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International School of Helsinki

Finland, Helsinki

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees €12,432 - 16,608
Ages 4 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 500
Type Co-educational
Opened 1963
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages English, Finnish, French, Spanish, Swedish
Typical class size 5
Strengths Sport, Languages, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies, Community and Service
Stages Primary School, Secondary School, Kindergarten
Introduction

International School of Helsinki (ISH) offers the IB continuum for students aged 4 to 18, with English as the language of instruction and a broad language program that includes Spanish, French and Finnish as Foreign Languages, plus Finnish Mother Tongue and English as an Additional Language support where needed. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) runs from early years through Grade 5, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) covers Grades 6-10, and the Diploma Programme (DP) spans Grades 11-12. ISH became Finland's first fully IB-accredited school in 2005, and it has maintained IB, CIS, and NEASC accreditation through subsequent re-authorisations. Beyond academics, the school offers an extensive after-school activities and athletics program (ASA) for K-12, as well as cultural, language and social clubs. The Parents' Teacher Organization supports the community, and volunteers help events. ISH emphasizes an international community, cross-cultural workshops, and services to help families settle in. A welcoming, thriving environment.

Selkämerenkatu 11, 00180 Helsinki, Finland

The Essentials

International School of Helsinki has 500 pupils, typical class sizes of 5, instruction in English.

Location
Selkämerenkatu 11, 00180 Helsinki, Finland

Stages
Ages 4 to 19; Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP)

Pupil Nationality Mix
40+ nationalities represented

Additional learning support
ISH provides student support including services for students with additional educational needs, English-language learners, and social-emotional/behavioral needs

Country affiliation
Finland
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school is not a boarding school and does not have any accommodation facilities.

Uniform Requirement
The school does not have a uniform.

Food Options
The school has a hot lunch program.

Governance and Ownership
The school operates under the Finnish Ministry of Education and is established as a non-profit association, 'The Parents' Association of the International School of Helsinki'. The Parents' Association elects the ISH Board of Governors, which consists of 7-9 members, primarily ISH parents; day-to-day administration is delegated to the Head of School and the leadership team.
Fees

Annual tuition at International School of Helsinki ranges from EUR 12,432 to EUR 16,608 for 2026/27.

Application fee
- Application fee: EUR 350 per student. Payment of the application fee is accepted by credit card only.

One-time and registration fees
- First-time registration (entry) fee: EUR 3,150 (payable once upon entry for new students).
- Refundable security deposit: EUR 1,000 per family (held against unpaid fees; refundable subject to the school's notice and settlement conditions).
- Non-refundable deposit to hold place: EUR 500 per student (invoiced each spring and applied to following year's tuition).
- Annual capital fee: EUR 1,100 per student (charged in addition to tuition).

Tuition fees by year group (annual totals)
- Early Years (Discovery / Explorers): EUR 12,067 per year.
- Grades 1–5 (Lower School): EUR 13,341 per year.
- Grades 6–8 (Middle Years): EUR 14,143 per year.
- Grades 9–10: EUR 14,933 per year.
- Grades 11–12 (Diploma Programme years): EUR 16,121 per year.

Tuition fee breakdown (components used in annual totals)
- Basic tuition fee (component of the annual total): EUR 8,914 per student.
- Supplementary tuition fee (varies by grade level and represents the difference between state cap and school's costs):
- Early Years supplementary: EUR 2,053.
- Grades 1–5 supplementary: EUR 3,327.
- Grades 6–8 supplementary: EUR 4,129.
- Grades 9–10 supplementary: EUR 4,919.
- Grades 11–12 supplementary: EUR 6,107.

Non-residency fee (where applicable)
- Non-resident students only: Grades 1–9 non-residency fee EUR 2,910; Grades 10–12 non-residency fee EUR 2,666. These are charged when a student does not have the municipality-of-residence documentation required for resident grant levels.

