International Schools in Istanbul

By. Justin Mays

As summer winds down, families are sharing photos across social media of smiling children about to start their first day of school as a new academic year begins in countries around the world. September 6th marks the first day of school in Turkey and schools throughout the nation are opening their doors for in-person learning. 

For newly arrived expatriate families, one of the biggest decisions to make is where to send their children to school. Insuring a bright academic future for your child will be a top priority when relocating to Turkey. Luckily Istanbul is host to a multitude of renowned international and local schools. Other cities like Bursa, Ankara, Izmir and Bodrum also have international schools but being smaller cities will not have the amazing variety that Istanbul does.

There are international schools that use Arabic, English, French, German, Italian and lesser spoken languages as the primary language of instruction located throughout the city or easily reachable with transportation provided by the school. To help make up your mind on where to buy homes in Istanbul, we have complied a short list of some of the best options for you and your family.

 If you want an Arabic language education…-Al Fayez International School is accredited by the Turkish Ministry of Education and can be found in Bachesehir, Bagilar, Beylikduzu and Kartal. -Al Jazari in Kucukcekmece and Fatih has accreditation from the US and Turkey. -Ihsan International School is in Esenyurt and received accreditation from the State of California.

If you want an English language education…-Istanbul International Community School is one of the oldest international schools in the world and offers IB programs with campuses in Rumeli Hisar (primary) and Buyukcekmece (middle and high school).

-MEF International was founded locally and is popular with expat families. From preschool to high-school it also offers IB education from its campus in Ortakoy. -British International School offers British curriculum and IB programs at campuses in Etiler and Sariyer. 

If you want an French language education…-Lycee Francais Pierre Lotte has a historical campus in Beyoglu and Tarabya for children 3-18 and is part of the Agency for French Education Abroad.

 If you want an German language education…-Deutsche Schule Istanbul is located on a historical campus in Beyoglu with an active school community. 

If you want an Italian  language education…-Liceo Italiano was founded in 1888 and is located in Beyoglu. 

This is just a short introduction to some of the options you will find as you search for the best school for your family. Turkey has many options for foreign language education with international curricula ready for you to explore and may even influence where you search for Istanbul properties.