Applying to ISPS

We are excited that you have made the decision to apply to ISPS!

We understand that an internationally mobile life does not always fit with an academic calendar, so we accept admissions throughout the whole school year.

The ISPS Admissions office aims to be as flexible as possible during the challenges of the current coronavirus social distancing recommendations. To that end, we are waiving our standardized testing requirements and offering Google Meet, and Zoom interviews.

Although a visit to the school is recommended, and we certainly enjoy welcoming all applicants to the school, limited personalised school tours can be set-up for our prospective families. COVID-19 precautions will be taken into consideration.

Please contact us at 633-4777 or email us at admissions@isps.edu.tt - we are here to help!

The Admissions Process

ISPS has a rolling admission process. Applications for the school year in session are accepted throughout the school year.

The ISPS academic year runs from August to June. The calendar dates are usually published in February for the upcoming school year. Prospective parents are encouraged to start the application process in September for the following school year which begins in August.

Read more about our Admissions Policies and Procedures here.

Student Grade Placement

Coming from a different educational system, or a different calendar school year?

The following student grade placement guide will help you determine the possible placement of your child at ISPS and guide the documentation requirements outlined in our Application Process.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR FULL COMPARISON CHART OF 12 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

See the section on Student Grade Placement below for further explanation and exceptions.

Elementary School

The ‘cut off’ date for ages is September 1st.

Children should be 5 years of age on or before the first day of September of the year of entry into kindergarten. Children should be 4 years of age on or before the first day of September of the year of entry into pre-kindergarten 4. Children should be 3 years of age on or before the first day of September of the year of entry into pre-kindergarten 3.

Placements in grades one and above will be based on the date of birth and the educational experience of the child. There may be good reasons for placement outside these ranges, but it is the general policy of the school not to place any student in an age group that is significantly older or younger than their classmates.

Middle School & High School

Grade placement is based on receiving the official translation of previous school records. Students' information is reviewed closely to see how studies relate to the program and courses offered at ISPS.

It is recognized that due to the transient nature of our student population and to the fact that they come from a variety of systems, there will be instances where the above pattern does not fit. Students coming from systems with different start and end dates of the school year are placed in a grade level on a case-by-case basis. Factors to consider are:

prior academic performance;
school recommendations;
assessment results;
age;
perceived motivation;
demonstrated work habits;
interview with the student;
proficiency in instructional language

High school grade classification will be based on the number of years completed, number of credits earned, and time of year of arrival.

Students should be no more than eighteen months older or younger than the average age for their grade and less than twenty years of age when they graduate.

From US Based System

Students who enter from schools with a primarily U.S. based curriculum are placed with their age group, provided they have successfully completed the appropriate number of years in school and have not repeated a grade. The U.S. system of education usually calls for one year of Kindergarten and a total of 13 years of school. ISPS offers a Pre-Kindergarten year for students who are 4 years old on September 1st of the year they wish to enter. Students who enter from U.S. curriculum schools or from other international schools with the same calendar will be placed on the basis of age, past school records, number of years in school, and other factors deemed relevant by the administration and the professional staff.

From British Based System

Students who have attended reception and are about to begin Year 1 in a British system, and are 5 years old by 1st September of the current year will be placed in Kindergarten at ISPS. Year 2 students who are 6 years old by September 1st of the current year will be placed in Grade 1 at ISPS. The following years will be placed according to age and number of years the records show the student has been in school.

From Schools with Different Calendars

Steps to Apply

Step 1 - Prepare Documents

Application for Admission is done via our PowerSchool online application system. Before beginning the application be sure to have the following ready so they can be uploaded.

Requirements for All Applicants

A recent passport-sized photo of the applicant (Digital Format preferably JPG)
Copy of Passport OR Birth Certificate
Copies of all immunization records
Relevant Special Needs Documentation: Diagnostic/psycho-educational reports or ILPs, if applicable, in order to better serve the needs of your child.

All student records should be in English. In the case of High School, where the determination of credits towards graduation is needed, the school records should be officially translated into English.

Grade Specific Requirements:

In addition to the above, please prepare the following Grade Specific documentation.

Elementary School: Pre Kindergarten to Grade 5

One Recommendation completed by a teacher or administrator at the applicant’s present school.

PreK - Grade 2 - Please select this link to download the PreK - Grade 2 Recommendation form.
Grades 3-5 - Please select this link to download the Grades 3 - 5 Recommendation form.
School reports for the past three years including the current one (for Grade 2 to Grade 5 applicants only)

Middle School: Grades 6 to 8

Two Recommendations completed by teachers (Mathematics & English preferred) at the applicant’s present school. - Please select this link to download the Middle School Recommendation form.
School reports for the past three years including the current one
Applicant Statement - Please select this link to download the Applicant Statement form.

High School: Grades 9 to 12

Three Recommendations completed by teachers (Mathematics & English preferred), and an administrator at the applicant’s present school. - Please select this link to download the High School Recommendation form.
School reports for the past three years including the current one
Transcript
Applicant Statement - Please select this link to download the Applicant Statement Form.

Step 2 - Complete Online Application

Create an account with PowerSchool Enrollment

Please use the email address of the applicant’s parent or guardian. If you are a current parent, please use your existing PowerSchool Registration account to add additional student applications)

ISPS Online Application

If you are awaiting third-party documentation, you may move ahead with the submission of the application and have the remaining documents sent to admissions@isps.edu.tt afterwards. Please remember to click submit at the end of the application.

Once the application has been received, admissions will email the payment instructions to settle the application fee of USD 100.00 per applicant.

Step 3 - Application Decision

Once the necessary admission requirements are submitted via Step 2, the application will be reviewed by the Enrollment Manager and the relevant School Principal. The admission procedure may require a virtual meeting with the applicant/parent.

We have resumed entrance assessments, and testing arrangements will be made on an individual basis.

Please review our Criteria for Acceptance below.

You will be notified within two weeks of the admissions decision.

We pride ourselves in the strength of our diverse learning community. The International School of Port of Spain does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, nationality or religion in the admission of its students or hiring our its staff.

Step 4 - Registration and Enrollment

Once a student is accepted, the family receives an acceptance package which includes an offer for placement, tuition and fees invoice, tuition schedule, payment instructions, and registration instructions. At this point, the family is invited to register via our PowerSchool Enrollment system.

The registration process involves the verification of the applicant’s information, acknowledgement of school rules, the confirmation of payment terms and the submission of an enrollment contract. This is completed online via the PowerSchool Enrollment system.

Upon completion of the registration, the family will receive a digital enrollment package. The enrollment package includes the academic calendar, uniform guidelines, house assignment, school supplies list, ISPS car permit and PowerSchool Unified Classroom overview.

Students are enrolled upon the completion of registration and the remittance of the respective tuition fees and capital contributions.

It is mandatory for all students from Grades 3-12, to have a laptop that can be used on a daily basis at ISPS. Please read the Bring your Own Device Policy (BYOD policy) and review the minimum specification for these devices.

We look forward to your application. We hope that your child(ren) will be selected to join our learning community and that we will be working with you to provide them with an excellent educational experience.

- Admissions Team

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