ADMISSIONS GUIDELINES

SCIS strives to foster a diverse school community with a strong blend of international, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

We consider both the parent and student as partners within our learning community. SCIS does not discriminate with regard to race, religion, or culture.

We welcome you to apply for admission to SCIS. We operate on a rolling basis, meaning that we review candidates and offer enrollment throughout the entire school year. Offers of enrollment are subject to space availability and candidate qualifications. As a school operating near or at full capacity in most divisions, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Our experienced staff are available year-round to assist you.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

In accordance with the relevant regulations and policies set by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SHMEC), as a private foreign-international school, SCIS is only allowed to offer enrollment to students who qualify within one of the four categories listed below:

Type A – Child of a Foreign Citizen
Type B – Child of PRC Citizens, who meets one of the following conditions:
• B1 – Child with a Foreign Birth Certificate
• B2 – Child Born in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan
Type C – Child of Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan Residents

See the checklist below to learn more about what supporting documents are required for each category listed above.

To learn more about what supporting documents are required for each eligibility category listed above, please download the Admissions Checklist:

Admissions Checklist

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA

At SCIS, admissions decisions are made by an Admissions Committee consisting of the Director of Admissions, Head of School, and a rotating group of divisional administrators, admissions team members, and other relevant school personnel. Admissions decisions are based on a full review of each candidate’s application and supporting documents, taking into consideration their international mindedness, English language proficiency, demonstrated academic achievement, and developmental, social/emotional, and behavioral background.

Amongst equally qualified candidates, priority consideration (not automatic placement) is given to returning SCIS students, overseas applicants, those with siblings currently attending SCIS, and those with stronger academic English proficiency. Of vital consideration as well is the balance of English language learners and other relevant demographic factors in order for SCIS to realize its mission as a truly international school environment.

See the admissions criteria listed below to learn more about our requirements.

EARLY CHILDHOOD (NURSERY - KINDERGARTEN)

Students from Preschool and up are required to be toilet-independent and are not allowed to wear diapers during the school day or on the school bus (disposable diapers are allowed during nap time). Students in Nursery are not required to be toilet-independent and are allowed to wear disposable diapers provided from home.
Students are not required to have a base foundation in English; however, it is recommended.
Parents and child are required (if possible) to arrange a campus tour/meeting before applying for admission.
In some cases, the student may be required to attend a trial day as part of the application process.
Parents should submit all previous school reports, teacher comments/recommendations, standardized assessments, and any other relevant information that would support the student application.
As a community-centered institution, SCIS values strong and supportive family units. We consider the entire family unit as an applicant to the school.

LOWER SCHOOL (GRADES 1-5)

Students are not required to have a base foundation in English; however, it is highly recommended. Space within the EAL program is limited.
Parents and child are required (if possible) to arrange a campus tour/meeting before applying for admission.
In some cases, the student may be required to attend a trial day as part of the application process.
Parents should submit all previous school reports, teacher comments/recommendations, and any other relevant information that would support the student application.
If standardized assessment or English language proficiency assessment results are available, these should be submitted as part of the student application. We prefer NWEA MAP scores (standardized assessment) and WIDA results (English language proficiency assessment), but will accept other formats.
As a community-centered institution, SCIS values strong and supportive family units. We consider the entire family unit as an applicant to the school.

UPPER SCHOOL (GRADES 6-12)

Students are required to have a certain foundational level of English. The required level of English language proficiency is dependent on the grade level applied for. Students applying for grades 11-12 must be proficient in English.
Parents and child are required (if possible) to arrange a campus tour/meeting before applying for admission. The applicant may be asked to attend an additional interview.
In some cases, the student may be required to take an English language proficiency assessment and/or other standardized assessment.
Parents should submit all previous school reports/transcripts, teacher comments/recommendations, and any other relevant information that would support the student application.
If standardized assessment or English language proficiency assessment results are available, these should be submitted as part of the student application. We prefer NWEA MAP scores (standardized assessment) and WIDA results (English language proficiency assessment), but will accept other formats.
As a community-centered institution, SCIS values strong and supportive family units. We consider the entire family unit as an applicant to the school.

AGE / GRADE LEVEL GUIDELINES

First page of the PDF file: admissionageguidelineSY2023-24withlink

GRADE LEVEL / CLASS PLACEMENT

Upon enrollment, students are placed in a grade level by our Admissions Committee based on a variety of factors, including their previous academic history, chronological age, and development. For younger students (early childhood & lower primary school), a greater emphasis is placed on age and developmental appropriateness. In some cases, students may be considered for placement outside of their chronological age group, but only if there is significant justification to do so as determined by the school. In all cases, placements may be reviewed after a period of formal assessments and observations. The divisional administration will make the final decision regarding grade level placement.

Students who apply from schools or educational systems with a different school calendar (like those commonly found in schools in Korea, Japan, Singapore, or Australia) will be placed in the grade level that they are currently attending if they are admitted at the start of the new school year. If they are accepted in January, they will be placed in the grade level that they have just completed at their previous school. All students must graduate from Grade 12 before their 20th birthday.

