doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
I

International School of Phnom Penh

Cambodia, Phnom Penh

Save school
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees KHR 38,450,324 - 118,806,593
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 900
Type Co-educational
Opened 1989
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages English, Mandarin, Korean, French, Spanish
Typical class size 22
Strengths Service and Sustainability, Performing Arts, Outdoor Education
Clubs Arts and Creative, Community and Service, Academic and Intellectual
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

ISPP (International School of Phnom Penh) was founded in 1989 and serves students from age 3 through Grade 12. The school is an authorised International Baccalaureate World School offering the PYP, MYP and DP and is accredited by WASC and CIS. The whole school occupies a single, newer campus south of the city centre on Hun Neang Boulevard; the Secondary moved to the current campus in August 2014 and the Early Years and Elementary joined in 2015. ISPP publishes a whole-school Mother Tongue programme and an active Service Learning programme, and runs an After School Programme with activities including arts, choir, robotics, chess and a wide range of sports. Campus arts facilities include a 430-seat Black Box theatre and dedicated rehearsal and exhibition spaces. ISPP describes an average teacher:student ratio of 1:9 and reports more than 50 nationalities in the student body.

Hun Neang Boulevard, Phnom Penh 12302, Cambodia

The Essentials

International School of Phnom Penh has 900 pupils, typical class sizes of 22, instruction in English.

Location
ISPP's campus is on Hun Neang Boulevard, south of Phnom Penh city centre; the website includes a map and turn-by-turn directions. Two city bus lines (12B and 11C) stop within a short walk of the main gate; the school notes the nearest stop is about 200 m (≈4 minutes) away.

Stages
ISPP serves ages 3 through Grade 12 (Early Years / PYP in Elementary, Grades 6–10 in MYP, Grades 11–12 in the IB Diploma). The site gives age/grade placement guidance and a chart for entry.

Type
ISPP is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school and an authorised IB World School offering PYP, MYP and DP; it is accredited by WASC and CIS. The school describes itself as parent-governed and reinvesting revenue into the campus.

Additional learning support
ISPP runs student support teams across Elementary and Secondary that include English as an Additional Language (EAL) programmes, targeted Learning Support (reading, maths, written language) and school counsellors; support can be in-class or in a Learning Support Centre. The site describes assessment on entry and exit criteria for EAL and collaboration with parents and external specialists as needed.

Country affiliation
ISPP is an international school without affiliation to a single country; its materials describe a multinational student body and parent-governed structure.

Religious affiliation
ISPP is non-religious / secular in its stated information; the school presents itself as an inclusive international community rather than a faith-based institution.

School day structure
The school year runs August–June with about 180 instructional days; division-specific daily start and finish times are not posted on the public pages, and may vary by year group. ISPP's office hours are listed (07:00–16:30), and the After School Programme operates into the afternoon with late-bus departures at 4:15pm and 4:45pm. For exact daily start/end times and break/lunch schedules contact Admissions or the relevant division.

Bus service
ISPP offers a limited paid daily bus/van service with seats allocated by route and priority for two-way riders and siblings; availability is not guaranteed for families outside established routes. The school publishes zone-based fees (Zone A / Zone B) and asks families to register at least five working days before service begins; the After School Programme also notes a late-bus option for activity participants. Check the school's bus page for current routes, zones and fees.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
The school has a PE uniform. For events, students wear ISPP house-coloured shirts and caps.

Food Options
ISPP offers a lunch plan provided by Epicure Catering; meals are grade-specific: Early Years and Kindergarten are served family-style Asian/Western/vegetarian dishes, Grades 1-5 have a set menu including Asian/Western/vegetarian options and noodle soup, and Grades 6-12 have buffet options. Pricing is $4 or $4.50 per day depending on grade, with online registration and deadlines.

House System
ISPP operates a house system with colour-coded houses. Students wear house-coloured shirts and caps for sports and events, and there are house activities such as House Tabloid Sports Day.

Governance and Ownership
ISPP is a not-for-profit, parent-governed school. The Board of Trustees is elected by parents for two-year terms; the Director is an ex-officio member; there are standing committees and open meetings.
Fees

Annual tuition at International School of Phnom Penh ranges from KHR 38,450,324 to KHR 118,806,593 for 2026/27.

