If you're moving to Cairo or choosing between international schools for the first time, the marketing all sounds the same. Here's a shortlist written like you'd tell a friend.
Cairo American College (CAC)
Curriculum: American Diploma + AP. The oldest and most established American school in Egypt. Strong feeder to US universities. Fees toward the top of the market. Traffic to Maadi is the main trade-off.
Hayah International Academy
Curriculum: American Diploma + AP. Strong academics, diverse student body, New Cairo location. The Arabic and Islamic studies programs are genuinely competitive.
GEMS International (Cairo)
Curriculum: British (IGCSE + A-Level). Well-resourced, consistent global standards across GEMS schools. Fees mid-high. Large campus, large classes.
Saxony International School — Cairo
Curriculum: German + IB. Niche, excellent if you want tri-lingual (German-English-Arabic) fluency. Smaller community.
Malvern College Egypt
Curriculum: British IGCSE + A-Level. New Cairo campus, strong boarding tradition back in the UK network. Price tag matches the brand.
Metropolitan School Egypt
Curriculum: IB (full continuum). Strong IB results, balanced sports and arts, generally considered one of the top IB options in Cairo.
The trade-offs nobody mentions
- Traffic is a curriculum. A 90-minute commute each way is three academic hours a week.
- Class size varies within schools. Ask for actual section sizes, not brochure averages.
- Arabic quality varies wildly between international schools. Ask to see the Arabic head of department's CV.