The International School of Havana was founded in 1965 and currently enrolls 355 students from 55 nationalities in a warm, caring environment with small class sizes (average teacher pupil ratio is 1:4.7) 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).

ISH is fully accredited by CIS and NEASC from the Early Years Programme to Grade 12. The Early Years curriculum in the Lower School is adapted to the needs perceived for students growing up in Havana, from a well known UK Programme, with specific focuses on language acquisition, numeracy, creativity and knowledge and understanding of the world. In the Primary School of the Lower School - Kindergarten to Grade 5 - English, Mathematics and Spanish language programmes are complemented by the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) which has themed Units of Enquiry which are supported by Music, Art, Drama, PE, and Information Technology. Secondary School (Grades 6 to 12) courses initially lead to the CIE (Cambridge International Examinations) Checkpoint examinations, which are taken by the students at the end of Grade 8 in English, Mathematics and Science. In Grades 9 and 10 students follow courses from CIE's internationally recognized IGCSE programme, in which students are externally examined at the end of Grade 10. In Grades 11 and 12 students follow the IBO Diploma Programme Curriculum which provides students with worldwide University recognition. The students also qualify for the ISH Graduation Diploma. French language is available as an alternative second academic language to Spanish for students in Grade 5 and older.