If you’re moving to Bali and have started researching schools, you’ve probably come across the letters IB more than once. Although the IB is widely talked about in the international school world, there are actually only a handful of schools in Bali that offer it. It comes up constantly in expat forums, Facebook groups, and conversations with other parents who’ve already made the move.
But what actually is the IB, and is it the right choice for your family? That depends on a few things, and this guide walks through all of them honestly. We’ll cover what the IB curriculum involves, why some families love it and others find it’s not the right fit, which schools in Bali offer it, and what to look for before you commit.
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What Is the IB Curriculum?
The International Baccalaureate is an educational framework developed by a Swiss non-profit organisation founded in 1968. It was originally designed to provide a consistent, globally portable education for the children of diplomats, international workers, and globally mobile families. That origin story matters, because it still shapes what the IB prioritises today.
The IB is not a single curriculum, but a framework made up of four distinct programmes spanning ages 3 to 19. Each programme has its own structure, philosophy, and assessment approach, but they share a consistent underlying emphasis on inquiry-based learning, international mindedness, and producing students who can think critically and engage with the world around them.
The four programmes are:
- PYP (Primary Years Programme): Ages 3 to 12
- MYP (Middle Years Programme): Ages 11 to 16
- DP (Diploma Programme): Ages 16 to 19
- CP (Career-related Programme): Ages 16 to 19, vocational pathway
It’s worth knowing that most IB schools only offer one or two of these programmes, most commonly the Diploma Programme on its own. Schools that offer all three or four programmes across the full age range are called continuum schools and are less common.
When researching IB schools in Bali, it’s worth checking which specific programmes a school is officially authorised to deliver, so you can choose the option that best aligns with your family’s preferences and educational goals.
The IB Learner Profile
One of the most distinctive things about the IB is the Learner Profile, which is essentially the framework’s north star. Rather than defining students purely by academic outcomes, the IB aims to develop learners who are inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective.
Those aren’t just words on a wall. They’re genuinely embedded into how IB schools approach teaching, assessment, and school culture. If you visit an IB school in Bali and it’s functioning well, you will see these qualities being actively nurtured in the classroom, not just displayed on a poster.
The PYP: Primary Years Programme (Ages 3 to 12)
The PYP is where most families with younger children start their IB journey. It covers the primary years, from early childhood through to the end of what would be Year 6 or Grade 5 in other systems.
The PYP is built around six transdisciplinary themes that children explore each year:
- Who We Are
- Where We Are in Place and Time
- How We Express Ourselves
- How the World Works
- How We Organise Ourselves
- Sharing the Planet
The word transdisciplinary is important here. Rather than learning Maths, Science, and English as completely separate subjects, the PYP weaves them together through a central idea or inquiry. A unit on Sharing the Planet might involve Maths through data on water usage, English through persuasive writing about environmental responsibility, Science through understanding ecosystems, and Art through creative expression about nature.
The PYP culminates in the PYP Exhibition in the final year, a student-led inquiry project where children independently research a real-world issue that matters to them and present their findings to the school community. It’s genuinely impressive to watch, and gives you a clear sense of what the programme is trying to achieve.
The MYP: Middle Years Programme (Ages 11 to 16)
The MYP bridges the inquiry-based learning of the PYP with the more formal academic demands of the IB Diploma. It covers five years of secondary schooling and maintains the same commitment to connecting learning across disciplines while increasing academic rigour.
MYP students work across eight subject groups: Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Physical and Health Education, and Design. They also complete a personal project in the final year, a substantial independent piece of work that demonstrates everything the MYP has been building toward.
Assessment in the MYP is largely internal and ongoing rather than based on final exams, though external MYP eAssessment is available for students who want external validation of their work.
The IB Diploma Programme (Ages 16 to 19)
This is what most people are thinking of when they talk about “doing the IB.” The Diploma Programme is a demanding two-year course widely regarded as one of the most rigorous pre-university qualifications available anywhere in the world.
DP students study six subjects chosen from six groups: Studies in Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts. Three subjects are taken at Higher Level and three at Standard Level.
In addition to the six subjects, all DP students complete three core components that set it apart from other qualifications:
- Theory of Knowledge (TOK): A philosophy-style course that asks students to think critically about how we know what we know. In practice it teaches students to question assumptions and engage with ideas from multiple perspectives.
