Frequent Parent Questions
Where Can I Learn More about ISP and the Admissions Process?
While each family has a unique story, oftentimes many ask very similar, and very good, probing questions. With many years of combined experience in admissions here at the International School of Paris, we have tried to compile those questions in a useful manner to help better respond to you in real time during each stage of the admissions process, and to let you have a window into what other parents are asking, too!
We would also invite you to take a look at our dedicated information regarding:
Frequent Parent Questions
- Stage 1: Enquiry - Is ISP right for me?
- Stage 2: Application - What, Where, When and How
- Stage 3: Review Process - Getting to Know You
- Stage 4: Committee Decision - A Mutual Match
- Stage 5: New Beginnings at ISP - What Next?
Stage 1: Enquiry - Is ISP right for me?
- 1/ What makes ISP special?
- 2/ Is there a "typical" profile for an ISP student?
- 3/ What curriculum is taught at ISP?
- 4/ At what age can my child begin to attend ISP?
- 5/ My child is not a native English speaker. Can they be accepted at ISP?
- 6/ How much French will my child study at ISP? Is this a bilingual programme?
- 7/ What are the school fees?
- 8/ What are the school hours?
- 9/ Does ISP have any boarding facilities? Do you help identify host families for potential students?
- 10/ How can I make an appointment to visit the school and meet with an admissions representative?
1/ What makes ISP special?
We believe there are many unique aspects to an ISP education which make a student and family's time here in Paris with us truly special. To find out more, please take a moment to visit the About Us page, and check out our Guiding Statements as well as our social media channels to find out more.
2/ Is there a "typical" profile for an ISP student?
ISP students are a very diverse group. Many of them have lived in several different countries already; others were born and raised here in France. A significant number of them will be with us for a few years during their parents’ professional assignments in Paris; others will stay for a much longer period. All of them, however, belong to a school culture which is warm, open-minded and international, and one that values intellectual challenge on every level. If you, too, can see yourself as part of this culture, please contact the Admissions team and consider applying!
3/ What curriculum is taught at ISP?
ISP is an English-speaking International Baccalaureate World School which offers the complete IB curriculum, beginning with the Primary Years Programme (Nursery-Grade 5), followed by the Middle Years Programme (Grade 6–10) and culminating with the IB Diploma Programme (Grade 11–12). We were the first school in France to offer all three IB programmes and we are extremely proud to be able to offer this excellent curriculum, which prepares our students to be reflective critical thinkers and responsible global citizens. To learn more about the programmes that we offer at ISP please visit the official IB website, www.ibo.org.
4/ At what age can my child begin to attend ISP?
For our youngest students, ISP offers a pre-school Primary Years Programme (PYP) Nursery class for 3-4 year olds. To qualify for the class, a child must be 3 years old on or before September 1 of the current academic year. For more information on ages and grade placement, please visit the Grade Placement section of our website.
5/ My child is not a native English speaker. Can they be accepted at ISP?
Fluency in English is not a criterion for admission (with the exception of candidates applying for Grades 10, 11 or 12, in which case a functional level of academic English is required). ISP provides substantial additional support for students who are beginning in English up to and including Grade 9. For information about Grade 10 applicants whose English level is still only basic, please contact the Admissions office directly.
Students applying to Grade 11 must demonstrate advanced proficiency (B1 or above) in academic English. Students applying to Grade 11 who are non-native English speakers or who have not attended an International English speaking school must provide documented evidence of their level of English (e.g. Cambridge First, TOEFL, IELTS certification, etc.). Applicants may be asked to take an additional English proficiency test if necessary.
6/ How much French will my child study at ISP? Is this a bilingual programme?
At ISP, we recognize the importance of French as the language of our host country and, as such, it plays a key role in school life. In Nursery, Pre-Kindergarten (taught as a mixed Early Learners group) students have access to French play approximately one and a half hours per week in small groups. For Kindergarten and above, students are split into different ability levels for French lessons; approximately 2 and a half hours in Kindergarten, rising to four hours in Grades 1-5.