Annual tuition at International School of Phnom Penh ranges from USD 9,558 to USD 29,533 depending on year group. That works out at roughly USD 9,558 to USD 23,300 for the early years, USD 23,300 to USD 27,544 for primary, USD 27,544 to USD 29,533 for secondary, USD 29,533 for sixth form. Expect an application fee of USD 250 and an enrolment fee of USD 3,500 on enrolment.
Academics

International School of Phnom Penh teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
International School of Phnom Penh serves students age 3 through Grade 12 and is an IB World School authorised to deliver the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Elementary (Early Years/Kindergarten–Grade 5) follows the IB Primary Years Programme, organised around transdisciplinary units with subject areas such as language, mathematics, personal/social/physical education, social studies, arts, and science & technology. Middle Years (Grades 6–10) follows the IB MYP framework in which students study two languages plus humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and design, and complete a certificated personal project in the final year. Senior secondary (Grades 11–12) is the two‑year IB Diploma Programme: students choose six subjects across the IB groups (three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level) and complete the core components—Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Activity, Service. ISPP also awards an ISPP (US-style) high school diploma accredited by WASC and offers alternatives for students not taking the full IB Diploma, including IBDP certificate courses and ISPP High Courses.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
ISPP's strategic goals explicitly include formally identifying, implementing and embedding social‑emotional learning across the school. The Elementary school describes a “comprehensive social emotional curriculum” delivered through classroom guidance, individual and group programmes led by the Elementary Counsellor. In Secondary, two counsellors coordinate the Home Group Advisory programme and deliver weekly advisory lessons that support wellness and healthy living. The school also links extracurricular programmes, such as sports and after‑school activities, to social and emotional skill development.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
ISPP operates a Learning Support programme that provides specifically designed instruction in reading, mathematics and written language and reaches younger learners for fine motor and early language needs. Support is delivered either within the classroom or in the Learning Support Centre, and staff work collaboratively with teachers, parents and, where necessary, external specialists to design interventions. The Secondary site also notes a Learning Support programme for older students. The school's published pages describe these provisions but do not state that ISPP is a specialist SEN institution, nor do they list specific medical or diagnostic categories supported.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
ISPP's Elementary Student Support Services describe an EAL Programme for students whose first language is not English, with EAL support available from Grade 2 to Grade 5 and entry language assessment on admission. Elementary students new to English engage in experiences before Grade 2 and, when in the EAL programme, typically attend focused EAL classes (noting some timetable adjustments such as during foreign language or Khmer mother‑tongue lessons). The Secondary site states an EAL option is available in the Secondary School and that students are assessed and periodically reviewed. Exit from EAL is based on established EAL exit criteria.

Mental Wellbeing
ISPP employs counsellors in both Elementary and Secondary who provide individual and small‑group emotional support, classroom guidance sessions, parent workshops and specialist referrals to address students' personal and social needs. Secondary counsellors explicitly aim to normalise help‑seeking and provide personal, social and transition support, while the Elementary Counsellor delivers a social‑emotional curriculum and related programmes. The school's strategic priorities also identify Wellbeing, Care and Belonging as a formal area of focus and the Director's updates note a whole‑school Well‑being Coordinator role. These published pages indicate coordinated counselling and wellbeing initiatives across the school.

Safeguarding
ISPP's Safety & Security page describes campus security measures including ID cards for staff and students, visitor sign‑in, contracted security, CCTV and regular emergency procedures and drills. The Director's update states the Child Protection Policy and Safe Schools Procedures Handbook have been updated and that faculty and staff have completed child protection training. The Secondary Counselling Office page notes that counselling is confidential except where a student is judged to be at risk and that staff may refer students to outside specialists after consulting parents. These statements are taken from ISPP's publicly posted safety, governance and counselling pages.
Parent Experience

History
ISPP was founded in 1989 by a group of families connected with non-government organisations; the first six students met part‑time in a parent's home. In 1990 the school moved into a rented villa and its charter established ISPP as a parent‑owned, non‑sectarian, non‑profit institution. During the 1990s and 2000s the school pursued international accreditation and IB authorisations, achieving full WASC accreditation in the late 1990s and successive IB programme authorisations by the mid‑2000s. In 2014–2015 ISPP consolidated onto a new purpose‑built campus and the school states that it reinvests 100% of its revenue back into the school.

