International schools in Addis Ababa and where to live near them

Many families who move to Addis Ababa choose the school first and the home second. The school run sets the daily rhythm, and traffic in the city can turn a short distance into a long drive. This guide lists the main international and embassy schools in Addis Ababa, plus Ethiopian international schools that follow the Cambridge curriculum. For each one it gives the curriculum, grades and location. It then maps each school to the neighborhoods where families rent homes nearby.

School details change. Curriculum, grades and campuses below come from each school's website or from public listings checked in October 2026. Confirm admissions, fees and transport with the school before you sign a lease.

How to choose a school in Addis Ababa

Start with three questions.

• Which curriculum do you need? Families who expect to move again often stay with one system. The main options in Addis Ababa are the International Baccalaureate (IB), the English National Curriculum with Cambridge or IGCSE exams, the French system, the German system and the Italian system.
• Which grades does the school cover? Some schools stop at Grade 8 or Grade 10. A school that runs from age 3 to Grade 12 saves a second move later.
• Is there space? Popular schools have waiting lists. Apply as early as you can, and ask about entry tests and the documents you need.

Then look at the commute. Rent a home after you have a confirmed school place, not before.

The main international schools

International Community School of Addis Ababa (ICS)

ICS is on Mauritania Road in the Old Airport area, near Bisrate Gabriel. It serves children from age 3 to Grade 12 on a campus of about 15 acres. It is an IB World School. It offers the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. It also offers the IB Career-related Programme in Grades 11 and 12. Wikipedia describes it as an American-style, college-preparatory school. It has been accredited by the Middle States Association since 1992.

ICS is the school that shapes the rental market in Old Airport. Many embassy and international families rent villas in the area to be close to the campus.

Sandford International School

Sandford is one of the oldest international schools in the city. Its campus is on Shewareged Gedle Street in the Kebena area, north-east of the city centre. The school has three phases: Early Years for ages 3 to 5, Primary for ages 5 to 11 and Secondary for ages 11 to 18. Secondary students follow Key Stage 3, then take IGCSE exams in Years 10 and 11. Most students in Years 12 and 13 take the IB Diploma Programme. The school also offers IB Certificate courses.

Lycée Guebre-Mariam

The Lycée Guebre-Mariam is the French school of Addis Ababa. It is on Churchill Avenue in Arada, in the old city centre. The Mission laïque française runs it under an agreement with the AEFE, the agency for French schools abroad. It follows the French national system from preschool (maternelle) to the final year of lycée, and prepares students for the French baccalauréat. Teaching uses French, English and Amharic.

German Embassy School Addis Ababa

The German Embassy School (Deutsche Botschaftsschule Addis Abeba) is on Lorenzo Tiezaz Street in the Aware area, north-east of the centre. It runs a kindergarten, a primary school and a secondary school. Its upper-secondary program is the International Baccalaureate. The school also teaches German as a foreign language to students from non-German families.

Bingham Academy

Bingham Academy is a Christian international school in Kolfe, in Addis Ketema sub-city, in the west of the city. It has one class per grade from KG1 to Grade 12. It follows the Cambridge International curriculum, which the school compares to the UK National Curriculum. Students take IGCSE exams. The school was founded in 1946 and moved to its Kolfe site in 1952.

Kelem International School

Kelem International School is the former Swedish Community School. The Swedish Embassy founded it in 1946. It reopened as an independent, not-for-profit school in July 2019. It is in Kazanchis, opposite the Norwegian Lutheran Mission. Teaching is in English, and the program is based on the Finnish National Core Curriculum. It serves ages 3 to 14 (pre-K to Grade 8, according to the school's 2025 job listing).

Istituto Statale Italiano Omnicomprensivo

The Italian State School is on Belay Zeleke Street in Arada. It shares a campus with the Italian cultural centre. It has primary, lower secondary and upper secondary (liceo) levels and teaches in Italian. It opened in 1954 and moved to its current site in 1974.

One Planet International School

One Planet International School is in Summit, in the east of the city. It follows the Cambridge pathway: Early Years, Cambridge Primary (Years 1 to 6), Cambridge Lower Secondary (Years 7 to 9), IGCSE (Years 10 and 11) and Cambridge International Advanced level. It also teaches Amharic.

Reach International Center of Education (RICE)

RICE is an English-medium school with the Cambridge International curriculum. Students work toward Cambridge IGCSEs and A Levels. It has two campuses. The Meskel Flower campus serves Years 1 to 6. The Agona campus, in the Agona Cinema area, serves Years 7 to 13.