Grades 6 - 10 have a minimum of three hours of French per week, with four different ability levels available. Students in these grades may also choose to take additional French in place of a third language, taking them to six hours per week. Similarly, advanced or native French speakers can choose to increase their exposure to French in place of a third language, taking them to six hours per week. Similarly, advanced or native French speakers can choose to increase their exposure to French instead of a third language, by following a “Cultures et Sociétés” course which investigates French and Francophone culture through language, art and media. In Grades 11 and 12, students can take French as an IB Diploma subject, at Higher or Standard Levels, and as a Language Acquisition or Language and Literature course, as appropriate.
In our 2019 graduating class, 66% of our Grade 12 students were awarded bilingual diplomas through the IB Diploma Programme. The worldwide average is approximately 30%.
Please keep in mind that classes are taught in English at ISP and it is not a “bilingual” curriculum. However, French is a mandatory subject from Nursery through Grade 10 and an available course at all language proficiency levels in the IB Diploma Programme.
7/ What are the school fees?
Information regarding our fees and fee structure may be found on the Fees section of our website. As a non-for-profit organisation, we are governed by a Board of Trustees who vote the fees annually - they are announced for the upcoming school year in March.
8/ What are the school hours?
Nursery and Pre-K |
9:00–15:30 |
|
Kindergarten - Grade 5 |
9:00–15:45 |
|
Grades 6 - 9 |
8:50-16:30 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday |
|
Grades 10 - 12 |
8:50–16:30 |
At the Primary School, children in Grades 1 to 5 can be dropped off from 8:30 in the main courtyard. Early Learners (Nursery and Pre-K) and children in Kindergarten can be dropped off from 8:45.
At the Middle and High Schools, doors open at 8:15 and close at 17:30.
9/ Does ISP have any boarding facilities? Do you help identify host families for potential students?
We currently do not offer boarding facilities at ISP nor do we have any contacts with organisations or third parties who may offer these types of services to potential students. Under our current structure as a day school, our philosophy is that our students are best able to meet their academic potential when living with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Therefore, as a matter of course, we do not consider applications from students who will not be living with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) while attending ISP.
10/ How can I make an appointment to visit the school and meet with an admissions representative?
It would be our pleasure to welcome you on campus to meet with a member of the Admissions team and tour our school facilities. Details regarding such requests can be found on the Campus tours section of our website.
Stage 2: Application - What, Where, When and How
- 1/ When should I apply? Is there a deadline?
- 2/ What grade should I apply for?
- 3/ How can I apply?
- 4/ When and how should I pay the application fee?
- 5/ What are you looking for in the Parent and Applicant questionnaires?
- 6/ Who should I ask to complete the Confidential School Recommendations? How many references?
- 7/ Are year-end summaries sufficient for grade reports?
- 8/ My child does not have any formal grades to submit. What should I do?
- 9/ Do documents need to be officially translated?
- 10/ When will my application be reviewed?
1/ When should I apply? Is there a deadline?
We typically begin formal application reviews for the upcoming academic year (September-June) in January. As acceptances are done on a rolling basis here at ISP, there is no fixed application deadline. However, some grades can fill up quickly and it is difficult to predict for any given year which grades this can or will affect the most. Therefore, we always encourage our prospective families to begin the application process as soon as possible. Once we have reached our maximum capacity in a particular grade, candidates who are approved for admission are placed in a waiting pool.
Given the mobile nature of our community, we are happy to welcome students part-way through the academic year, following a successful application process and subject to space availability. Should your family be considering a mid-year transfer, please feel free to contact us as soon as possible for an update on space availability in the grade(s) concerned. Mid-year applications are evaluated on a continual basis.
2/ What grade should I apply for?
The normal ISP grade placement policy has a birthday cut-off date of September 1. This cut-off date is strictly enforced for all Early Years candidates, i.e. those entering our Nursery, Pre-K and Kindergarten classes. Our experience has shown that children in early childhood education benefit from remaining with their age cohort, as their social and emotional development moves in parallel with their academic and linguistic capacities. The IB PYP builds upon best practices in education to provide for differentiated, inquiry-based learning in small classrooms, so children’s individual learning profile and skills are taken into account at all levels.
For additional details on ages and corresponding grade placements, please refer to the ISP Admissions Policy and Grade Placement section of our website.
3/ How can I apply?
