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American curriculum tutors in Riyadh: grades 6 to 12 and AP, online

Riyadh's American-curriculum schools range from American International School Riyadh, which follows AERO and Common Core standards to Grade 10 before the IB Diploma, to schools such as Riyadh Najed Schools and Ellesmere College Riyadh that award an American high school diploma, some with AP courses. All are licensed by the Saudi Ministry of Education and must teach Arabic, Islamic studies and Saudi social studies alongside the US-style program. LiveTutor matches Riyadh students in grades 6 to 12 with tutors who teach Common Core math, ELA, NGSS science and AP courses, in one-to-one online lessons after the school day.

Facts checked:

At a glance

Standards most schools cite
Common Core (math, ELA) and NGSS (science)
Accreditors named by Riyadh schools
NEASC, CIS, Cognia
AIS-R school year
September to June, 176 instructional days
AP exams
Two weeks in early May each year

American-curriculum schools in Riyadh

From each school's own description, checked 6 October 2026.

SchoolProgramDetail
American International School Riyadh (AIS-R)AERO and Common Core to Grade 10, IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12Accredited by NEASC and CIS
Riyadh Najed SchoolsAmerican Diploma Program based on Common CoreAP courses available in high school
Ellesmere College RiyadhAmerican Diploma in Grades 11 and 12Also runs IB and IGCSE routes
OWIS Riyadh (Al Muruj)American curriculum aligned to Common Core and NGSSIntegrated Arabic and Islamic classes from Grade 1
SEK International School RiyadhIB programs with a US high school diploma pathwaySeeking NEASC accreditation for the diploma

Accreditation affects how a US diploma is recognised, including for Saudi certificate equivalency. Ask the school which body accredits it and when the next visit is.

What the Ministry of Education adds

An American school in Riyadh needs a Saudi Ministry of Education licence, and with it come the national identity subjects. Saudi International School in Dhahran, on the other side of the country, states the standard wording on its curriculum page: full compliance with Ministry requirements for Islamic Education, Arabic Language and Social Studies. Riyadh schools follow the same rule, and Saudi students take those classes in Arabic.

For a parent this mostly shows up in the schedule. Arabic and Islamic studies take several periods a week, so core US subjects get slightly less time than in a school in the United States, and math homework often lands on evenings already full of Arabic assignments.

Grades, GPA and the Riyadh school year

American schools grade continuously. Quizzes, homework, projects and unit tests all feed a semester grade, and from Grade 9 those grades build the GPA that US colleges read. A bad first quarter in Grade 9 or 10 stays on the transcript, which is why tutoring in American schools is more about steady weekly support than a single exam push.

Most American schools in Riyadh run from late August or September to June, inside the Ministry's framework. In 1448 the Ministry's public schools started on 23 August 2026 and finish on 24 June 2027, with a mid-year break from 8 to 16 January 2027. AP exams fall in the first two weeks of May, close to the Ministry's Eid al-Adha break from 7 to 22 May 2027, so AP students should plan revision for April.

How online lessons help an American-curriculum student

A tutor keeps pace with the class: the current Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 or Precalculus unit, the ELA essay due on Thursday, or the chemistry lab write-up. Before unit tests the tutor reviews the standards the test covers; for AP courses the tutor works through free-response questions in the College Board format and times them.

Lessons are 60 minutes, one to one, in LiveTutor's online classroom with a shared whiteboard. Riyadh is on UTC+3, so after-school slots from 4pm to 8pm Sunday to Thursday are the usual choice, and a Saturday lesson before the school week starts also works well.

Common questions

Do American schools in Riyadh offer AP?

Some do. Riyadh Najed Schools describes AP courses in its high school, while AIS-R uses the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12 instead. Ask each school for its current AP course list.

Is an American diploma from Riyadh recognised by Saudi universities?

Saudi universities generally ask for certificate equivalency for international diplomas, and accreditation matters. Check the target university's admission rules early in Grade 11.

My child is behind in math after moving from a British school. Can a tutor help?

Yes. Moving between systems leaves gaps, often in algebra sequencing. A tutor maps what was covered against the Common Core course your child is now in and fills the gaps first.

How much do lessons cost?

$15 a lesson for any grade and subject, including AP. Plans run from 1 to 5 lessons a week, billed monthly ($60 a month for one a week). The first lesson is a free trial.

Can we ask for a tutor with an American accent?

You can state an accent preference when you book. Many of our tutors have British or American accents, and we match by curriculum first.

Sources

Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.

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