International School of Hamburg

What International School of Hamburg does

International School of Hamburg (ISH) is a private, non-profit English-language day school operated by Internationale Schule Hamburg e.V., founded in 1957 as the first international school in Germany. The school serves approximately 800 students aged 3-18 across Early Years, Junior School, and Secondary School divisions, drawn from over 60 nationalities and predominantly from expatriate and internationally-minded German families based in Hamburg. ISH is an IB World School offering the IB Middle Years, Diploma, and Career-related Programmes, with the Primary Years Programme currently in candidacy; younger grades follow the International Early Years Curriculum and International Primary Curriculum, supported by an English as an Additional Language programme and a Mother Tongue programme.

The core operating platform is the 41,000 sqm purpose-built campus in Hamburg's green belt (built in 2010), featuring a 400-seat Performing Arts Centre, 7 science laboratories, a 45,000-material library, 3 gym halls, a fitness studio, and a 300-seat cafeteria. Technology stack is light: Veracross for admissions, foove for cashless cafeteria, generic cloud-based collaboration tools, and a Digital Citizenship curriculum — with no proprietary AI/ML capabilities. The school achieves a 6.5:1 student-teacher ratio and posts strong academic outcomes, including an average IB Diploma score of 32.2 in 2025 and an 85% university matriculation rate across 155 global institutions.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through recurring annual tuition (12,790-25,190 EUR per student for SY 2025-26, scaled to 13,300-26,450 EUR for SY 2026-27), supplemented by non-refundable application fees (500 EUR), two-year campus development fees (6,500 EUR + 2,500 EUR), and ancillary services including after-school care, activities, music enrichment, and an HVV-operated bus service. The school holds CIS, NEASC, and IB accreditations (2022), an Eco School certification (2025), and a Healthy Employer seal (2024), and is governed by an elected Board of Trustees chaired by Tatiana Ramirez.

Name

International School of Hamburg

Legal name

Internationale Schule Hamburg e.V.

Website

https://ishamburg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International School of Hamburg is a non-profit English-language day school serving approximately 800 students aged 3-18 from 63+ nationalities. It operates an IB World School curriculum (MYP, DP, CP; PYP candidacy) on a 41,000 sqm Hamburg campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Language Schools & Institutes (EDAMAFAA)

Keywords

• International education
• IB programmes
• K-12 schooling
• Private schooling
• Expatriate education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees charged by grade level, ranging from 12,790 EUR (Early Years 1) to 25,190 EUR (Grades 11-12) for SY 2025-26. Non-profit school model with fees covering operational costs.
2. Application & Campus Development Fees: Non-refundable 500 EUR application fee per child; Campus Development Fee of 6,500 EUR in Year 1 and 2,500 EUR in Year 2 for new students
3. After School Care & Activities: After School Care priced at 39 EUR per day (1-2 days/week) or 29 EUR per day (3+ days/week). Activities & Athletics at 120 EUR per season. Holiday Programme from 270 EUR weekly.
4. Bus Service: School bus service approximately 1,300 EUR per school year, operated through HVV Hamburg Transportation Department

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

International School of Hamburg (ISH) is a non-profit, English-language international school providing primary and secondary education for children of expatriates and internationally-minded local families. It delivers the International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP candidate, MYP, DP, and CP) alongside enrichment activities, serving approximately 800 students from more than 63 nationalities.