Community
ISPP frames community engagement and service learning as strategic priorities and runs several long‑term initiatives, including a scholarship programme aimed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds and a philanthropic fund supported by application/entrance fees (established August 2020). The school also partners with local projects such as the Cambodia Teacher Training Project and has Eco‑Schools certification supported by a major on‑site solar project. Regular community events — for example the open‑to‑the‑public International Day, student‑led ISPPMUN, house/sports days and environmental activities — bring students, parents and local partners together.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
ISPP's Parent and Community Organisation (PCO) comprises all current parents/guardians and states its mission as supporting the school through effective communication, welcoming new families, encouraging participation across language and cultural groups, and backing school activities and events. The PCO structure includes a steering committee (Chair, Co‑chair, Secretary, Treasurer) and aims to include grade/section representatives and language representatives as conduits between different language communities. The PCO publishes Terms of Reference and the school noted a re‑launch of the PCO for the 2022–23 academic year, inviting parents to serve in steering or representative roles. In practice parents volunteer for event teams, grade‑level groups and other activity support; the PCO is a common route for coordinating parent involvement in large events such as International Day. The organisation is also used to help with transitions and to provide information and friendship to new families.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The ISPP campus spans six hectares and supports learning, sport and the arts. It has a swimming pool, a gymnasium, sports fields and a Learning Centre. There are multiple classrooms, cafeterias and play areas, plus a Butterfly Garden and a Birds and Bees area. The Black Box Theatre seats 430 and provides drama rehearsal spaces and music facilities, including a grand piano. Art galleries on both the Elementary and Secondary campuses host student exhibitions.

Sports Facilities
Elementary students participate in after‑school sports and join YAPP, with offerings such as football, basketball, dance and T‑ball, and there is an active swim squad. Secondary students compete in PPAC8 against local international schools in basketball, volleyball, football and swimming, and ISPP is a member of MRISA for basketball, soccer and volleyball. The campus includes two indoor courts used for court sports and training. Training typically includes two sessions per week.

Academic Facilities
ISPP is an IB World School offering Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. The campus includes a Learning Centre and dedicated classrooms for Elementary and Secondary education.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The arts programme includes a 430‑seat Black Box Theatre with sound and lighting, drama spaces and extensive music resources, including a grand piano. Both campuses host art galleries for student exhibitions. The school runs an After School Programme with activities for Elementary and Secondary students, and swimming is among the offered options. ISPP participates in Eco-Schools initiatives, including a campus solar power system and student involvement in recycling and composting.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
ISPP offers an After School Programme with activities including arts, basketball, boot camp, ceramics, chess, choir, cooking, drama, football and robotics. The programme is recreational, not competitive, and aims to help students learn in a safe environment while developing self-esteem and problem-solving skills. These activities provide opportunities to engage in creative, physical and intellectual pursuits after school.

Arts & Creative
ISPP values the arts and runs major and smaller productions each year. The 430‑seat Black Box theatre supports drama and music with sound and lighting facilities, rehearsal spaces and a grand piano. The arts programme also features exhibitions and opportunities to participate in events such as the Phnom Penh Youth Film Festival and Battle of the Bands.

Cultural & Language
ISPP represents more than 50 nationalities, and cultural diversity is a cornerstone of international education at ISPP. International mindedness and cross-cultural exchange are embedded in the school's guiding statements. Leadership and global engagement are supported through opportunities such as participation in Model United Nations.

Social & Hobbies
The After School Programme provides recreational activities including arts, ceramics, chess, choir, drama, robotics and more. Elementary and secondary students participate in sports through the ASP and MRISA, and ISPP is a member of YAPP. House Tabloid Sports Day and other events foster social engagement, teamwork and school spirit.

Community & Service
ISPP conducts Service Learning in the Secondary School and encourages ongoing community engagement. ISPP is an Eco-Schools certified campus with environmental initiatives, including a solar project and campus sustainability efforts. The school also runs scholarship programs and partners with local organizations to support the community.

