International School of Myanmar

What International School of Myanmar does

International School of Myanmar (ISM) is a private, day-school institution founded in 1998 in Yangon, Myanmar, originally as International Child Zone (ICZ). It is the largest international school in Myanmar, enrolling approximately 925 students across three campuses in Hlaing Township — Elementary, Middle School, and High School — serving Pre-K through Grade 12. The school is fully accredited by ACS WASC (over 16 years) and is the first and only school in Myanmar authorized by College Board to offer the AP Capstone Diploma Program, with 17 AP courses available.

ISM's academic stack is built on an American curriculum anchored to Common Core (ELA/Math), Next Generation Science Standards, and National Core Arts Standards. Specialized programs include an ESOL department using the WIDA assessment system for English language learners (grades 1-9), a College Counseling program running on the Maia Learning platform with four-year academic and career planning, and a Student Support layer covering health, counseling, and child protection. The school reports 83% of teachers holding advanced degrees, 94% with 10+ years of experience, faculty drawn 48% from North America and 52% from 18 other countries, and a 1:7 teacher-student ratio. Co-curricular offerings exceed 38 activities spanning arts, athletics (YAC and MISAC conferences), community service, leadership (Student Council), and the Week Without Walls experiential travel program.

The school is a tuition-driven, subscription/recurring-revenue model with annual billing; specific fees are not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through an Office of Admissions running rolling enrollment with MAP testing (grades 2-11) and "get to know you" sessions (Preschool-Grade 1). Customer segments are two parallel primary personas: expatriate families in Myanmar and wealthy local Myanmar families, both seeking American curriculum and global university pathways. The institution is privately held under a Board of Directors, led by Director Lyle Moltzan, with no disclosed parent company, funding rounds, or PE/strategic investor.

Name

International School of Myanmar

Legal name

International School of Myanmar

Website

https://ismyanmar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International School of Myanmar is the largest WASC-accredited international school in Yangon, Myanmar, delivering an American Pre-K through Grade 12 curriculum to approximately 925 expatriate and wealthy local families, with 17 AP courses and the country's only AP Capstone Diploma authorization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 International Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL)

Keywords

• K-12 international education
• American curriculum school
• College preparatory education
• AP Capstone program
• ESOL language support

Headquarters

HQ city

Yangon

HQ country

Myanmar (Burma)

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: ISM generates revenue primarily through student tuition and enrollment fees. The school charges application fees and offers education services from Pre-K through Grade 12. Families pay for tuition which includes access to academic programs, facilities, and extracurricular activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International School of Myanmar is a private Pre-K through Grade 12 day school delivering a WASC-accredited American curriculum (Common Core, NGSS, National Core Arts Standards) to approximately 925 students across three Yangon campuses. The school offers 17 Advanced Placement courses including Myanmar's only AP Capstone Diploma Program, ESOL language support via WIDA assessment, and college counseling powered by the Maia Learning platform, with tuition and enrollment fees as its primary revenue stream.

Product overview

International School of Myanmar is a comprehensive Pre-K through Grade 12 educational institution offering an American curriculum with WASC accreditation. The school provides a unified educational program consisting of core academic curriculum, the AP Capstone Diploma Program (offering 17 AP courses), ESOL language support, college counseling via Maia Learning, athletics (competing in YAC/MISAC), arts programs (music, theater, visual/digital arts), after school activities, community service, Week Without Walls experiential travel, student leadership (Student Council), and comprehensive health/counseling services. The school operates across three campuses (Elementary, Middle, High School) in Hlaing Township, Yangon, serving approximately 925 students with a focus on preparing them for global university admission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• American Curriculum Program (Pre-K through Grade 12) Comprehensive Pre-K through Grade 12 day-school program following American educational standards (Common Core for ELA and Math, Next Generation Science Standards, National Core Arts Standards), serving approximately 925 students across three campuses in Yangon and leading to a WASC-accredited high school diploma.
• AP Capstone Diploma Program Two-year program comprising AP Seminar and AP Research courses that develop critical thinking, research, and presentation skills; eligible students earn the AP Capstone Diploma or Certificate. ISM is the first and only school in Myanmar authorized by Advanced Placement to offer this program.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses 17 AP courses available including AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, AP Computer Science A, AP Chinese Language, AP Art: 3-D Design, AP English Literature, AP World History, AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Microeconomics.
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) English language support program for non-native speakers in grades 1-9, using WIDA assessments at the beginning and end of each year to measure English proficiency and create personalized action plans for transition into mainstream academic programs.
• College Counseling Program Holistic college counseling service using the Maia Learning platform to provide four-year academic planning, career matching, application support, parental involvement, and analysis of historical data on ISM graduates at universities worldwide.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program offering volleyball, basketball, soccer, swimming, badminton, and cross-country for elementary through high school students; ISM competes in the Yangon Athletic Conference (YAC) and MISAC conferences.
• Arts Program Visual arts, music (including Kuzanga Marimba Ensemble, STUDIO, Band, Choir), theater, and digital arts following US National Core Arts Standards.
• After School Activities (ASA) Quarterly extracurricular offerings including Environmental Group, Board Games, Dance, Music, Cooking, Sports, Meditation, Photography, Crafts, and Art activities.
• Community Service Program Service-learning program structured around five pathways (fundraising, strengthening local connections, education, advocacy, and volunteerism) to develop student empathy and global citizenship.
• Week Without Walls Experiential learning program for middle school students combining travel, cross-curricular research, service learning, and reflection, including international trips to Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.
• Student Council Student leadership organization with separate Elementary (ES STUCO), Middle School (MS STUCO), and High School (HS STUCO) divisions for students in grades 2-12.
• Health Services Full-time nurses and medical doctors available on all three campuses, with health offices in each building serving students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
• Library Services Library services managed through Follett Destiny, providing catalog access and educational resources across all three campuses (ismyanmar.follettdestiny.com).

