The American School of Tegucigalpa (AST) is a private, coeducational day school that offers an educational program from nursery through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The school was founded in 1946. The school year extends from early August to the end of May.
Organization: The Sociedad Educacional Interamericana de Tegucigalpa, which elects a 10-member board of directors, governs the school. Membership in the Sociedad is automatically conferred on the parents or guardians of the children enrolled in the school. The school is incorporated and has tax-exempt status in Honduras, but neither applies in the United States.
Curriculum: AST is a college-preparatory school, accredited by Cognia, the Honduran Ministry of Education, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization for the diploma program. Most non-Honduran students receive a standard high school diploma upon completion of a four-year program. Instruction is in English, except for some courses taught in grades 7-12 for Honduran students. Students are expected to become bilingual; therefore, all receive instruction in Spanish and English at all levels. There is no religious instruction. High school students take four years each of science, math, social studies, English, and Spanish as well as electives in other areas. A full program of interscholastic sports is offered, although the facilities and length of the seasons do not compare to the typical American programs.
Faculty: In the 2022-2023 school year, AST has 205 total staff including 118 teachers, 24 of whom are U.S. citizens, 92 host-country nationals, and 2 third-country nationals. All teaching faculty maintain teaching credentials and degree from the United States or country of origin.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, enrollment was 1,036. Of the total, 61 were U.S. citizens, 948 were host-country nationals, and 27 were third-country nationals.
Facilities: The school has multiple classrooms, including science and computer laboratories in the elementary, middle, and secondary buildings; rooms for music and art; and a separate preschool building. In addition, facilities include a media center, counselor offices, and a gymnasium as well as a Performing Arts Center. Also available are covered basketball courts and an artificial turf soccer field. All class sizes are approximately 20 students per teacher.
Finances: In the 2022-2023 school year, approximately 90% of the school’s income derives from tuition and fees. Annual tuition rates are as follows: N-PK: $4,526; kindergarten: $8,773; grades 1-5: $9,349; grades 6-10: $11,431; and grades 11-12: $11,431. A one-time entrance fee of $6,000 is charged. Bus fees are not included in the above tuition costs. Also a monthly fee of $15.12 is in place in order to finance the school’s master plan for construction of facilities and technology upgrades. (All fees quoted in U.S. dollars.)
Special Needs: Download the Special Needs Profile (2023 Special Needs- Honduras, Tegucigalpa-AST [174 KB]) for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.
This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2022 and provided by the school.