Dili International School vs QSI International School of Dili

	D Dili International School Dili, Timor Leste	Q QSI International School of Dili Dili, Timor Leste
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year $1,600 - 22,600	Fees / year $300 - 26,700
Age range	Age range 1 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), Australian Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum	Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), American Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size 18	Typical class size 12
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2002	Opened 2005
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location 14 Rue Avenue de Portugal, Pantai Kelapa, Dili, Timor-Leste. The school is in the heart of Dili. Since 2003, DIS has welcomed families from around the world.	Location Aldea 04 Marconi, Suco Fatuhada, Sub Distrito Dom Alexio, Dili, Timor Leste
Stages	Stages Preschool through Year 12. The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is used for the primary years. The senior programme follows the Australian Curriculum, and the graduating certificate is the Victorian Certificate of Education (Australia).	Stages Preschool through Secondary School
School type	School type —	School type International school
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 21 different nationalities are represented; the average class size is 18 students.	Pupil nationality mix Students come from over 20 nationalities represented in the student body.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support Intensive English; Counseling; Learning Support
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Timor-Leste	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details All students have the option to use the student transportation service. Morning and afternoon pickups are near home and aim to arrive at QSI Dili between 7:50 am and 8:15 am; the van departs school at 3:30 pm. After-school activity transport is available at no extra charge and departs by 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. The driver is fully licensed and trained and meets U.S. Embassy specifications; vans are new or recent, with seat belts, stop signs, emergency exits, and cameras. A bus monitor is assigned. Fees may be paid by term or for the full school year; there is no discount program.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Overview - Dili International School (DIS) does not publish a public, itemised fee schedule for general access. The school operates a differentiated fee schedule and asks families to request up-to-date fee information directly. Application fees - No fixed, publicly listed application fee amount is available. Application or enrolment charges (if applied) are not published for general viewing. Families are advised that any one-off application or registration charges are determined at the time of application. Tuition fees (by year group and billing format) - Official per-year and per-term tuition figures for the 2026/27 academic year are not publicly posted. The school uses a differentiated fee schedule rather than a single published chart. - Publicly available third-party guidance (independent local/expat guides compiled February 2026) lists approximate figures that have been cited by expatriate resources: Preschool (early years) approximately USD 6,000 per year; school-age students (Year/Grade 1 and above) approximately USD 22,600 per year, plus a one-off capital or development fee of about USD 1,600. These figures are third‑party estimates and are not a formal fee schedule issued by the school. - No reliable, published breakdown into term-level instalments for DIS (per-term amounts by year group) was found in public materials; therefore per‑term figures cannot be stated with certainty. The school's policy documents and admissions notices indicate fee arrangements are communicated to families on offer and invoicing. Billing schedule and payment terms - A formal, public billing schedule (for example: number of instalments, payment due dates, or late‑payment penalties) is not posted for general access. Fee-setting and billing operate under the school's fee policy and are provided to families following application/enrolment. Boarding fees - DIS is a day school; boarding accommodation is not offered. Therefore no boarding fees apply. Other costs and recurring extras - The school maintains a student dress code and sports uniform requirement; families should expect uniform costs, but no published uniform price list is available. Additional typical school costs likely to appear on invoices include canteen/meal charges, bus/transport services, excursions and co‑curricular activity fees, and textbooks or learning resources; specific amounts are not publicly listed. Refund / withdrawal information - No publicly available, itemised refund or partial‑term refund schedule was found. The school's fee policy and terms (which reference differentiated fee arrangements) govern refunds and withdrawals; those detailed terms are provided to families via the school's enrolment and policy documentation rather than as a public fee table. Fee payment options - The school's public pages do not include a published list of accepted payment methods (for example specific bank transfer instructions, credit card acceptance, online payment gateway, or cash). Enrolment and invoicing processes handle payment details directly with families. Summary of findings and limitations - Official, itemised fee schedules for 2026/27 were not publicly posted for general access. DIS's published materials state that the school operates a differentiated fee schedule and direct fee enquiries are handled through the admissions/enrolment process. Evidence of this appears in the school admissions/policies pages and in the school's policy references; the school's full fee policy and related documents are held in documents accessible to enrolled families or via the school's enrolment portal and are not openly displayed as a public fee table. - Independent local/expat guidance (February 2026) provides approximate annual figures used by families budgeting for life in Dili: Preschool about USD 6,000 per year; school‑age tuition roughly USD 22,600 per year plus an approximate USD 1,600 capital/development fee. These are third‑party estimates only and should be treated as indicative rather than definitive.	