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Tag: Cambridge international school in Ho Chi Minh City

Choosing an International School in HCMC

Posted on by Gary Ly

Parents speaking with Ms Anne Hill during an Open Day at Anne Hill International School in May 2026

Photo: Parents speaking with Ms Anne Hill during an Open Day at Anne Hill International School in May 2026

The right international school in Ho Chi Minh City depends on your child’s age, languages and next move. These 12 questions, asked on every tour, make schools comparable.

In This Article

What should we decide before we tour?

Many families start by searching for “the best international schools in Ho Chi Minh City”, but a list cannot tell you which school fits your child: only your family can. Agree on these 4 things before you book tours, and each visit becomes a check against your own needs.

  1. Your child’s age and start date. Ask each school how it places children by age. At Anne Hill International School, children join the year group that matches their age on 1 September.
  2. Languages. Which languages does your child speak now, which do you want them to learn in, and will they need help with English? See our guide to international or bilingual education.
  3. How long you will stay, and where next. If you may move country again, ask how easily your child could continue the same curriculum elsewhere.
  4. Budget and the daily journey. Agree on a yearly budget, then ask each school what its fee includes: meals, the bus, after-school care and trips. Time the journey at the hour you would really travel.

Which 12 questions should we ask on every tour?

Students in a Primary classroom at Anne Hill International School, Ho Chi Minh City

Photo: Students in a Primary classroom at Anne Hill International School, Ho Chi Minh City

Ask every school the same 12 questions, in the same words, and write the answers down. They cover what your child will learn, who teaches them, how they are looked after and what it costs, so the answers line up afterwards.

  1. What curriculum do you teach, and where does it lead? Ask about every stage from your child’s age to the last year the school offers, and which qualifications come at the end.
  2. Who accredits the school, and who registers it? Ask for today’s status, not the plan. The questions at the end explain the difference.
  3. How big are the classes? Ask for the largest class size in your child’s year group, and how many adults are in the room.
  4. What qualifications do your teachers hold? Ask about teaching qualifications, training each year and how long teachers usually stay.
  5. How do you support children who are still learning English? Ask how English is assessed when your child applies, what support follows and whether it costs extra.
  6. Which other languages are taught? Vietnamese families should ask how Vietnamese language, history and culture are covered, and in which years.
  7. How do you look after my child’s wellbeing? Ask about pastoral care, the school nurse, safeguarding and who you talk to when something is wrong.
  8. What results can you share? Ask which external tests students sit, and how the school’s results compare with the international average.
  9. Which facilities will my child actually use? Ask to see the classrooms, library, outdoor space and sports facilities for your child’s age group, not only the newest building.
  10. What do the fees include? Ask for the fee schedule in writing, what it covers, what costs extra and whether any financial help exists.
  11. How will my child get to school? Ask about bus routes, pick-up times and after-school care that fits your working day.
  12. What happens after the last year you offer? Ask where children go next, and whether the school is adding year groups.

Can we print a checklist for school tours?

Yes. Print this page or save the table to your phone, and take it to each of the international schools in HCMC on your shortlist. Write each school’s answer in its column; any gaps show you what to follow up by email.

QuestionSchool 1School 2School 3
1. Curriculum, and where it leads
2. Accreditation and registration
3. Class size in my child’s year
4. Teacher qualifications
5. English support, and its cost
6. Other languages
7. Wellbeing and pastoral care
8. Results, against the international average
9. Facilities for my child’s age
10. What the fees include
11. Bus and pick-up
12. What happens after the last year
How did my child feel on the visit?

How does Anne Hill answer the 12 questions?

Students in the Science Lab at Anne Hill International School's Secondary Campus, Ho Chi Minh City

Photo: Students in the Science Lab at Anne Hill International School’s Secondary Campus, Ho Chi Minh City

Here are our own answers, so you can hold us to the same checklist as every other school you visit.

