British International School of Tbilisi

What British International School of Tbilisi does

British International School of Tbilisi (BIST) is a private international school located in the Lisi Lake area of Tbilisi, Georgia, delivering a British curriculum to approximately 520 students from over 50 nationalities. The school operates across Early Years through Sixth Form (ages 2–18), following the National Curriculum for England and culminating in Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level qualifications. BIST is fully accredited by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and recognised by Georgia's National Centre for Educational Quality Enhancement, providing dual international and domestic validation.

The school's core product is its academic pathway, supported by add-on modules including EAL support, a foreign language programme covering Chinese, French, German, Georgian, and Spanish, and an extensive extracurricular offering of 50+ clubs and 15+ sports facilities. Technology deployment focuses on operational rather than transformational capabilities: GL Progress Tests and GL CAT4 standardized assessments are used for academic benchmarking, and a GPS bus tracking system supports student transportation safety. The school also runs enrichment programmes such as TEDx, a Research Symposium, Model UK Parliament, and a STEM Fair, alongside theatrical productions and the Lions Literary Magazine.

BIST generates revenue primarily through recurring tuition fees, with secondary income from a joint Summer Camp programme priced at 750 GEL per week. The school operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model, targeting families through in-person and virtual open days, webinars, social media, and a newsletter. A merit-based scholarship programme offers 30–100% tuition coverage to high-achieving students from across Georgia, with 2.3 million GEL invested since 2023 supporting 26 scholarship students. The school maintains direct relationships with approximately 40 global universities and runs bi-annual University Fairs to support graduate placement.

Name

British International School of Tbilisi

Legal name

British International School of Tbilisi

Website

https://bist.ge

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

British International School of Tbilisi (BIST) is a private COBIS-accredited international school in Tbilisi, Georgia, delivering a British curriculum from Early Years through Sixth Form to approximately 520 students from over 50 nationalities, with Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level qualifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tbilisi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: BIST generates revenue primarily through tuition fees for its British curriculum educational programmes spanning Early Years through Sixth Form, with scholarships covering 30-100% of fees for qualifying students.
2. Summer Camp Programmes: Week-long summer camp programmes for children aged 4-14, priced at 750 GEL per week with discounts for siblings and multi-week bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

British International School of Tbilisi (BIST) is a private international school in Tbilisi, Georgia delivering a British curriculum from Early Years through Sixth Form. The school offers Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level qualifications, English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, and a University and Careers Guidance programme, serving roughly 520 students from more than 50 nationalities.

Product overview

British International School of Tbilisi (BIST) is a private international school offering a comprehensive British education from Early Years through Sixth Form. The core product consists of academic programmes aligned with the National Curriculum for England, culminating in Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level qualifications. Supporting modules include language education (Chinese, French, German, Georgian, Spanish), EAL support, and an extensive extra-curricular programme featuring sports, arts, robotics, and performing arts. The school provides supplementary services including university guidance counselling, the TEDx programme, research symposiums, literary magazine, theatrical productions, and a scholarship programme. The portfolio is structured as a unified educational pathway from ages 2-18, with add-on services designed to enhance the core academic curriculum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lions Literary Magazine: Student creativity platform showcasing original poetry, word sketches, photography, and artwork from primary and secondary students

Products and services

• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
• Primary School Programme
• Secondary School (Key Stage 3)
• IGCSE Programme (Key Stage 4)
• Sixth Form A-Level Programme Two-year Cambridge International A-Level programme for post-16 students leading to university entry.
• Summer Camp Multi-week English-language and activity summer programme offered during school holidays, with multi-week discounts available.
• Scholarship Programme Merit-based scholarship awards covering 30% to 100% of tuition fees for high-achieving students.
• School Bus Service Door-to-door school transport service for BIST students with GPS-tracked routes for safety.
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) Support Dedicated English-language support for non-native English speakers integrated into the British curriculum at BIST.
• University and Careers Guidance Programme Counselling service guiding BIST students through university applications and career planning, led by a dedicated University and Careers Guidance Counsellor.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.3 Million GEL invested in scholarships since 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• British-Georgian Academy (BGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2025BIST partners with British-Georgian Academy for joint programmes including the joint Summer Camp 2025 and joint theatre productions. The BIST & BGA Joint theatre troupe performed Matilda Jr. at the Junior Theatre Festival 2025 in Birmingham.
• Cambridge InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationBIST delivers Cambridge AS and A-Level programmes, the globally recognized pre-university qualifications. Students prepare for Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level examinations, which are recognised by universities worldwide including US universities offering credit for successful passes.
• Council for British International Schools (COBIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIST is fully accredited by COBIS, representing British international schools across more than 80 countries. COBIS membership provides recognition, student achievement awards, and association with quality-assured British international education standards.
• National Centre for Educational Quality EnhancementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIST is recognised by Georgia's National Centre for Educational Quality Enhancement, providing domestic accreditation alongside international COBIS accreditation.
• University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIST maintains relationships with approximately 40 university institutions including Russell Group universities, leading US and European schools. The school hosts bi-annual University Fairs with admissions officers. Partner universities include UCL, King's College London, LSE, Imperial College London, Stanford, Columbia, UC Berkeley, Bocconi, Delft University of Technology.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Cognita Schools: International group operating a portfolio of premium K-12 schools globally. Comparable to BIST in business model (British/international curriculum, premium positioning) and represents both a potential acquirer and a competitive benchmark for governance and scale.
• Dulwich College International: Network of premium British international schools across Asia and Europe. Comparable in curriculum (British), premium positioning, and international family focus, though at materially larger scale than BIST.
• Nord Anglia Education: Global operator of premium international schools with multiple campuses. While not in direct competition with BIST in Tbilisi, Nord Anglia represents the type of well-capitalised multi-school operator that could enter the Georgian market or absorb independent schools like BIST.
• Dwight School: Global network of IB and international schools with strong university placement focus. Comparable in target demographic and emphasis on global university outcomes, though it operates primarily under IB rather than British curriculum.

Direct peers

• British-Georgian Academy (BGA): Co-located partner school at the Lisi Lake campus in Tbilisi that BIST operates joint summer camps and joint theatre programs with. BGA shares the same British-orientation and target demographic, making it the closest operational peer and effectively a sister institution.
• QSI International School of Tbilisi: Part of the global Quality Schools International network, this is a K-12 international school in Tbilisi serving a similar international and affluent local family base. Competes directly with BIST for premium international enrolment in the same city.
• Tbilisi International School: Another K-12 international school in Tbilisi serving expatriate and affluent Georgian families. Directly competes with BIST for the same international family segment in the same city, with overlapping curriculum and university placement focus.

Regional players

• British International School of Istanbul: Comparable British international school operating in a nearby regional market (Turkey) with similar curriculum, COBIS-style accreditation, and international family focus. Provides a regional benchmark for BIST's positioning and operating model.
• British International School of Kyiv: British international school in another CIS country with comparable curriculum, accreditation profile, and target demographic. Useful regional peer for understanding how British international schools operate in Eastern European/frontier markets.
• The British School of Baku: British-oriented international school in Azerbaijan serving similar expatriate and elite local families. Directly comparable in scale, business model, and regional positioning to BIST in the CIS market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1402636501869019
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/bist

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 British International School of Tbilisi