At SCIS, we believe that our collective intelligence increases through diversity. We are intentional about ensuring that each of our homeroom groups is a representation of SCIS’s international community. Therefore, we consider nationality, mother-tongue, English language proficiency, academic status, age, and gender in the formation of homeroom groups. To ensure diverse groupings, SCIS is not able to honor parent requests for a particular teacher or homeroom placement.

See our Age/Grade Level Guidelines below in order to determine which grade level your child is eligible for. Applicants must be the designated age (as stated below) on or before September 30 of the academic year for which the applicant is applying.

WAIT POOL

SCIS operates at or near full capacity in most divisions. In the event a grade level is at capacity, qualified applicants will enter into a Wait Pool. Applicants within the wait pool are considered for admission once an opening becomes available. In this case, applicants are not considered chronologically, but rather according to our normal admissions decision making criteria.

SCIS strives to achieve a balance in all areas of diversity, including nationality, mother-tongue, English language proficiency, academic status, age and gender. When an opening becomes available, the Admissions Committee will choose a candidate that best fits our community and the candidate’s family will be notified immediately.

Applicants will remain in the wait pool for the entirety of the school year in which they originally applied. If no space becomes available, wait pool applicants will be rolled-over for consideration for the following school year. Wait pool applicants will only be rolled-over for consideration once, after which they will be exited from the wait pool and be required to reapply for further consideration.

BUS SERVICE

SCIS offers free, door-to-door bus transportation for all currently-enrolled students. Bus service includes transportation to and from school during normal academic hours. Bus service for after school activities is only available at our Pudong Campus (Please note, given the central, downtown location of our Hongqiao Campuses, there is no bus service available for after school activities).

As you consider your timeline for applying to SCIS, please be aware that due to regulations imposed by the Shanghai Transportation Commission, international schools in Shanghai are required to apply for a permit to add new buses, bus routes, and/or bus stops. If you miss our transportation application deadlines, this application process can take anywhere from one month to a full semester to complete; during which time, SCIS will not be able to provide transportation services.

To learn more about these deadline, or to apply for transportation services, please see more information below:

Bus Service Deadlines / Application

Bus Service Deadlines / Application

In accordance with the regulations set by the Shanghai Transportation Commission, SCIS has set the following deadlines to apply for transportation service:
• For the Fall Semester, you must apply by July 1
• For the Spring Semester, you must apply by December 1

If you already have a current home address in Shanghai and will require bus service for your student, please fill out the Transportation Application as soon as possible.

If you do not yet have a local address, please be aware of the deadlines and regulations stated above as you consider your timeline and decision-making process. We fully understand that you may not know your local address too far in advance of your transition to Shanghai. In this case, we encourage you to contact our transportation coordinators, who will be able to answer any questions that you may have. Please find the campus-specific contact information below:

Hongqiao ECE Campus

Angela Hu

Transportation Coordinator
hq-ece-transportation@scis-china.org
+86(21) 6295-1222 (ext 7003)

Hongqiao MAIN Campus

Elaine Huang

Transportation Coordinator
hq-transportation@scis-china.org
+86(21) 6261-4338 (ext 3151)

PUDONG Campus

Stu Ren

Transportation Coordinator
pd-transportation@scis-china.org
+86(21) 5812-9888 (ext 6002)

WITHDRAWAL PROCESS

Given our diverse global community, we recognize that transitions are a part of our life here and we will do all we can to ensure that your transition from our school to the next goes smoothly.

Just as we take great care in welcoming new families through our admissions process, we also strive to support our enrolled families when it is time for them to move on. Please see below for details on how to initiate the withdrawal processes from SCIS.

STUDENT WITHDRAWAL CHECKLIST

1. Submit Withdrawal Notification Form

Once you learn that your family will be leaving the SCIS community, we ask that you provide us formal written notification by completing our Withdrawal Notification Form through our School Forms Online (SFO) We ask that you complete one form for each child enrolled that is withdrawing.

2. Complete Exit
Checklists

Our Registrar will confirm receipt of your withdrawal notification form to you via email and inform your child’s Divisional Administration of the upcoming departure. The Divisional Secretaries will ensure that their teachers are informed of your child’s upcoming withdrawal date and ensure that the required exit checklists are completed prior to your child’s final day of school.

3. Collect Final Reports
& Enrollment Certificate

We will support you in collecting your child’s final school reports, enrollment certificates, and any other documentation that is required to support the transition to your child’s future schools.

Please note that students who do not have a formal withdrawal notification form completed are unable to collect final school reports, enrollment certificates, or tuition refunds.

Refund Policy: SCIS is able to provide semester tuition refunds for semesters not attended, only if formal withdrawal notification is provided before the new semester begins and by the posted deadlines. SCIS is not able to provide mid-semester or prorated refunds. Review the Refund Policy for more information.

Student Withdrawal Checklist