The Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi is one of the few schools in Kenya authorised to offer the full IB continuum — PYP, MYP, and DP — for students aged 3 to 19. This article covers the school's fees, programmes, scholarship opportunities, admissions process, location, and contact details.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The school was established in 1970 and is a private, co-educational institution in the Parklands suburb of Nairobi.
- It is operated by Aga Khan Education Service Kenya (AKESK), a non-profit organisation.
- Annual tuition fees for day students range from KES 580,000 (Year 1) to KES 1,740,000 (Years 11–12), based on the 2025–2026 fee schedule.
- Scholarships are available and are awarded on the basis of both academic merit and demonstrated financial need.
- The main Junior and Senior School campus is located on 1st Parklands Avenue, off Limuru Road, Nairobi.
About the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi
Established in 1970, the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi is a private, co-educational school located in the Parklands suburb of Nairobi, Kenya. With over 1,000 students, it is a multi-cultural school with many nationalities and cultures represented at any given time.
The school is operated by Aga Khan Education Service Kenya (AKESK), a non-profit organisation with nearly 100 years of experience running schools in Kenya. AKESK's first formal schools opened in 1918, and the service currently operates institutions in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Eldoret.
Is Aga Khan Academy a public or private school?
The Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi is a private, non-profit school. Admission is based solely on merit, and the school does not discriminate on grounds of nationality, ethnic origin, or religion. It is not government-funded and charges tuition fees.
Who owns the Aga Khan Academy?
The Academy is owned and operated by the Aga Khan Education Service Kenya (AKESK). His Highness the Aga Khan IV is the founder. AKESK is itself part of the broader Aga Khan Development Network.
Programmes and curriculum
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The curriculum at the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi is the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, used by over 5,500 schools globally. The three schools work together to develop the IB learner profile, beginning with the Early Years PYP at the Nursery School, followed by the PYP at the Junior School for Grades 1–5. Students then continue into the Senior School's MYP for Grades 6–10, before entering the DP for their final two years.
Primary Years Programme (PYP) — ages 3 to 11
The IB PYP runs from K1–K3 (nursery level) through to Grades 1–5. It focuses on the development of the whole child and covers six subject areas: language, mathematics, social studies, arts, sciences, and personal, social and physical education.
Middle Years Programme (MYP) — Grades 6 to 10
The MYP framework encourages students to become creative, critical, and reflective thinkers. It emphasises intellectual challenge and helps students connect traditional subjects to real-world contexts.
Diploma Programme (DP) — Grades 11 to 12
DP students must complete three core requirements: an Extended Essay (a 4,000-word independent research essay), Theory of Knowledge, and Creativity, Activity, and Service. The DP leads to the internationally recognised IB Diploma.
Fees
The table below sets out the 2025–2026 annual tuition fees for day students, sourced from the official fee schedule.
Programme | Year/Grade | Annual Tuition (KES) |
PYP — Junior School | Year 1 | 580,000 |
PYP — Junior School | Year 2 | 696,000 |
PYP — Junior School | Year 3 | 850,000 |
PYP — Junior School | Year 4 | 920,000 |
PYP — Junior School | Year 5 | 940,000 |
MYP — Senior School | Year 6 | 1,060,000 |
MYP — Senior School | Year 7 | 1,120,000 |
MYP — Senior School | Year 8 | 1,320,000 |
MYP — Senior School | Year 9 | 1,320,000 |
MYP — Senior School | Year 10 | 1,320,000 |
DP — Senior School | Years 11–12 | 1,740,000 |
Nursery School (Playgroup–KG3) fees are available on request from the admissions office.
Additional costs not included in the table
Grade level trip fees apply from Year 4 onwards and exam fees apply from Year 10. Other additional costs include:
- A 5% sibling discount on tuition applies to the second and subsequent children, calculated on the lower tuition fee.
- AKDN employees receive a 20% discount on residential fees and a 5% discount on day student fees.
- Development levy, diary and folder fee, and medical fee are charged in Term 1 each year.
- Lunch, transport, and exam registration fees are charged separately.
Contact the admissions office directly to confirm the most current Nursery School fees and any updates to the figures above.
Scholarships
The Aga Khan Academy offers scholarships to recognise academic excellence for new or continuing students. Scholarship recipients must also demonstrate outstanding qualities in citizenship and character.
All scholarships are awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need, and the number and value of scholarships vary from year to year.
The Academy seeks to attract high-calibre students and, to support families who cannot afford full fees, a limited amount of financial assistance may be granted in exceptional cases. Affected families may apply to a special AKES, Kenya panel for consideration.
For university-level support, the Academy has partnerships with Huron University and Wesleyan College since 2021 and 2024 respectively, offering full-tuition and partial scholarships to IB students, with 11 students currently enrolled at those universities.
Apply for scholarships through the official admissions page.
Admissions process
Admissions are based primarily on merit, determined by a wide range of criteria including academic strengths and overall potential.
Nursery School
Admission criteria include the child's age, reports from a previous school (if any), and availability of places, with a maximum of 22 students per class. All prospective students must attend a developmental assessment; those applying for K2 and K3 also sit a written admission assessment.
Junior School (Grades 1–5)
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All prospective Junior School students must be conversant in English, have good numerical literacy, show academic aptitude, demonstrate interest in co-curricular and sporting activities, and have a positive record of behaviour.
Priority for Grade 1 entry is given to graduates of the Aga Khan Nursery School who have completed at least two years (K2 and K3) and received a head teacher's recommendation.
Senior School (Grades 6–12)
Senior school students are invited for an assessment, followed by an interview. A waiting list exists for some year groups. Admissions are offered on a rolling basis as spaces become available, and families are encouraged to apply early.
Parents of students with non-Kenyan nationalities must show a valid residence permit and obtain a student pass for their child to be enrolled.
Location and contacts
The Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi operates across two campuses.
Campus | Address |
Junior & Senior School | 1st Parklands Avenue, off Limuru Road, Nairobi |
Nursery School | Kipande Road, off Museum Hill, Nairobi |
The school can be reached by telephone on +254 736 380 101 and by email at [email protected]. The Nursery School can be reached on +254 717 574 489 or +254 770 216 410.
The mailing address is P.O. Box 44424-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
FAQs
Is the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi a public school?
No. The Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi is operated by Aga Khan Education Service Kenya (AKESK), a non-profit organisation. It is a private fee-paying school and does not receive government funding. Fees must be paid each term.
What curriculum does the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi follow?
The Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi is one of the few schools in Kenya authorised to offer the full IB continuum — the PYP, the MYP, and the DP — for students aged three to nineteen. Instruction is in English throughout all programmes.
How do I apply for a scholarship at the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi?
Families who wish to educate their children at the Academy but cannot meet full fees may apply for limited financial assistance in exceptional cases through a special AKES, Kenya panel. Scholarships are linked to the standard admissions process and require demonstrated financial need.
What is the address of the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi?
The main campus is located at 1st Parklands Avenue, off Limuru Road, Nairobi, Kenya. The Nursery School is on a separate campus on Kipande Road.
How many students attend the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi?
The school has an enrolment of over 1,000 students and is authorised to offer the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The faculty reflects the school's cultural diversity, and all teachers hold internationally recognised qualifications.
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