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Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School

Saudi Arabia, Jeddah

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees SAR 10,000 - 28,000
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1700
Type Co-educational
Opened 1988
Bus Service Yes
Academic offering
Curriculum American Curriculum
Taught languages Arabic, French
Typical class size 24
Strengths Languages, Academic Enrichment, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School (ZSIS) is a long-established K–12 day school in Jeddah, founded in 1988. It offers an internationally benchmarked American curriculum leading to an American High School Diploma and is accredited by Cognia. English is the medium of instruction, with French taught as a language (mandatory until grade 6). The school operates on two campuses: the Main Campus on Hassan Basalma Street and a Kindergarten Campus on Mansourah Street, both in central Jeddah. ZSIS serves around 1,700 students, with an average class size of about 24 and a student–teacher ratio of 1:9. The curriculum centers on core subjects (English, Mathematics, Sciences, Social Studies, Arts) plus Foreign Languages, with external evaluations (SAT, AP, ACT) used as needed for university preparation. The school emphasizes a diverse, global community and a strong faculty, many of whom hold bachelor degrees or higher.

Al Mashriq Al Arabi, Al Mansourah, Jeddah 23212, Saudi Arabia

The Essentials

Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School has 1,700 pupils, typical class sizes of 24, instruction in English.

Location
Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Main Campus is on Hassan Basalma Street, Jeddah, and there is a separate Kindergarten Campus on Mansourah Street, Jeddah, to serve younger students. This two-campus setup supports the full K–12 program with facilities for different age groups in central Jeddah.

Stages
ZSIS serves students from Kindergarten through High School, i.e., a K–12 program. It is organized into Kindergarten, Lower School, Middle School, and High School.

Type
ZSIS operates as a co-educational school with gender-segregated sections: a Girls' Section for Grades 1–11 and a Boys' Department; the Kindergarten Department serves mixed early-years classes.

Pupil Nationality Mix
ZSIS describes its community as highly international with diversity of nationalities. The school reports about 1,700 students in total, but public materials do not provide a country-by-country nationality breakdown.

Additional learning support
The school emphasises differentiation and equity to support diverse learners. This is formalized in the Kindergarten Handbook under Differentiation and Equity. The materials describe an inclusive approach, though no separate SEN unit is publicly listed.

Country affiliation
ZSIS follows an American-oriented program and is accredited by Cognia (AdvancED/NCA), indicating alignment with U.S. education standards.

Religious affiliation
ZSIS presents a non-denominational, non-sectarian approach. The program emphasizes equality and inclusion regardless of religion.

School day structure
The school week runs Sunday to Thursday. The standard day comprises 7–8 blocks of 40–45 minutes each. On Sundays–Wednesdays, Grades 1–3 attend 7:45 a.m.–1:45 p.m., and Grades 4–12 attend 7:45 a.m.–2:00 p.m.; on Thursdays, Grades 1–3 finish at 12:45 p.m. and Grades 4–12 at 1:00 p.m. Building hours are roughly 7:20 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Bus service
Public pages do not publish specific details of a school bus service; families should contact the school's front desk or admissions for transport arrangements. The school lists separate contact points for the Kindergarten, Girls' Section, and Boys' Department.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniforms are mandatory for all students. A single uniform package costs 500 SAR and is distributed on-site through Gate 5 between 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM. Hoodies are not allowed. Gray or blue jackets with zippers are permitted.

Governance and Ownership
The school was founded by Najah Chebib Kheirallah. ZSIS has been accredited by AdvancED since February 2004. The school does not publicly specify the formal governance structure or whether the school is part of a larger group.
Fees

Annual tuition at Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School ranges from SAR 10,000 to SAR 28,000 for 2026/27.

Tuition Fees (annual and two-term installments)

- Daycare: SAR 10,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 6,000 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 4,000 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 1,500.

- Preschool: SAR 19,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 11,400 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 7,600 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 2,850.

- Pre-K: SAR 20,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 12,000 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 8,000 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,000.

- Kindergarten: SAR 20,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 12,300 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 8,200 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,075.

- Grade 1: SAR 21,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 12,900 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 8,600 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,225.

- Grade 2: SAR 22,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 13,200 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 8,800 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,300.

- Grade 3: SAR 22,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 13,500 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,000 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,375.

