Admissions Criteria

Student Eligibility

• A student having one or more parents holding a nationality that is not South Korean as verified by a residence card (ARC) and Korean family registry
• A student who has lived overseas for no less than three years (1,095 days) as verified by the entry and exit certificate issued by the Korean immigration department
• A student currently enrolled at an accredited international school in Korea
• A student with six semesters of official report cards and a letter of attendance from an overseas school. Note: six semesters status applies only to students in elementary first grade and above

Grade	Birth Date
12	2007/09 - 2008/08
11	2008/09 - 2009/08
10	2009/09 - 2010/08
9	2010/09 - 2011/08
8	2011/09 - 2012/08
7	2012/09 - 2013/08
6	2013/09 - 2014/08
5	2014/09 - 2015/08
4	2015/09 - 2016/08
3	2016/09 - 2017/08
2	2017/09 - 2018/08
1	2018/09 - 2019/08
Kindergarten	2019/09 - 2020/08
Junior Kindergarten	2020/09 - 2021/08
Pre-Kindergarten	2021/09 - 2022/08

Photo

Please prepare a recent photo of your child for identification purposes. A passport style image in jpg format is best. The maximum file size is 10 MB. 

Passport

Please prepare a pdf copy of the ID page for:

• Applicant
• Applicant's mother
• Applicant's father

Birth Certificate

Please prepare a copy of the applicant's birth certificate or Korean family registry.

Eligibility Documents

• Three Years Overseas
  • Official certificate of entry and exit for applicant
  • If your child has dual citizenship, please submit a certificate of entry and exit for each passport
• Foreign Parent(s)
  • Copy of valid residence card (ARC)
• International School Transfer
  • Letter of attendance from current international school stating date of initial enrollment
  • Eligibility requirement that was met at the time of applicant's admission to current school
• Six Semesters Overseas
  • Official report cards/transcripts showing completion of six semesters from school(s) abroad
  • Official letter of attendance from school(s) abroad
  • Official certificate of entry and exit for applicant

Transcripts or Report Cards

Transcripts or report cards should be written in English or translated into English with notarization and sent directly to KIS in a sealed envelope.

Official transcripts can also be sent directly from the school to kisinfo@kis.or.kr.  

• PK-K: Please provide all available school documents
• Grades 1-8: Please provide report cards for current and previous two years
• Grades 9-12: Official transcripts/report cards for current and previous two years

Confidential Recommendations

KIS requests teacher references as part of a child's application:

• PK-grade 5: homeroom teacher
• Grades 6-12: English and math teacher

References should submit confidential recommendations through the OpenApply application. If this is not possible, please request that your child's teacher complete and directly submit to KIS the letter of recommendation form. 

Standardized Test

PK-grade 2: standardized test scores are not required for applicants but you may provide available standardized test scores. The admissions team may invite pre-kindergarten, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten applicants to campus for in-person screening.

Grades 3-12: please provide standardized test scores taken within the last 12 months. Acceptable standardized tests include MAP, ISEE, STAR, PSAT, SAT, ACT, and most US state assessments. KIS offers on-site assessment for applicants in Korea who do not have standardized test scores.

For applicants without other test scores who are not yet in Korea, the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is a worldwide option. You can learn more about the ISEE and register using the KIS ISEE code: 571483.

Online Application

Schedule the Admissions Interview and Exam

Once all required documents are submitted, the KIS admissions team reviews the application. This can take three to four business days. After review, the admissions team contacts a parent via email to schedule the applicant's interview and testing. If you are not contacted by the KIS admissions team, please review the required documents and update your application.

After the applicant completes the admissions interview and testing, please wait five to ten business days for a letter of acceptance or rejection. The KIS admissions team will contact you via email.