Product overview

The International School of Hamburg operates as a comprehensive K-12 international school offering a multi-programme educational portfolio. The core academic structure consists of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP - currently in candidacy), IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), and IB Career-related Programme (IBCP), supported by the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC). Beyond the core academic programmes, the school provides a comprehensive ecosystem of supporting services including the EAL Programme for English language learners, Mother Tongue Programme for home language maintenance, and extensive Learning Support Services. The co-curricular portfolio includes After School Care, After School Activities spanning visual and performing arts, the Music Enrichment Programme with instrumental instruction and ensembles, and the ISH Falcons Athletics Programme with NECIS competitive sports and intramural options. The school also operates sustainability initiatives through its Let's Green ISH environmental education programme. Together, these programmes deliver a holistic international education from Early Years (age 3) through Grade 12, preparing students for university placement worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Years Programme (PYP) IB Primary Years Programme for primary-school-age students; foundational inquiry-based international curriculum delivered in English. Targeted at children of expatriate and internationally-minded families.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP) IB Middle Years Programme for students aged roughly 11–16, bridging primary schooling and the IB Diploma. Designed for internationally-mobile students.
• IB Diploma Programme (DP) Two-year IB Diploma Programme for students in the final years of secondary school, providing a globally recognised university-preparation qualification.
• IB Career-related Programme (CP) IB Career-related Programme for students seeking a pathway that combines IB academic courses with career-related study, leading to internationally portable qualifications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32.2 average IB Diploma score in 2025 (vs world average)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HVV (Hamburg Transportation Department)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2024Local Hamburg transportation authority operating school bus service for ISH students. Three buses run routes covering outer Alster region and Hafen City. Available exclusively to ISH students at specified morning and afternoon times.
• Place4bees (PLACE4BEES)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Hamburg-based company dedicated to bee conservation. Partnered with ISH in June 2023 to establish two bee colonies on campus as part of sustainability and biodiversity education. Provides hands-on learning experiences about bees' vital role in ecosystems.
• Katerine GmbHcoreOthers · 1 January 2023Food catering partner since 2023 managing cafeteria services. Specializes in offering fresh, nutritious meals using seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients. Provides meals aligned with environmental sustainability commitment.
• Hanseatic City of HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Proudly supported by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Deeply-rooted partnership with the city since school's inception in 1957. School recognized as 'allgemeinbildende Ergänzungsschule' (private, independent school providing general primary and secondary education) under German law.
• GreenISH Initiative (Let's Green ISH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Student-led sustainability initiative launched in 2022. Team includes students, parents, alumni, and staff working to make meaningful ecological impact. Conducts annual Sustainability Audit and focuses on biodiversity and waste reduction.
• NECIS (Northwest European Council of International Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ISH is a leading member of NECIS Sports Council, a grouping of eleven international schools providing competitive tournament activities. Promotes healthy competition, sportsmanship and full participation across the Northwest European region.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO): Curriculum and accreditation body whose IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, CP) underpin ISH's academic offering. Critical ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• Council of International Schools (CIS): Industry accreditation body that confers one of ISH's key accreditations. Relevant as an ecosystem/standards participant rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Bavarian International School: IB World School near Munich serving K-12 international students across two campuses. Comparable business model, fee structure, and IB programme portfolio to ISH.
• Hamburg International School: Another English-language international school in Hamburg serving expat families across K-12. Directly competes for the same customer base in the Hamburg metropolitan area with overlapping IB and international curricula.
• International School of Düsseldorf: Long-established IB World School in Germany offering the full PYP/MYP/DP continuum for expatriate families. Comparable in mission, curriculum mix, and target customer segment to ISH.
• Frankfurt International School: One of Germany's largest and oldest international schools offering IB programmes across multiple campuses. Highly comparable in mission, accreditation stack, and expat-family orientation.
• Berlin Brandenburg International School: IB World School in the Berlin region serving K-12 international students. Similar non-profit structure, IB continuum offering, and tuition pricing tier to ISH.
• International School of Stuttgart: IB World School serving expat families in the Stuttgart metropolitan area with PYP, MYP and DP programmes. Comparable in curriculum, fee level, and customer profile.
• Bonn International School: IB World School in Bonn offering K-12 English-language international education to expat and internationally-minded families. Comparable in scale, mission, and programme mix to ISH.

Regional players

• International School of Bremen: Smaller IB-affiliated international school in northern Germany. Comparable curriculum and target segment but operates in a different geographic market than ISH.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ishamburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/international-school-of-hamburg-ish
• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalschoolofhamburg
• Xx.com/is_hamburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International School of Hamburg