The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA)

What The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA) does

The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA) is a private, English-language international school located in the Yeni Yasamal district of Baku, Azerbaijan, operating across four campus buildings (TISA 1 through TISA 4) that collectively serve students from Early Learning Centre through Grade 12. TISA delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum — Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) — alongside its own TISA High School Diploma, and holds both IB World School authorization and NEASC accreditation. The school supports diverse learners through English as an Additional Language (EAL) services, Learning Support for mild-to-moderate learning differences, TAO (Teacher Advisor Organization) pastoral care groups, and a full athletics and activities programme that participates in the CEESA regional competition network.

TISA's business model is tuition-driven, with a two-tier pricing structure that gives priority admissions and dedicated billing procedures to children of BP and AIOC shareholder company employees and other oil/gas industry families (Tier 1), while serving broader expatriate, diplomatic, and local Azerbaijani families under Tier 2 pricing. Ancillary revenues come from bus service, cafeteria/lunch accounts, after-school activities, CEESA trips, uniforms, yearbooks, and lost-item fees. Admissions are processed through the OpenApply platform, with decisions grounded in school records, recommendations, assessments, and interviews. Day-to-day academic delivery is supported by third-party EdTech platforms: Toddle and ManageBac for curriculum and LMS, Schoolcloud for athletics sign-ups and parent-teacher conferences, and ABBLNK for invoicing and payments. The school is governed by a Board of Governors (with parent representation through the PTA Chair) and is led by Director Angela Romney (Ed.D.), supported by separate Primary and Secondary Principals and a deep coordinator bench covering each IB programme, counselling, finance, technology, security, and operations.

Name

The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA)

Legal name

The International School of Azerbaijan

Website

https://tisa.az

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA) is a private IB World School in Baku delivering the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) plus a High School Diploma to ELC-Grade 12 students, primarily serving children of BP/AIOC, oil and gas, diplomatic, and local Azerbaijani families through a tuition-based, priority-admissions model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

World Languages Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAJ), Special Education Evaluation & Assessment (Psychoeducational, Speech/Language, OT/PT) (EDAJAKAA), Literacy & ELA Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAF)

Keywords

• International education
• Primary school
• Secondary school
• Early learning
• IB diploma programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Baku

HQ country

Azerbaijan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees for students across Early Learning Centre, Primary, Middle School, and High School programs. Fee structures include Tier 1 (oil-related companies like BP/AIOC) and Tier 2 (non oil-related) categories.
2. Application Fees: Fees associated with the admissions application process.
3. Ancillary Services: Revenue from bus service, cafeteria/lunch services, after school activities, CEESA trips, yearbooks, lost uniforms, and badges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TISA delivers international K-12 education in Baku, Azerbaijan through the full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum: Primary Years Programme (Early Learning Centre through Grade 5), Middle Years Programme (Grades 6-10), and Diploma Programme (Grades 11-12), plus a TISA High School Diploma option. Instruction is delivered on a multi-building campus with supporting student services such as English as an Additional Language (EAL), Learning Support, athletics and activities, cafeteria, and bus transport.

