Buist Academy for Advanced Studies is an academic magnet school that was established in 1985. The school provides a rigorous curriculum emphasizing language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and foreign languages.

All students take either French or Spanish classes for the duration of their time at Buist.

In 2007, Buist became an authorized International Baccalaureate World School for the Primary Years Programme (PYP). In September 2010, Buist was fully authorized as a Middle Years Programme (MYP).  Buist has also been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and U.S. News & World Report ranks it as one of South Carolina's top schools.

Buist’s curriculum content is developed into concept-based units of inquiry. The PYP organizes content under six themes that transcend the traditional subject disciplines to create “big ideas” that are universally relevant. The MYP explores eight individual subject areas through MYP Global Contexts that assist in developing interdisciplinary Units of Inquiry.