- Extended Essay (EE): A 4,000-word independent research essay on a topic of the student’s choice, conducted under the guidance of a supervisor. It’s essentially a mini-thesis and serves as excellent preparation for university-level research.
- Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS): A structured commitment to life beyond academics. Students must engage in creative pursuits, physical activity, and community service throughout the two years of the Diploma.
The IB Diploma is graded on a scale of 0 to 45. Students need a minimum of 24 points to be awarded the Diploma, with strong university offers typically requiring 32 points and above. Top universities worldwide recognise and actively seek IB Diploma graduates, and in many cases give preference to IB students because of the demonstrated breadth and rigour of the qualification.
Why International Families in Bali Are Drawn to the IB
The families who tend to choose the IB in Bali are those who are genuinely uncertain about where they’ll end up, or those who have done enough research to realise that the IB Diploma opens more doors globally than almost any other pre-university qualification.
The IB Diploma is accepted by universities in Australia and New Zealand, the UK, the US, Canada, Europe, and across Asia. For a family that might end up in any of these places, the IB provides a qualification that travels. You don’t have to know where you’ll be in five years for the IB to be a sensible choice, which suits the reality of many expat families perfectly.
There’s also the question of what kind of learner your child is. The IB’s inquiry-based approach, its emphasis on thinking over memorising, and its genuine integration of creativity and community into the academic programme tends to resonate strongly with families who value education as something bigger than academic achievement alone. Many international families are drawn to Bali precisely because they want a different pace and approach to life. The IB curriculum, at its best, reflects some of those same values.
Want a full side-by-side comparison of every curriculum available in Bali? Download our Bali School and Education Guide for $29.95 and get the complete picture.
IB Schools in Bali: The Four Schools Worth Knowing About
There are currently four schools in Bali worth highlighting for families interested in the IB. Each takes a different approach in terms of when the IB comes in, what sits alongside it, and who it suits best.
Bali Island School (BIS)
BIS is the standout IB school in Bali for one clear reason: it’s the only school on the island offering all three main IB programmes in a single continuous pathway, from Preschool all the way through to Grade 12. A child can start at age three and sit their IB Diploma a dozen years later without ever leaving the school or switching frameworks. BIS has been operating since 1986, making it one of the most established international schools in Bali, and it’s based in Sanur, one of the most popular and family-friendly areas on the island.
The school’s track record with the Diploma Programme is strong. The Class of 2025 achieved a 100% pass rate and an average score of 33.5 points, well above the global average. BIS runs as a non-profit foundation governed by parents, which gives it a close-knit community feel that many families find genuinely different from larger, corporate-run international schools. For families planning a longer stay in Bali, or who simply don’t know where they’ll be when their children reach university age, BIS and its full IB continuum is the most natural fit.
Australian Independent School Bali (AIS Bali)
AIS Bali follows the Australian National Curriculum from Preschool through to Year 10, then transitions to the IB Diploma Programme in Years 11 and 12.
The Bali campus gained IB Diploma authorisation in 2018 and is fully accredited by both the IB Organisation and the Council of International Schools (CIS). Accreditation through CIS is a meaningful distinction, involving a rigorous external review process that goes well beyond simply holding a membership.
In Year 11 and 12, students can pursue the full IB Diploma, individual IB courses, a school-based senior certificate, or a hybrid model, which gives families meaningful flexibility.
For Australian families specifically, AIS is a particularly compelling option. The Australian Curriculum through primary and middle school keeps children closely aligned with what their peers back home are learning, and the IB Diploma in senior years opens the door to universities in Australia, the UK, the US, and beyond. It’s a genuine best-of-both-worlds pathway, and one of the few schools in Bali that delivers it properly.
Canggu Community School (CCS)
CCS is a non-profit community school in Canggu that has built a strong reputation among expat families in the northwest of Bali. The school follows the British National Curriculum in primary, moves into Cambridge IGCSE in Years 10 and 11, and then offers the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12 and 13. It’s fully accredited by the Council of International Schools and WASC, and is an authorised IB World School. With around 430 students from over 40 nationalities, and an extracurricular programme running to more than 50 options including surfing, Model United Nations, TED Club, music, and drama, CCS has a lot going on beyond the classroom.
For families based in Canggu, Seminyak, Berawa, or anywhere in the northwest, CCS is consistently one of the schools that comes up most in conversations with families who’ve already made the move. The British-Cambridge-IB pathway is a well-regarded international route, and the community culture at CCS is something families tend to either specifically seek out or discover and love once they’re there.
