International schools in Tanzania

Search for the best international schools in Tanzania; you can find a list at the bottom of this page. Use the search filters to select only girls' or boys' schools, prep schools, senior schools or sixth forms; or you can search for schools that offer a particular curriculum, such as the International Baccalaureate, the UK national curriculum, a US-style model or the International Primary Curriculum.

International schools in Tanzania are mainly centred on the country’s commercial hub Dar Es Salaam and the northern city of Arusha. Predominantly coeducational and English-medium, they range from large, cosmopolitan day schools to small boarding establishments with an emphasis on pastoral support. 

There are six IB World Schools, which all teach in English. Of these, five are authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma and four to teach all three IB programmes. The latter are the International School of Tanganyika, Dar es Salaam International Academy and United World College East Africa’s campuses in Moshi and Arusha.

Braeburn International School Arusha offers the IB Diploma alongside British A-levels and IGCSEs and follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales. A sister school – the Braeburn Dar Es Salaam International School – offers day provision along similar lines.

Also following a British curriculum is the small NGO-run International School of Zanzibar, which offers A-levels, IGCSEs and the International Primary Curriculum from its coastal campus near a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other notable schools include The Aga Khan Mzizima Secondary School, which offers the British, IB and Tanzanian curriculums. 

School fees vary widely, with some schools charging in US dollars and others in Tanzanian shillings. Parents are advised to check schools’ accreditation arrangements with bodies such as the Council of International Schools. 

Primary education, which runs from age seven to 13, is compulsory. Government primary schools teach in English and Swahili and education is free. Secondary education is divided into four years’ at ordinary level and two years at advanced level. 

Net primary enrolment was 83 per cent of the age group in 2019, while net secondary enrolment was 28 per cent, with gross enrolment in tertiary education equal to just three per cent of the age group.

If you are looking specifically for International Baccalaureate World Schools in Tanzania, you can find selected schools on our sister website: www.ibyb.org.