American School Dhahran is part of the International Schools Group (ISG), which was founded in 1962, originally to serve the needs of U.S. Consulate employees. The school started with two teachers and six students and was known for decades as Dhahran Academy. By 1978, ISG had expanded to include other schools in Saudi Arabia and was the largest overseas school district in the world.
As enrollment grew at the Dhahran campus, the school was divided into Dhahran Elementary Middle School (DEMS) and Dhahran High School (DHS). In 2021 we reunited under the new name of American School Dhahran (ASD).
We are a not-for-profit school, licensed by the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia. From KG1 to Grade 12, ASD serves approximately 1200 students who represent over 50 nationalities.
As a trailblazer in Saudi Arabia, we were the first school in the Middle East to receive accreditation from a U.S. accrediting agency (Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools), back in 1981. ASD is a member of the Council of International Schools. We are also authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization for the diploma program. We were also the first to offer an American curriculum high school in Saudi.
We are proud of the variety of options we offer our students through a combination of breadth of courses and opportunities outside the classroom. With an uncompromising commitment to excellence, the mission of our ASD community is to ensure optimal student learning and success across all grades.