Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul vs Istanbul International School
Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul and Istanbul International School are both in Istanbul. Both schools offer Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A Levels programmes. Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul also offers IB and Cambridge (Primary), and Istanbul International School also offers Cambridge International AS Levels. Published annual fees are TRY 21,000 - 52,500 at Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul and TRY 18,150 - 27,650 at Istanbul International School, which puts Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul roughly 60% higher. Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul takes pupils from 3 to 18, and Istanbul International School from 4 to 18. Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul is the larger school, with around 2,000 pupils to Istanbul International School's 375. Typical class sizes are 18 at Gokkusagi Schools Istanbul and 16 at Istanbul International School.
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils
Pupils
2,000
Pupils
375
Typical class size
Typical class size
18
Typical class size
16
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
1997
Opened
1997
Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Istanbul, Turkey. Gökkusagi Schools in Istanbul operate across four campuses: Atasehir, Bahcelievler, Bahcesehir, and Beylikduzu. The Atasehir Campus is in the Ataşehir district and has educated students from kindergarten to 12th grade since the 2021-2022 academic year, with international programs delivered entirely in English. The Bahcelievler Campus is in the Bahçelievler district and serves kindergarten through 12th grade with Cambridge Education and IB Primary Years and Diploma Programmes. The Bahcesehir Campus is in Bahçeşehir district, offering education for all levels from kindergarten to 12th with Cambridge and IB programs and 100% English instruction. The Beylikduzu Campus is in Beylikduzu district, delivering kindergarten through 12th grade with 100% English instruction.
Location
Two campuses in Üsküdar, Istanbul. Campus A is Turistik Camlıca Cad. No 20, Üsküdar 34692. Campus B is Harman Sok. No 1, Üsküdar 34676.
Stages
Stages
Kindergarten; Primary School; Middle School; High School
Stages
Early Years; Primary School; Middle School; Cambridge IGCSE; AS/A Levels
School type
School type
International School
School type
International school offering Cambridge curriculum in Istanbul
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Guidance and Psychological Counseling
Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
Turkey
Country affiliation
—
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
The school bus transport is provided by BURAK TURAN TURİZM. The service uses up-to-date vehicles with tracking and a parent proximity reporting system; contact iletisim@burakturanturizm.com for details.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application / registration fees - Registration (enrollment) fee: typically charged as a percentage of the annual tuition; published guidance shows a registration fee equal to 5%–10% of the annual tuition.
Tuition fees by year group (Istanbul campuses — published ranges) - Kindergarten (ana sınıfı): 20,000 TL – 100,000 TL per year. - Primary school (ilkokul): 30,000 TL – 50,000 TL per year. - Middle school (ortaokul): 40,000 TL – 60,000 TL per year. - High school (lise): 50,000 TL – 80,000 TL per year.
Tuition fees — per term / per grade detail - The school's public pages provide campus-level guidance and broad ranges for Istanbul campuses but do not publish a single, campus-specific per-grade, per-term fee table for Istanbul that is publicly accessible. Parents are asked to request campus-specific fee schedules via the school's information request form. - For a published example of a campus-specific fee table (Ankara campus, 2025–2026), the school lists annual tuition and separate charges for meals, books/stationery and uniform by grade (figures shown here exactly as published for that campus): - Kindergarten: 500.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 1: 650.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 2: 600.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 3: 600.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 4: 312.541 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 5: 650.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 6: 600.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 7: 600.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 8: 336.612 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 9: 700.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 10: 650.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 11: 650.000 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL. - Grade 12: 380.653 TL; Meals 104.860 TL; Books/Stationery 65.000 TL; Uniform 20.000 TL.
Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's published information directs parents to request detailed, campus-specific pricing and payment schedules via the information request form rather than publishing a standard public billing schedule; no single, public Istanbul billing calendar (per-term dates or standard installment plan) is posted. - The public pages reference typical discount types such as early (peşin) payment discounts, sibling discounts and academic-bursary discounts, indicating these discount types are used when applicable.
Boarding (residential) fees - No boarding or student residence (yurt) option or boarding fees are listed for the Istanbul campuses in the publicly available campus materials; campus pages and the pricing overview focus on day-school services (tuition, meals, transport/service).
Other costs and typical additional fees - Meals / cafeteria: published examples and guidance show a separate meal charge; reported meal costs vary (Ankara campus: 104.860 TL per year in the published table; published guidance for kindergartens cites monthly meal ranges of 500 TL–1,500 TL as a general reference). - Books and stationery: shown as a separate annual charge in campus-specific tables (Ankara example: 65.000 TL by grade). - Uniforms: listed as a separate charge in campus-specific tables (Ankara example: 20.000 TL); the school describes uniforms as a standard required item. - Transport / school bus service (servis): described as a chargeable service in campus information; specific Istanbul campus bus fees are not published publicly and are provided on request. - Extracurricular activities, special programmes, external exam fees (Cambridge/IB), school trips and some workshops may generate additional, separate charges; such items are referenced as chargeable extras but detailed fee lines are campus- and activity-specific.
Refunds and cancellation - A public, campus-specific refund or fee-cancellation schedule for Istanbul campuses is not posted in the public fee materials; no explicit, detailed refund table or standard refund percentages/dates was located in the published campus fee materials.
Fee payment options (methods) - The publicly available information does not list standard, campus-wide payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, etc.) on a single public page; parents are directed to request the campus fee schedule and associated payment terms via the information request process.
Practical summary (what these items mean for a parent) - For Istanbul campuses the site publishes tuition ranges by level (kindergarten, primary, middle, high) and describes standard additional charges (meals, books, uniform, transport, extracurriculars). - The school's pricing page instructs parents to request campus- and grade-specific fee schedules and payment terms using the school's information request form; a published, campus-specific Istanbul per-grade, per-term fee table for 2026/27 was not publicly available at the time of review.
