International school search
Expat workers moving abroad are generally hesitant to pull their kids out of an educational system they know and understand. This is perfectly natural, and the reason for the international schools which have popped up around the world over the last few decades. If you live in a major international city the chances are that you have several international schools within travelling distance to your house. If you didn’t know this, look into it and you may be surprised by what you find. International schools like these are ubiquitous across all the major cities on Earth, and schooling in Hanoi for expats is no different.
There are several international schools in Hanoi and the best one for you children will vary based on a couple of different things. These schools, by and large, cater to everyone from Pre-K (where K stands for Kindergarten) through to Grade 12 for the sake of convenience. They also operate in several different languages, running different curricula from school to school to best accommodate the needs of their students.
The Vietnamese school year, like the British and American systems, starts in August. Most international schools in the area follow this same system, making life remakably conveinent for expat children moving to the area – particularly if they intend to for your kids ever move into the Vietnamese mainstream system. If you’re from a country like Japan where the school year starts at a different time, there are country-specific international schools which offer their national curriculum running to the same time frame you would have back home. For example, the the Japanese School of Hanoi teaches Japanese students in Japanese from April to March, just as they would if they were still in Japan. The best school for your children will depend on which languages they speak and the style of school they’re used to – if you want to keep your children in your native schooling system, there is more than likey an international school offering just that in Hanoi.
For those of you looking for a multicultural international school, however, there are several options open to you, spread out across the city. These include the United Nations International School of Hanoi and the Hanoi International school, both of which are private, coeducational schools for students from Kindergaren through to Grade 12. Both schools offer a full English-taught education to students from seveal countries. While the Hanoi International School enrols mostly Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean students, the United Nations International School of Hanoi consits of students from more than 60 countries, with a 20 per cent cap on any given nationality. As one of only two UN schools in the world, the acceptance criteria is slightly more selective, offering a truly multicultral experience for their students. However, both of these schools are members of the Council of International Schools and offer International Baccalaureate for their oldest students.
There are many international schools in Hanoi which could quite easily suit your children, whether you’re looking to enrol your children in a country specific international school or one which is strictly multicultural. If you need any help in working out the options available to you and your children when relocating to Hanoi, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Santa Fe. A member of our team will be more than happy to help you hammer out the details today.
