Choosing the Right School

Siem Reap has experienced a surge in the opening of new international schools catering to expat children in recent years. This gives parents a wide range of options, from preschool to high school and everything in between. Unless your child can attend a Khmer school with lessons delivered in Khmer, a private international school is likely to be your focus.

For parents who are contemplating the school system for the first time, it’s important to consider the type of school you’d like your children to attend. Take into account the languages in which lessons will be taught and which curriculum might suit your child best. Also, consider whether you will be staying in Siem Reap long-term or if there’s a possibility of returning to the school system in your home country.

Practical factors such as the distance of the school run, finishing times, after-school arrangements, and the cost of school fees will all influence your final decision.

It is recommended to visit the schools and ask questions about class sizes, curriculum, teaching methods, facilities, and after-school activities. Taking a tour or attending an open day will give you a sense of a typical school day and the opportunity to observe children engaging in lessons or playtime. Additionally, inquire about school lunches, bus or other transportation options, finish times, and uniform requirements. It’s beneficial to view multiple schools for comparison. While personal recommendations can be helpful, it’s important to remember that everyone has different experiences, and what works for one family may not be ideal for yours.

Connect with other expat parents in Siem Reap. We highly recommend joining these welcoming Facebook groups: Siem Reap Community and Siem Reap Parenting. Both groups will prove valuable when integrating in Siem Reap’s small expat community, especially as a family.

Pre-school, Primary and High School

Ideal for working parents, as well as those wanting their child to learn through play in a social environment, or to familiarize young children with a learning setting before they begin formal schooling, pre-school (or kindergarten) is a popular solution. Typically, children can start, often part-time, from a very young age, and stay until they are ready to enroll in their first school (usually around 4 or 5 years old).

Primary-aged children are well catered for in Siem Reap, with a variety of options to suit your preference. These are important years for your child, and schools for this age group should promote a stimulating and positive environment for them to master the foundations of reading, writing and maths.

For older children, Secondary or High School options aren’t as prolific, particularly in the international school category. Avoid competition for places by applying in plenty of time, wherever possible. Places for milestone year groups, such as the first year of High School, get snapped up quickly either by newcomers to the city, as well as intake from existing Primary pupils.

Admission

Admission policies and procedures are often detailed on the school’s website, or you can contact the school direct for more information. Many schools require new students to sit an entry assessment test, particularly if tuition is to be in English and English is the child’s second language. This might be spoken as well as written, so do check with each school.

For a smooth admissions process, take several passport-sized photographs of your child, and one of each of the parents. You’ll need copies of your child’s passport and valid visa, as well as copies of your own. If your child has attended a school anywhere else, bring copies of their latest report. Have medical history and vaccination records to hand, incase these are requested for the school’s records.

Siem Reap’s Top International Schools

We’ve curated a list of the top international schools that have consistently proven to be the best choices for expat families. Let’s explore these exceptional international schools together.

Ecole Française de Siem Reap

The French School offers a quality education where children, placed at the heart of learning, are encouraged to develop their creativity and critical thinking as part of an academic path of excellence. It is an inclusive school providing a caring environment, valuing the qualities of all so that everyone can learn and develop at their own pace. Civic education, taught throughout the school, enables the practice of dialogue, demonstrates the need for knowledge to overcome prejudice, and fosters autonomy and critical thinking.

Treehouse International School

Tree House caters for children from six months to 14 years, covering nursery, pre-school and primary, with a brand new high school opening in August 2023. Their curriculum offers a holistic approach to learning where personal, social, emotional and physical development is as important as academic development.

ISSR (International School of Siem Reap)

This Primary and High School also offers early years places to children from age two and a half upwards. Admission is open to all nationalities. ISSR follows the British National Curriculum.

Go Global School

Children from age three onwards can join their Lower School program which follows the British ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’. Children can continue their primary education at the school from Year 1 onwards, following either the Khmer Curriculum or the British Curriculum (tuition in English).

Did we miss a school? Or do you want to share your experience with one of the above mentioned schools? Let us know in the comments or send us a message through the contact form!

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Siem Reap in the heart of South East Asia

Exploring Asia on a budget, once the reserve of intrepid explorers or gap year backpackers, has become so much more accessible, with the advent of low cost regional airlines, a growing and competitive accommodation market and attractive entry requirements, including e-visas and visas on arrival for many nationalities. Slow Travel, as a concept, has increased in popularity, too – including those with young families wanting to stay a while and soak in a country’s culture before children become embroiled in school systems back home. Siem Reap makes an ideal base for further travels in this culture-rich region, with Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, to name but a few, being only an hour or two away by plane, or a manageable road trip by bus or shared taxi.

