Overview
Founded in 1963, IST is an independent, private, not-for-profit day school offering the full International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum—Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP), plus an American-accredited High School Diploma.It operates on two Dar es Salaam campuses:



Elementary: Ages 3 – Grade 5


Secondary: Grades 6 – 12, about 5 km apart.





Community & Accreditation


Serves approximately 800–1,000 students from 50+ nationalities.


Student body: ≈26% Tanzanian, 20% US, 10% UK, remainder from other countries.


Accredited by Council of International Schools (CIS), Middle States Association (MSA), and recognized IB World School since 1982.





Academics & Staff


Employs ~120 teachers from 15+ countries.


High academic achievement: Class of 2017 scored an average 34/45 on IB Diploma (global avg ≈30).


Offers a rich curriculum: IB subjects (languages, sciences, arts), high school diploma, plus a Life Centered Education alternative for special needs students.





Co-curricular & Enrichment


Extensive after-school options: athletics, arts, Model UN, service learning, STEM, debate, wellness.


Adventure learning: annual field trips across Tanzania (Mt. Kili, Meru, Zanzibar), ISSEA regional competitions in sports and arts.





University Pathways


Graduates have moved to top global institutions: MIT, Harvard, Cambridge, UCL, Stanford, LSE, Berkeley, etc. .


85% of students pursue the full IB Diploma; others choose the high‑school diploma or Life Centered route.





Notable Alumni


Mohammed Dewji: Tanzanian MP & MeTL Group president


Yusuf Bakhresa: CEO, Azam Group


Mariam Naficy: Founder & CEO, Minted


Magdalena Moshi: Olympic swimmer


Artists, entrepreneurs, actors, academics among its graduates.





Leadership & Contact


Director: Ms Melanie Vrba; IB DP, MYP & PYP coordinators on-site.


Address: Upanga (Elementary) & separate Secondary campus ~5 km away, Dar es Salaam.


Contact: PO Box 2651; +255‑748‑335598 (Elem), +255‑764‑096368 (Sec).





Why Choose IST?


A globally recognized IB curriculum with exceptional academic results


Rich international community and diverse staff


Broad co-curricular and experiential learning opportunities


Strong university placements and career-readiness


Fully accredited and well-resourced, non-profit institution