Compare American Curriculum International Schools in Zambia

487 A/F/3 Leopard's Hill Road, Lusaka, Zambia. The campus is on Leopards Hill Road and described as a 25-acre, secure, purpose-built site. AIS Lusaka serves students from preschool through grade 12 and uses an English-medium international curriculum.

preschool through grade 12

independent, co-educational day school

40 nations represented; approximately 21% European, 28% North and South American, and 22% African.

Learning specialists work with classroom teachers to remediate language-processing difficulties and other learning differences. Educational assessments determine current performance levels; IEPs and SAPs are created to ensure access to the curriculum. The Inclusion Team uses RTI, and auxiliary services such as occupational, physical, or speech therapy are provided by external specialists when available.

Associated with the American Embassy (United States)

The school is a day school; boarding is not provided.

AISL has a Tuck Shop; lunch can be ordered from the Tuck Shop. The Early Learning Center Extended Day Program provides lunch supervised by the ELC teaching team; students may bring lunch from home or order hot lunch from the Tuck Shop. The Tuck Shop is managed by The Fat Chef.

AISL is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The US Ambassador to Zambia appoints two Board members, and one of the appointed members serves as Chair; the five remaining members are elected by the AISL Parent Association (two affiliated with the US Government and three from the general parent community). Board terms are two years and members may be re-elected. The Board hires the Director, provides fiduciary oversight by approving the annual budget and setting school fees, and establishes broad policy aligned with the school's vision, mission and values. Open Meetings are held; an AGM occurs in Fall and an EGM in Spring.

AISL is authorized to deliver the International Baccalaureate programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The IB framework emphasizes independent thinking, intercultural understanding, and language development. The IB curriculum provides a continuous program from primary through high school, with the Diploma Programme available for eligible students.

The IB programmes prepare students for higher education at universities around the world.

AISL offers the US Ambassador's Merit-Based Scholarship Programme for highly capable and financially needy Zambian students to attend AISL High School and pursue the IB MYP and DP. Scholarship students are expected to perform at a high academic level and participate in a comprehensive extracurricular program. AISL provides scholarship recipients with full tuition, school supplies including an iPad (later a laptop), a home Internet bundle, all examination and university application fees, university and scholarship guidance, local transport, school lunches, and funded opportunities to participate in school-sponsored trips in Zambia and overseas.

The counseling department at AISL aims to foster healthy self-esteem and self-awareness, as well as a sense of responsibility to self and others. The counseling program supports each student's personal, social, academic and career development through a comprehensive and developmental approach to guidance activities and personal counseling. This is a collaborative effort between home, school and community aimed at fostering personal responsibility, emotional intelligence, and flexibility in an ever-changing world as they work towards becoming confident, well-adjusted, and culturally sensitive global citizens. AISL's Inclusion Policy aligns with IB philosophy, providing a safe and supportive environment for diverse learners and supporting their academic, social, and personal growth. AISL emphasizes the whole-child approach, values every student's voice, and aims to ensure access to services and resources for all students within the school's capacity. There are three school counselors on staff (one Primary, two Secondary) to support students across grade levels.

Learning specialists collaborate with classroom teachers in both Primary and Secondary to remediate language-processing difficulties and provide instructional support for students with identified learning differences. Educational assessments determine a student's current level of academic performance and explore receptive as well as expressive languages, including reading, math and written language. When necessary, the Inclusion Team refers students to external specialists for Speech and Language, Psycho-Educational, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy assessments. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Student Accommodation Plans (SAPs) are created to ensure access to learning through remediation, differentiation and targeted technology use. In addition to academic support, teachers and the Inclusion Team address the social-emotional needs of all students. The Inclusion Model uses the RTI framework to promote student success and ensure access to the curriculum across all levels, with periodic communication between home and school. External auxiliary services are provided by specialists, arranged and paid for by families, with AISL facilitating referrals when possible.

As English is the language of instruction, developing competence in English is crucial to students' success in all sections of the school. The EAL program addresses the needs of students from non-English-speaking backgrounds who are developing interpersonal and academic English language skills. The goal is to equip students with English language skills necessary to operate independently within the general classroom at a level that reflects their age and ability. EAL students receive support and specialised instruction from qualified EAL staff on a regular basis. They also receive differentiated support within their grade level and subject area classes from their teachers, including EAL staff, and this service model is consistent in both the Primary and Secondary Schools.

