Uplands International School Penang

Uplands International School is Penang's most established and prestigious international school, founded in 1955. Located on Penang Hill's lower slopes in Tanjung Bungah, Uplands offers the British national curriculum with IGCSE at Key Stage 4 and the IB Diploma Programme at Sixth Form — a combination that gives students exceptional flexibility for university applications worldwide.

Uplands is one of a small number of international schools in Malaysia that offers a genuine boarding option, making it attractive to families whose work requires travel or who are relocating children ahead of a permanent move. Day students from Penang's expat community — particularly families working in the island's semiconductor and electronics industries — make up the majority of the student body.

The hillside campus is expansive and green, with a strong tradition in sports, performing arts, and outdoor education. Academic results are consistently strong, and the school has a close-knit, supportive community atmosphere that many families find appealing as an alternative to larger city schools.