Korean International School HCMC

What Korean International School HCMC does

Korean International School HCMC (호치민시한국국제학교, KIS HCMC) is a private, nonprofit Korean international school operating in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, founded approximately in 1998. It delivers a comprehensive K-12 program (kindergarten through high school) following the official Korean national curriculum under the oversight of the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Education and the Overseas Korean Education Center (재외교육원). The school is described as the largest Korean international school overseas by student population, with 542 students enrolled in the 2026 academic year. Its primary customers are Korean expatriate families in Vietnam and Vietnamese families seeking Korean-language international education, with explicit value delivery around Korean university preparation and Korean cultural identity preservation.

The school's technology footprint centers on the KIS Online School (launched March 2020 for remote learning), a VR Sports Room and AI/SW Experience Center (opened November 2022), and integration of third-party AI/edtech platforms (Classting AI, myON) for foundational academic support. It has been designated as a Digital Utilization Leading School by the Korean Ministry of Education (2023) and received consecutive STEAM R&E awards (2022). The school's proprietary technology is limited; most digital capabilities are platform integrations rather than in-house products.

KIS HCMC is funded through a combination of tuition fees, a school development fund (학교발전기금), a building fund (학교건축기금), and donations from Korean community organizations and corporate sponsors including Shinhan Vietnam Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Shinpung Pharmaceutical, and various Korean associations in HCMC. Specific tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed on the school website. Revenue is not reported publicly. The school is governed by a Board of Directors (with PTV Group Chairman Han Sang (한상) appointed as board chairman in 2020) and operates as a single-campus institution under the Korean regulatory framework for overseas Korean schools. It is not publicly traded and has no parent company or private equity backing.

Name

Korean International School HCMC

Legal name

호치민시한국국제학교

Website

https://kshcm.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Korean International School HCMC is a nonprofit K-12 school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, delivering the official Korean national curriculum to 542 students (2026), primarily Korean expatriate families and Vietnamese families seeking Korean education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 International Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)

Keywords

• K-12 Korean education
• Overseas Korean schools
• Korean curriculum education
• STEAM education programs
• International student enrollment

Headquarters

HQ city

Ho Chi Minh City

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Korean International School HCMC delivers a comprehensive K-12 educational program following the official Korean curriculum under the Republic of Korea Ministry of Education's oversight, serving students from kindergarten through high school. The school also operates KIS Online School for remote learning, STEAM-focused programs, and university preparation counseling targeting Korean universities.

Product overview

Korean International School HCMC operates as an educational institution providing Korean-language based education from kindergarten through high school. The school's offerings include standard academic programs, after-school activities, specialized STEM/AI education, language programs (English, Vietnamese, Japanese), cultural activities, and the KIS Online School for remote/distance learning. The institution serves Korean expatriate families in Vietnam and operates various student clubs, academic competitions, and international exchange programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KIS 온라인 스쿨: Online school program launched during COVID-19 pandemic for remote learning.
• KISMUN
• SAY KIS
• STEAM FESTIVAL
• 라온제나

Products and services

• K-12 Korean Curriculum Education Comprehensive K-12 educational program from kindergarten (유치원) through elementary (초등), middle (중등), and high school (고등), following the official Korean Ministry of Education-approved curriculum for Korean expatriate families and Vietnamese families in Vietnam.
• KIS Online School (KIS 온라인 스쿨) Online learning platform launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide remote education for KIS HCMC students, continuing to serve students for summer breaks and distance learning needs.
• STEAM Education Program STEAM-based research and education program recognized by the Korea Ministry of Education for two consecutive years, including the annual STEAM Festival and AI/SW Experience Center-based learning activities.
• University Admission Counseling and Preparation University preparation program supporting successful admissions to Korean universities, including Seoul National University, Yonsei, and others, through partnerships such as the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies high school credit system (고교학점제) MOU.
• After-School Programs (방과후학교) After-school programs offering enrichment activities including English, Vietnamese, Japanese language courses, AI convergence education camp, sports activities, Model UN preparation, and academic competitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 542 students enrolled in 2026 academic year
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Shinpung Pharmaceutical (신풍제약)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 October 2023Donated deworming medication for student health and safety. Also donated in 2026 for student health safety network.
• Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (한국외국어대학교)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2023KIS signed MOU with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies for cooperation in high school credit system (고교학점제) framework. This partnership helps prepare students for university admission and academic transition.
• Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education East Asia International Education Center (인천시교육청동아시아국제교육원)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2022MOU for international education cooperation
• Ho Chi Minh City University of Humanities and Social Sciences (호치민시인문사회과학대학교)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2020MOU signed for academic exchange and cooperation between the institutions
• Jeju Air (제주항공)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 December 2019Business partnership agreement for travel and transportation services
• KB Kookmin Bank (KB국민은행)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 November 2019Donated USD 60,000 for computer room (KB information center) installation
• Shinhan Vietnam Bank (신한베트남은행)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2019MOU for financial education cooperation and USD 120,000 donation for electronic library installation

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Australian International School Vietnam (AIS Vietnam): Premium K–12 international school with multiple Vietnam campuses, offering Australian curriculum. Comparable in scale, target premium families, and full K–12 offering.
• Saigon South International School (SSIS): Premium K–12 international school in District 7, HCMC, sharing the same geographic catchment and competing for premium expat and Vietnamese families. Comparable in fee tier and full K–12 offering, though it follows an American curriculum rather than Korean.
• United Nations International School of Hanoi (UNIS Hanoi): Premium IB K–12 international school in Hanoi, Vietnam. Comparable as a high-fee international school serving expatriate and affluent Vietnamese families in the same country, sharing regulatory and cost dynamics.
• European International School HCMC (EIS HCMC): International K–12 school in HCMC offering IB curriculum. Comparable in fee tier, premium positioning, and target expat families in the same metro area.
• British International School Ho Chi Minh City (BIS HCMC): Premium K–12 international school in HCMC following the British curriculum. Comparable in fee tier, scale, and target premium expat segment in the same metropolitan market.
• International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC): One of the oldest and largest international schools in HCMC, offering full K–12 programs with IB curriculum. Directly comparable in size, premium positioning, and target market (multinational and affluent Vietnamese families in the same city).
• Concordia International School Hanoi: Premium K–12 international school in Hanoi offering American curriculum with AP and IB. Comparable as a premium-fee international school in Vietnam competing for the same expatriate customer segment across the country.
• Korean International School Hong Kong: Korean-curriculum K–12 international school serving the Korean expat community in Hong Kong. Highly comparable as another overseas Korean international school with similar mission, regulatory affiliation with Korean education authorities, and target customer segment.

Broad incumbents

• Dwight School Seoul: IB K–12 international school in Seoul within the global Dwight network. Comparable as a premium international school with Korean and multinational students and university placement focus, though located in Korea rather than serving the overseas Korean expat niche.
• Seoul International School: Established K–12 international school in Seoul serving multinational and Korean families. Comparable as a Korean-context international school with similar student outcomes (top university placements), though it operates in Korea rather than abroad.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kishcm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCExample
• Facebookfacebook.com/kishcmc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kshcm
• Instagraminstagram.com/kis_hcmc

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 Korean International School HCMC