International School of Krakow (ISK) was established by the American School of Warsaw in 1993. In 1998, the growth of the (American) International School of Krakow allowed it to operate as an independent institution. In 2004, as a reflection of the changing student population, the school adopted an international program to better meet the needs of its students. In doing so, the school became International School of Krakow. In 2005, ISK joined forces with the Krakow International School Project, an initiative of the region’s leading international companies, to promote the development of international education. ISK is currently working on expanding its program through cooperative educational endeavors with some of Krakow’s finest institutions of higher education.
Organization: The school board is the key governing body of the school. The board consists of up to nine members. The U.S. Consul General is designated as the chairperson of the board. The school cooperates with a domestic nonprofit educational foundation. ISK is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS) and is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the Diploma Program. ISK’s stated mission is to be dedicated to excellence in the intellectual and personal development of tomorrow’s world citizens.
Curriculum: ISK’s core educational program is based primarily on standards used in many American schools, such as Common Core, NGSS, and AERO; but also draws on standards from the province of Ontario and the national language programs of Poland, France, and Germany. The early years program is run in the approach of Reggio-Emilia, the foreign language courses follow the Common European Framework (CEFR), and the grade 11 and 12 students follow the IB Diploma Program. English is the primary language of instruction. ISK uses the MAP Assessment for student progress in grades 3-9; PSAT is offered in grades 10 and 11; and the SAT is offered a few times per academic year. There are extensive after-school activities and opportunities for participation in CEESA events, such as Knowledge Bowl, speech and debate, volleyball, soccer, basketball, cross-country, swimming, choir, guitar, cooking, yoga, magazine, craft club, and Lego club, among others.
Faculty: In the 2022-2023 school year, ISK has 79 total staff including 65 teachers, 16 of whom are U.S. citizens, 34 host-country nationals, and 15 third-country nationals from USA, Canada, UK, Italy, Spain, France, Ukraine, South Africa, and Guatemala. All teaching faculty maintain a teaching certificate/credential e.g., Diploma (BA at least) of Teaching/registered Teacher’s certificate from their countries of origin.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, the enrollment was 328 (age 3-18), including 28 U.S. citizens, 111 host-country nationals, and 189 third-country nationals.
Facilities: The school is in a facility just outside the city line, situated on a hilltop between two forest reserves overlooking the city of Krakow. The campus is secure with security infrastructure and guards. The school facility offers spacious classrooms, a library, four student lounges, sports field, basketball court, computer lab, art room, music facility, and more.
Finances: In the 2022-2023 school year annual tuition rates are as follows:
Early Years: Application Fee PLN (one-time only) – 2,500 (two thousand five hundred PLN); Tuition PLN – 39,552.00 zł (thirty-nine thousand and five hundred fifty-two PLN). K0 – 12: Application Fee PLN (one-time only) – 6,350 (six thousand three hundred and fifty PLN); Tuition PLN – 64,821.00 zł (sixty-four thousand and eight hundred twenty-one PLN) The Reservation Fee (non-refundable) of 4233 PLN is credited to the annual tuition fee. (All fees quoted in Polish zloty.)
Special Needs: Download the Special Needs Profile (2023 Special Needs Profile- Poland, Krakow) 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 are provided by the school.