United Nations International School - Manhattan

United Nations International School, known as UNIS, is a non-religious day school operating under the direct auspices of the United Nations in Manhattan, New York. It enrolls more than 1,000 students across every grade — pre-school through high school — a full span that is rare among international day schools in New York City.

The student body defines the teaching experience. Families come from UN staff and diplomatic missions around the world. Classrooms hold students who speak Arabic, Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish as home languages. Teachers adapt content for genuinely cross-cultural audiences every day.

UNIS does not follow a single national curriculum. Programs center on innovation, cross-cultural communication, and global problem-solving. Faculty roles often combine subject teaching with advisory duties, giving teachers closer contact with each student's full school day than a typical Manhattan day school allows. That blend suits candidates who want a visible role beyond the classroom.

In 2023, UNIS reported $73.5 million in revenue and held $70.7 million in net assets. That base supports competitive salaries for the Manhattan independent school market, along with health coverage and retirement benefits. Fundraising grew nearly 70 percent in the same period, a sign of active donor engagement.

UNIS hires across all divisions — early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school — plus operations, administration, and student support roles. Language instruction, humanities, and science teaching jobs open most often before each academic year. New York State certification or recognized international credentials are standard. Candidates who speak multiple languages or hold experience in international programs tend to stand out.