Admissions

School admissions

A confident first step in your child’s educational journey

Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a parent. At Canadian International School (CIS), we understand how significant this choice is and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Open for registration

Enrolling at Canadian International School is an exciting journey, and our dedicated Admissions team is here to make the process smooth and enjoyable from start to finish from your initial enquiry to your child’s very first day of school.

Schedule a campus tour

There’s no better way to experience Canadian International School (CIS) than by seeing it for yourself. Our personalised school tours give you the chance to explore our facilities, learn about our programmes, and ask any questions you may have.

Inquire now

Share a few details below and our Admissions team will be in touch to guide you through the next steps. We’re here to answer your questions and help you discover how our programmes can support your child’s learning journey.

Discover CIS: Join our Open House

We invite you to spend a morning with us at our world-class campus and experience first-hand our warm and welcoming community. Over the course of the morning you will hear from our Head of School or Senior Leadership team and see classes in action as you take a tour with our Principals.

Submit your application

Complete our online application form and upload the required documents, including previous school reports and any additional information or assessments as requested.

Frequently asked questions

We understand that navigating a new school can sometimes be a stressful experience. This page has the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. If you would like any other information regarding enrolling your child at CIS, please contact our friendly Admissions Team by submitting our online inquiry form.

What are CIS’ school hours?

The school day runs from 8:30am to 3:30pm, with half day options for our nursery students.

When does the school year start and end?

Dates for the 2026/2027 school year are listed below.

Semester One
12 August 2026 - 15 January 2027

Semester Two
18 January 2027 - 17 June 2027

How many students are there at CIS?

There are approximately 3,000 students currently at CIS.

How many nationalities are represented at CIS?

Our student body comes from over 70 nations, and we have no one dominant nationality. We are a school that truly celebrates their internationalism.

Does CIS have a waitlist?

There is high demand for places at the Canadian International School and waitlists do exist for a number of year groups. For information on the availability of places, please contact our Admissions Executives for further information. It is advisable to apply for a place as early as possible.

Does the Canadian International School (CIS) have a Canadian curriculum?

The Canadian International School is an International Baccalaureate School.

Nursery

Inspired by the IB PYP framework, our curriculum focuses on developing children's foundational social, literacy and numeracy skills, as well as their fine and gross motor skills.

Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 10

Reflecting our international context, our curriculum draws from the best curricula globally and is delivered within the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and IB Middle Years (MYP) framework.

Grades 11 and 12

The Diploma Programme follows a curriculum set by the IB. This ensures that students globally are studying the same course material and are prepared for examinations at the end of Grade 12.

One of the benefits of an IB education is the portability that it brings for our globally mobile community. We have found that our students are able to seamlessly transition to both other IB schools, and back to their national curriculum.

Are all teachers at CIS Canadian?

Approximately one third of our teachers are Canadian. They are joined by colleagues from other countries as well (for example: Australia, the UK, Europe, New Zealand and USA).

Are all teachers at CIS qualified?

Yes, all the teachers at CIS are formally qualified, and have prior teaching experience. Individual profiles of our teachers can be viewed in the staff directory.

Are there English Language entry requirements at CIS?

CIS English language proficiency requirements vary depending on a student’s grade. A detailed overview of the requirements can be found in the Entry requirements section on this website.

Will my child learn another language at CIS?

The Canadian International School offers an extensive language programme, meeting a wide range of needs and interests. Our languages page outlines what is offered across the grades. CIS also offers additional languages after school as part of the paid extra-curricular activities programme.

Will my child need to bring a computer to school?

Students in Grades 3 to 6 must have an iPad, while students in Grades 7 through 12 must have their own MacBook computer at school every day. Students bring their device to school each day, and take it home in the evening. Visit our Digital Literacy page to learn more about our "One to World Programme".

Does CIS have a school bus service?

Yes, we engage an independent, local school bus operator (Yeap Transport) to provide door-to-door bus transportation for our students. Full details can be found on this page of our website.

Does CIS have a school uniform?

Yes, we have a school uniform that all students wear. Details can be found on this page of our website.

Can my child buy lunch and snacks at school?

Sodexo is the school caterer and we have canteens at both campuses. Lunch and snacks are included in the school fees for all Kindergarten students, while students in Grades 1 to 12 can purchase lunch and/or snacks from the canteen, or may bring a packed lunch from home. Learn more about the canteen and what is offered on this page.

What is a course?

CIS is an international school that offers programmes for students from 2 to approximately 18 years of age. "Courses" at CIS are commonly referred to as grades. Nursery is offered as half day (3 hour) or full day programme. All other grades are offered on a full time basis and students attend school 5 days per week (Monday to Friday).

Details including the minimum entry requirements for each grade level, a brief course (grade) write up, and the details of the relevant awarding and/or governing body/bodies can be found in the student contract.

Teacher: student ratio and class sizes

All classes are staffed to ensure an optimal learning environment. As in all international school settings, the number of students in a class will fluctuate throughout the academic year - in line with demand and peak periods for admission and withdrawal.

In the kindergarten years, teachers are supported by two full-time instructional assistants in nursery and one full-time instructional assistant in pre-kindergarten, junior and senior kindergarten, allowing teachers to focus on each child’s emotional and social well-being.

Our bilingual classes (pre-kindergarten to grade 6) have two teachers per class. Students will learn in Chinese one day, and in English the next. In addition to the teacher, each class is supported by an instructional assistant.

Parent testimonials

What our community says

Class of 2009

Elizabeth White

For Class of 2009 alumna Elizabeth White, who joined CIS in 1998 at age seven, her 11 years at the school left a lasting impact. When choosing a school for her own children, CIS was the clear choice. “It’s remarkable to see how much CIS has grown since the late 90s, yet it has retained its close-knit community. We never feel that my son Owen is just another student, and that means so much to our family.”

CIS parents since 2022

du Bois de Vroylande family (Belgian)

The school offers both a professional academic environment where kids can grow as learners and a caring environment for them to build their confidence. We also appreciate their Chinese-English bilingual programme and their fantastic swim team, which brings a huge value for our children, both as athletes and as members of a great community.

CIS parents since 2017

Jain family (Indian)

Coming from a British curriculum background, we were keen to explore the IB approach and wanted a school with strong academics, a close-knit community, excellent technology integration, and open communication. CIS delivers on all of this. A small but meaningful example of its strong culture is seeing the Principals and Head of School personally greeting students and families at the gate each morning it truly means a lot to us.

CIS parents since 2021

Soos family (Hungarian)

What makes CIS more attractive than other schools of the same standard are little extras the concept of making things more personal, good communication between parents and the teachers, the facilities in the new Kindergarten wing, the innovative and caring spirit of the management and, of course, the overall good feeling the school gives us.