Leadership & Professional
ISPP provides leadership opportunities for students, including participation in Model United Nations and involvement in Student Council.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
ISPP emphasises a balanced lifestyle through Week Without Walls and the CAS programme as part of the IB framework. Sports are offered across Grades 6‑12 through MRISA and other inter-school leagues, with swimming and other activities available via the After School Programme.
Languages

Language Provision
ISPP uses English as the language of instruction with an English language admission requirement and an English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme for students needing extra support. The school offers a Mother Tongue Programme; Khmer and Mandarin are school-supported for Khmer- and Mandarin-speaking students, with Grade 2 onward classes in the timetable and other home languages accommodated if available. In secondary, EAL continues; in Grades 11-12, no EAL support is provided because the Diploma Programme requires English proficiency, and students may study a Self-taught Language A: Literature course for their mother tongue as part of the School Supported Self-taught Programme. ISPP is an IB World School offering Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme, with accreditation from WASC and CIS.
Reputation

Awards
(Only awards reported on ISPP's website in the past five years are listed below. I limited this to items explicitly presented on the school site and that are awarded to the school or its teams, not to individual students.)

- Eco‑Schools Green Flag — re‑accredited in 2022. The Green Flag is the Eco‑Schools programme's certification that a school has met defined standards for environmental management, curriculum integration and student action; ISPP's site records the school as re‑accredited in 2022.

- MRISA championships (2023–24 academic year) — ISPP reports that its teams won 7 of the 12 Mekong River International Schools Association (MRISA) championships in 2023–24 (described on the site as the most MRISA championships won by any single school in one year). This item on the school site is presented as a school/team achievement (trophies/championships awarded to the school teams).

- ISSAPP championships (2023–24 academic year) — ISPP reports winning 9 of the 12 International Schools' Sports Association of Phnom Penh (ISSAPP) championships in 2023–24; the site presents these as team/school championships.

If you would like, I can: (a) pull the exact pages or paragraphs as screenshots or quotes, (b) check earlier years or expand to include notable recognitions mentioned elsewhere on the site (for example, the school's joint re‑accreditation by CIS/WASC and IB in 2021 is documented on the site but that is already listed under “Accreditations”), or (c) compile the specific dates and links for each item into a short reference list.

Accreditations
- International Baccalaureate (PYP, MYP and DP) — ISPP is fully authorised to deliver the three IB programmes (Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma); IB authorisation means the school meets the IB's standards for curriculum, assessment and teacher professional learning.

- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation — WASC is a regional (North American) accrediting body; WASC accreditation indicates the school meets recognised standards for school governance, curriculum, teaching and student support and enables wider recognition of ISPP's diploma.

- Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation — CIS accreditation is an international quality assurance process focused on whole‑school improvement (standards for leadership, teaching, wellbeing and community); ISPP holds CIS accreditation alongside WASC.

- Eco‑Schools / Green Flag certification — ISPP has been awarded the Eco‑Schools Green Flag (Eco‑Schools/FEE) and is listed as re‑accredited in 2022; this certification recognises that the school has met Eco‑Schools criteria for environmental management, curriculum links and student‑led environmental action.

- Memberships (professional networks noted on the school site) — ISPP lists membership of organisations such as the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS), and the Mekong River International Schools Association (MRISA); these are professional memberships (networking, professional development and inter‑school activities) rather than accreditation bodies.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Make an initial inquiry. Start by submitting the online Inquiry / pre-application through ISPP's admissions portal (OpenApply) so the school can confirm whether the grade you want is likely to have space and what the next steps will be. The Inquiry helps the admissions team provide grade-specific guidance and to tell you whether to proceed with the formal pre-application or tour.

2. Submit a pre-application and basic documents. If you decide to proceed, complete the Pre‑Application Form and pay the pre-application deposit (US$50). At this stage you should upload passport ID pages and recent passport-style photos and any reports related to learning needs; the pre-application places your family on the applicant list while you await confirmation of space.

3. Complete the full Application and pay the application fee once space is confirmed. When ISPP confirms a place is available you will be asked to finish the Application Form in OpenApply and pay the remainder of the application fee (total application fee US$250, which includes the US$50 pre-application deposit and a US$200 balance). Be prepared to provide at least two recent years of school reports in English, a copy of immunisation records, the completed ISPP immunisation form and, for Grades 2–5, a writing sample.

4. Provide school recommendation(s) and any additional documents requested. ISPP requires a confidential recommendation from the student's current school (submitted directly to ISPP) and may request extra documentation about academic history or support needs; recommendations must be provided by the current school via the specified contact method. Keep email contact details for the recommending teachers ready when you apply, since ISPP will not accept recommendations sent by other routes.

