The International School of Havana was founded in 1965 and currently enrolls 300 students from 55 nationalities in a warm, caring environment with small class sizes (average teacher pupil ratio is 1:5) and challenging, demanding academic programmes, taught through the medium of the English language, that run from the Early Years (age 2 1/2) to Grade 12 (pre-university graduation).

International School of Havana (ISH) is a fully accredited (by NEASC and CIS), private, coeducational day school which offers an academic program from preschool (age 2 1/2) through grade 12. ISH opened its doors in 1965, which was founded, and currently exists, to offer high quality education to the children of foreign diplomats and members of the expatriate business community in Havana. The school year comprises 2 academic semesters extending from late August to mid-June. ISH currently has 55 nationalities on campus.

ISH is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Council of International Schools (CIS), the IBO, IGCSE, and Cambridge International Program. ISH is a member of the Association of American Schools in South America (AASSA), The Tri-Association – The Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia, the Caribbean and Mexico, and a founding member of the Common Ground Collaborative (CGC).

Organization: A Board of Directors, made up of Heads of Diplomatic Missions (Ambassadors) from various countries, and appointed members of the diplomatic and non-diplomatic communities, totaling 12 members, governs the school. The Chair of the ISH Board must be a Head of Mission, and a minimum of four Ambassadors must be members at any given time.

Curriculum / Programming: As the only English international school in Cuba, ISH offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) for grades 11-12, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for grades 9-10, a US style Middle school for grades 6-9, and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) for our primary school students in Kindergarten – grade 5. ISH also offers a Preschool program for children 2 ½ years old–4 years old. The language of instruction in all grades is English.

ISH students are engaged in a variety of activities designed to foster their physical, intellectual and emotional growth. Therefore, our skilled and talented faculty provide a well-rounded program of academics, fine arts, and athletics, complemented by a variety of after-school activities and clubs for all ages.

While academic excellence constitutes the foundation upon which the school is built, ISH is also dedicated to meeting the needs of the whole child. ISH is also able to support students who are learning English as an additional language, as well as students with mild learning needs.