International school admissions timeline

Most families start about a year before the intended start date. The timeline below is a planning sketch. Individual schools publish their own deadlines and they differ.

Twelve to nine months before entry: build a shortlist

Begin with the practical filters, because they remove most options quickly. Curriculum comes first: a child halfway through the English National Curriculum, the IB Primary Years Programme or an American standards-based programme will move more easily into a school that teaches the same system. Then look at location and travel time, fees, class sizes, language support, and whether the school is accredited by an outside body such as CIS, NEASC, WASC or the Council of British International Schools.

A directory saves time at this stage. The International Schools Database lists schools by country and city with their curriculum, fees and age range, which lets you compare a dozen schools before you contact any of them. Once you have a shortlist of four to six, read each school's own admissions page and note the deadline, the documents it wants and the assessment it uses.

Nine to six months before: visit and ask questions

Book a visit or a virtual tour for each shortlisted school. Ask the admissions office:

• whether the year group has places, and if not, how long the waiting list is
• which assessment the school uses and whether it can be taken remotely
• what English language support is available and whether it costs extra
• how the school handles students arriving from a different curriculum

Write the answers down. After four tours, schools blur together.

Six to four months before: apply

Submit applications to two or three schools rather than one. Popular schools can be oversubscribed, and a single application leaves you with no fallback if it fails. Most schools will want school reports, a teacher's reference and copies of passports. Ask the current school for the reference early, since teachers receive many such requests in spring.

Four to two months before: assessments and interviews

The school will invite your child to an assessment. For younger children this may be a play-based observation. For older students it is usually a cognitive test such as CAT4, an attainment test such as MAP Growth, a short written task and an English assessment. Some schools also hold a short family interview. The entrance assessments guide explains what each test measures and how to prepare without over-preparing.

Two months before to entry: offer, fees and transition

When an offer arrives, check the acceptance deadline and the fees due to secure the place. Send the school any records it still needs, including vaccination history and any learning support reports. Ask whether there is an induction day or buddy programme for new students.

If you are short of time

Families moving at a few weeks' notice can still find places, especially outside the main start of the school year. Contact admissions offices by phone or email directly, explain the dates, and ask whether an assessment can be arranged quickly. Our page on moving mid-year covers this case. For Thailand, the database's Bangkok listings are a quick way to see which schools teach your child's current curriculum.

Quick reference

CEC Education editorial team. Last reviewed October 2026. Rules and dates change; check each school or university's own admissions page before you apply.