International schools in Eswatini

Are you looking for an international school in Eswatini? You can find a list of selected schools at the bottom of this page. 

One of Africa’s smallest countries, Eswatini’s exposure to British educational traditions and position on the South Africa-Mozambique border make it fertile ground for the development of international schooling. 

Its most famous school, Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa, was founded in 1963 as a multi-racial secondary school in opposition to South Africa’s apartheid education policies by British teacher Michael Stern. 

Waterford Kamhlaba is one of only two African schools in the United World Colleges network, which was set up by German educationalist Kurt Hahn to promote world peace and intercultural understanding. Alumni include Nelson Mandela’s daughters and former president of Botswana Ian Khama.

Today, it offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma and IGCSEs along with a strong community education programme to more than 600 boarders from 60 countries at its campus on the outskirts of the capital Mbabane. 

Public education in the tiny kingdom, which changed its name in 2018, is taught in English and leads to exams accredited by Cambridge International Education. There are more than 30 recognised private schools which typically teach in English and offer IGCSEs and Swaziland GCSEs. Many are Christian religious foundations. 

Parents are advised to check that schools are accredited by a body such as the Association of Independent Schools in Africa. In the public system, seven years of primary school is followed by five years of secondary school leading to SGCSEs and IGCSEs, which meet university entrance requirements in Eswatini. The school year starts in January and ends in December.