Tirana International School

What Tirana International School does

Tirana International School (TIS) is a private international school located on a 5.5-hectare purpose-built campus on the outskirts of Tirana, Albania. Founded in 1991 by Quality Schools International (QSI) and operated as the only QSI campus in Albania, TIS delivers an American-style Mastery Learning curriculum from Preschool (age 2) through Secondary 4 (age 17) to a student body of over 500 drawn from more than 40 nationalities. The school's academic stack is built on QSI's proprietary Mastery Learning philosophy, supplemented by the NWEA MAP adaptive assessment platform for placement and progress monitoring, and operationalized through an Open Apply admissions portal and Finalsite web platform. Curriculum offerings include AP Capstone (the only such program in Albania) and the IB Diploma Programme (accredited since 2021), with the standard Academic Diploma and an Academic Diploma with Honors track.

TIS holds dual accreditation from the Middle States Association (since 1999) and the International Baccalaureate Organisation (since 2021), positioning it as a credentialed feeder for universities in North America, the UK, and Europe. The school is staffed by 23 educators and administrators covering certified international and local Albanian faculty across preschool, elementary, middle school, and secondary divisions, plus counseling, athletics coordination, admissions, and operational support. Supplementary services include Intensive English language support, after-school athletics and activities (including CEESA interscholastic competition), Learning Support, transportation with zone-based pricing, and a third-party-operated cafeteria run by Nari Lundra Agro-Tourism.

TIS operates a tuition-driven B2C business model with a one-time non-refundable USD 600 registration fee per student and annual tuition (not publicly disclosed, set upon inquiry). Revenue is supplemented by optional transportation and lunch programs and offset by a merit and need-based scholarship pool capped at 10% of full-fee tuition. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-family: prospective parents engage via the website, social media, Parent Support Group referrals, CEESA network events, and personalized campus tours coordinated by the admissions office. As part of the 37-school QSI network spanning 31 countries on five continents, TIS benefits from shared curriculum frameworks, accreditation support, and professional development resources, while serving as the exclusive QSI entry point for the Albanian market.

Name

Tirana International School

Legal name

Tirana International School

Website

https://tirana.qsi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tirana International School is a private K-12 international school in Tirana, Albania, operated by Quality Schools International. It serves over 500 expatriate and local students from 40+ nationalities through an American Mastery Learning curriculum, AP Capstone, and IB Diploma programmes on a 5.5-hectare purpose-built campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• International school education
• K-12 academic programs
• Mastery learning curriculum
• IB diploma programme
• American accredited schooling

Headquarters

HQ city

Tirana

HQ country

Albania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Registration Fees: Tirana International School operates as a tuition-driven private international school. Revenue is generated from one-time non-refundable registration fees ($600 USD per student) and ongoing tuition payments. The school also offers optional ancillary services including transportation and cafeteria/lunch programs operated by third-party providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tirana International School is a private international school that delivers American-accredited education from Preschool through Secondary School (ages 2-17) using the Mastery Learning model. It offers the IB Diploma Programme and is the only AP Capstone school in Albania, serving over 500 students from 40+ nationalities on a 5.5-hectare campus. Core instructional offerings include Intensive English, after-school activities, and transportation and food services.

