· updated monthly
The five schools Addis ababa parents researched most this year, chosen from the 20 international schools in the city. Ranked by how many families opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026, then the full picture on curricula, class sizes and fees.
The 2026 ranking
Ranked purely by parent interest — the number of families who opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026.
Canadian International School of Ethiopia offers a seamless international learning journey for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. The school combines Pearson's British International Curriculum in the early years with a Canadian-based High School program, and includes Advanced Placement and university preparation courses to support global higher-education ambitions. Elementary and Middle School provide bilingual education opportunities in English and French, while High School leads to internationally recognized Canadian diplomas complemented by AP options. The campus features modern classrooms, laboratories, and technology-driven learning resources, with STEAM integrated into younger grades. The school emphasizes a global mindset, career counseling, and university pathways to top universities. Extracurricular activities and community engagement programs enrich students' development. Bilingual cultural and language opportunities, leadership development, and a play-based, wellbeing-focused Kindergarten program contribute to a holistic approach. The mission centers on inclusive, high-quality education that cultivates critical thinking and responsible global citizens, for a brighter future together.
British International School - Addis Ababa offers a British-Ethiopian curriculum for learners aged 3 to 18, delivering a coherent path from Early Years through IGCSE and Grade 12 national examinations. The programme is delivered in English, with English as a First/Second Language option and French as a modern language, and includes a bespoke curriculum tailored to Ethiopian contexts. Subjects span English Language, ESL, English Literature, French, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business Studies, Information Technology, Geography, History, and Development Studies. The Edexcel framework underpins IGCSE, AS and A2 assessments, enabling university admissions in Ethiopia and internationally. Preparatory-level courses prepare students for higher education abroad while retaining local recognition. The network operates eight campuses across Addis Ababa for 2025-2026: Unity-Gerji-KG, Summit-KG, Haya-Hulet KG; Unity-Primary, Unity-Primary-No.2, Summit-Primary, Lemi Kura; Sherif-Bole-Secondary; and the Head Office. The Sherif Building on Bole Ring Road is five minutes' drive from Addis Ababa International Airport.
International Maarif Schools of Ethiopia is a multi-campus international Cambridge curriculum network operated by the Turkish Maarif Foundation. Across six campuses (YEKA, Addis Ababa-Sarbet, CMC, Sebeta, Harar and Mekelle), the Cambridge International Curriculum is taught alongside a bespoke program across all campuses, with English as the language of instruction at multiple sites. It is an authorized Cambridge English Centre, offering Cambridge English Qualifications for schools, including YLE Starters, Movers and Flyers, KET for Schools and PET for Schools. Campuses are outfitted with modern classrooms, science laboratories for physics, biology, chemistry and computing, libraries and extensive sports facilities. Notable features include a 72-seat dormitory at Harar Campus, greenhouse areas at YEKA, and dedicated music and art classrooms at Mekelle Campus. The network supports arts, science and language activities, plus diverse clubs and conferences, reflecting a strong emphasis on academic enrichment, experiential learning and student development in a global context for students.
Sandford International School is an Ethiopian international school serving ages 3 to 18. It offers the British Curriculum, IPC, Cambridge IGCSE, and the IB Diploma Programme. The Primary Curriculum uses English as the language of instruction, with Amharic and French classes, while secondary students study Cambridge IGCSE in Years 10–11 and the IB Diploma in Years 12–13. The school traces its origins to the 1940s, founded to provide an English-speaking option for local and expatriate families; it re-registered in 2001 and began offering the IGCSE Cambridge examinations and the IB for Years 11 and 13. The campus features modern classrooms, a well-stocked library, and facilities designed to support outdoor learning and creativity. Extracurricular activities include Model UN, Taekwondo, culinary and business clubs, and arts and sports programs. Pastoral care, mentoring, and PSHE support wellbeing and development, while language and cultural activities foster citizenship within a co-educational, non-boarding environment.
One Planet International School is a non-denominational international school in Summit, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Founded in 2006 with just over 30 kindergarten students, it now serves about 950 pupils from Kindergarten through Year 13. The school follows the Cambridge International Curriculum across all key stages: Cambridge Primary (Years 1-6), Lower Secondary (Years 7-9), Cambridge IGCSE (Years 10-11) and Cambridge International AS and A Levels (Years 12-13). The curriculum combines English and Amharic instruction with subjects such as Mathematics, Science, ICT, Art, Music, Physical Education, Social Studies and Virtue Education. Beyond academics, One Planet offers service-learning and community projects, including a Junior Youth Character Development Program and a Social Action initiative. Sports teams, robust clubs, and wellbeing activities support holistic development. The school operates as a social enterprise, providing scholarships to promising yet disadvantaged students while pursuing academic excellence and character formation in a diverse, supportive environment for a brighter future.
What’s on offer
The mix of programmes and teaching languages across all 20 schools. Many offer more than one curriculum, so totals run higher than the school count.
Number of schools teaching each curriculum.
Number of schools teaching in each language.
Size & classes
School size and class size shape day-to-day experience as much as curriculum does.
Schools grouped by total enrolment.
Average school size is 1,187 students · based on the 14 schools that report enrolment.
Schools grouped by typical class size.
Average class size is 20.2 students · based on the 6 schools that report it.
What it costs
Fees shown are one year for a 12-year-old (or the closest age available), excluding one-time enrolment costs.
Across the 10 schools that publish a price for a 12-year-old. All figures in ETB.
How many schools sit in each annual-fee range.
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