QuestionAnne Hill’s answerRead more
1. CurriculumInternational Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) in Preschool; International Primary Curriculum (IPC) with Cambridge Primary from Year 1 to Year 6; International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC), then Cambridge IGCSE and A Level, in Secondary.Preschool Curriculum, Primary Curriculum, Secondary Curriculum
2. AccreditationA registered Cambridge International School for Primary and Lower Secondary, and authorised by the International Curriculum Association to teach the IEYC, IPC and IMYC. A Council of International Schools (CIS) member school since 2022, working towards full accredited status by 2027.Accreditations and Memberships
3. Class sizeUp to 18 children per class in Preschool, 25 in Primary and 25 in Secondary .Admissions Policy and Process Class Size & Classroom Diversity Policy

(https://annehill.school/policies/)

4. TeachersMore than 100 educators and staff. All our teachers and administrative staff meet professional standards and have completed their annual training. Every class teacher holds.Our Curriculum
5. English supportChildren whose first language is not English take an English proficiency assessment when they apply, and those who need it join our English as an Additional Language (EAL) support programme. Selected Primary students can also join an Afterschool English Programme. The Afterschool English Programme has a fee, listed in the Schedule of Fees; whether in-class EAL support has a fee: [school confirms], alongside high-quality in-class support from all teachers.Admissions Policy and Process
6. LanguagesEnglish is our main language of teaching. Vietnamese and Mandarin are taught as second languages; Vietnamese language, history and culture follow national requirements; Spanish is also offered at IGCSE.Primary Curriculum
7. WellbeingHealth and Wellbeing runs through the Primary curriculum, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) runs through Secondary, and 9 core values run across the school. Qualified nurses staff our sick bay.Primary Curriculum
8. ResultsIn the Year 6 Cambridge Checkpoint, May 2026, our students averaged 34.4 out of 50, the highest the school has recorded. English was 3 points and Maths 6 points above the international average.Checkpoint Results 2026
9. FacilitiesPrimary: 15 classrooms of at least 60 m², each with a library corner. Preschool: a covered playground, water play, sandpit, gym and eco-garden. New secondary campus: a 25 m pool, 2 science labs and a 168 m² library.Our Campuses
10. FeesThe 2026-2027 fee schedule is a download on our fees page, paid in VND by cash or bank transfer, with red invoices on request.

Financial help: AHI’s Bursary Programme offers tuition fee support to families facing unforeseen financial circumstances.

School Fees
11. TransportSchool buses serve several neighbourhoods, including Thao Dien and An Phu. After School Care runs until 5:00 PM for Primary and until 6:00 PM for Preschool, booked at least 24 hours ahead.Additional School Services
12. After the last yearChildren move from our Preschool to our Primary School to our Secondary School. The Secondary pathway leads to Cambridge A Level; in 2026-2027 our classes run to Year 13.Secondary Curriculum

Questions parents ask

Which are the best international schools in Ho Chi Minh City?

We do not rank schools, and a ranking cannot know your child. If you searched for the best international school in Ho Chi Minh City, the right one for your family is the one whose answers to these 12 questions fit your child’s age, languages, next move and budget.

What is the difference between accredited and registered schools?

An accredited school has been reviewed as a whole by an outside body: for CIS International Accreditation, the school completes a self-study against 18 standards and a team of trained peers from other schools visits to evaluate it. A registered school has been approved by a curriculum or exam provider to teach its programmes; Cambridge, for example, makes an approval visit before it registers a school. Anne Hill is a registered Cambridge International School and a CIS member school working towards accreditation by 2027 [school confirms the current CIS status].

How many schools should we visit?

We suggest a shortlist of 2 or 3 schools that fit your budget and your daily journey, each visited with the same checklist. Bring your child if you can: how they react to a classroom tells you a great deal, and at Anne Hill a visit with parent and child is the first step of admission.

When should we start looking?

