International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU)

What International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU) does

The International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU) is a private, non-profit, secular, co-educational day school founded in September 1992 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, following permission granted by the Mongolian Ministry of Education. It is the first international school in Mongolia and operates the full International Baccalaureate Continuum — Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Pre-School through Grade 5, Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6-10, and Diploma Programme (DP) for Grades 11-12 — alongside an extensive set of add-on programmes including Co-Curricular Activities, Experiential Learning, Creative & Performing Arts, Learning Support (EAL, special education, counseling), University & College Counselling, Library Services, Action & Community Outreach, and Athletics & Aquatics. ISU holds dual accreditation from the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), most recently re-accredited in August 2023, and is fully authorized as an IB World School. It is a founding member of ACAMIS (Association of China and Mongolia International Schools) and an active member of EARCOS and AAIE, serving a community representing approximately 25 nationalities on a purpose-built campus in the Khan-Uul District.

ISU's technology footprint is built on third-party education platforms rather than proprietary systems: CIALFO for university counseling, Sora for digital reading, Softlink Oliver for library cataloging, LibGuides for research guidance, College Board Bluebook for SAT delivery, and Google-based authentication for its staff portal. Its library collection exceeds 35,000 fiction and non-fiction resources in multiple languages. The school's underlying "technology" is fundamentally the IB curriculum framework and the institutional accreditations that grant credential portability to global universities.

The business model relies almost entirely on tuition fee income. Annual tuition for the 2025-2026 school year ranges from $21,080 (Pre-K discounted) to $45,170 (DP standard rate), with a one-time Capital Building Fund fee of $4,500 and a $150 registration fee billed at enrollment. Optional services include bus transportation ($1,250/year) and piano lessons ($600 for 30 lessons). The school offers tiered (standard and discounted) pricing across all grade levels. ISU is governed by an Association of enrolled parents who elect a Board of Trustees, with no shareholders; all surplus is reinvested into teachers, facilities, and professional development. The school employs 98 staff and serves as the only full IB Continuum provider in Mongolia, targeting both expatriate/international families and affluent Mongolian families seeking globally-portable credentials.

Name

International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU)

Legal name

International School of Ulaanbaatar

Website

https://isumongolia.edu.mn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International School of Ulaanbaatar is a non-profit, independent international school in Mongolia offering the full IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) from Pre-K through Grade 12, serving expatriate and wealthy Mongolian families seeking globally-recognized education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 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)

Keywords

• International baccalaureate education
• K-12 private schooling
• IB diploma programme
• International school education
• University preparation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ulaanbaatar

HQ country

Mongolia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from annual tuition fees charged at standard and discounted rates for Pre-K through Grade 12 IB education. Fees range from $21,080-$45,170 annually depending on programme level and rate category. Registration fee of $150 and Capital Building Fund fee of $4,500 charged at enrollment.
2. Optional Services: Bus transportation service for K-12 students at $1,250 annually, piano lessons at $600 for 30 lessons, and textbook/library deposits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ISU delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum (Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme) from Pre-School through Grade 12, supplemented by co-curricular activities, university and college counseling, learning support services, and library services on its purpose-built Ulaanbaatar campus. As Mongolia's first and only IB continuum school, it serves a community representing approximately 25 nationalities with an enrollment process that runs year-round.

Product overview

International School of Ulaanbaatar is a non-profit IB World School offering the complete International Baccalaureate continuum from Pre-School to Grade 12. The core educational programs are the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Pre-School to Grade 5, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6-10, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for Grades 11-12. These are complemented by an extensive Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) Programme offering sports, arts, and academic activities; Experiential Learning including camps and field trips; Creative & Performing Arts; Learning Support Services (EAL, special education, counseling); University & College Counselling; Library Services with digital access; and Action & Community Outreach. The school also provides Athletics & Aquatics programs. All programs are delivered on a purpose-built campus featuring specialized facilities including science labs, theatres, swimming pool, gymnasiums, and design labs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Years Programme (PYP) Inquiry-based IB curriculum for students from Pre-School to Grade 5 (ages 3 to 12), focusing on whole-child development through transdisciplinary themes and student-led inquiry.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP) IB programme for students in Grades 6-10 providing knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills needed for success, with emphasis on independent learning and preparation for the Diploma Programme.
• Diploma Programme (DP/IBDP) Academically challenging two-year IB curriculum for Grades 11-12 (ages 16 to 19), culminating in externally-assessed exams recognized worldwide for university admission.
• University & College Counselling

