• Private Schools
• Advice Guide
• Types of Schools

Applications and exams

• Admission requirements vary from school to school. Consult admissions staff.
• Applications may involve essays, interviews, photos and more. Official transcripts and teacher recommendations may need to be sent directly from your child’s past school to the prospective school.
• Most U.S.-based boarding schools require students to complete an Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or a Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).

Passports and visas

• A passport and student visa will likely be required to attend a foreign-based school (such as one in the Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, the UK, or Poland). Typically, students must first gain acceptance to a school before they may apply for a student visa.
• Countries frequently change laws about which documents are necessary for international students and border crossings. Check in with the embassy/consulate in the host country to ensure your information is up-to-date.

Don’t forget insurance

• Check in with your medical insurance company about your child’s health coverage as a student in another country. Find out if the prospective school has its own plan and what it includes.
• Inquire about what type of medical care is available to students on campus. Many schools have round-the-clock nursing staff.

Holiday time

• Many boarding schools close for holidays and long weekends. These offer wonderful windows of opportunity for family vacations.
• Many schools offer student trips during holidays, at an extra cost.