Our application process is online through the ISP OpenApply platform. You may access this platform and create your personal log-in at https://isparis.openapply.com/. You will be guided through certain forms to complete online, and there are a number of additional elements to be uploaded. Before beginning an application, we invite you to consult the application checklists in the Download Center of our website, for an overview of the items required to apply to different grade levels at ISP.
4/ When and how should I pay the application fee?
The application fee may be paid by credit card, cheque, bank transfer or cash. Credit card payments can be made via our secure online payment platform - please contact a member of the Admissions team to gain access. Please note that the only card we cannot accept is AmEx. Our bank transfer details may be obtained from the ISP admissions team directly (admissions@isparis.edu). In such cases, we would please request that you label the payment with your child(ren)’s name(s) to help us to trace it.
An application cannot proceed to the application review stage until the file is fully complete and this includes payment of the application fee. The application fee is non-refundable.
5/ What are you looking for in the Parent and Applicant questionnaires?
Simply stated, the Parent and Applicant Questionnaires provide us the opportunity to get to know you a bit better. There are no right or wrong answers, please feel free to write as much as you would like!
For the Applicant Questionnaire, the applicant (Grades 1 - 12) should provide a handwritten response – in English, if possible, and without assistance. Candidates for Nursery – Kindergarten should include a drawing as part of the Early Childhood Questionnaire.
For the Parent Questionnaire, we have provided suggested subject prompts in the application – however, please feel free to address as many points as you deem applicable and relevant.
6/ Who should I ask to complete the Confidential School Recommendations? How many references?
For candidates applying to Nursery to Grade 5, the student’s main class teacher should complete the Confidential School Recommendation Form. In these cases, one recommendation is sufficient.
For candidates applying to Grades 6 - 12, two different referees must complete the Confidential School Recommendation forms. One referee should be a current teacher who knows the student’s academic abilities, the other a school administrator who knows the applicant in a social/pastoral capacity, such as a Principal, Vice Principal or Counsellor.
Confidential School Recommendation forms can be accessed on ISP OpenApply platform once an application has begun, and can be sent to your chosen referee through the OpenApply site. French versions of the Confidential School Recommendation forms are available on request. Applications which are missing recommendation forms will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.
7/ Are year-end summaries sufficient for grade reports?
During the application process, we kindly request reports from all available grading periods so as to appreciate the evolution of the student throughout the school year. If the applicant’s year-end transcript includes grades from the previous marking periods then we can accept the year-end report only. However, if the student’s report cards from the previous marking periods include narrative comments which do not appear on the year-end report, please provide copies of the previous report cards as well.
8/ My child does not have any formal grades to submit. What should I do?
We understand that some school systems do not give grades before students reach a certain age. If this applies to you, please submit all other application materials on the ISP OpenApply platform and simply contact us to let us know that you are unable to provide report cards for this reason. The Admissions Committee will then review your application and if additional information is required in lieu of the report cards, we will get in touch with you directly to discuss how best to proceed.
9/ Do documents need to be officially translated?
10/ When will my application be reviewed?
We begin processing applications for the upcoming school year (starting in September) in the preceding January. Applications for the current school year are considered on a continual basis, subject to availability in the grade concerned. Application files must be complete before being put forward to our Admissions Committee for review. Further information about the application review process can be found in Stage 3 of Frequent Parent Questions.
Stage 3: Review Process - Getting to Know You
- 1/ Once I am informed that my application has entered the review process, when can I expect a response?
- 2/ What are the criteria for acceptance at ISP?
- 3/ Who will review my child's file?
- 4/ Is an interview required?
- 5/ Are English tests required?
1/ Once I am informed that my application has entered the review process, when can I expect a response?
The review of an application is normally completed within 10-15 working days. The process may take a little longer in peak periods, or if there is any additional follow-up which may need to be done.
2/ What are the criteria for acceptance at ISP?
Please consult the Criteria for Admission page for information about what we look for when reviewing applications.
3/ Who will review my child's file?
4/ Is an interview required?
Interviews are not part of the standard application process. However, they may be requested in certain cases, when the Admissions Committee feels that they would provide crucial additional information to enable a decision to be taken. For more information, please see the Additional Follow-Up section of our website.
5/ Are English tests required?
English tests are not part of the standard application process. However, they for candidates applying for Grades 10, 11 or 12, a functional level of academic English is required. ISP provides substantial additional support for students who are beginning in English up to and including Grade 9. For information about Grade 10 applicants whose English level is still only basic, please contact the admissions office directly.
