History

The United Nations International School (UNIS) was established in 1947 by a group of United Nations Parents to provide an international education for their children, while preserving their diverse cultural heritages. What began as a nursery school for 20 children quickly grew, adding grades, students and faculty.

The rapid growth of the School demanded new and larger facilities.  By the late 1950’s, the School had campuses in Queens and in Manhattan, and broadened it student base to include the UN community, the Diplomatic Corps, the non-governmental international sector, and local New York Families.

UNIS was the first school to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and awarded the first IB degree in the world.  The comprehensive curriculum, K-12, prepares UNIS students for the IB and to go on to study in top colleges and universities in the United States and worldwide.

Today, UNIS has two campuses, one in Queens housing K-8 and one in Manhattan housing K-12.  The School is chartered by the New York Board of Regents as an independent, not-for-profit school and is also accredited by the European Council of Independent Schools.