Per-term / trimester payment amounts (trimester payment option — example figures from published payment schedule)
- The school year is divided into three trimesters (Aug–Oct; Nov–Feb; Mar–May). When using the trimester payment option, basic and supplementary tuition (and non-residency fee where applicable) are charged 30% (trimester 1), 40% (trimester 2) and 30% (trimester 3). A one-time administration fee of EUR 180 per student is charged for the trimester payment option (included in the last invoice). Example trimester invoices (2020/21 figures) were:
- Early Years total EUR 12,247 — trimester instalments approximately EUR 4,390.10; EUR 4,386.80; EUR 3,470.10.
- Grades 1–5 total EUR 13,521 — trimester instalments approximately EUR 4,772.30; EUR 4,896.40; EUR 3,852.30.
- Grades 6–8 total EUR 14,323 — trimester instalments approximately EUR 5,012.90; EUR 5,217.20; EUR 4,092.90.
- Grades 9–10 total EUR 15,113 — trimester instalments approximately EUR 5,249.90; EUR 5,533.20; EUR 4,329.90.
- Grades 11–12 total EUR 16,301 — trimester instalments approximately EUR 5,606.30; EUR 6,008.40; EUR 4,686.30.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Single-payment option: basic and supplementary tuition fees are payable in full by 30 June prior to the start of the academic year.
- Trimester-payment option: due dates shown in the published schedule (example year) were 30 June (Trimester 1), 15 November (Trimester 2) and 28 February (Trimester 3); the trimester split is 30% / 40% / 30% for basic and supplementary tuition. A one-time EUR 180 fee applies for the trimester payment option.
- Late payments: overdue payments are subject to interest charges (example policy showed 7% per annum) and continued non-payment may result in loss of the student's place after reminders and procedures.
- Withdrawal notice: a minimum notice period applies (30 days advance notice required in the published schedule); final fee calculation depends on the date of formal withdrawal.

Refund information
- Refunds are granted only for basic and supplementary tuition payments for full trimesters not attended. Any trimester that a student has started to attend must be paid in full. Students departing after 28 February receive no refund for that academic year. Application, registration, annual capital and non-residency fees are non-refundable.

Boarding / accommodation
- The school operates as a day school; boarding is not offered and no boarding fees apply.

Other costs and optional fees
- IB examination and registration fees are invoiced separately (IBO charges).
- Materials / class activity fees and optional service fees (examples from published schedules) may include a materials fee and activity-specific charges; optional student support or therapy services and after-school care are charged separately and on a needs/participation basis. Exact optional-service fees vary by year and service.
- The school may invoice additional one-off or annual charges (for example membership or capital levies); these are set or confirmed by the school's governance and may vary year to year.

Fee payment practicalities
- The application fee is charged by credit card only. Invoicing and payment arrangements for tuition and other fees are handled by the school's Business Office; parents receive invoices with due dates and payment instructions. Specific accepted payment methods for tuition invoices (for example bank transfer or in-person card payment) are provided on those invoices and via the Business Office.
Academics

International School of Helsinki teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 4 to 18.

Curriculum
ISH offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP) as part of the IB World School framework. The language of instruction is English; Spanish, French and Finnish as a Foreign Language, plus Finnish Mother Tongue, are offered, with English as an Additonal Language (EAL) support for identified students. The PYP uses an integrated, cross-curricular approach and runs from early years through Grade 5; the MYP is a 5-year programme for Grades 6–10; the DP is a 2-year programme for Grades 11–12. ISH became Finland's first fully IB-accredited school in 2005.

Student Teacher Ratio
1:5

Higher Education Progression
The High School Diploma (HSDP) and the IB Diploma (DP) are recognized by leading universities.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
ISH centers wellbeing at the heart of its education, organizing around four catalysts: Wellbeing, Autonomy, Belonging, and Connection. Wellbeing focuses on community, social and emotional development, and balance. Autonomy develops decision‑making, challenge, and agency with high expectations and self‑actualization. Belonging ensures all kinds of people feel valued through collaboration and appreciation of diversity. Connection broadens experiences, deepens empathy, and encourages responsibility and purposeful actions. The school serves learners from 4 to 19 across the IB continuum with an individualized approach and a community made up of more than 40 nationalities.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
ISH provides inclusive, individualized support for students with additional educational needs, including access and enrichment, and support for students acquiring English and those with social‑emotional and/or behavioral needs. The school emphasises an inclusive admission policy and is proactive about ensuring appropriate support; in some cases, additional admissions information may be requested to place students for success.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Early Years to Grade 8: the school accepts students with no prior English experience and provides targeted language support to help students integrate and succeed academically and socially. High School (Grades 9–12) applicants must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency, which is evaluated during the admissions process; additional English assessments may be required.