Students applying to Grade 11 must demonstrate advanced proficiency (B1 or above) in academic English. Students applying to Grade 11 who are non-native English speakers or who have not attended an English speaking school must provide documented evidence of their level of English (e.g. Cambridge First, TOEFL, IELTS certification, etc.). Applicants may be asked to take an additional English proficiency test if necessary.
Stage 4: Committee Decision - A Mutual Match
- 1/ My child has been accepted at ISP. What steps do I need to take to complete registration?
- 2/ My child has been offered a place in the waiting pool. What now?
- 3/ What are the criteria for acceptance at ISP?
1/ My child has been accepted at ISP. What steps do I need to take to complete registration?
To confirm your acceptance, the Admissions team will send you a formal email containing a link to a registration document. To formally accept our offer of a place, you will need to complete and return the French version of the registration document with a deposit of 1000 € per child and a completed Tuition Payment form within 10 days. This should be completed with the details of the person or entity who will be guaranteeing the payment for the academic year, including signature of this person or authority. If a parent's employer will be paying the school fees directly to ISP, the ISP Tuition Payment Form must include the formal stamp of the institution and all the coordinating details and signature(s) of the person(s) responsible for school payment; in this case the 1000€ deposit per child is not required.
2/ My child has been offered a place in the waiting pool. What now?
If an applicant is accepted but no space is available in the appropriate class, they will be placed in the waiting pool. When a place becomes available in the appropriate class, it will be offered to a student in the t the Waiting Pool.
3/ What are the criteria for acceptance at ISP?
For more information about what we look for when reviewing applications, please refer to the Criteria for Admission section of our website.
Stage 5: New Beginnings at ISP - What Next?
- 1/ When and how will I receive information regarding back-to-school and other transition information?
- 2/ Who do I contact for changes to personal contacts (phone, address, etc.)?
- 3/When can I enroll in the additional services at ISP; bus service, hot lunch or canteen?
- 4/ When will the school fees be invoiced?
- 5/ How/when can I enroll in the Extended Curriculum Activities?
1/ When and how will I receive information regarding back-to-school and other transition information?
You will receive ‘Welcome to ISP’ information via email in July or upon registration if you enrol after this time. In mid-July, you will receive access to our online, password protected Parent Portal where you will be able to find lots of information about the school, including the school calendar, handbooks, who to contact, important dates, policy and procedure information, a basic school supplies list, as well as key names, dates and contact information. For an overview of our post-registration timeline, please consult the Next Steps section of our website.
You will also be able to contact the ISP Parent Teacher Association (PTA), an independent, non-profit organization, run entirely by volunteer parents, whose mission is to provide support for members of the ISP community. Our dedicated PTA volunteers work hard to organize a variety of social activities and information sessions for parents to enjoy throughout the year. Critical to the life of the school, our PTA provides support for a variety of student activities and serves as a valuable point of contact between all parents and teachers.
2/ Who do I contact for changes to personal contacts (phone, address, etc.)?
Up until the start of the school year, please send any updates to your personal information to admissions@isparis.edu. Once the school year has begun, the best address to update these contact details is reception@isparis.edu.
3/When can I enroll in the additional services at ISP; bus service, hot lunch or canteen?
Sign-up forms for the bus and hot lunch services will be included in the Back-to-School Information Pack, which will be available electronically from mid-July. Parents of students in the Middle School will be sent information on how to load money to their child(ren)'s card for use in our canteen at the beginning of the school year.
4/ When will the school fees be invoiced?
Tuition fee invoices for new families are sent out in late May/early June by our finance department. For specific questions relating to tuition fee invoices and payments, please contact finance@isparis.edu.
5/ How/when can I enroll in the Extended Curriculum Activities?
Extended Curriculum Activities (ECA) are sports and activities that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum and timetable at the school. These activities are generally voluntary, social, philanthropic, and often involve other students of the same age. Sign-up for the Extended Curriculum Activities takes place at the start of each term. Please see the Extended Curriculum Activities section of our website for additional information.
For additional information, please feel free to connect with the ISP Admissions Team.
You can also find more information for parents on the International Baccalaureate website.