Settling in

Finding a place to live will be a priority, but temporary accommodation, whether you decide on a guest house, hotel suite, short stay apartment or holiday let, is in plentiful supply. Many business owners are happy to negotiate an all-in price for longer stays – it pays to ask! Take your time finding a more permanent pad. The process can be made easier with the assistance of one of the many real estate or property finding agents in Siem Reap. You’ll need to view a few places before settling on your chosen abode, although there will be a mind boggling selection of apartments and houses to choose from. Have a budget and perhaps a preferred location in mind before you go house hunting. More on finding a place to live here. At the same time, you’ll also be arranging your extended visa if needed, a work permit application for employed expats, and opening a bank account. Our how-to guides will ease you through these processes.

Finding your tribe

Wherever you wander in Siem Reap, whether it is to a bar, the school gates or the bustling markets, you’re never far from another expat, and you’ll be on chatting – or at least nodding – terms with many people from various parts of the world, who have all come to find themselves making Siem Reap their base. Community events, charity fundraisers, pub quizzes and school events are good ways to mingle, and through Facebook groups there are often ways for people to join together for local causes. Residents of Siem Reap enjoy a steady stream of events throughout the year. Whether you are a music lover, a foodie, into yoga, art enthusiasts or cyclist, there are myriad opportunities for like-minded souls to meet.

Families

Siem Reap, home to several international schools and a range of exciting activities for children of all ages provides a safe, fun and friendly home for families. Parents find Siem Reap easy to get around, by bike, tuk tuk or even a family car, to go to school or to the markets. Outside school, children have the chance to learn to play a musical instrument, take part in sports or even circus skills, art classes, dance classes, swimming lessons, football or wall climbing tuition. It’s all here, whatever your children’s interests. Home comforts are reassuringly available in supermarkets, pharmacies and stores in the city – including familiar food brands, baby supplies, equipment or home ware. Also don’t miss our guide on travelling with kids to Siem Reap.

Culture and traditions

Expats and locals alike celebrate the many colorful religious festivals, public holidays and special occasions throughout the year. Take the time to learn to cook Khmer cuisine from those who know – and are more than happy to take you with them to the market for fresh ingredients, then cook up a storm in the kitchen. Learn to speak Khmer at one of many language schools in the city, or engage in an organized language exchange social, befriend a Khmer neighbor who will have you speaking the basics in no time. Making the effort with the language, even if it’s just the pleasantries, will be greatly appreciated. It can help with negotiating or getting directions, too.

Have you moved to Siem Reap recently? What has your experience been like? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us or share your story in the comments below!

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First time visitors to Siem Reap often opt to stay in a guesthouse or other short term accommodation while they get their bearings and find their way around. Many will happily offer a discounted price for stays of more than a couple of weeks, so do ask directly. Guesthouse owners and staff are great sources of local know-how and have useful contacts, too.

Location

Once you feel orientated, you’ll settle on a preference for location – perhaps proximity to your place of work or other spots in the city that you visit frequently. Areas surrounding the city’s international schools are popular with expat families, cutting down on school run journey time. Peace seekers and those working from home may prefer locations just outside the city center, where accommodation costs less but journeys to the shops and nightlife take a few more minutes.

Consider your mode of transport – will you be walking, or riding a bicycle or moto? Tuk tuk journeys add up, as would a car purchase and fuel / maintenance costs. Let your day-to-day practical needs be your guide.

Rental types

Your budget will be a factor in your search for accommodation, and Siem Reap has everything from your basic fan-only room for $60 per month, to spacious, luxury villas with a pool and tropical gardens for upwards of $1000 per month, and a vast array of choice in between. One or two bedroom apartments are plentiful, most having space to park a bike or vehicle, and some with a shared pool. Khmer-style wooden houses are characterful and excellent value for the space, making them a practical choice for families. Modern villas with mod cons are available, too, and often come furnished, which makes them ideally suited to those not wanting the expense or commitment of buying beds, chairs and other expensive purchases.

Terms of your contract include the duration of your tenancy. Typically, apartments are more likely to accept six or even three month contracts, whereas villa owners often specify longer agreements, such as one year. These can often be negotiated to suit you, and then extended as necessary upon expiry.