Other schools

Wikipedia's list of international schools in Addis Ababa also names the British International School Ethiopia, Andinet International School, Zagol Academy and Good Beginnings Daycare and Preschool. Cambridge Academy Ethiopia is a British-curriculum school for ages 2 to 18. Check each school's current campus and grades directly, because some run several sites.

School summary table

Where to live near each school

Distance in kilometres matters less than the route. A home on the same side of the city as the school avoids the busiest junctions at peak hours. The notes below describe direction and route. Drive times vary a lot by hour, so test the trip at 7 am before you sign.

Near ICS: Old Airport and Sarbet

Old Airport is the first choice for ICS families. Large villas on walled compounds, embassy residences and quiet streets make it popular with diplomats. Many homes are within a short drive of Mauritania Road. Rents are among the highest in the city, and some landlords quote in US dollars.

Sarbet lies next to Old Airport, toward the city centre. It has more apartments and smaller houses, so it suits families who do not need a large compound. The trip to ICS stays on the south-west side of the city.

Near Sandford and the German Embassy School: Kazanchis and Megenagna

Both schools sit north-east of the centre, close to each other. Kazanchis is south of them. It is a business district close to the UN Economic Commission for Africa, with new apartment buildings on its rebuilt streets. Megenagna is to the east. It is a transport hub with a light rail stop, apartments and condominium blocks. Families in Bole also use these schools, but the trip crosses busy central roads.

Near the Lycée and the Italian school: central areas

Both schools are in Arada, the old centre. Kazanchis is the closest of the areas we cover. Sarbet works for families who also need the south-west, for example a second child at ICS. Expect city-centre traffic in both cases.

Near Bingham Academy: the west side

Bingham is in Kolfe, west of the centre. Real.et does not have a neighborhood page for Kolfe yet. Of the areas we cover, Sarbet and Old Airport are the closest by the ring road. Families who want a short trip often rent locally in Kolfe or nearby areas. Browse houses for rent in Addis Ababa and filter by location.

Near Kelem and RICE: Kazanchis and Bole

Kelem is inside Kazanchis, so a home in Kazanchis can make the school run very short. RICE's Meskel Flower campus is a short drive from both Kazanchis and Bole. Bole has the widest choice of modern apartments, cafes and shops in the city, and is close to the airport.

Near One Planet: Summit, CMC and Ayat

Summit is in the east, between Bole and CMC. It has a large condominium site, walled villa compounds and new apartment towers. CMC lies next to it on the light rail line. It has older villa compounds, newer apartment blocks and condominium sites. Ayat, further east, offers more space for the price. All three avoid the city centre on the trip to One Planet.

What to rent as a school family

Families usually look at three types of home.

• A house or villa with a compound. Common in Old Airport, Summit and CMC. Gives garden space and room for staff. Browse houses for rent.
• A modern apartment. Common in Bole, Kazanchis and Megenagna. Easier to secure and maintain. Browse apartments for rent.
• A furnished or serviced apartment. Useful for the first months, while you look for a long-term home. Read our guide to furnished apartments in Addis Ababa.

Before you sign, check water storage, backup power and internet. Power and water cuts happen in many areas. Read the full process and the rent rules in our guide to renting an apartment in Addis Ababa. The law limits advance rent to 2 months and requires lease registration. To compare areas on price, safety and daily life, read our guide to the best neighborhoods in Addis Ababa.

School fees

We could not find a full fee schedule on the official websites of the schools in this guide in October 2026. Bingham Academy publishes a non-refundable application fee of USD 100. Most schools send fees on request. Ask each school for:

• tuition for each grade, and the currency of payment
• one-time fees, such as application, enrolment or capital fees
• bus service and the areas it covers
• the discount for siblings, if any

Many employers pay school fees as part of a relocation package. Check what your contract covers before you choose an area, because the school and the rent together set your budget.

A relocation checklist

1. Shortlist schools by curriculum and grade range.
2. Apply early and ask about waiting lists and entry tests.
3. Ask each school which areas its bus serves.
4. Pick two or three neighborhoods on the same side of the city as the school.
5. Stay in a furnished apartment for the first weeks if you can.
6. Test the morning drive before you sign a lease.
7. Sign a written lease, pay no more than 2 months in advance and register the lease.