Thinking about an international school usually means thinking about going abroad. But there is a route you can take without leaving the country: Jeju Global Education City. This article sets out how the four schools differ from each other, and what separates them from schools abroad.

Two British, two American

The first thing that divides them is the curriculum family.

• NLCS Jeju — the Jeju campus of North London Collegiate School. British curriculum
• Branksome Hall Asia (BHA) — the Jeju campus of Canada's Branksome Hall, in the British and IB tradition of girls' education
• St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju (SJA) — the Jeju campus of the American St. Johnsbury Academy. American curriculum
• Korea International School Jeju (KIS) — American curriculum

The difference between families is not simply a matter of taste. The British model is closer to narrowing the subjects and going deep; the American model is closer to taking a broad range and being assessed alongside activities. Depending on which suits your child, three years can look very different. Differences between curricula are covered in detail in a separate article.

What recognition of Korean credentials means

The international schools in Jeju Global Education City have passed the standards of official overseas accrediting bodies and carry recognition of Korean academic credentials. This is the largest single difference from an international school abroad.

Going abroad raises separate questions about how to handle Korean enrolment records and how to transfer back on return. Staying in Korea removes them. There is relatively more flexibility if the direction changes towards a Korean university. Some schools also run early graduation arrangements with Korean university entrance in mind.

What does it cost?

Annual fees vary considerably by school, year group and whether boarding is used. Taking published material together, the annual total including boarding falls roughly between the high 40 millions and around 70 million won. Of the four, KIS is understood to be at the lower end.

There is a caution here. Application fees, admission fees, activity charges, uniforms, materials and field trips are often not included in that figure. The real burden only appears when you go through the annual fee schedule the school publishes item by item.

What really differs from going abroad

On cost alone, international schools in Southeast Asia are often lower. The reasons for choosing Korea lie elsewhere.

• Enrolment records — because Korean credentials are recognised, no deferral or exemption from compulsory schooling is needed.
• Family separation — abroad, whether a guardian accompanies the child is a major variable. In Korea that problem is smaller.
• Healthcare, safety and language — the burden in an emergency and in everyday administration is different.
• Reversibility — if the direction has to change, the route back into a Korean school is simple.

Conversely, the reasons to go abroad are clear too: cost, the local language environment, and a multinational student body. That comparison is revisited country by country in the Southeast Asia article in International Schools.

In summary

The four Jeju schools divide into British (NLCS and BHA) and American (SJA and KIS), and differ in character from schools abroad in that Korean credentials are recognised. Fees run from the high 40 millions to around 70 million won including boarding, but extras sit outside that, so always compare using the itemised fee table the school publishes.