- Grade 4: SAR 23,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 14,100 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,400 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,525.

- Grade 5: SAR 24,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 14,400 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,600 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,600.

- Grade 6: SAR 24,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 14,400 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,600 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,600.

- Grade 7: SAR 24,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 14,700 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,800 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,675.

- Grade 8: SAR 24,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 14,700 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,800 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,675.

- Grade 9: SAR 24,500 per year. 1st installment SAR 14,700 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 9,800 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 3,675.

- Grade 10: SAR 28,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 16,800 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 11,200 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 4,200.

- Grade 11: SAR 28,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 16,800 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 11,200 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 4,200.

- Grade 12: SAR 28,000 per year. 1st installment SAR 16,800 (due August 24, 2025); 2nd installment SAR 11,200 (due January 3, 2026). VAT (15%): SAR 4,200.

Application / Registration / Entrance fees

- Registration (new students): non-refundable fee SAR 4,000 payable on registration; this amount is deducted from the first tuition installment.

- Entrance exam / assessment fee (new students): non-refundable and non-transferable — SAR 300 for Kindergarten; SAR 400 for Grades 1–12.

- Admission (file opening) fee (new students): non-refundable SAR 1,500 payable upon opening the student file.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Tuition is billed in two installments: 1st installment due on August 24, 2025; 2nd installment due on January 3, 2026. The Seat Registration Fee (SAR 4,000) is deducted from the first installment. VAT at 15% is added to the published tuition amounts.

Boarding fees

- Zahrat Al-Sahraa is a co-educational day school; no boarding provision or boarding fees are listed. Therefore boarding is not applicable.

Other costs and required purchases

- School uniform: all students must purchase the school/sports uniform at the start of the academic year; kindergarten uniform options are specified. Specific uniform prices are not listed on the tuition page.

- Books and supplies: Grades 1–12 purchase books according to the school Book List; preschool and Kindergarten purchase a school package (books, shared manipulatives, stationery, curricular activities). A published set of book-price lists for 2025–2026 by grade is available.

- Other potential costs: fees for entrance exams and interviews apply (entrance allowed only once); any optional activities, transport, camps or other add-ons are not listed in the tuition table and may incur extra charges.

Refund information

- The Registration Fee (SAR 4,000), Assessment Fee (SAR 300 or SAR 400) and Admission Fee (SAR 1,500) are explicitly stated as non-refundable. No separate general tuition refund schedule or detailed tuition withdrawal refund policy is published on the school's tuition and admissions pages.

Fee payment options and accounting contacts

- Accepted payment methods for school fees include: cash, MADA (Saudi debit card) and bank transfer. The school's bank account for transfers is listed at Bank AlJazira with IBAN: SA0960100012495022433001. For accounting queries the school provides dedicated phone numbers and an accounting email address.
Academics

Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School teaches American Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
ZSIS delivers an American-based curriculum from Kindergarten through High School, with a college-preparatory, honors-focused High School program. High School core subjects—English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology—follow the Common Core State Standards; Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Saudi culture align with Saudi national standards, and the program prepares students for SAT, AP, TOEFL, ACT, and SAAT-Qiyas. Lower School (ages 6–10) emphasizes inquiry-based learning across Mathematics, English/Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Arabic, French, and more, with Kindergarten focusing on foundational development through play-based learning. The Middle School follows American educational aims and provides a broad background in mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, and foreign languages, with added instruction in computer science, art, and physical education. ZSIS uses MAP testing for grades 3–10 to monitor progress, and accreditation by AdvancED since 2004 supports the school's quality standards; graduates progress to universities worldwide.

Exam Results
MAP (NWEA) testing is used for growth monitoring in grades 3–10; high school preparation includes readiness for SAT, AP, TOEFL, ACT, and SAAT-Qiyas, supporting university admissions. The school highlights international university placement.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates pursue higher education at universities worldwide, including the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, Africa, and across the Arab World.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The ZSIS Experience and the Vision emphasize adaptable social skills and equality as core values, with education framed as developing social, leadership, and psychological growth. The High School program also provides counseling services to support students' university admissions and overall wellbeing.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision or whether it operates as a specialist SEN institution.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
There is no public information indicating a dedicated English as an Additional Language (EAL) program at ZSIS. There is no mention of EAL staffing or services in publicly available materials.

