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
Middle School & High School

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 prekindergarten 4.

Children should be 3 years of age on or before the first day of September of the year of entry into prekindergarten 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.

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.

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
Current School Reports
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 are 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.
Past two years reports (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.
Past two years reports
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.
Past two years reports
Transcripts
Applicant Statement - Please select this link to download the Applicant Statement Form.

Step 2 - Complete Online Application

Do you have the required documentation? Great! Let’s begin.

Create an account with PowerSchool Enrollment (If you are a current parent, please use your existing PowerSchool Registration account to add additional student applications)
Complete the online application form (If you are awaiting third-party documentation, you may move ahead with the submission of the application and follow up upon receipt)

ISPS Online Application

3. Pay the application fee (US$100.00). Upon the completion and submission of your online application, you will receive an email outlining the payment instructions.

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.

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 - Offer Of A Place & Student Registration

Parents of students accepted to ISPS will receive an Enrollment Package, which includes an official Letter of Acceptance and instructions for the Registration.

The Acceptance Letter includes the Academic Calendar, Uniform Details, House Assignment, Grade Supplies list and PowerSchool Unified Classroom overview.

The Registration Process involves the submission of the Enrollment Contract via our PowerSchool Registration system. Students are officially registered at ISPS when the Enrollment contract is received by Admission. The Step is critical for the transfer of the applicant to our Student Information System and is prompted by your submission of the digital Enrollment Contract via PowerSchool. Upon receipt of the enrollment contract, an invoice for tuition is dispatched to your email address and payment becomes due. The invoice can be sent to you directly, or to your company/embassy or based on the information you provide on the Invoice Information form attached to the enrollment contract.

It is mandatory for all students from Grades 6-12, to have a laptop that can be used on a daily basis at ISPS. Please read the 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