What is FOBISIA?
Member schools, how a school joins, and what membership means for pupils, teachers and parents.
FOBISIA, the Federation of British International Schools in Asia, is a not-for-profit association of British international schools across Asia that runs teacher training, safeguarding work and student events for its members.
It has more than 100 schools in 20 countries and territories across Asia. It is a membership body, not an inspector, relying on other agencies to check its schools before admitting them.
The History
FOBISIA began in 1988, when the heads of six British schools in South East Asia met for the first time. The founders were the British International School Jakarta (now British School Jakarta), Kota Kinabalu School (now Kinabalu International School), Tanglin Trust School in Singapore, The British School Manila, Bangkok Patana School and The Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur.
The heads agreed to meet every year, with schools taking turns to host.
The group was first called FOBISSEA, the Federation of British International Schools in South East Asia. Once schools in China joined, the name no longer fitted, and in 2011 it became FOBISIA. It is registered as a society in Singapore, and its head office is in Bangkok.
Membership composition
Thailand has the most members, with 29 schools, followed by Malaysia with 23 and China, counting Hong Kong, with 20. Vietnam has eight and Singapore seven. Several countries have a single member school, including Indonesia, India, Japan, the Philippines and Nepal.
In Singapore the members include Tanglin Trust School, Dulwich College (Singapore), North London Collegiate School (Singapore), Dover Court International School, Nexus International School (Singapore), Brighton College (Singapore) and The Winstedt School.
In Hong Kong they include Harrow International School Hong Kong, Kellett School, Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong and Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong.
Our schools with FOBISIA
How a school joins
The first step is accreditation by an agency FOBISIA approves.
Any one agency on its list will do. That can be the UK government's British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection, carried out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate or Education Development Trust, or one of the international accreditors: COBIS, the Council of International Schools (CIS), Education Development Trust's International Schools Quality Mark, NEASC or WASC.
Full members must be re-inspected at least every five years. Associate members must complete a full inspection within their first three years of membership.
A new school, FOBISIA says, should apply once it is accredited.
The Process
Pupil benefits
Each year it runs more than 50 student events in sport, performing arts and academic subjects, some face to face and some online.
The best known are the Games. There are three series: Under 15 in November for Years 9 and 10, Under 13 between February and March for Years 7 and 8, and a primary series between April and June for Years 5 and 6.
Every series includes athletics, football and swimming; the secondary Games add basketball and the primary Games add tee-ball.
There are also drama and music festivals, student conferences and academic competitions.
And for teachers?
Teachers see more of FOBISIA than parents do. Its core staff events are Job-Alike Workshops, known as JAWS: teachers in the same subject or role meet at a member school, or online, and set the agenda themselves. Ask teachers who have worked at member schools and many will say JAWS is the part they remember.
The network is only as strong as the schools near you: a teacher in Bangkok has far more on the doorstep than one at the single member in Japan.
Membership alone does not let a school offer new teachers UK statutory induction. The Department for Education also wants a BSO inspection within the last six years.
Safeguarding
FOBISIA has a safeguarding committee that advises heads and boards and runs a yearly conference. In November 2023 it joined COBIS, British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) and four other bodies to launch the British International Schools Safeguarding Coalition (BISSC), which presses the UK government for a misconduct disclosure scheme for staff who move between countries.
FOBISIA, COBIS and the other badges
FOBISIA and COBIS are both associations of British international schools, and many schools, Kellett School and The Alice Smith School among them, belong to both. COBIS runs its own accreditation and works worldwide; FOBISIA does no inspecting of its own and works only in Asia.
CIS and WASC are accreditors whose reviews FOBISIA accepts. A school with CIS and FOBISIA has been inspected by CIS; FOBISIA adds the two heads' visit and the shared events, not a second inspection.
Apart from sports fixtures what does membership mean?
With membership we know that the school teaches a British education, a recognised agency has accredited it within the last five years (or will, if it is an associate), and its pupils can take part in regional events with other British schools.
To check a school, find it on FOBISIA's member list, then ask which agency accredited it and when the last visit was. Our lists of FOBISIA schools in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong show curricula, ages and fees side by side.
FAQ
What does FOBISIA stand for?
The Federation of British International Schools in Asia. It was called FOBISSEA, for South East Asia, until 2011.
Is FOBISIA an accreditation?
No. FOBISIA is a membership association; schools must be accredited by an approved agency such as BSO, COBIS, CIS, NEASC or WASC before they can join.
How many schools are in FOBISIA?
More than 100, in 20 countries and territories across Asia, with the most in Thailand, Malaysia and China.
What are the FOBISIA Games?
Sports competitions between member schools in three age series: Under 15, Under 13 and primary. They cover athletics, football and swimming, plus basketball or tee-ball.
Is FOBISIA the same as COBIS?
No. COBIS accredits schools and works worldwide; FOBISIA works only in Asia and relies on other agencies, COBIS among them, to check its members.
Can a new school join FOBISIA?
Only once it has been accredited. A school committed to a full inspection can join as an associate member but must complete that inspection within three years.
Does FOBISIA publish inspection reports?
No. FOBISIA does not inspect schools itself. Ask the school for its BSO, COBIS, CIS or other report.
Sources
- Our History, FOBISIA
- FAQs, FOBISIA
- Member Schools, FOBISIA
- School Membership, FOBISIA
- British Schools Accreditation List, FOBISIA
- The Games, FOBISIA
- JAWS, FOBISIA
- About BISSC, FOBISIA
- Induction for early career teachers (England), June 2026, Department for Education
- The Council of British International Schools (COBIS), a quick overview, Prospectus
- What is the Council of International Schools (CIS)?, Prospectus
- FOBISIA schools in Kuala Lumpur, Prospectus
- FOBISIA schools in Hong Kong, Prospectus
Schools in this piece
- British School JakartaBritish, IB · ages 2 to 18 · USD 8,850–31,300 a year
- Tanglin Trust SchoolBritish, IB · ages 3 to 18 · USD 28,300–45,300 a year
- The Alice Smith SchoolBritish · ages 3 to 18 · USD 13,200–30,000 a year
- Kellett SchoolBritish · ages 4 to 18 · USD 32,900–40,700 a year
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The Western Association of Schools and Colleges - WASC
The US accrediting body popular in Asia for many international schools.