International Schools in Danang Hoi An Vietnam (Parents perspective)
We’ve been in Da Nang for a while now and have done quite a bit of research on schools, so here are a few you might want to look into. These are just based on our personal impressions and what we found during our search:
St. Nicholas International School
Good: American curriculum, and they just moved to a really nice new campus last year. It seems quite popular with local families.
Not so good: Personally, we’re not sure it really feels like a true international school since a lot of the learning seems to be delivered online through a purchased curriculum.
Singapore International School
Good: Big, modern campus with Cambridge all the way to A Levels, plus bilingual options. They’re also well established with other campuses across Vietnam.
Not so good: For us, the school felt a bit too corporate and lacked personality. Also, the student mix is mostly Vietnamese and other Asian nationalities, so it didn’t feel very international.
Odyssey International School
Good: Very new school with lots of potential, and currently the only IB candidate school in the area. New campus and the teachers seemed genuinely happy there.
Not so good: There are still some questions around its connection to Greenshoots School, which closed a few years ago under the same ownership. They now have an American CEO running things, but overall it still feels quite corporate and business-focused to us. We also came across some questionable parent reviews related to their affiliate/referral program, so it’s probably worth doing a bit more research yourself.
APU American International School
Good: Huge campus and a pretty clear pathway toward university.
Not so good: We heard quite a few mixed opinions about the owners and the quality of education. Also got the impression that teachers aren’t especially happy there.
Hoi An International School
Good: Smaller boutique-style school with a really diverse community. They say around 40 nationalities. Cambridge curriculum through A Levels as well.
Not so good: It’s quite small and located in Hoi An, so the commute from Da Nang could be a bit much. We also heard the entry assessment can be pretty challenging. Mixed opinions about leadership too.