International Community School of Addis Ababa

"The International Community School of Addis Ababa (ICS) is a private international school located in the Berberee Berenda area of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, serving the diverse community of families who call this dynamic East African capital home."

Founded in 1982, ICS has built a longstanding reputation as one of the city's premier international educational institutions, offering a rigorous, globally recognized academic experience to the children of expatriate families, diplomats, international professionals, and local families seeking a world-class education. At the heart of ICS is a commitment to the International Baccalaureate philosophy, and the school offers the full continuum of IB programmes — a distinction that sets it apart and provides students with a seamless, coherent educational journey from their earliest years through to university preparation. Younger students are enrolled in the Primary Years Programme (PYP), which emphasizes inquiry-based learning and the development of internationally minded, curious young thinkers. As students progress, they move into the Middle Years Programme (MYP), which bridges childhood learning with the more rigorous demands of secondary education through an interdisciplinary, concept-driven curriculum. At the senior secondary level, students may pursue either the Diploma Programme (DP), the gold standard of international pre-university qualifications recognized by universities worldwide, or the Career-related Programme (CP), which combines academic study with career-focused learning and practical skill development. This full IB continuum means that families relocating to Addis Ababa can enroll their children at ICS with confidence that the school's framework will both connect meaningfully with prior IB learning and provide a strong foundation for wherever the family's journey takes them next. Instruction at ICS is delivered in both English and French, reflecting the international character of its student body and the multilingual realities of many of the families it serves. This bilingual approach supports language development while also affirming the diverse linguistic backgrounds that students bring to the community. The school's campus is situated in Berberee Berenda, a neighborhood within Addis Ababa, placing it within reach of the many international organizations, embassies, and multinational businesses that make the Ethiopian capital a hub of continental and global activity. Families new to Addis Ababa will find that ICS occupies a meaningful place in the broader expatriate and international community of the city. What makes ICS particularly compelling for relocating families is the combination of its four-decade history, its full IB continuum, and its bilingual English-French learning environment — all within a school community shaped by the rich cultural context of Ethiopia and East Africa. For parents evaluating schools from afar, the school's established track record since 1982 offers reassurance, while the breadth of its IB offerings ensures that students at every stage of their education are well supported. Families interested in learning more are encouraged to visit the school's website at www. icsaddis. org or reach out directly by phone to begin the admissions conversation.