International Schools
A genuinely large international-school scene, grown alongside Bali's long-term expat and digital nomad population
Bali has one of Southeast Asia's more developed international school scenes outside a major capital city, a direct result of the island's large long-term foreign resident population — options range from globally accredited IB/Cambridge curriculum schools to smaller, philosophy-driven schools built around sustainability or alternative education.
Quick facts
The well-known names
Green School Bali, with its striking bamboo campus near Ubud, is probably the most internationally famous, built around sustainability and project-based learning. Bali Island School (BIS) and Canggu Community School (CCS) are well-established, more conventional international schools with IB programs. Sanur Independent School, Dyatmika School, and a number of others round out a genuinely competitive field, each with a different educational philosophy worth researching directly rather than assuming they're interchangeable.
Curriculum and accreditation
Most established international schools follow IB (International Baccalaureate) or Cambridge International curricula, which matters for families planning to relocate again or return to a home-country school system later — check accreditation status directly with the school rather than relying on marketing claims, and ask about how credits/records transfer if you're planning a limited stay.
Enrollment realities
Popular schools, especially those with strong reputations, can have waitlists — starting the application process well before your planned move date matters more here than in a market with abundant spare capacity. Fees vary enormously by school and are a genuine budget line for a family relocating, worth researching and comparing directly rather than assuming rough parity across options.
Practical tips
- —Start applications well ahead of a planned move — popular schools can have real waitlists, not just a formality.
- —Ask directly about IB/Cambridge accreditation status and how the school handles transfers if a return move is possible.
- —Visit in person if at all possible before committing — campuses, philosophies and day-to-day feel vary enormously between schools.
- —Factor school fees into relocation budgeting early — they're a genuine, significant cost that varies a lot by school.
