Istanbul - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
The American school has two locations: one about 20 min from the Consulate that does to grade 3, and the other one that goes from kindergarten through high school that is an hour away in the morning and 1.5 in the afternoon. We opted to send our kids to one of the British schools nearby, and were happy with the education. The families who sent their kids to the far American school said the commute was very wearing on the kids and affected kids' desire and ability to do after school activities, including homework. Sitting on a bus for 2+ hours a day was not great for them, which is partly why we went with the British school. - Aug 2021
IICS is the primary school used by U.S. consulate employees. We don't have kids, but one major complaint that I've heard is that the commute to school is hard on kids (1 hour or so each way). Bus service is provided. Some use the British International School, which is closer. - Sep 2017
I don't have any children, but there were a lot of complaints about the time it took kids to get to and from school: up to two hours each way depending on the school that the child attended. Many people complained about the time in the morning that kids had to get up. - Oct 2010
Have worked in two and experienced mny more up close as a professional visitor - good quality but with a verydiffernt cultural mindset than US schools that takes awhile to understand nd get used to. They are much more child-friendly than US schools but often appear to Western eyes at first glance to be less disciplined and punitive. - Jan 2010
Schools are rated as good but long commutes for dependents - Jan 2010
We have kids in one of two main ex-pat schools. Academics seem good (both have IB programs), but it is hard to make friends due to small class size (especially higher grades), and the fact that families are scattered all over town. Long bus rides to both schools. - Dec 2009