Start early enough to tour, complete the assessment and, if a year group is full, wait for a place. At Anne Hill, admission runs in steps: a visit, a placement interview and assessment, a check on class availability, then the school’s decision: an offer, a place on the waiting list if the year group is full, or a letter explaining the decision. We suggest starting 1 to 2 months before your child’s ideal enrolment date.

Bring Your 12 Questions to Anne Hill

Book a school tour: see the classrooms, meet the teachers and ask your questions.

Book a school tour at Anne Hill International School

Cambridge, IB or American Curriculum

Posted on by Gary Ly

Year 6 students preparing for Cambridge Checkpoint at Anne Hill International School, Ho Chi Minh City

Photo: Year 6 students preparing for Cambridge Checkpoint at Anne Hill International School, Ho Chi Minh City

Cambridge, International Baccalaureate (IB) and American schools in Vietnam all lead to university, but they differ in structure, assessment and how easily a child can move between systems. If you may move again, the transfer question matters most.

In This Article

Cambridge curriculum vs IB vs American: how do they compare?

All three can take your child to university; they differ in who sets them, how they are built and how they are assessed. Cambridge and the IB are each run by one international organisation. There is no single American curriculum: in the US, states and communities develop curricula and set graduation requirements, so ask each American school in Vietnam which US standards it follows. Some add Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school.

The table sets out what each organisation publishes about its own programmes.

ComparisonCambridgeIB (International Baccalaureate)American
Who sets itCambridge International EducationThe International BaccalaureateNo single body: in the US, states and communities develop curricula and set graduation requirements; ask each school which US standards it follows
Stages and agesEarly Years from 3, Primary from 5, Lower Secondary from 11, Upper Secondary from 14, Advanced from 16Primary Years Programme 3 to 12, Middle Years Programme 11 to 16, Diploma Programme or Career-related Programme 16 to 19Set by each school; AP courses are taken in high school
Main qualificationsCambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for 14 to 16 year olds (over 70 subjects); Cambridge International AS & A Level (more than 50 subjects)IB Diploma: 6 subjects, plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, ServiceGraduation from high school, with AP exams alongside where the school offers them
How it is assessedIGCSE: at the end of the course, through written, oral, coursework and practical assessmentDiploma: mainly written exams at the end of the course, plus coursework and in-school tasks, some marked by teachers and moderated by the IB; each subject graded 1 to 7, up to 45 points in all, diploma from 24 points plus other conditionsAP: exams in May, scored 1 to 5
Recognition, in each organisation’s wordsIGCSE and AS & A Level accepted as equivalent to UK GCSE and A Levels by leading universities worldwideEach year, over 4,500 universities in more than 110 countries and territories receive IB students’ transcriptsNearly all US colleges and universities grant credit and placement for qualifying AP scores

None of the three is right for every child. The better question is which one your child can continue, wherever your family goes next.

If we move to a different system, can my child keep up?

Usually, yes, and timing matters. Moves are simplest between stages, because Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma are each 2-year courses.

Our own answer to this question focuses on skills that travel with a child. We follow a UK-based international framework, with programmes such as White Rose Maths and synthetic phonics, and we build skills such as critical thinking, literacy and numeracy that transfer from one school to the next.

From the IB to Anne Hill International School: moving from IB programmes to the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) or International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) is generally smooth, because all three share enquiry-based learning and international mindedness. Early challenges tend to be new terms, assessment language and routines, not academic difficulty.

From Cambridge to the IB: the IB Diploma starts at 16, the age a student finishes Cambridge IGCSE, so the end of Year 11 is a natural point to switch.

To or from an American school: class names differ, and our Year 2 is the same age group as the first year after kindergarten in the US. Graduation requirements differ from school to school, so ask the new school what your child will need to graduate.

If you are choosing a Cambridge curriculum school in Vietnam and may move again, ask which Cambridge stages the school teaches, which Cambridge tests your child will sit and which records you will take with you.