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ graduates have attended colleges and universities around the world
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Search AssociatessupportingOthersTeacher recruitment partner used by ISM for recruiting highly qualified licensed teachers internationally to support the school's mission of providing quality American education.
• UNI (University of Northern Iowa)supportingOthersTeacher recruitment partner used by ISM for recruiting qualified international teaching staff.
• GRC (Global Recruitment Consortium)supportingOthersTeacher recruitment partner used by ISM for recruiting qualified international teaching staff.
• Teacher HorizonssupportingOthersTeacher recruitment partner used by ISM for recruiting highly qualified international teaching staff.
• Yangon Athletic Conference (YAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration of four international schools in Yangon competing in sports and activities including Model United Nations and Global International Network. ISM competes with MISAC conference schools in volleyball, soccer, and basketball tournaments.
• MISAC Conference SchoolssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational schools in Yangon that compete against ISM in various sports and athletic activities throughout the season.
• WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment)coreTechnology or IntegrationESOL department uses WIDA assessment system to measure English Language Learner proficiency. All ESOL students undergo WIDA assessment at beginning and end of each year to create personalized action plans for language development.
• Maia LearningcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline guidance management system used by ISM for college counseling. Collects, organizes, and analyzes student post-secondary plans with four-year academic planning, career matching, and historical data on ISM graduates at universities worldwide.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yangon International School: Direct competitor offering international K-12 education in Yangon, Myanmar. Competes with ISM for the same expat and affluent local families, and is a member of the same Yangon Athletic Conference.
• British School Yangon: International K-12 school in Yangon offering British curriculum. Directly competes with ISM for premium expatriate and local family enrollment in the same city.
• Yangon Academy International School: International school in Yangon offering K-12 programs. Competes with ISM for the same local and expat family segments in the same metropolitan area.
• International School Yangon: One of the established international schools in Yangon serving K-12 students. Directly competes with ISM for the same expat and wealthy Myanmar family segments within the same city.
• Myanmar International School (MIS): International K-12 school based in Yangon serving the same expat and affluent local population. Comparable scale and curriculum offering to ISM, making it a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• International School Bangkok: Large, well-established international school in Thailand offering American curriculum with full AP and AP Capstone programs. A benchmark for scale and premium positioning in Southeast Asian international K-12.
• Singapore American School: Premier American international school in Singapore, among the largest globally. Comparable American curriculum and AP Capstone offering, and serves as a comparable for premium international school scale and operations.

Regional players

• International School of Phnom Penh: American international school in neighboring Cambodia with similar WASC-equivalent accreditation and AP offerings. Useful regional comparable for premium international K-12 schools in Southeast Asia.
• Concordia International School Shanghai: American international school in China offering AP and AP Capstone programs. Comparable academic structure and US-curriculum approach in a similar emerging-market context.
• International School of Kuala Lumpur: Established American-international school in Malaysia with WASC accreditation and AP programs. Comparable international K-12 model in the Southeast Asian region for premium-paying families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-school-of-myanmar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Myanmar