Mental Wellbeing
Wellbeing support is provided by a Wellbeing Lead, School Counselors, a City Counselor, and an Individualised Learning Lead as part of the safeguarding framework. The Counseling Team handles student counseling and related supports; pastoral care and career/personal counseling are provided as part of ISH services.

Safeguarding
ISH has a Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. The safeguarding team includes the Wellbeing Lead, Head of School, Individualised Learning Lead, School Counselors, City Counselor, and School Psychologist, and meets monthly to review policy, log concerns, train staff, and consider cases. The Counseling Team handles reports of concern and works with external agencies as needed. ISH provides a Code of Conduct for staff and volunteers and requires safeguarding training; there is a confidential whistleblowing channel for reporting malpractice or abuse.
Parent Experience

History
ISH began in 1963 as a British Preparatory School. It moved to Espoo in 1973 and was known as the British School. In 1976 it relocated to Töölö, Helsinki, shared facilities with the Topelius school and was renamed the International School of Helsinki. The school expanded in 1982 to include kindergarten through grade 6 and 7–9, and NEASC and CIS accredited in 1985. It moved to Kulosaari in 1990, added grade 10, introduced the IB Diploma Programme in 1992, moved to Ruoholahti in 1996 and adopted the PYP and MYP; it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013 and has maintained accreditation with IB, CIS, and NEASC, including a 2020 re-authorization with planning through 2021.

Community
ISH maintains a vibrant community centered on the ISH Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). The PTO fosters connections and creates memorable experiences for families, teachers, and staff. It offers New Family Support with welcome coffee mornings and language support through community coordinators, ISHNO – International School of Helsinki Night Out; workshops; and fitness clubs. It also distributes a monthly newsletter, maintains WhatsApp chats, and invites volunteers; followers on Facebook and Instagram keep families updated.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The ISH Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is the school's inclusive community hub. It supports new families with welcome coffee mornings, the handbook, and language support through coordinators. ISHNO – International School of Helsinki Night Out – offers social events such as dinners, quizzes, and bowling. The PTO runs workshops, Fitness & More activities (Yoga, Bootcamp, Running Clubs), and the Global Foods Club.
Facilities

Extra Curricular Facilities
ISH offers an extensive after-school activities and athletics program (ASA) for grades K-12.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Cultural & Language
Workshops cover cultural insights; Global Foods Club offers multicultural culinary experiences.

Social & Hobbies
ISH Night Out provides social evenings; Workshops offer skill development; Fitness & More includes Yoga, Bootcamp, and Running Clubs; Global Foods Club promotes multicultural culinary activities.

Community & Service
The Parents' Teacher Organization (PTO) fosters connections among families, teachers, and staff. Volunteers support events and activities. New family support includes language coordination to help families settle in.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Fitness & More offers Yoga, Bootcamp, and Running Clubs to stay active and connected.
Languages

Language Provision
Language of instruction is English. Spanish, French and Finnish as Foreign Language are offered, as well as Finnish Mother Tongue. The English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme provides support for identified students.
Reputation

Accreditations
IBO, NEASC, CIS accreditation; ISH received re-accreditation in November 2020. IBO provides the three programme frameworks (PYP, MYP, DP) that guide learning at ISH.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Submit the online application via OpenApply with the required documents. All uploaded documents must be in English or translations with originals. Documents required vary by level but typically include the application form, enrolment and payment agreement, copy of passport, and school reports for the past two years. For Lower School there is a New Applicant Online Parent Survey and teacher reference forms; for Upper School there is an introductory letter from the applicant and teacher reference forms; Learning Support students must attach an IEP and recent assessments; an application fee of 350€ per student is charged.

2. After the admissions office has received a complete application, the applicant will be considered for admission. Submitting faulty or insufficient information can reverse the admissions decision.

3. An interview will be conducted when: the applicant is applying for Upper School (grades 9-12); the applicant has learning support needs; submitted documents need to be clarified; class placement needs to be defined.

4. English Language Expectations: High School applicants must demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency to succeed in high school. English language skills are evaluated throughout the admissions process, including a complete application and a student interview, and in some cases, an additional English assessment may be required.

5. Residency Requirements: Students must reside with at least one parent or a designated guardian while enrolled. The school requires verification of guardian arrangements to ensure student welfare and compliance with safeguarding policies.
School Events
The school has not added events
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