Apply to ISY

Click here to download the Application Checklist 2024-25

Nationality cap: As per school policy, ISY has a nationality cap in place. The limit, of any one nationality, ranges from 20% to 30% dependent upon the grade level. All applicants must provide proof of citizenship as part of their application. Once enrolled, students will not be able to change the nationality they are registered under with ISY. Any change in listed nationality will only be permitted in grade 12.

2024-25 Class sizes: ISY takes into consideration several factors in determining class size. The established class size guidelines will be:

Chinthe Cubs 3 (16 students); Chinthe Cubs 4 (18 students)
Kindergarten (20 students)
Grade 1 (20 students)
Grade 2 – 12 (22 students)

The Director may grant exceptions to maximum class size under extraordinary circumstances.

English Language requirement: ISY requires at least one parent or primary caregiver of the applicant to be fluent in English.

Age requirement:  To be admitted to the Chinthe Cubs 3 program at ISY, an applicant must be three years old by August 31 of the academic year for which they are applying.  An applicant must be four years and five years respectively by August 31  to apply to Chinthe Cubs 4 and Kindergarten.Grade completed and age will both be considered when making placements beyond grade 1. The school will not admit an applicant if s/he is over the age of twenty at the time of his or her graduation.

The ISY calendar begins in August and ends in June. Applicants, transferring from a country whose school year follows a school calendar different from ISY, will generally be required to continue in the year they have completed. For example, an admitted applicant completing grade seven in Korea in January would be placed in grade seven for the remainder of the year at ISY.

Children entering ISY must be pre-trained to handle all toilet needs independently. This includes applicants to Chinthe Cubs 3 and Chinthe Cubs 4.

Application documentation: An complete application includes the following documents:

1. copy of the applicant’s passport; and visa page (if applicable and available)
2. school records for the past two years
3. most recent standardized assessment results (for grades 2-12)
4. immunization record
5. a graded writing sample (for grades 6-12)
6. all other relevant assessments and evaluations 
7. application fee 
8. confidential reference letters

Any document or school record that is not in English should be translated into English prior to submission. Both the original and translated versions should be submitted. Transcripts and reports must include a grading scale and reasonably describe the content of the courses studied and the grades earned.

Standardized tests refer to externally moderated, norm-referenced assessments, typically in language arts and math. MAP (Measures of Academic Progress), ISA (International Schools Assessment), PSAT and ITBS are a few examples. A recent norm-referenced test score must be submitted with the application. Applicants (grades 2-12) who do not have standardized test scores, will be asked to complete a standardized test or equivalent assessment.

A writing sample can be any recent written assignment completed by the applicant for English or Language Arts class, that has been graded/ corrected by the teacher.

All documentation concerning any previous assessments or any past history of learning concerns should also be provided with the application, including at least two years of progress reports, previous IEP’s and, if needed, psychoeducational reports.

The application fee must be paid first to receive an application fee code. The code is entered on the online application form before its submission.

The International School Yangon requires at least one Confidential Recommendation Form (CRF) completed by the applicant’s most current teacher. In the case of a middle or high school applicant, the CRF must be completed by one of the applicant’s core subject teachers (i.e., math, social studies, English, or science). If the applicant does not have a current or former teacher/ school, (i.e., Chinthe Cubs or KG applicants), then the CRF is not required.

Click on the appropriate grade levels below for the appropriate Confidential Recommendation Forms:

2024-25 Confidential Recommendation Forms:

Confidential Recommendation Form for Chinthe Cubs – Grade 1
Confidential Recommendation Form for Grades 2 – 5
Confidential Recommendation Form for Grades 6 – 12

Health Records and Requirements

The applicant must provide a complete record of immunizations (translated into English).

School policy indicates that all children must have completed designated immunizations before enrollment. Basic childhood immunizations are not only recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), but they also protect the entire ISY community from the spread of the most serious, but preventable diseases.

Mandatory Immunizations (for Students 3 years & above as of August 31 of the respective school year):

Download Immunization Requirements for 2024-25

Application evaluation: When reviewing applications, the school will consider the applicant’s:

• capability to maintain progress in an international, college-preparatory program with support services as appropriate within ISY’s inclusion program guidelines 
• proficiency or ability to achieve proficiency (as determined by school-administered testing) in ISY’s academic programs 
• proficiency or the ability to achieve proficiency (as determined by school-administered testing) in the English language

Application Review Process: When an application is fully complete, the school will review the application. There are two streams for the review process: regular and application with considerations. A regular application review process refers to an application where the documentation provides sufficient evidence for admission. The Admissions Office will refer applications to the divisional counselors if one or more of the criterion below are applicable. The counselor will coordinate further evaluations and make a recommendation to the Divisional Principal.

Some of the indicators for an Application with Consideration process include:

• No standardized test scores submitted (Grade 2 and higher) 
• Standardized test data is older than ten months
• Test results indicate the applicant is functioning a year or more below grade level 
• The applicant has had EAL support in the previous school, or is coming from a non-English speaking school. Such applicants will need an EAL assessment 
• School reports indicate significant academic or behavior difficulties
• All applicants from schools with significantly different curriculum, or when no records are available must be evaluated as part of the admissions process 
• Incomplete immunizations

Applicants transferring from a country whose school year follows a school calendar different from ISY

The ISY calendar begins in August and ends in June. Applicants transferring from a country whose school year follows a school calendar different from ISY will generally be required to continue in the year they have completed. For example, an admitted applicant completing grade seven in Korea in January would be placed in grade seven for the remainder of the school year at ISY.

If a parent whose child fits the above criteria requests for their child to be evaluated for placement in the grade above, the following  will be applied:

• Based on the ISY Age Appropriate/Grade Placement Reference Chart, the child should be age-appropriate for the grade.

If they are age-appropriate, then:

• The child is assessed using the ISY’s chosen standardized assessment tool – Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for the grade level they are requesting.
• If the child meets the following criteria, they will be considered for the next grade placement:

• • Above 75 percentile in Math and English for that grade level
  • Additional assessments as needed, e.g., Running Record, English as Additional Language assessment. 

This protocol is only applicable at the time of admission.

Timeline for admissions decisions:

First round of admissions offers are usually communicated in the first week of April. Following this initial major pooling, applications are reviewed in batches. Depending on volume, the review can be on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

From June to August, when the school is closed, admission decisions may take more time. Special consideration applicants will be reviewed at a minimum once every two weeks.

After the first batch of admission decisions in April, decisions during the months of April to July, will be communicated to applicants who have a fully completed application by the 15th or the 30th of every month.

Applications received thereafter will receive a decision within 48 hours (regular application), and within five days (application with consideration).