Admissions AT BIS HCMC

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What does the application fee cover?

  The fee covers the administrative costs of your application, as well as an age-appropriate admission assessment, if needed. With almost 1,000 enquiries for places each year, it also shows that your family really wants to join our school!
• What do your tuition fees include?

  Here is a breakdown of what our tuition fees cover.
  
  For primary: books, uniform pack, day trips, lunch and a snack, a variety of co-curricular activities, and external exams.
  
  For secondary: books, uniform pack, day trips, a variety of co-curricular activities, and external exams (including IGCSEs and IBDP).
  
  We’ll arrange for you to collect your child’s uniform pack from our shop as soon as we’ve received your registration fee.
  
  Please note: our fees don’t include residential trips, instrument lessons, or school buses. At secondary school, fees don’t include lunch and snacks. 
• How does the process differ if my company is paying the fees?

  We want to make the admissions process as straightforward as possible. If your company is paying your child’s fees, our admissions and finance teams are happy to deal with them directly. Please let us know as early as possible in the application process.
• Why do you ask for a security deposit?

  We ask for a refundable deposit to help us prepare for your child’s arrival. Recruiting the best international teachers is a comprehensive process, which starts in January each year. We invest a considerable amount of time and money in finding the world’s best and want to make sure that your child will be with us the following academic year.
  
  You’ll need to give a minimum of 90 days’ notice to withdraw your child and get a refund. This is designed to offset the financial outlay we make recruiting additional staff. 
• My child hasn’t followed the English National Curriculum before. Which year group will they join?

  This depends on the education system your child is joining us from. To find out how their curriculum compares with our age groups, please take a look at our Age and Grade Comparison Chart.
• Does my child need to sit an admission assessment?

  Yes, we ask every child to take an age-appropriate admission assessment. Our youngest Early Years Foundation Stage children, meanwhile, are invited to a Family Admissions Meeting (FAM).
  
  If English isn’t your child’s first language, they’ll also need to complete an English as an Additional Language (EAL) assessment (from Foundation 3 upwards). This will help us to assess their EAL needs, if any, and identify what level of support they may need to access both our curriculum and wider school life. 
• Do you support children for whom English isn’t their first language?

  Yes, we have a dedicated English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme that supports our non-native English speakers to access our full curriculum. However, we do expect your child to demonstrate a reasonable level of English, appropriate for their age grade, at the application stage.
• What supporting documents do I need to provide?

  When you apply, you’ll need to send us the following documents:

  • A copy of your child's passport.
  • A copy of your child's birth certificate.
  • A current identification photo of your child.
  • A copy of both parents’ passports or ID cards.
  • Your child's previous two (or latest) school reports (in English), if applicable.
  • A physical evaluation signed by a doctor (we will provide you with our form).
  • A copy of your child's immunisation record.
  • Additional Educational Needs (AEN) assessment records (if applicable).
  • Your child's application fee (either in Vietnamese Dong or by bank transfer).
  • You will also need to sign and return our Terms and Conditions form (we will send this to you after we have received your application). 
• Will you help us settle into Vietnamese life?

  At BIS HCMC, we truly are a community. As well as helping your child to settle into school, our Parent Teacher Group will quickly make you feel at home, and you’ll be invited to lots of fun family events throughout the year. We are more than happy to help you connect with other families, too, so please do ask the BIS HCMC admissions team for contact details. We also recommend you take a look at our dedicated Living in HCMC page for top tips on getting set up!
  
  If your child needs a little extra support, we have a dedicated Advice, Support and Counselling (ASC) team that will help them settle into school life.