Product overview

The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA) is an educational institution offering a unified educational platform structured around the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework. The core offering consists of three IB programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP for ELC-Grade 5), Middle Years Programme (MYP for Grades 6-10), and Diploma Programme (DP for Grades 11-12), supplemented by the TISA High School Diploma. These are supported by auxiliary services including EAL support, Learning Support, Athletics & Activities, counseling (TAO groups), bus service, and cafeteria. The school utilizes learning management platforms including Toddle and ManageBac for academic delivery, OpenApply for admissions, and Schoolcloud for parent-teacher communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) IB inquiry-based programme for Early Learning Centre through Grade 5, grounded in IB philosophy and designed to develop young learners holistically.
• IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) IB programme for Grade 6 through Grade 10 providing academic rigor and preparing students for the IB Diploma Programme.
• IB Diploma Programme (DP) IB programme for Grades 11-12 preparing students for university success and global citizenship.
• TISA High School Diploma Alternative high school diploma pathway offered alongside the IB Diploma Programme, preparing students for higher education.
• Early Learning Centre Early childhood education programme introducing foundational skills within the IB framework for young learners.
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) Support Language support programme for students with limited English proficiency to help them cope with academic English demands.
• Learning Support Services Specialized support for students with mild to moderate learning differences, including differentiated instruction, in-class and pull-out support, and Individual Learning Plans.
• Athletics and Activities Programme After school activities, athletics seasons and tournaments, including participation in CEESA team sports and trips abroad.
• Bus Service Student transportation service coordinated by the school for daily commuting.
• Cafeteria / Lunch Service School lunch service with menu options and an integrated student payment account system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Class of 2026 achieved outstanding IB results
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Baccalaureate (IB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTISA is an authorized IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme. The IB framework guides TISA's inquiry-based educational approach and commitment to developing inquiring, knowledgeable, confident, and caring young people.
• NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTISA holds NEASC accreditation, demonstrating compliance with high standards of quality education and continuous improvement.
• BP and AIOC (Azerbaijan International Operating Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBP and AIOC shareholder company employees receive priority admissions for their children at TISA. The school has special billing procedures and tuition fee arrangements for BP/AIOC companies. TISA was established with support from the oil industry.
• Oil and Gas Industry CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren of employees from oil and gas businesses and service companies with strategic interest in TISA's long-term sustainability receive priority admissions.
• OpenApplycoreTechnology or IntegrationOpenApply is TISA's admissions platform, providing online application management, re-enrolment, and alumni engagement capabilities. Trusted by 800+ leading international schools.
• ToddlecoreTechnology or IntegrationToddle is TISA's school-wide Learning Management System used by teachers for planning, attendance, assignments, deadlines, grades, resources, reporting, and parent-teacher communication.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• European School of Baku: Baku-based international school offering a European curriculum track; competes head-to-head with TISA for multinational and diplomatic families and for local Azerbaijani families pursuing foreign-credentialed secondary education.
• International School of Baku (ISB): Another Baku-based English-medium international school; competes with TISA for the same BP/AIOC-aligned and diplomatic expat families, offering a comparable international curriculum pathway.
• American International School of Muscat (TAISM): IB World School serving a corporate-sponsored, oil-and-gas-linked expatriate community in Oman; comparable positioning to TISA in combining IB credentials with anchor demand from multinational energy-sector families.
• American School of Kuwait (ASK): Long-established American/IB curriculum school serving oil-sector expatriate families in Kuwait; comparable to TISA in BP/AIOC-style corporate prioritization and a Tier 1/Tier 2 tuition framework.
• Qafqaz International School: Baku international school associated with Qafqaz University, serving a similar mix of local and expat families; overlaps with TISA on K-12 international education delivery and competes for the same Tier 2 local premium segment.
• British School of Baku: Another English-medium international school in Baku serving expatriate and local families; competes for the same BP/AIOC-aligned corporate-sponsored Tier 1 enrollment and local premium families seeking international credentials.

Regional players

• Baku Modern School: Baku-based private international school competing with TISA for the same local premium and multinational family segment, offering an English-medium curriculum and IB-aligned programs.
• Istanbul International Community School (IICS): IB World School serving an internationally mobile, corporate-sponsored community in Turkey; comparable to TISA in relying on expatriate demand and offering the IB continuum in a regional hub.
• Austrian School Baku (Österreichische Schule Baku): Austrian-government-supported school in Baku providing German-language/international curriculum; competes for a subset of diplomatic and multinational families in Baku, particularly those connected to Austrian/German-speaking corporate sponsors.

Broad incumbents

• American School of Dubai (ASD): Larger, established American/IB international school in a Gulf energy hub; comparable to TISA in serving corporate-sponsored expatriate families and offering a comprehensive K-12 international pathway, but at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tisa_azerbaijan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-international-school-of-azerbaijan

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA)