For International School Students Specialized Coding·AI Academy

When choosing a coding·AI academy for international school students, check three things. First, whether they have actual experience teaching your school's curriculum, such as AP CSA·IB CS·IGCSE CS. Second, whether they provide both English instruction and supplementary explanation in Korean. Third, whether they go beyond exam prep to connect you to USACO (USA Computing Olympiad)·AI olympiads·an EC portfolio. Through in-person classes in Apgujeong and 1:1 online classes, CIT Coding Academy meets all three needs of students at KIS·SIS·YISS·SFS·Chadwick·Dulwich·BFS·Dwight·GSIS.

Students make every academic decision and author all assessed work. Curriculum facts are checked against the official guide for the applicable examination session. | Last reviewed: July 11, 2026

Why do international school students need specialized coding education?

International school students must complete CS subjects in international curricula such as AP (Advanced Placement), IB (International Baccalaureate), and IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education). These subjects differ in content and depth from the Informatics subject in regular Korean schools and require specialized preparation. In particular, AP CSA (AP Computer Science A) is a Java-based college-level subject, and IB CS requires both theory and the IA (Internal Assessment) project.

Starting in the 2025-26 school year, the AP CSA curriculum was revamped. Inheritance·polymorphism were removed from the required scope, file I/O and dataset processing were added as new units, and the exam itself switched to the Bluebook digital format. Existing textbooks or online lectures struggle to fully reflect these changes.

USACO, student-owned AI projects, hackathons, service, and leadership may provide evidence of interests, technical skill, and initiative, but they are not a universal admissions formula. AP and IB scores are academic evidence. For Korean universities, accepted activity evidence depends on the university, admission year, and route.

What curriculum does my child's school use? — Curriculum and key CS tasks by school

Each school has a different curriculum and CS exam type. Find your school in the table below and refer to that school's dedicated page.

School Curriculum Key CS Tasks / Exam Points Dedicated Page
KIS
Korea International School
AP Verify portal, course code and examination session; prepare only the required AP or algorithm scope KIS page →
SIS
Seoul International School
Verify the student's course selection Plan from the school portal, course code, examination session and teacher guidance SIS page →
YISS
Yongsan International School of Seoul
Verify the student's course selection Verify the student's actual course and session; teach concepts, development and testing skills for assessed work YISS page →
SFS
Seoul Foreign School
Verify the student's course selection Plan from the school portal, course code, examination session and teacher guidance SFS page →
Chadwick Songdo
Chadwick International Songdo
Verify the student's course selection Verify portal, course code and session; online classes available for Songdo students Coming soon
Dulwich Seoul
Dulwich College Seoul
IGCSE IB Verify awarding-body, course-code and session materials; teach IB assessment skills Coming soon
BFS
British Foundation School
IGCSE IB Verify awarding-body, course-code and session materials; prepare for the next course choice Coming soon
Dwight Seoul
Dwight Seoul
IB Teach IB assessed-work development skills; design a separate student-owned CAS extension Coming soon
GSIS
Gyeonggi Suwon International School
Verify the student's course selection Verify portal, course code and session; online classes available for Suwon students Coming soon

* Curriculum information is based on each school's official site. We'll confirm school-specific details during a consultation.

Archived 2025–26 AP CSA facts—and how to verify the student's current session

Archived session · reviewed May 2026 · do not reuse for a later exam

AP CSA 2025-26 curriculum changes and switch to the digital exam

  1. 1. Inheritance·polymorphism — removed from the required scope (from 2025-26)
  2. 2. File I/O and dataset handling — added as a new required unit
  3. 3. Exam format — switching from paper to the Bluebook digital exam
  4. 4. The May 2026 AP CSA digital exam can be taken in Korea through the Korean-American Educational Commission (Fulbright Korea)

Source: College Board — AP Computer Science A Course Overview | Korean-American Educational Commission (Fulbright Korea)

AP CSA · applicable session

  • • Check the official Course and Exam Description
  • • Compare the school portal, teacher guidance and scope
  • • Verify the session's format and permitted tools
  • • Diagnose the student's actual weak areas
  • • Real exam practice on our own ExamPrep platform

IB CS HL/SL

  • • IA requirements checked against the official curriculum for the applicable examination session
  • • Concepts, planning, development, testing, and documentation skills; the student authors all submitted work
  • • Verify the applicable theory and programming scope
  • • Compare HL/SL structure with current official guidance
  • • Hands-on practice in both Java and Python

IGCSE CS

  • • Confirm awarding body, course code and session
  • • Use the official syllabus and school materials
  • • Verify the session's paper structure and notation
  • • Practice the required programming or pseudocode
  • • Protect current coursework and plan the next course

What programs does CIT offer?

AP CSA / AP CSP

We verify the College Board materials for the student's session, school portal and teacher guidance before defining concept, coding and mock-practice scope. An archived session is never applied automatically.

AP CSA & CSP details →

IB CS / IGCSE CS

IB Computer Science HL/SL theory plus the concepts, development, testing, and documentation skills needed for the IA. Students make the academic decisions and author their own code, analysis, and submission.

IB CS & IGCSE CS details →

Competition prep (USACO & ACSL)

For USACO, ACSL and similar events, we verify the season's eligibility, dates and format, then teach algorithmic thinking and problem solving. Whether participation or results may be submitted depends on the university, admissions cycle and route.

EC portfolio design

AI projects, hackathons, open source, research or service are documented as evidence of student-owned work. The student authors application descriptions, and admissibility depends on current country, university and route rules.

Which international school students attend CIT?

Students from major international schools across Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon study at CIT. Students from a wide range of schools — KIS (Korea International School), SIS (Seoul International School), YISS (Yongsan International School of Seoul), SFS (Seoul Foreign School), GSIS (Gyeonggi Suwon International School), Dulwich College Seoul, Chadwick International, and more — take classes tailored to their own curriculum.

Each international school adopts a different curriculum — AP, IB, IGCSE, and so on — with different academic calendars and exam dates. CIT understands the specifics of each school and runs classes flexibly around the student's school schedule. We can teach in English and add Korean explanations as needed.

Can I take classes even if I don't live near school? — About our 1:1 online classes

Even students who find it hard to commute to our Apgujeong campus can get classes perfectly matched to their school's curriculum.

CIT online classes aren't a "we do online too" afterthought. Even students who live outside the area around their school matched to the exact same school curriculum get 1:1-designed classes. Songdo Chadwick students, Suwon GSIS students, and international school students in other parts of Gyeonggi all study with the same content and approach as our in-person classes.

When online classes are especially effective

  1. 1. Solving the distance problem: Students living in areas like Bundang, Ilsan, Incheon, and Songdo that are more than an hour from Apgujeong. Turn commute time into study time.
  2. 2. IB assessed-work skill instruction: We teach concepts needed for student-owned planning, development, testing and documentation, with questions and general feedback only within permitted boundaries.
  3. 3. Session-specific AP CSA preparation: We verify the official date, format and school calendar, then prepare only the required scope in 1:1 sessions.
  4. 4. Uninterrupted study while abroad: Even students who are overseas over summer break stay on track — we coordinate session times around KST.

1:1

Dedicated instructor assigned
Tailored to each school's curriculum

Flexible

Matched to your academic calendar
Schedule can be adjusted

Identical

Same as in-person
Curriculum & level

What about intensive break courses and college admissions strategy?

Break-course scope and duration depend on prerequisites, the student's actual course and examination session, school deadlines and available time. AP CSA, algorithms or an AI project may be studied online or in person, but CIT does not promise a fixed outcome within a fixed period.

CIT checks the academic calendar first and recommends a separate project or competition only when course performance is stable. The student owns the work, and application evidence is adapted only where the current route permits it.

Grade Recommended activities Notes
9th grade Diagnose actual courses, examination sessions and academic calendar; learn required prerequisites Prioritize course adjustment and exploration
10th grade If academics are stable, consider a small student-owned independent extension Record assessed-work boundary and school verification
11th grade Protect examinations and assessed-work deadlines; choose one realistic project, event or service output Reduce or stop if grades or deadlines slip
12th grade Document role, evidence and limitations of existing work; check the route's permitted format Protect academics and application deadlines instead of adding high-load activities

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I choose a coding and AI academy for an international school student?

Check three things. First, whether they actually have experience teaching that school's curriculum (AP / IB / IGCSE). Second, whether they offer both English-language instruction and supplementary explanations in Korean. Third, whether they go beyond exam prep to connect students with USACO, AI Olympiads, and an EC portfolio. Since the AP CSA curriculum was revised for 2025–26, you should also be sure to confirm that the classes reflect the changes.

How do you verify the current AP CSA scope and exam format?

We check the College Board Course and Exam Description for the student's school year and examination session, plus the school portal and teacher guidance. The official session-specific scope, format, permitted tools and dates take priority; an older description on this page is never treated as a permanent rule.

Do you also help with the IB CS HL Internal Assessment (IA)?

CIT teaches the concepts, planning, development, testing, documentation skills, and project-management habits students need for the IB Computer Science IA. The student remains responsible for every academic decision, line of code, analysis, and submitted document. CIT does not write or produce assessed work. Weighting, structure, and timing are checked against the official curriculum for the applicable examination session.

Can you prepare for session-specific IGCSE CS materials?

Yes. We first confirm the awarding body, course code and examination session, then use only that body's official syllabus, teacher guidance and materials actually supplied for that session. We do not assume that pre-release materials, paper structure or pseudocode requirements are universal across IGCSE courses.

Can I take classes even if I live far from school? Is online available?

Yes — in addition to our in-person Apgujeong campus, we also run 1:1 online classes. Students who live outside the area around their school can still get 1:1 online classes matched to the exact same school curriculum. Students far away in Bundang, Ilsan, Incheon, Songdo, and elsewhere, as well as those attending Chadwick International (Songdo) or GSIS (Suwon), study remotely at the same level as our in-person classes. For details, see the online classes page.

Which international school students attend CIT?

Students from major international schools across Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon study with us — KIS (Korea International School), SIS (Seoul International School), YISS (Yongsan International School of Seoul), SFS (Seoul Foreign School), Chadwick International, Dulwich College Seoul, BFS (British Foundation School), Dwight Seoul, GSIS (Gyeonggi Suwon International School), and more. We provide customized classes matched to each school's curriculum and academic calendar.

Can classes be taught in English?

Yes. CIT can teach in both English and Korean, and students can choose the language of instruction based on their preference and comfort. Since AP and IB textbooks and exams are in English, learning the concepts in English is effective for exam prep.

Do you have intensive courses during breaks?

Break-course scope and duration depend on prerequisites, the student's actual course and examination session, school deadlines and available time. AP CSA, algorithms or an AI project may be studied online or in person, but CIT does not promise a fixed outcome within a fixed period.

How do you use CS-related EC (extracurricular) activities in college admissions?

AP and IB scores are academic evidence, not extracurricular activities. We record USACO and ACSL participation, student-owned AI projects, hackathons, service, and leadership separately. We prioritize student ownership and verifiable evidence; whether an activity or award may be submitted depends on the university, admission year, and route.

Can you tailor classes to students from specific schools like KIS, SIS, or YISS?

Yes. We confirm the student's actual course selections, current school portal or syllabus, examination session, teacher or counselor guidance, and deadlines before building a plan. We do not infer an AP, IB, or IGCSE curriculum from the school name alone. School guides: KIS · SIS · YISS · SFS

References (Sources)

  1. 1. College Board — AP Computer Science A Course Overview: apcentral.collegeboard.org
  2. 2. Korean-American Educational Commission (Fulbright Korea) — How to take the AP exam in Korea: fulbright.or.kr
  3. 3. IB Organization — Computer Science subject guide: ibo.org
  4. 4. Cambridge Assessment International Education — IGCSE Computer Science: cambridgeinternational.org
  5. 5. USACO (USA Computing Olympiad) — usaco.org: usaco.org

Consultation info

Wondering where to start with coding and AI education for your international school child? In a free consultation, we'll design the best study plan for your school's curriculum. Consultations are available both in person and online.

Related Pages

ACADEMIC → INDEPENDENT EXTENSION → VERIFIABLE EC

Connect academics to a defensible EC

Protect grades and required school submissions first. Then branch into a new, student-owned question and document evidence that the applicable route permits.

Course knowledge + new question + new evidence + student ownership + verification = defensible EC

  1. LearnDevelop subject knowledge and coding, statistics, and research methods through IB, AP, IGCSE, A-Level, or school courses.
  2. Secure the academic outcomeProtect grades, exams, predicted results, and required school submissions first.
  3. Set the integrity boundaryRecord the boundary between submitted or assessed code, data, and writing and the new work.
  4. Branch into a new questionAdd a substantive new question, dataset, method, user group, experiment, or outcome.
  5. Build and validateThe student creates the code, experiment, analysis, and research log and explains the limitations.
  6. Externalize the workWhere appropriate, connect the project to KSEF, a school activity, competition, CAS or service, real-world deployment, or a portfolio.
  7. Document and adaptCreate a truthful evidence packet and adapt it only for admissions routes that permit it.
Extend the learning; do not duplicate the assessed submission

CIT helps students extend what they have learned into new work. We do not duplicate assessed submissions, write school coursework for students, or present old work as a new competition project. The student must make the decisions, create the work, and be able to explain every part.

  • Green — normally reusable: These may form the foundation of an independent extension.
  • Yellow — review required: Use only when permitted, disclosed, and clearly distinguished through a substantive new contribution.
  • Red — do not reuse as a new submission: These must not be submitted as a separate original work.
View the full Coursework-to-EC pathway → Check route-specific Korean admissions evidence →

CIT does not duplicate assessed submissions, write student coursework, or guarantee awards, international selection, or admission.

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