The counseling department aims to foster healthy self-esteem and self-awareness, as well as a sense of responsibility to self and others. The counseling program facilitates each student's personal, social, academic and career development through a comprehensive and developmental approach to guidance activities and personal counseling. This collaboration between home, school and community fosters personal responsibility, emotional intelligence, and flexibility in an ever-changing world as students become confident, well-adjusted, and culturally sensitive global citizens. AISL's Inclusion Policy provides a safe and nurturing environment for diverse learners and supports their academic, social, and personal growth. The Student Services' vision emphasizes self-awareness and resilience so students can reach their individual potential and navigate life's challenges to thrive in society. AISL maintains a safe, supportive environment and access-to-services approach to support students' mental wellbeing, with multiple counselors available across the school.

AISL is committed to keeping children and young people safe from harm and abuse. Creating a safe learning environment, identifying children and young people who are suffering or at risk of harm, and then taking suitable action are vital to ensuring safety at school and home. The school addresses bullying, abuse, or other maltreatment even if it means embarrassment or upset for someone in power, with safety prioritized in activities, rules and policies. Crisis response protocols guide actions for emergencies and child protection, developed by the AISL Crisis Response Team (administration, counselors, security, and IT) and informed by research and documentation from the Association of International Schools in Africa, the American School Counselor Association's National Model and the International Model for School Counseling Programs. In Primary, prevention lessons use Kidpower to teach safety, confidence-building, boundary-setting, positive peer communication and de-escalation; in Secondary, safety and wellbeing are explored through IB MYP Health Education and an Advisory program four times weekly. AISL invites concerns and acts on them in a fair, balanced way in accordance with its policies.

AISL admits students from diverse educational systems and backgrounds for ELC through Grade 12, providing an international English-language education in a mainstream environment. It supports learners with Special Educational Needs and English as an Additional Language, with Learning Support enrollment normally not exceeding 15% of a grade's enrollment and moderate support normally not exceeding 5% of total enrollment, with no more than four moderate students per grade. When spaces are limited, admission follows priorities: children of United States government employees receiving an educational allowance (ELC through Grade 12), AISL faculty children, siblings of enrolled students, siblings enrolling concurrently, and all other applicants. Children of US government employees applying for ELC must apply by April 1 of the previous year; those applying after April may be accommodated as spaces become available. ELC admits up to the first day after the Spring holiday. Students must be toilet trained to be admitted. Kindergarten through Grade 12 cannot be admitted within 30 school days of the end of the school year, and Grade 11 entrants after October 1 are considered case-by-case due to graduation requirements. Students must intend to attend for at least one semester. If a grade reaches capacity, applicants are placed in the Waiting Pool and offered a space as it becomes available based on the admissions criteria; if more applicants exist in a category than spaces, admissions are first-come, first-served within that category. When a space opens, tuition is due from the date the space becomes available, even if the student begins later in the year; for start-of-year admissions, a 25% deposit is due by June 1 to secure the place. Families should regularly check in with the Admissions Manager to confirm continued interest; failure to do so may result in removal from the waiting pool. Acceptance occurs after all paperwork and assessments are reviewed by the Admissions Committee, following a student interview; parents are informed by the Admissions Manager. All acceptances are provisional for the first semester; the school may adjust grade placement or, in rare cases, determine that the needs cannot be met; the school may help locate an alternative education. After acceptance, a non-refundable payment of at least 25% of the tuition is due by 1 June to secure a space; if applying mid-year, an invoice is issued and payment is due within two weeks; failure to pay may revoke admission.

AISL Merit Scholarship Programme provides a Merit Scholarship to attend the high school. Merit Scholars are expected to perform at a high academic level and participate in a comprehensive co-curricular programme. AISL provides Merit Scholars with full AISL tuition fees, a loaned iPad/Laptop and calculator, all examination and university application fees, university and scholarship guidance, transport to and from school on an established bus route, and fully-funded school-sponsored trips in Zambia and overseas. The scholarship does not include boarding, housing, or financial assistance after leaving the school beyond the scholarship contract. A complete application consists of a signed Application Form, birth record or affidavit, Gr. 9 JSSLE results or equivalent (if taken), most recent school report, Writing Assignment, and Mathematics Assignment; the Scholarship Admissions Committee requires a complete application to be considered. A 2026-2027 Application Form is available, and additional information including the Merit Based Scholarship Brochure can be accessed via the Scholarships page. For questions, contact scholarship@aislusaka.org.

Waiting Pool: When a grade level reaches capacity, applicants are placed in the waiting pool and offered a space as soon as one becomes available, based on the admissions criteria; if there are more applicants in a category than spaces, admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis within that category. Once a space becomes available, tuition fees are due from the date the space opens, even if the student will not begin classes until later in the school year. For the start of a new school year, a 25% deposit of the tuition is required by June 1 to secure the place for August. Families should regularly check in with the Admissions Manager to confirm continued interest; failure to do so may result in removal from the waiting pool. If a place is offered and the family declines but remains in the waiting pool, the student is moved to the bottom of the list for their admission category.