UAE investors open $30 million school in Astana

UAE investors, including Emirates Global Education Investment Group, Mazrui International and SABIS Holding, have opened a new educational facility in Astana — SABIS International School – Astana.

The $30 million project was implemented at the request of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev following his visit to the UAE and with support from KAZAKH INVEST and Astana’s education authorities. Investors ultimately plan to allocate up to $45 million to the school, which occupies a 9-hectare site and can accommodate 3,400 students.

In addition to the main academic building, the school will feature a performing arts theater, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, sports facilities and a separate kindergarten building. Construction began in March 2024.

It is the first school in Kazakhstan to operate under the SABIS educational system. The curriculum has been adapted to national requirements and prepares students for international examinations and admission to leading universities worldwide. Instruction is provided in three languages: English, the primary language of instruction, as well as Kazakh and Russian.

According to SABIS President Victor Saad, the school aims to provide families in Astana with access to high-quality international education without leaving Kazakhstan. He said the school would combine SABIS’s nearly 140 years of experience with Kazakhstan’s national education standards and cultural values, making international-level education more accessible locally.

SABIS is an international education network founded in 1886. It operates in 21 countries across five continents.

Annual tuition varies by grade, ranging from $6,500 to $8,600.