ACS Bali
ACS Bali is the newest school in this group, having opened in July 2025, and it comes with serious credentials behind it. It’s part of the 138-year-old Anglo-Chinese Schools network from Singapore, bringing a well-regarded tradition of academic rigour and values-based education to Bali. The school follows the Cambridge International curriculum from Grades 1 to 10, including Cambridge Checkpoint in Grade 6 and Cambridge IGCSE in Grade 10, before transitioning to the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12.
It’s worth noting that ACS Bali is still growing, adding grade levels each year until Grade 12 is complete. For 2025/26 the school runs Grades 1 to 7, so families with children approaching senior secondary imminently will need to look elsewhere for now. But for families with younger children who will reach Grades 11 and 12 in the coming years, ACS Bali is worth watching closely. The campus is located within the Kura Kura Bali eco-development near Serangan Island, around 20 minutes from the airport, which makes it practical for families in Sanur, Denpasar, Kuta, Jimbaran, and Nusa Dua.
Disclaimer: School information is based on each school’s own website and publicly available sources as of 2026. Always verify current programme availability, fees, and grade levels directly with each school before making any decisions.
Not sure which school or area of Bali suits your family best? Book a School Deep Dive session with Simone and we’ll walk you through it properly.
IB Curriculum vs Other Curriculum in Bali
| Feature | IB | Australian | Cambridge | Montessori |
| Focus | Inquiry, global citizenship | Literacy, numeracy, wellbeing | Academic mastery and exams | Child-led, independence |
| Ages Covered | 3 to 19 | Foundation to Year 12 | 5 to 19 | 2 to 12 (mainly) |
| Key Assessments | PYP Exhibition, MYP Project, IB Diploma | NAPLAN, ATAR | IGCSE, AS, A Levels | Observation-based |
| University Pathways | Global (AU, UK, US, Europe, Asia) | Australia, NZ, UK, and beyond | UK, Asia, Europe | Varies by school |
| Best For | Globally mobile families, inquiry learners | Aussie families returning home | Structured academic learners | Creative, independent kids |
A few things the table doesn’t fully capture. The IB Diploma carries real weight with Australian universities. The Australian Tertiary Admission Centre has a formal conversion process for the IB Diploma into an ATAR equivalent, and strong IB scores often translate into competitive university entry in Australia. So for Australian families who choose the IB, the pathway home for university is not closed at all, it’s just slightly different.
The IB also tends to suit children who enjoy making connections between ideas, who are naturally curious, and who don’t thrive in a heavily exam-focused environment. The Diploma is academically rigorous, but the PYP and MYP are genuinely more about thinking and inquiry than rote learning and test preparation. If that sounds like your child, the IB is worth taking seriously.
Is the IB Right for Your Family?
It’s a strong fit if:
- You don’t know exactly where you’ll be when your children reach university age, and you want a qualification that’s recognised everywhere
- Your child is curious, enjoys exploring ideas across subjects, and learns well through projects and inquiry rather than drilling for exams
- You value an education that actively builds character, community engagement, and global awareness alongside academics
- You’re thinking about UK, US, European, or Australian universities and want a qualification that all of them respect
- You want genuine continuity if your family moves again mid-education, as IB schools exist in most major cities worldwide
It’s worth thinking carefully if:
- You are planning to return to Australia in the near term and want direct, frictionless re-entry into the Australian school system, where the Australian Curriculum is the simpler choice
- Your child is a very structured learner who thrives on clear content and exam preparation, and finds open-ended inquiry more stressful than energising
- Budget is a significant constraint, as full IB continuum schools in Bali tend to be at the higher end of the fee spectrum
- Your child has very limited English, as the demands increase significantly through the MYP and Diploma years
Read more in our curriculum series: Cambridge Curriculum in Bali, Australian Curriculum in Bali, Montessori in Bali, and British Curriculum in Bali.
How to Choose the Right IB School in Bali
Just because a school is an authorised IB World School doesn’t mean all IB schools are equal. The framework provides the structure, but the school’s teachers, culture, and resourcing determine how well it’s delivered. Here’s what to dig into:
- Check the school’s IB Diploma results. Average scores, pass rates, and university destinations of recent graduates tell you a lot. A school genuinely delivering the IB well will publish these results.
