Admissions Policy

• All students applying for entrance into the Montessori program will be admitted at three points in the academic year:
  • a.     August 
  • b.     End of January (First day of Second Semester)
  • c.     April (Following School Spring Break)
• Students may apply for entry into M3 for an August start if their 3rd birthday falls on or before October 31 of the calendar year. Students with their 3rd birthday from November 1 until December 31 may apply for entry in January. 
• Students may apply for entry into M4 for an August start if their 4th birthday falls between January 1 and December 31.
• Students may apply for entry into M5/Kindergarten for an August start if their 5th birthday falls between January 1 and December 31.
• All students applying for entry in January will complete the application process by Nov 31 and will have an interview with the Head of Lower School and a half day visit to the class by mid December. 
• All students applying for entry in April will remain in the program they enroll in until the end of the school year, then move to the next level in August.

• Grade level placement will be determined by a range of factors, including previous grade level completion, age, and admissions testing data.
• Students transferring from Japanese schools in March will be required to remain in their current grade level (e.g. if they graduated Grade 6 in March, they will enter MBIS at Grade 6 and remain at that grade level until the end of the MBIS school year, in June).

Admissions for Grade 1

• All students applying for entrance into the Grade 1 program will be admitted at three points in the academic year:
  • a.     August 
  • b.     End of January (First day of Second Semester)
  • c.     April (Following School Spring Break)
• Students who are applying for entry in January will complete the application process by Nov 31 and will have an interview with the Head of Lower School and take part in a language screening. Successful applicants would commence G1 at the beginning of Semester 2.
• Students entering in April would be required to enter into our Kindergarten program before starting G1 in August.

Criteria for Admission

• Space in the class 
• English proficiency  – Marist Brothers International School provides all instruction (except for Japanese Language) in English. In order to be successful, students must have a level of English proficiency to operate with limited support at their grade level.

In order to assess and support the language proficiency of students and determine individual strengths, MBIS uses the WIDA MODEL (World - Class Instructional Design and Assessment Measure of Developing English Language.) The assessment is given to students during the admission process for students applying for Kindergarten through Grade 11.

If we have more qualified applicants than spaces in the class, a lottery system will be used to determine which are granted entry to MBIS.

• Grade level placement will be determined by a range of factors, including previous grade level completion, age, and admissions testing data.
• Students transferring from Japanese schools in March will be required to remain in their current grade level (e.g. if they graduated Grade 8 in March, they will enter MBIS at Grade 8 and remain at that grade level until the end of the MBIS school year, in June).
• Students applying for grades 9-12 are required to submit academic transcripts that clearly indicate completed courses and academic credits.
• The MBIS ELL Program supports students from grades 1-8.  As a result, we are unable to accept students in grades 9-12 who do not meet the required academic English standards.
• The MBIS IB Diploma Programme is a two-year course of study, beginning in Grade 11.  As a result, we do not accept applications for entry into Grade 12.  IB DP transfer students may be considered, if their course selections match those available at MBIS.

• MBIS welcomes all applicants, however, parents/guardians should note that MBIS personnel and facilities cannot accommodate the entire range of student needs. Admissions and placement will therefore be determined on an individual basis. The Admissions Team will make recommendations to the Administration regarding any academic support required. The Head of School, in consultation with the Admissions Team, makes all decisions regarding acceptance and additional supports required.
• MBIS facilities do not include ramps or elevators, therefore limiting access to students with special access requirements.
• Any identified learning needs or related, relevant issues must be fully disclosed during the application process. Failure to do so may result in a denial or revocation of admission.

To optimize the learning environment, MBIS places limits on class sizes. As a result, successful applicants may be wait-listed.

Wait lists are not organized on a first-come first-placed basis. Priority within wait lists may be determined by the following factors:

• Children who have previously been enrolled (i.e. returning students)
• Children with siblings currently enrolled at the school
• Children of teachers and staff
• Children of MBIS alumni
• Gender (if a class gender ratio is significantly unbalanced)
• English proficiency (if the overall level of English proficiency in the class is a current concern)
• Availability of alternate enrollment opportunities