Fee details Application fee - One-time non-refundable application/registration fee: US $300. Capital Fund fee (age 5 and above) - Term 1 (Sponsored): US $2,400. Term 1 (Non‑sponsored): US $600. - Term 2 (Sponsored): US $2,000. Term 2 (Non‑sponsored): US $500. - Term 3 (Sponsored): US $2,000. Term 3 (Non‑sponsored): US $500. - Annual (Sponsored): US $6,400. Annual (Non‑sponsored): US $1,600. Tuition — 5‑Year‑Old Class and above (per term and annual) - Term 1: Sponsored US $8,100 / Non‑sponsored US $6,800. - Term 2: Sponsored US $6,100 / Non‑sponsored US $5,100. - Term 3: Sponsored US $6,100 / Non‑sponsored US $5,100. - Annual: Sponsored US $20,300 / Non‑sponsored US $17,000. Tuition — 3‑ and 4‑Year‑Old Class (half‑day and full‑day, per term and annual) - Term 1: Half day US $2,600 / Full day US $3,300. - Term 2: Half day US $2,100 / Full day US $2,500. - Term 3: Half day US $2,100 / Full day US $2,500. - Annual: Half day US $6,800 / Full day US $8,300. Billing schedule, payment terms and discounts - Fees are billed by term. Payment, or arrangements for payment, must be made on or before the published due dates; students will not be admitted to class if financial matters are not complete. - Timely‑payment discounts: US $200 discount for each full‑term payment received on or before the due date; an additional US $400 discount if full annual payment is received on or before 1 October. Total maximum discount available for 5‑Year‑Old class and above: US $1,000 (special conditions apply; maximum US $800 if first‑term payment missed but full year paid by 1 October). Discounts are not available for preschool classes or scholarship students. Discounts will be reversed if a student withdraws and receives a tuition refund. - Partial‑term charges when a student enters after term start or leaves before term end: - Two weeks enrollment or less = 20% of the term fee. - More than two weeks, up to four weeks = 40% of the term fee. - More than four weeks, up to six weeks = 60% of the term fee. - More than six weeks = 100% of the term fee. A week is defined as five school days. Refund information and special refund rules - Tuition refunds are handled according to the school fee policy. Discounts already applied will be reversed for students who withdraw before the end of the year and are issued a tuition refund. In the event of force majeure that causes withdrawal, fees already paid in full for the school year will not be refunded (unpaid fees will remain due). Student evaluations and official records may be withheld if fees or other funds owed are delinquent. Boarding - The school operates as a private day school; no boarding program or boarding fees are listed. Other costs and recurring charges - Student transportation: round‑trip bus service is available for a fee (routing and subscription details provided by the school). Specific bus rates are not listed in the published fee tables. - Cafeteria / lunches: the school offers cafeteria lunch service; lunch charges are additional to tuition and are handled separately. - Speech therapy and some special services: fees for outside or specialized services (for example, speech therapy) are billed to the family. - After‑school activities and many extracurricular offerings are available; some activities may carry additional fees (amounts not specified in the published tuition schedule). Fee payment options - Payment methods and detailed payment instructions are provided directly by the school at billing; the published fee materials state that payment information will be supplied by the school rather than listing specific payment channels in the fee schedule.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Offers International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). The senior programme follows the Australian Curriculum. The graduating certificate is the Victorian Certificate of Education (Australia). The school is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organisation, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and the Timor-Leste Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. Preschool features multilingual education; Primary features a multilingual foundation; Secondary offers Global Pathways and VCE. The school serves Grades Preschool-12.	Curriculum details The QSI Dili Curriculum is built on Exit Outcomes: Knowledge, Competencies, and Success Orientations. Program Outcomes cover seven departments: Mathematics, English, Cultural Studies, Science, Languages Other Than English, Creative and Applied Arts, and Personal Health. Courses are organized into units, with most courses comprising about ten units per year, and students master each unit to earn an A or B grade or a P while continuing toward mastery. The Educational Model uses Time as a Resource and emphasizes Mastery Learning, with reteaching, differentiated instruction, and frequent status reports to keep parents informed. The curriculum is aligned with U.S. standards, including Common Core and NGSS, and is designed to prepare students for university through clearly defined outcomes, unit outcomes, and student-will objectives.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Average class size is 18 students.	Student teacher ratio Class sizes are kept reasonably small. Intensive English classes are smaller than mainstream classes to allow teachers to target individual student needs more effectively.
