International School of Düsseldorf

What International School of Düsseldorf does

The International School of Düsseldorf (ISD) is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school registered as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) under German law, founded in 1968 as the American International School of Düsseldorf and renamed to its current form in the 1990s. It operates a single Düsseldorf campus (Niederrheinstrasse 336, Kaiserswerth neighbourhood) with separate Elementary and Senior School facilities, serving students aged 3–18 through the full International Baccalaureate Continuum: the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme—the only such full continuum in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. ISD has been authorised as an IB World School since 1976 (one of the first schools worldwide), holds CIS and NEASC accreditation, and is a member of AGIS and ECIS.

The school's core product is the three-stage IB programme, supplemented by 90+ after-school activities, dedicated Outdoor Learning Environments (unique to ISD in Europe), elite sports programmes, a Cub Club after-school care offering, and an expanded Summer Camp portfolio (AI & Robotics, Performing Arts, Sailing, Language Camps). Technology integration is centred on a one-to-one iPad programme in Elementary School and STEM facilities including a Design & Technology Centre and Physics Lab. Student outcomes are strong: Class of 2025 IBDP average of 35 versus world average 30.6, 22% scoring 40+ versus 12% globally, and 43% bilingual diplomas.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual tuition (€20,930 for Pre-school to Grade 2, up to €28,270 for Grade 12), supplemented by a one-time €6,500 admission fee, ancillary services (after-school care at €15/day, summer camps at €200–€300, cafeteria meals, private music lessons, sports teams), and philanthropic donations channelled through wholly-owned subsidiary ISD Fundraising gGmbH. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: families apply via an OpenApply portal, attend three annual virtual open houses (November, January, March) plus in-person tours, and engage year-round. Customer segments are expatriate and internationally-mobile families, university-bound secondary students, and early childhood/elementary families. The school has over 5,000 alumni worldwide and a teaching faculty recruited from 27+ countries.

Name

International School of Düsseldorf

Legal name

International School of Düsseldorf e.V.

Website

https://isdedu.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The International School of Düsseldorf is a non-profit K-12 day school in Düsseldorf, Germany, offering the full IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) and serving expatriate and internationally-mobile families with students aged 3–18 from 57+ nationalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA), International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK)

Keywords

• K-12 international education
• IB diploma programme
• Baccalaureate primary years
• University preparatory curriculum
• After-school care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue source funded almost entirely through tuition fees paid by parents and/or their employers. Covers all course materials, iPad programme, field trips, IB programme costs, learning support, and graduation.
2. Fundraising & Philanthropy: Annual Fund, Capital Campaigns, and Endowment donations power extraordinary programmes and facilities beyond standard operations. Over one million euros raised historically for facilities. Named Sponsorships starting at €2,000.
3. Auxiliary Services: Optional revenue from After-School Care (Cub Club), Summer Camps (€200-300), Cafeteria meals, Private Music Lessons, Sports Teams, and Language Camps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

International School of Düsseldorf is a non-profit, independent co-educational day school that delivers the full IB Continuum across the Primary Years Programme (PYP, ages 3-10), Middle Years Programme (MYP, grades 6-10), and Diploma Programme (DP, grades 11-12). The school supplements its core academics with supplementary services including summer camps, after-school care (Cub Club), over 90 after-school activities, and dedicated Outdoor Learning Environments. All instruction is delivered in English on the Düsseldorf campus.