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates accepted to universities worldwide including NYU Stern, Indiana University, UBC Sauder School of Business, Les Roches Switzerland, and Fudan University
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003ISU is a proud founding member of ACAMIS, now in its 25th year. ACAMIS is an association of 77 schools representing about 64,000 students and 8,000 teachers. Its purpose is to broaden learning opportunities, advance professional development, facilitate communication, promote international friendship, and cooperate with similar organizations. Through ACAMIS, ISU participates in multi-school athletic events, arts and culture activities, and professional development for faculty.
• East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999ISU is an active member of EARCOS, an organization of more than 190 schools representing some 115,000 students, now more than 50 years old. EARCOS develops collaborative educational partnerships worldwide, provides targeted professional development opportunities, connects schools through technology, engages adults and students in learning activities across the region, and conducts research to enhance educational practices.
• International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISU holds full authorization as an IB World School offering the IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP). The school is cyclically re-evaluated on a five-year basis to maintain authorization. ISU was last re-accredited in 2016 with the next cycle due late 2021.
• Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAIE is a non-profit, membership-based international organization that partners with educational institutions and associations worldwide to exchange international ideas, resources and research that help develop and improve international education and diversify and expand school leadership capacity.
• ACAMIS Athletic ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISU participates in ACAMIS athletic competitions. In recent years, ISU reached a milestone with its admittance into the Orange Division in ACAMIS, expanding competitive opportunities for student athletes.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ulaanbaatar International School (UIS): Ulaanbaatar International School is a direct competitor in Mongolia's capital, also serving expatriate and internationally-minded families with English-medium instruction. It competes directly with ISU for the same pool of diplomatic and business-family students.
• British School of Ulaanbaatar: The British School of Ulaanbaatar offers an alternative international curriculum track in Ulaanbaatar, drawing from the same expatriate and affluent Mongolian family demographic that ISU serves. It is a primary head-to-head competitor for K-12 international education in Mongolia.

Broad incumbents

• Cognita Schools: Cognita operates a portfolio of 90+ premium private and international schools across multiple continents. Comparable as a multi-school operator of premium international education offering IB and other international curricula.
• GEMS Education: GEMS Education is a global K-12 operator with a particularly strong footprint across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. It competes for premium international school families in emerging market capitals and offers both IB and other curricula.
• Dulwich College International: Dulwich College International operates premium international schools in Asia (including China, Singapore, Korea, and Myanmar) delivering IB programmes. Comparable as an operator of premium-tier IB schools in Asian emerging-market hubs.
• Inspired Education Group: Inspired is a global premium schools group with 80+ campuses spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Comparable as a multi-jurisdiction operator of IB and international curricula targeting premium family segments.
• Nord Anglia Education: Nord Anglia is one of the world's largest premium international school operators with 80+ schools across Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and Europe. Comparable as a premium-tier, IB-delivering operator pursuing similar family segments in emerging market hubs.
• Singapore American School: Singapore American School is a large non-profit international school serving expatriate families in Asia with a comprehensive K-12 programme. Comparable as a similarly-structured non-profit international school delivering American-style and IB curricula in Asia.

Others

• United World Colleges (UWC): United World Colleges operates a global network of 18 schools and short programmes delivering IB, including movement-building and leadership programming. Comparable as a non-profit IB-focused educational network with shared mission emphasis on international-mindedness and the IB Learner Profile that ISU explicitly promotes.

Regional players

• International School of Beijing (ISB): International School of Beijing is a non-profit international school serving a large expatriate and internationally-minded Chinese family community in China. Comparable as a peer IB-delivering school in a regional Asian capital under the same EARCOS/ACAMIS network umbrella.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/isu
• Facebookfacebook.com/145339902314909
• Instagraminstagram.com/isu_mongolia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-school-of-ulaanbaatar-isu

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Ulaanbaatar (ISU)