What help is there if English is not my child’s first language?

Primary students reading a storybook together at the library in Anne Hill International School

Photo: Primary students reading a storybook together at the library in Anne Hill International School

Ask two things on every tour: how the curriculum makes room for language learners, and what extra support the school adds. Here is what each organisation offers:

Cambridge: Cambridge IGCSE includes English as a Second Language among its subjects.

IB: IB programmes can be fully taught and assessed in English, French or Spanish. For learning a new language in the Diploma, the IB offers language ab initio for beginners and Language B for students with some experience of the language.

American schools: support for English learners is decided by each school, so ask what it provides.

At Anne Hill International School, children whose first language is not English, or who come from a school that did not teach in English, take an English proficiency assessment when they apply. From age 5, the Oxford Young Learners Placement Test finds each child’s level, and those who need it join our English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme; younger children are assessed during Kindergarten. Selected Primary students can also join an After-school English Programme, and at IGCSE students take First Language English or EAL, where appropriate.

What does Anne Hill teach, from Preschool to Secondary?

An overview of AHI's educational pathway, from Early Years through to A-Levels

Photo: An overview of AHI’s educational pathway, from Early Years through to A-Levels

Anne Hill International School follows one connected pathway, from the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) to Cambridge A Level. As a Cambridge school in Ho Chi Minh City, we use Cambridge Checkpoint tests, set and marked by Cambridge, to benchmark progress.

Preschool, 18 months to 5 years: the IEYC as our main curriculum, with Montessori, Jolly Phonics and Numicon, and Mandarin and Vietnamese as second languages.

Primary, Year 1 to Year 6: the IPC, and as a registered Cambridge International School for Cambridge Primary, Year 6 sits Cambridge Checkpoint in English, Maths and Science. In May 2026, our Year 6 averaged 34.4 out of 50, the highest the school has recorded.

Secondary: the IMYC in Years 7 to 9, with Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint in Year 9; Cambridge IGCSE in Years 10 and 11; then Cambridge A Level. In 2026-2027, our secondary classes run to Year 13.

We chose the IMYC because it is designed for 11 to 14 year olds and continues the enquiry-based learning of the IPC, and the Cambridge pathway because IGCSEs and A Levels are externally set and marked. Read more about our curriculum, the Preschool curriculum, the Primary School curriculum and the Secondary School curriculum.

Questions parents ask

Is the Cambridge curriculum recognised by universities?

Cambridge says its IGCSE and International AS & A Levels are accepted as equivalent to UK GCSE and AS & A Levels by leading universities worldwide, and that 95% of students taking Cambridge International AS & A Levels go on to university. Entry rules differ by university and course, so check the universities your child is considering in Cambridge’s recognition search.

Can a Cambridge student move to an IB school?

Usually, yes, at 16. The IB Diploma Programme is for students aged 16 to 19, and Cambridge IGCSE is for 14- to 16-year-olds, so a student who finishes IGCSE arrives at the age the Diploma begins. Ask the IB school early which subjects and levels it expects, because Diploma students choose 6 subjects, 3 or 4 of them at higher level.

What is the Cambridge curriculum?

It is the Cambridge Pathway from Cambridge International Education: 5 stages from Early Years (from age 3) to Advanced (from age 16), with Cambridge IGCSE and AS & A Level as its qualifications for older students. Schools can offer the stages together or separately, and over 10,000 Cambridge schools in 160 countries follow it.

Is the Cambridge curriculum good for a child who may move again?

It can be. With over 10,000 Cambridge schools in 160 countries, a child who moves may be able to continue at another Cambridge school. The IB and AP are also offered by schools in many countries, so the right fit depends on where you may go next and how your child learns.

See the Anne Hill Pathway for Yourself

Book a school tour: see the classrooms, meet the teachers and ask your questions. If your child is moving from another system, bring their latest school reports so we can talk about placement.

Book a school tour at Anne Hill International School