Product overview

Tirana International School is a private international school operated by Quality Schools International (QSI), offering a comprehensive educational program from preschool (age 2) through secondary school (age 17). The school uses a Mastery Learning educational model and offers three main academic tracks: the standard Academic Diploma, the AP Capstone Diploma (the only school in Albania offering this), and the IB Diploma Programme. Core programs include Preschool (using Frog Street curriculum), Elementary (Common Core-based with languages), Middle School (block schedule with 8 courses), and Secondary School (college-preparatory with AP/IB options). Supplementary services include Intensive English support, after-school activities (athletics, arts, robotics, Model UN), transportation, and food services. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association and IB, with a focus on Success Orientations character development alongside academics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Program Early-years education for children typically aged 2-5, delivered on the QSI Mastery Learning model within the school's 5.5-hectare campus.
• Elementary Program Primary-level education for elementary-age students using the Mastery Learning model, with American curriculum aligned to Middle States accreditation standards.
• Middle School Program Middle school education bridging elementary and secondary schooling, with continued use of Mastery Learning and NWEA MAP benchmarking.
• Secondary School Program High-school education for students through age 17, delivered under the Mastery Learning model and preparing students for international credentials.
• IB Diploma Programme Two-year IB Diploma Programme for secondary students, authorized in 2021; one of the few IB offerings in Albania.
• AP Capstone Diploma Program College Board AP Capstone Diploma program for secondary students; Tirana International School is the only AP Capstone school in Albania.
• Intensive English Program Intensive English-language instruction to support non-native English speakers integrating into the English-medium curriculum.
• After-School Activities Program Extracurricular and after-school activities offered to enrolled students beyond the standard academic day.
• School Transportation Service Daily transportation service for enrolled students to and from the school campus.
• School Food Service On-campus food service providing meals to enrolled students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 students from over 40 different nationalities enrolled
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Nari Lundra Agro-Tourism / Healthy Food School CateringminorOthers · 1 January 2015Nari Lundra Agro-Tourism operates the school cafeteria through its Healthy Food School Catering division. The company specializes in providing healthy, high-quality food for children in schools, sourcing products from local villages. The cafeteria operates as an optional lunch service for TIS students, providing balanced meals and teaching healthy eating habits.
• Quality Schools International (QSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTirana International School is a wholly-owned and operated school of Quality Schools International (QSI), a global network of 37 international schools across 31 countries on 5 continents. QSI provides the educational philosophy (Mastery Learning), curriculum frameworks, accreditation support, professional development, and operational guidance. TIS was founded by QSI in 1991 and operates under QSI's educational model and standards.
• CEESA (Central and Eastern European School Association)coreOthersTIS is a member of CEESA (Central and Eastern European School Association), a network of international schools in Central and Eastern Europe. CEESA organizes interscholastic competitions, professional development, and educational events. TIS students participate in CEESA athletic and academic competitions, providing enrichment and cultural exchange opportunities across the region.
• TAIS (Tirana Association of International Schools)minorOthersTIS is a member of TAIS (Tirana Association of International Schools), a local network of international schools in Tirana, Albania. The association facilitates joint activities and collaboration among international schools in the Tirana area.
• QSI Balkan Schools (Sarajevo, Podgorica, Skopje)minorOthersTIS participates in joint activities with fellow QSI schools in the Balkans region — Sarajevo (Bosnia), Podgorica (Montenegro), and Skopje (North Macedonia). These include student exchanges, competitions, and collaborative learning experiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• International School of Prague: Long-established international school in Prague serving expatriate families with IB and other globally recognized curricula. Comparable as a Central/Eastern European international school with similar customer profile, though operating in a more mature market.
• American International School of Budapest: Major international school in Budapest offering American-style curriculum with IB Diploma Programme. Comparable as a CEE-region international school targeting expatriate families, though operating at substantially larger scale than TIS.

Direct peers

• QSI Sarajevo: Sister QSI school in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, operating the same Mastery Learning model, MSA accreditation pathway, and QSI network curriculum as TIS. Highly comparable as a regional QSI peer serving internationally mobile families in the Western Balkans.
• QSI Chisinau: Sister QSI school in Chisinau, Moldova, following the same QSI Mastery Learning philosophy and serving internationally mobile families in Eastern Europe. Directly comparable on curriculum and target customer.
• Albanian International School: International school in Tirana serving expatriate and local families with English-language curricula. Directly competes with TIS in the Tirana international school market for tuition-paying families.
• World Academy of Tirana: Private international school in Tirana offering English-language instruction to a multi-national student body. Directly competes with TIS for the same expatriate and internationally-minded families within the Tirana market.
• QSI Skopje: Sister QSI school in Skopje, North Macedonia. Operates under the identical QSI educational model and shares cross-Balkans student activities with TIS, making it a directly comparable peer in the same regional market segment.
• QSI Kosovo: Sister QSI school in Kosovo, geographically close to Albania and serving a similar Western Balkans expatriate community. Comparable as a QSI network peer with overlapping feeder populations.
• QSI Bratislava: Sister QSI school in Bratislava, Slovakia, delivering the same Mastery Learning curriculum to an international student body. Comparable as a European QSI network peer serving expatriate families.
• QSI Montenegro: Sister QSI school in Montenegro, participating in the same QSI Balkan Schools collaborative activities as TIS. Comparable as a regional QSI peer targeting international families in the Adriatic/Balkans region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQTENhD0gFyzch9gIU453Dw
• Facebookfacebook.com/qsi.tirana
• Instagraminstagram.com/tiranainternationalschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qsi-tirana

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Tirana International School