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression 100% of applicants offered university placements.	Higher education progression An Advanced Placement program is offered to secondary students, providing university-level courses and rigorous prep for AP exams credentialed by the Educational Testing Service. Many U.S. colleges grant credit for AP scores of 3 and higher. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for university and life beyond school.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions The school is a leading international school in Timor-Leste, offering a globally focused education from Early Years to Year 12. It is accredited with the International Baccalaureate Organisation, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and the Timor-Leste Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is offered, and the senior programme follows the Australian Curriculum. The graduating certificate is the Victorian Certificate of Education (Australia). Fees & Enquiries are handled via the enrolment channels, and the Enrol Now form is available to start the process.	Admissions Join the QSI Dili community through a structured admissions process. 1. English language requirements: QSI Dili accepts students with no prior English from preschool through 13-year-olds; secondary students must demonstrate increasing language proficiency as determined by an English language assessment conducted at the school. 2. Entrance age and grade level: Students are assigned to classes according to their birthdays; QSID classes do not use traditional American terms; elementary classes are named by age (e.g., five-year-old class, six-year-old class). Exceptions to placement are made only through a meeting with the Director, after which the rationale is documented and the plan is signed by the parents. 3. Student placement: The MAP placement examination is given to applicants (7 years old and above) to determine placement, and covers reading, language arts and mathematics; a writing prompt may be administered at the secondary level to assess writing proficiency and credit transfer; the process also includes discussion of the student's academic, social, emotional and physical development, and screening by the classroom teacher during the first weeks. 4. Secondary credits: Some middle school students may have secondary credits from other institutions; such credits must be clearly stated as secondary level on transcripts to count toward graduation requirements; courses taken during Secondary I–IV years at another school may be eligible for transfer; the Director works with families to determine transfer credits; grades of A, B and C (or their national equivalents) may transfer; official transcripts are required. 5. Prerequisites for preschool: The child must turn three before November 1 to be admitted; exceptions may be approved by the school director; children must be toilet trained and able to feed themselves; they must demonstrate willingness and ability to engage with peers and be led by the teacher; exceptions require director approval. 6. Special needs: QSID may admit students with limited learning needs within the classroom's capacity; there is no resource department and there may be limitations; for students with moderate disabilities, evaluations, reports, IEPs or referrals may be required to help determine whether a program can be provided; admission may depend on family or sponsor providing additional school fees to cover professional services. 7. Intensive English: The Intensive English program provides additional instruction in verbal and written English, particularly for non-native speakers; its goal is to bring students to a level of academic English that allows transfer to regular classes as quickly as possible; students are assigned to levels to best meet individual needs; the content parallels Elementary literacy while building a foundation for academic success. 8. Placement and program structure: Preschool and Elementary serve ages 2 through 10–11; class sizes are small with between 6 and 10 students in Pre-K and 10–14 in Kindergarten and Elementary; each class has a lead teacher and an assistant; Music, Art, Languages Other Than English, Intensive English, Technology, and Physical Education are taught by specialists. 9. How to apply and contact: Applications are submitted through the Admission Application portal; for questions about the academic program contact Angela Warner (angela-warner@dili.qsi.org); for questions about admissions scheduling contact the Director, Audra Phelps (audra-phelps@dili.qsi.org). Location: Aldea 04 Marconi, Suco Fatuhada, Dili, Timor Leste; Phone: +670-332-2389.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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