Product overview

The International School of Düsseldorf operates as a K-12 IB Continuum School offering three core International Baccalaureate programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 3-10, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for grades 6-10, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for grades 11-12. The school supplements its academic offerings with complementary services including Summer Camps (AI & Robotics, Language, Performing Arts, Sports, and Sailing), Cub Club after-school care, and over 90 After School Activities. This portfolio creates a comprehensive educational ecosystem supporting students from early childhood through high school graduation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Years Programme (PYP) IB programme for elementary students aged 3-10 organised around six subject groups with an inquiry-based pedagogy designed to develop critical thinking and international-mindedness in young learners. Delivered on the ISD Elementary School campus in Düsseldorf.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP) IB programme for grades 6-10 (ages 11-16) that connects studies to the real world through eight core subjects, interdisciplinary electives, and a Personal Project in grade 10. Includes MYP e-Assessment in grade 10.
• Diploma Programme (DP) Two-year IB programme for grades 11-12 providing academically challenging education across six subject groups with 50+ course offerings, culminating in the IB Diploma recognised by universities worldwide and supported by comprehensive university counselling with 60+ campus visits annually.
• Summer Camps Annual summer camp programme (priced €200-€300 for five-day camps, 09:00-14:00) offering Kinder Camps, AI & Robotics, Language Camps in English and German, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Sports, and Sailing for students ages 4-18, with early-bird discounts available.
• Cub Club (After-School Care) After-school child care programme for ISD elementary school students providing supervised activities from 15:45 to 18:00 on school days, priced at €15 per day for the 2024-25 school year.
• After School Activities (ASA) Over 90 after-school activity options including sports, performing arts, STEM clubs (robotics, coding, chess), creative arts, music instruction, and the Mother Tongue Programme for maintaining native languages, available to enrolled ISD students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% of IBDP students scored 40+ points (vs 12% globally)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting.

• Düsseldorfer Klimapakt mit der Wirtschaft (Düsseldorf Climate Pact)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Klimapartner committed to city's goal of climate neutrality by 203. ISD pledges to establish and execute measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and resource consumption through 2035, with transparent monitoring and regular carbon audits.
• NECIS (Northwest European Council of International Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NECIS network enabling students to participate in international sports tournaments across Northern Europe. Sports include soccer, volleyball, cross-country, basketball, swimming, and track & field for grades 5-12.
• Local Bus Company (School Transport)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with local bus company providing school transport along selected routes for families living further from campus.
• 60+ University Partners (Annual Campus Visitors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 60 higher education institutions visit ISD campus annually to engage with students for recruitment and university preparation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frankfurt International School: Well-established IB international school in Germany offering full PYP/MYP/DP continuum to a similar expatriate family base. Directly comparable in curriculum, accreditations, and premium pricing tier — operates as ISD's most significant national competitor within the German IB market.
• International School of Hamburg: IB Continuum school serving Hamburg's international community with comparable expatriate family base and curriculum portfolio. Direct German market peer within the broader IB international school landscape.
• International School Hannover Region: IB international school in the Hannover region offering full IB continuum to globally-mobile families. Directly comparable as a German full-IB day school serving corporate expat populations.
• International School of The Hague: IB international school in the Netherlands with full PYP/MYP/DP offering to a similar expatriate community. Comparable in curriculum, accreditations (CIS, IB), and premium fee structure, making it a geographic peer for families considering Rhine-Ruhr alternatives.
• International School of Brussels (ISB): Long-established IB Continuum school in Brussels serving a similar internationally-mobile family population with comparable premium pricing and accreditations. Direct peer in NECIS network and comparable in European international school positioning.
• Munich International School: IB Continuum school serving Munich's international community with similar expatriate family target market, premium tuition structure, and post-IB university placement focus. Comparable operating model with K-12 international curriculum delivery.
• Strothoff International School: IB World School in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main area serving international families with IB curriculum from early years through Diploma. Direct German-market competitor in the same premium international school segment.
• Berlin International School: IB international school in Berlin serving globally-mobile families with full IB curriculum offerings and comparable tuition levels. Closely comparable as a German-based, full-IB, English-medium day school targeting expatriate communities.

Others

• Council of International Schools (CIS): Accreditation body and international education community organization of which ISD is a member. Relevant as the broader industry body governing quality standards that international schools like ISD must meet, providing peer benchmarking context.
• International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO): Curriculum and accreditation authority that defines the IB programmes ISD delivers. Relevant as the enabling ecosystem participant whose authorization and standards are foundational to ISD's value proposition and market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Düsseldorf