Entry Requirements
Admissions Assessments
Assessments take place at the School. Overseas applicants will complete the interview/exam upon arrival in Macau.
Accepted students are required to confirm their enrolment by paying a deposit according to the current Fee Schedule within three days.
Priority is given to the siblings of students who are already enrolled at TIS however this does not guarantee them a place.
TIS has no financial or other interest in any nursery or pre kindergarten facility and has no arrangement with any such facility to provide guaranteed or priority admission to their students.
Students currently in the enrolment area (currently attending a school in Macau) will not be considered for enrolment for the current school year after March 1. After March 1, acceptance will only be for the subsequent school year commencing in September.
Parents needing further information are encouraged to contact the school office at (853) 2853 3700 or 6203 8810 (via WhatsApp or WeChat) or at admission@tis.edu.mo.
Grade | Format of Assessments | Duration |
PK, JK, SK | Play-based group interview undertaken in a kindergarten setting. One parent accompanies the child. Review of school reports. | 20-30 minutes |
Grade 1-4 | Admission exam with the student testing early writing and numeracy skills along with their ability to engage in a conversation. Review of last two years school reports. | 1 hour |
Grade 5-6 | Multiple choice exam to test Mathematics and English reading/comprehension skills. Independent writing task to test the level of written English. Review of last two years school reports. | 2.5 hours |
Grade 7-12 | Part 1: Independent writing task to test the level of written English. Multiple choice exams to test students' verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning. Review of last two years school reports plus the Confidential reference from current school. Part 2: A meeting with our principal, for both students and parents. An additional two-hour online English test assesses the four language domains of listening, reading, speaking, and writing when necessary. | 2.5 hours 45 minutes (interview) |
How are students selected
The International School of Macao offers a rigorous program using English as the language of instruction. TIS uses the Alberta Programs of Study and is accredited with Alberta Education. Alberta Education requires that TIS maintain high academic standards and achievement in its students. To maintain these high academic standards, TIS realizes that not all students would benefit from, or be successful in, the program that we offer. For the benefit of students in the School and in the interests of prospective students, TIS must be selective in its admission and placement of students.
In determining a student’s admission and placement at TIS, the Principal will consider the following:
The student’s Admissions Test results.
The student’s past educational performance and experiences.
The potential for the student to be successful in his/her future studies at TIS.
The grade in which the student is applying to enter.
Students will not be accepted into a grade beyond 1 year above/below their age appropriate level.
A student’s acceptance may be conditional in that the student may be required to get ELL support or After School English Tuition (ASET) or After School Maths Tuition (ASMT) for a determined period of time. Parents will be responsible for all associated costs for these services.
The decision regarding admission and placement of students can be appealed to the Board of Directors of the School.
Students may apply a maximum of two times per school year with a minimum of six months between applications. During this time it is expected that the parents will seek tutorial assistance for their child in order to increase his/her competencies and, thus, the likelihood of success on admission retesting.
Admissions and Placement
To enrol in our Pre-Kindergarten, a child must have reached the age of 3 by December 31st of the year of enrolment.
To enrol in the first year of primary education, a child must have reached the age of 6 by December 31st of the year of enrolment and the upper age limit for receiving formal primary education is 15.
To enrol in junior secondary education, students must have completed and passed primary education and the upper age limit for receiving formal junior secondary education is 18.
To enrol in senior secondary education, students must have completed and passed junior secondary education and the upper age limit for receiving formal senior secondary education (including vocational and technical education) is 21.
Please also be aware that non-Macao residents must possess a stay or residence permit for over 90 days issued by the authorised entity of the Macao SAR. Please note that holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or a Re-entry Permit can stay in Macao for a maximum of 1 year while the British passport holders can stay in Macao for a maximum of 6 months.
Placements for all other grades are based on age and/or their level of educational attainment.