You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Tajikistan with fee information. The list includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools for you to find the right school to prepare for the International Baccalaureate and other accreditation in Tajikistan. Most of the schools may follow the American or British curriculums with English speaking program system.

Education in Tajikistan

Education in Tajikistan consists of four years of primary school followed by two stages of secondary school (lasting five and two years, respectively).

Attendance at school is mandatory from age seven to seventeen.

• Primary Education: Primary school education currently consists of 4 years (age 7-11) and it is all free.
• Basic Secondary school: Students spend 5 years at middle school (age 11–16), and it is the end of the line for most. This is because Tajikistan is a poor country where teachers are paid low wages that force them to moonlight at best, and where bribes are still required to influence some admission boards.
• Upper secondary schooling is a 2 year program where students are prepared for admission to university (age16–18). Standards and facilities at state schools are average to poor by modern western standards. Some private schools and colleges are beginning to appear.

International Schools

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Tajikistan. Many schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam. There may be some local population, but the schools are usually geared for an international student body. Schools may follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, France, etc. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English, French, Spanish, German, or Japanese. Schools also provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrolment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.

Accreditation & Membership

• The CoIS (Council of International Schools) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools.
• European Council of International Schools (ECIS) is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education, complemented by grants and awards.
• Council of British International Schools (COBIS) is a responsive organisation that serves, supports and represents its member schools.
• New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) is a regional accrediting association which establishes standards for all levels of education, from pre-K to doctoral.
• Agency for French Education Abroad (Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger, AEFE) is a national public agency under the administration of the French government that assures the quality of schools teaching the French national curriculum outside France.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) represents over 1100 independent schools and associations in the United States and abroad.

International schools in Dushanbe

Dushanbe International School
Address: Bofanda Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Tel: +992 372 21 4776
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Dushanbe International School (DIS) is an international school located in Dushanbe, Tajikistan that offers Cambridge International Examinations in addition to local examinations. DIS is divided into three sections: Kindergarten, Primary School and Secondary School. There are 11 grade levels in Dushanbe International School. Dushanbe International School is a Cambridge International School and a regular member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIS). Lessons are taught in English. Tajik and Russian are the compulsory second languages.

QSI International School of Dushanbe
Address: Sovetskaya 85, Dushanbe
734001 Tajikistan
Tel: + 992 372 24 8737
Email: dushanbe@qsi.org
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

QSI International School of Dushanbe is a branch of the non-profit organization Quality School International and is located in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. QSI International School of Dushanbe was founded in 2004 as a private institution. The Elementary program of QSI Dushanbe consists of grades 1-8 and the curriculum is based on the American education system. QSI Dushanbe offers a secondary program that leads to a Secondary School Diploma. The three diplomas that are offered by QSI Dushanbe are the general diploma, the academic diploma, and the academic diploma with honors. The school teaches students from elementary school to secondary high school with a curriculum entirely in English. In addition to English, there are also other foreign-language classes offered in Russian, German, French, and Chinese.

International school in Russian

In April 2022 Tajikistan is set to launch a Eurasian Development Bank-funded (EDB-funded) inaugural school with instruction in Russian.

The EDB is an international financial institution promoting integration and development in its member countries – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, and Tajikistan.