Finding accommodation

Ready to take the plunge and go house hunting? There are several ways to get started.

Using agents

Contact an agency to ask what they currently have available to show you in your price range. Agents here do not charge the tenant a fee for finding a property – charges are passed on to the owner, so you can enlist their help without commitment or obligation. Most agents have properties to show you that may not be advertised on their website or social media page, making it well worthwhile to get in touch and register your interest. The advantages of going through an agent include help with negotiating (the price, the contract or other details). Staff often speak both Khmer and English, too, which makes the transaction process much more smooth.

Looking online

Put some feelers out on social media channels. Siem Reap has many pages and groups dedicated to property searches, but we recommend in particularly:

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/siemreaprealestate/

On this page, you can ask for any leads, at the same time as scrolling through the latest listings. Viewings can usually be arranged by replying to a post on the FB page and liaising directly with the agent or owner.

Join our Siem Reap Community group too for general questions about living in Siem Reap: https://www.facebook.com/groups/siemreapcommunity/.

Walking around

While you are out and about in the city, it’s a common sight to see ‘for rent’ signs placed on vacant properties. Most will have a phone number to call to find out more, and arrange a viewing.

Before you sign

Found a place you like? Ensure you have all the information about the property before proceeding to sign a contract. What is included in the rental price? Many apartments and modern villas offer utilities such as water, cable TV, sometimes WiFi and waste collection services, too, included in the monthly rent.

Electricity is rarely included, and it varies as to how the tenant pays this monthly bill. The bill might be given to you every month for you to pay to EDC (Electricité de Cambodge) direct, or you might pay your landlord based on their calculation. Always get an initial meter reading, and make sure you know how to access it for future reference.

Some more tips…

Lastly, these tips will help you to secure your ideal accommodation without a hitch:

• If you have narrowed down your search to one or two properties, it pays to visit them at different times of day. You can get a feel for things like noisy construction, traffic building up, the journey time to work or school and how well lit the neighbourhood is after dark.
• Have a Khmer-speaking friend or colleague accompany you to your viewing will ease translation issues, if necessary.
• Take your time to review the contract before signing, and make sure all the details are correct, such as tenancy start date and the duration of the rental.
• Have your passport and visa page copies ready, as they will usually be required to confirm your tenancy.
• Check the condition of the property, the air conditioning units and any appliances or furnishings that are included. If any maintenance needs to be done, agree this with the owner before moving in, rather than waiting.
• Take the electricity meter reading when you move in, and take a photo or make a note. This will ensure you don’t pay for power that was used before you moved in.
• Find out from the owner or agent who is responsible for maintenance issues that arise during your tenancy. Make sure you have their number to call. If you are responsible, the owner may have a preferred company or supplier, and it might save you time and money to continue using them.
• The condition of the roads surrounding your chosen property is something to consider. If you use a car, is the road passable in wet conditions? Flooding can happen during the rainy season and, while this is hard to predict, if the area has flooded before, the chances are that it will flood again.
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate. You might be able to agree on a lower rent if you plan to stay for a long time, for example. If the property has been empty for a while, you could have some bargaining power on the price. Ask with a smile, you never know!
• Most owners are happy to discuss pets living on the property, but some are wary of possible damage. Paying an additional refundable deposit or agreeing to pay for pet-related damages in the contract might be a sensible way forward.

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Classroom Learning

Classroom learning offers a structured approach to learning the language and benefit of experienced teachers to familiarize you with the basics, or beyond, with others at the same level.

Speak Like Khmer offers courses of lessons introducing beginners to daily conversation and the basics as well as lessons by Zoom, and free learning events.

Free classes and groups

Free classes and groups are a great way to pick up conversational Khmer phrases and meet others doing the same. Pronunciation in Khmer is particularly integral to the language, and practice with native Khmer speakers will help you on your way.

Peace Café: Free Khmer conversation lesson at the Café on weekend mornings, Fridays & Saturdays 3pm – 4pm.

BlaBla Language Exchange: Keep an eye out for these Siem Reap events encouraging those wanting to converse with others in various languages. Let the group know which language/s you’d like to practice and you’ll be matched accordingly. This is a social way to keep up your language skills between lessons. Twice a month at Footprint Cafes.

Online and app-based learning

Online and app-based learning can be great for those short on time, or for specific vocabulary. Practice on the go or in your own home, at your own pace.

Websites: Khmer Friends, Memrise

Apps: Learn Khmer with Master Ling, Simply Learn Khmer Language

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