which must include a second language, science, and mathematics, as well as an additional course on the theory of knowledge.

There are about 50 international schools there that offer International Baccalaureate. 47 those schools teach in English and 11 those schools teach in both Russian and English.

The schools are:

• Anglo-American School of Moscow;

• The British International School;

• European Gymnasium;

• Moscow Economic School (Presnya campus);

• Moscow Economic School (Campus Zaitsevo);

• Brookes Moscow;

• Letovo school;

• Khoroshevskaya Shkola;

• The International Gymnasium of the Skolkovo Innovation Center;

• Integration XXI Century International School;

• Vnukovo International School;

• Primakov School;

• School 1434 “Ramenki”;

• School of Young Politicians (SYP)

• Gymnasium № 1306;

• Gymnasium № 1404 «Gamma»;

• The Romanov School;

• Moscow School 45;

• Moscow school 1329;

• Moscow State School 1505 Preobrazhenskaya;

• Moscow State School 1231;

• Moscow State School 1589.

These include the following international schools:

• British International School (BIS), Moscow;

• Brookes International IB School, Moscow and Saint Petersburg;

• Cambridge International School (CIS), Moscow, Gorki, and Saint Petersburg;

• International School of Herzen University, Saint Petersburg;

• International School of Samara, Samara.

American international schools and Advanced Placement (AP)

American international schools follow the curriculum of the United States, so they are suitable for the children of US foreigners and those who wish to continue their studies at a university in Canada or the US. Like in the States, American schools divide their study into elementary, middle, and high school. Some American international schools also offer SAT preparation classes and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

Although Russia has several schools that follow the American model, only one is officially recognized as an American school:

• Hinkson Christian Academy Moscow.

British international schools

There are some British international schools that teach the English curriculum. UK foreigners normally choose ones to continue their studies in the UK or the British Commonwealth.

These schools teach subjects such as mathematics, science, English, history, and foreign languages. The language of study is English, although some British international schools in Russia also offer classes in Russian. Most British international schools offer International General Certificates of Secondary Education (IGCSE), which enable students to go on to study at British universities.

Some of the British international schools in Russia include:

• Cambridge International School (CIS), Moscow;

• CET International Primary School, Tyumen;

• English International School (BIS), Moscow.

International GCSE (IGCSE)

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a UK-based qualification equivalent to the GCSE taught in UK schools. The IGCSE is taught to students during years 10 and 11. Exams are taken at the end of year 11. Some subjects, such as English, mathematics, and science, are compulsory while others, including history, geography, and art, are optional.

After receiving IGCSE qualifications, students can either leave school or continue their education and study A-Levels or an International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Other national international schools

Due to the popularity of Moscow for the foreigners there is a plenty of schools which satisfy nationalities and teach the definite curriculum from some countries. The fees and languages of study are different depending on the certain school.

Here are some international schools in Russia:

• Deutsche Schule Moskau (German);

• Lycée Français de Moscou Alexandre-Dumas (French);

• Scuola Italiana Italo Calvino di Mosca (Italian);

• The Swedish School Moscow (Swedish).

Method schools

In Russia parents prefer to send their kids to international schools which offer some options for parents. For example, Moscow offer 18 Waldorf schools in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Irkutsk, Yaroslavl, Kaluga, Samara, Schukowskij, Smolensk, Tomsk, Ufa, Vladimir, Voronezh, and Zelenograd.

The Waldorf schools usually teach in Russian, but some courses in English at an additional cost. Some examples are:

• Center for the Art of Parenting Waldorf School, Saint Petersburg;

• Montessori School of Moscow;

• Moscow Waldorf School No. 1060.

Pros of international schools in Russia

    Continuity of education – when kids and parents back home they can study a curriculum they understand in their first language. It is good for families who travel a lot and not going to stay in Russia for a long time.

Multicultural environment – kids there may spend time with those of various backgrounds. These schools can sometimes have pupils from 50+ different countries.

Smaller class sizes – there is a limited student intake and teachers can pay attention to each individual pupil and all pupils can get a needed support.

Quality of education – international schools offer a high level of education, advanced facilities and experienced teachers. Students who leave school with IB or IGCSE qualifications will be in a good position to progress to higher education.

Cons of international schools in Russia

    High tuition fees – international schools in Russia usually charge high annual fees. Sometimes they charge additional costs for lunches and transportation.

Long waiting lists – you should apply there in advance.

Less integration – if your pupil is enrolled in the international school it will be difficult for him to integrate with the culture of the country.

How to choose an international school in Russia

Firstly, you should consider what city you live in and how far the nearest international school is. Some cities, particularly Moscow and St. Petersburg, have multiple options, whereas other cities have just one or two. If you find yourself in a city without an international school, then you may wish to consider a boarding school in one of the larger cities. That way, you can ensure that your child receives an international education while remaining in your country of residence.

Once you have the answers to these questions, you should check the waiting lists at the schools you are interested in. Between these limitations, as well as factors such as costs, you will likely be left with just a few options. It’s important to visit each option and find answers to your questions before making a decision.