5. Expect staged assessment steps where needed. ISPP does not routinely require formal academic testing at admission but may request English language testing (for which a fee may apply) and/or an interview with the relevant Principal to confirm that the student can access the IB programme. Placement into EAL (English as an Additional Language) support will be used where appropriate and students exit EAL once they meet grade-level proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

6. Understand priority criteria and nationality limits. Applications are considered by priority (siblings of current students, enrolled students and children of diplomatic passport holders receive priority) and then by application date; ISPP also enforces nationality caps (Cambodian students are limited to 30% and other nationalities to 15% each) that can affect availability in many grades. Provide proof of nationality for the student and parents during the application process because the school uses that information to ensure compliance with the nationality limits.

7. Be clear about grade placement and age rules. ISPP places students by chronological age with specific September 1 cut-off ages (for example, Kindergarten = age 5 by September 1; Grade 6 typically age 11), and the school publishes a Dates of Birth / Grade Entry chart that you should check before applying. If a student's previous school calendar differs or there are other complexities, the Principal will make the final grade placement decision balancing age, academic continuity, language proficiency and social maturity.

8. Disclose any learning or support needs early. Parents must fully disclose any special education needs or learning-support history during the admissions process; ISPP reviews each case individually and may provide moderate learning support but may also decline or later ask a family to withdraw if the student's needs exceed the school's capacity. If your child receives therapies or specialist services, tell the admissions team and be prepared to provide formal reports so ISPP can assess whether it can meet those needs.

9. Receive an offer and attend to enrolment / entrance deposits and fees. If offered a place, you will be asked to pay an enrolment deposit or entrance fee (entrance fees are charged once for KG–Grade 12; an Early Years entrance deposit is applied if the child progresses to KG) and to complete final paperwork; parents or guardians are liable for fees on enrolment and for any re‑enrolment deposit required to secure a returning student's place. Review the school's tuition and fee schedule for payment options (annual, semester, term/quarter) and note that instalment plans incur a finance charge.

10. Know fee, refund and re-enrolment policies. Tuition fees are refundable only for full terms of non-attendance; other fees are non‑refundable, and late or non-payment can lead to penalties or de‑enrolment. Returning families must pay a re‑enrolment deposit (usually collected in the second semester) to hold a place for the next academic year—check the published timetable as the Board approves fee schedules in February and releases the following year's fee schedule in March.

Scholarships
ISPP operates a host-country scholarship programme that provides full scholarships to selected Cambodian students beginning at Grade 6 and continuing through graduation. The programme began in 2018–19 and each year ISPP has welcomed a new cohort into Grade 6; the school partners with community organisations (Cambodian Children's Fund and Indochina Starfish Foundation) to provide extra support to scholarship students and their families. Funding for the sustainable continuation of the scholarship programme is supported in part by the one-time application and entrance fees paid by new students, and the ISPP Board of Trustees has committed to maintaining these scholarships. The scholarship places are targeted to children from very low-income backgrounds and are selected in collaboration with the partner NGOs; the ISPP website lists current cohort counts and background on the programme.

Waitlist
ISPP uses waiting lists when applications exceed available spaces in a given grade. Applicants who cannot be offered immediate placement are put on a waiting list and considered according to the school's priority rules (siblings, enrolled students, diplomatic passport holders, then by application date). ISPP staff will provide a realistic assessment of chances and timing where possible but do not publish waiting-list length or guaranteed timing; applicants may remain under consideration throughout the current academic year and also for the beginning of the following academic year (but new-year priorities apply). If the school cannot place an applicant by August of the following academic year, families are notified and offered the option to remain on the waiting list for the next year for an additional, non‑refundable fee. Families can also use the Pre‑Application to enter the applicant pool up to one year in advance (pre‑application deposit US$50) while they wait for space to open.
School Events
The school has not added events
Compare International School of Phnom Penh with
vs Australian International School Phnom Penh vs Canadian International School of Phnom Penh vs Bromsgrove International School Cambodia vs HOPE International School vs Northbridge International School Cambodia
Search for more schools
Search schools in Cambodia View all schools in Phnom Penh View all schools in Cambodia IB curriculum schools in Cambodia Open days & tours in Phnom Penh What is the IB curriculum? View all schools Search all schools