Entry Requirements
Admission Assessments
Assessments are conducted at the school. Overseas applicants will complete the interview and exam upon arrival in Macau.
Accepted students must confirm their enrollment by paying a deposit according to the current Fee Schedule within three days.
Priority is given to siblings of currently enrolled students; however, this does not guarantee them a place.
TIS has no financial or other interest in any nursery or pre-kindergarten facility and does not have any arrangement with such facilities to provide guaranteed or priority admission for their students.
Students currently within the enrollment area (attending a school in Macau) will not be considered for enrollment for the current school year after March 1. After this date, acceptance will only be for the subsequent school year commencing in September.
Parents needing further information are encouraged to contact the Admission Team at (853) 2853 3700 or 6203 8810 (via WhatsApp or WeChat) or at admission@tis.edu.mo.
Grade | Format of Assessments | Duration |
PK to SK | Play-based group interview undertaken in a kindergarten setting. One parent accompanies the child. Review of school reports. | 20-30 minutes |
Grades 1-3 | 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 |
Grades 4-6 | 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 |
Grades 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 with English as the language of instruction. TIS follows the Alberta Programs of Study and is accredited by Alberta Education, which mandates that we maintain high academic standards and achievement among our students. To uphold these standards, TIS recognizes that not all students may benefit from or succeed in our program. Therefore, we must be selective in the admission and placement of students for the benefit of both current and prospective students.
In determining a student’s admission and placement at TIS, the Principal will consider the following factors:
The student’s Admissions Test results.
The student’s past educational performance and experiences.
The potential for the student to succeed in future studies at TIS.
The grade to which the student is applying.
Students will not be accepted into a grade more than one year above or below their age-appropriate level.
Acceptance may be conditional, requiring the student to receive ELL support, After School English Tuition (ASET), or After School Maths Tuition (ASMT) for a specified period. Parents will be responsible for all associated costs for these services.
Decisions regarding admission and placement 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 period, parents are expected to seek tutorial assistance for their child to enhance their competencies and improve the likelihood of success in admission retesting.
Admissions and Placement
To enroll in our Pre-Kindergarten, a child must be at least 3 years old by December 31st of the year of enrollment.
For junior secondary education, students must have completed and passed primary education, with an upper age limit of 18 for receiving formal junior secondary education.
To enroll in senior secondary education, students must have completed and passed junior secondary education, with an upper age limit of 21 for receiving formal senior secondary education, including vocational and technical education.
Please note that non-Macao residents must possess a stay or residence permit for over 90 days issued by the authorized entity of the Macao SAR. Holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or a Re-entry Permit can stay in Macao for a maximum of 1 year, while British passport holders can stay for a maximum of 6 months.
Placements for all other grades are based on age and/or level of educational attainment.