Mental Wellbeing
The ZSIS Experience notes the school's commitment to students' psychological development and holistic growth beyond academics, with emphasis on extracurricular activities and overall development.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is addressed through the published ZSIS Student Handbook and Code of Conduct, which outline behavior rules and disciplinary procedures, while the Security page highlights anti-bullying and harassment policies.
Parent Experience

History
Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School was established in 1988 in Jeddah by Najah Chebib Kheirallah, who is listed as the school founder. Over the decades the school has grown from private beginnings into a large educational community that has educated thousands of students. The school carries American accreditation under AdvancED (NCA-CASI), reflecting ongoing alignment with U.S. accreditation standards. Professional development is a core part of the school culture, with frequent staff seminars, workshops, and involvement in accreditation teams. The Main Campus sits on Hassan Basalma Street in central Jeddah, placing the school within a neighborhood setting for families.

Community
The school describes its community as an extended family, with students engaging in indoor community service activities, projects, and presentations that reflect a growing sense of responsibility and belonging. A strong emphasis on professional development and open staff forums supports continuous improvement and a culture of collaboration. The Main Campus is located on Hassan Basalma Street in central Jeddah, creating a neighborhood context for families and daily routines. The calendar includes observances such as Saudi National Day and Foundation Day, reflecting local culture integrated into school life.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Parent involvement is organized through regular parent meetings and school communications. The school hosts Grades 4–12 parent meetings with details about attendance logistics, such as gate entries for mothers and fathers. Parents access real-time student information, attendance, assignments, certificates, and school news via the ZSIS App. The school maintains department-level contact points and emails for parent inquiries, including channels for Kindergarten, Girls' and Boys' departments. Public communications also include posts and reminders about parent events and meetings, such as the documented Parent's Meeting reminder.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School operates on two campuses in Jeddah: the Main Campus on Hassan Basalma Street and the Kindergarten Campus on Mansourah Street. The Lower School program includes library, art, and computer as core subjects, indicating on-site library and technology facilities. Kindergarten programming includes library visits and computer labs, showing access to library resources and on-campus computer facilities. The school provides technology resources through a school management system (Pioneers) and Google for Education to support digital learning. Extra-curricular activities are integrated into the program, with arts and sports offerings noted in the Kindergarten program, and the school holds Cognia accreditation.

Academic Facilities
Academic facilities include a library integrated into the Lower School curriculum. Kindergarten materials note access to computer labs and library visits. The school also supports digital learning through a school management system (Pioneers) and Google for Education.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extra-curricular activities are integrated into the program, including arts and sports.
Languages

Language Provision
The school uses English as the medium of instruction. Arabic is taught in Arabic, including Saudi Culture and Islamic Studies. French is offered as another language and is mandatory through the 6th grade.

Bilingual Teaching
The school does not offer a formal bilingual program; English is the medium of instruction, with Arabic-language instruction for Arabic, Saudi Culture, and Islamic Studies.
Admissions

Admissions
1. The school offers an American High School Diploma with English as the medium of instruction and French as a mandatory language through grade 6. The Main Campus is Hassan Basalma Street, Jeddah, and the Kindergarten Campus is Mansourah Street, Jeddah. Enrollment is reported around 1,700 students, with an average class size of about 24 and a 1:9 student–teacher ratio. The school year runs from September to June, with a Sunday–Thursday school week and a day consisting of 7 to 8 sessions of 40–45 minutes each.

2. Registration for the 2025–2026 academic year is open. New students register via Online Registration under Admissions, while current students reference Admissions → Admission Policy. The school also posts periodic Registration announcements and updates on the site.

3. Tuition and fees for 2025–2026 are published by grade level, ranging from Daycare (SAR 10,000 total) to Grades 10–12 (SAR 28,000 total). A 15% Value Added Tax is added to total tuition, and the Seat Registration Fee is deducted from the first installment.

4. Entrance exam requirements and placement assessments are part of the admissions process and are described in the Admissions section.

5. For ongoing communications and admissions-related details, parents can contact the Main Campus via the listed phone numbers and emails, with the Main Campus address provided above.

Scholarships
The school does not publish information on any existing scholarships.

Waitlist
The school does not publish information on any existing waitlist.
School Events
The school has not added events
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