- Ask which programmes are fully authorised. Some schools offer the IB Diploma but not the PYP or MYP. If you want the full continuum from early childhood, check that each programme is separately authorised by the IB Organisation, not just advertised.
- Visit the school and observe a lesson. IB classrooms should feel different from traditional ones. You should see students asking questions, working on projects, and engaging with open-ended problems. If it looks like a standard lecture setup with a teacher talking to students, the IB philosophy isn’t being fully realised.
- Ask about CAS and the Extended Essay. How the school supports students through the core components of the Diploma says a lot about how seriously they take the programme.
- Talk to families already at the school. Ask admissions to connect you with parents whose children have been through the Diploma Programme. The honest feedback of a family who has lived the experience is worth more than anything on the school’s website.
- Think about the secondary pathway before your child reaches it. If you’re enrolling a five-year-old in the PYP, it’s still worth understanding how the school handles the MYP to Diploma transition and whether Diploma subject choices are broad enough to support your child’s university goals.
FAQs About the IB Curriculum in Bali
- Will Australian universities accept the IB Diploma?
Yes. Australian universities accept the IB Diploma and have a formal conversion process that translates IB scores into an ATAR equivalent. A score of 30 typically converts to an ATAR in the high 80s, and a score of 38 and above often converts to an ATAR of 99 or higher. For families who might return to Australia for university, the IB Diploma is a very viable pathway.
- Is the IB harder than other curricula?
The IB Diploma Programme is genuinely demanding. It requires students to manage six subjects simultaneously alongside Theory of Knowledge, an Extended Essay, and CAS commitments. Students who do best in the Diploma tend to be organised, intellectually curious, and genuinely engaged with their subjects rather than motivated purely by marks. The PYP, however, is not more demanding than other primary curricula in terms of workload. It’s different in approach, not necessarily harder.
- How much do IB schools in Bali cost?
At senior secondary level, IB schools in Bali typically charge between IDR 200 million and IDR 300 million per year in tuition. At primary level fees are lower, usually starting from around IDR 65 million to IDR 80 million depending on the school. Registration, capital levy, and activity fees add to this. Always ask for the full cost breakdown, not just the headline tuition figure. Our Bali School and Education Guide has detailed fee information for the schools we’ve researched.
- What if we move mid-programme?
This is one of the IB’s genuine strengths. Because the IB framework is consistent globally, a student moving from Bali Island School to an IB school in Singapore, London, Sydney, or Toronto can continue their education in the same programme with minimal disruption. For the Diploma Programme, subject choices may need some adjustment, but the fundamentals are portable in a way that national curricula simply aren’t.
- Does the IB suit children who are not academically strong?
The IB Diploma is academically demanding and is not ideally suited to students who struggle significantly with self-directed work or managing multiple commitments. The PYP and MYP, however, are more inclusive and work well across a broad range of learners because of their emphasis on process and inquiry rather than test performance. If you have concerns about whether the Diploma specifically would suit your child, have an honest conversation with the school about what support is available and what the realistic expectations are.
- What happens if my child starts the IB and we want to switch?
At PYP level, transitioning to another curriculum is manageable, though there may be some adjustment period. At Diploma level, switching partway through is genuinely complicated and best avoided if possible. The clearest advice is to think carefully about the long-term pathway before you start, because once students are mid-Diploma, changing course comes at a real cost.
The Only Bali Schools Guide You’ll Need
Choosing the right school in Bali is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make before you move, and it deserves more than a quick scroll through a Facebook group. Our Year in Bali has spent years helping families navigate this decision, and the school question is always at the top of the list.
Our Bali School and Education Guide is the most comprehensive resource available for expat families on the island. Inside you’ll find:
- A searchable database and map of 80+ schools across Bali
- Curriculum comparisons with honest pros and cons for each
- Detailed fee structures and enrolment policies
- Insights from expat parents who’ve already done the school search
Download your copy today for $29.95 and start your school search with confidence.
Or book a 1-hour School Deep Dive session with Simone, Founder of Our Year in Bali. We’ll walk you through the full landscape of Bali’s school options, help you match your family’s needs to the right schools, and if you’d like, introduce you to principals and parents already in the community. For families weighing up the IB against the Australian Curriculum or Cambridge, this is exactly the kind of territory we help you work through.