If you need campus-specific numbers - Campus contact details and campus emails/phone numbers are published for each Istanbul campus (Ataşehir, Bahçelievler, Bahçeşehir, Beylikdüzü). Use the campus contact channel to obtain the precise, campus- and grade-level fee table and the school's official billing schedule and accepted payment methods.
Fee details
Application and Registration Fees
- No separate non‑refundable application or registration fee amount is published. Any prior payment made for placement tests is deducted from the annual tuition.
Annual Tuition — published amounts by grade (USD)
- Early Years (age 4–5): USD 18,150. - Term 1 (50%): USD 9,075.00. Terms 2–4 (each): USD 3,025.00.
(All listed tuition amounts are published in US dollars; each annual figure is quoted as a single amount and the per‑term breakdown above follows the school's four‑installment billing structure.)
What those fees cover
- Published tuition amounts include tuition, lunch, books and materials, assessment and V.A.T. as part of the package.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Standard payment plan: four installments. The first installment equals 50% of the total annual fee; the remaining 50% is split across three subsequent installments. The final installment must be completed by the published deadline. Late payments incur a surcharge of 3% of the delayed amount.
- A 5% discount is applied when the annual tuition is paid in full in advance (advance‑payment eligibility and cutoff dates are specified by the school). Sibling discounts are applied as follows: 5% for the second child, 10% for the third child and 15% for the fourth child.
Boarding / Accommodation
- No boarding provision or boarding fees are published; boarding is not itemized as part of the school fee schedule.
Other costs and optional services
- School bus: transport is provided by an external bus operator; the bus operator sets bus pricing and parents are asked to contact the transport company for pricing. Bus fees are not included in the published tuition amounts and are quoted separately by the bus operator.
- Uniforms: no separate uniform charge is itemized in the published tuition schedule. Books, materials and lunch are included in the published tuition figures.
- Cambridge examination registrations: the school requires Grades 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12 to sit Cambridge exams and the school's published tuition includes the minimum number of Cambridge examinations required by the school; additional or external exam charges may apply separately.
Refund information
- To withdraw, an application must be completed at least 15 days prior to official withdrawal to allow processing. If cancellation of registration occurs before the start of the school year, a refund is made with a deduction of 10% of the published tuition fee. If withdrawal occurs during the school year: 10% of the published tuition fee is deducted; remaining school days are counted and a pro‑rated refund for tuition and lunch is calculated accordingly. Books, educational materials and assessment fees are not refundable.
Fee payment methods
- Accepted payment methods are wire / bank transfer and credit card. Any additional surcharges charged by the credit card provider are the responsibility of the cardholder. The school publishes bank account details for payments and expects transfers to include the student name and invoice reference when remitting funds.
Surcharges and penalties
- Late payment surcharge: 3% of the delayed amount. Credit card transaction surcharges (if any) are charged to the payer.
Notes on fees not itemized
- No distinct registration deposit, refundable deposit, capital levy or a published application fee amount is itemized in the published fee schedule. Placement/assessment payments are acknowledged and any such prior payment is offset against annual fees, but specific placement/test‑fee amounts are not published. Optional services (school bus, select extracurriculars or exam retakes beyond the school's included minimum) may incur additional charges quoted separately.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
The school offers Cambridge International School Program; IB Primary Years Program; IB Diploma Program; CAP Innovative Program; and Dual Foreign Language Education. The Education Model is the 'Living School' that aims to educate internationally conscious individuals who research, inquire, think, communicate, are informed, principled, open-minded, caring, risk takers, balanced, and reflective.
Curriculum details
Cambridge International Curriculum is used from Primary through High School. Primary Grades 1–5 are equivalent to Cambridge Years 2–6, and Middle School Grades 6–8 align with Cambridge Years 7–9. Cambridge IGCSE is offered for the 14–16 age range and Cambridge International AS & A Levels for post‑16 study. The Primary curriculum encompasses Environmental Studies, Life Skills, and Expressive Arts, with English and Turkish language development and a Second Language Acquisition program. Cambridge Pathway emphasizes deep subject knowledge, conceptual understanding and higher‑order thinking skills, and multilingual education with IGCSEs available in more than 30 languages. Progression is designed as a coherent spiral across ages 5–19.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
IB Diploma score: 44
Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Graduates have been accepted to universities worldwide, including Istanbul Technical University, Yeditepe University, Istanbul Gelisim University, University of Manchester, University of Sussex, Birmingham University, John Moores University, University of Sheffield, University of London, University of Sydney, Western University, University of Alberta, KU Leuven University, Politecnico di Torino, Pavia University, Lasalle University Barcelona, Campbellsville University, University of Georgia, and Wroclaw University. Cambridge Program and IB Diploma Program support higher education progression.
Higher education progression
University Guidance and Counselling provides individualised support for university applications and international acceptances. The Cambridge Advantage and Cambridge A Level qualification recognition support admission to universities worldwide; Cambridge qualifications are recognised by over 1,400 universities, including more than 550 in the United States. The school maintains active engagement with universities and government authorities to support recognition and progression to higher education.
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
—
Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Foundation Year entry: Turkish min 400 LGS score; English level below B1; English instruction is provided. Scholarships: 50% for 400-450 LGS score; 100% for 451-500 score (listed as TEOG in the policy). No failed subjects; GPA of 4 on a 5.0 scale. The admission decision is made by the DP coordinator. An international quota exists for students with accommodation bursaries. 2. Grade 9 (pre-IB): Turkish min 400 LGS score; English level at least B1; English instruction is provided. Scholarships: 50%–100% (range). No failed subjects; GPA of 4 on a 5.0 scale. Final admission decision rests with the DP coordinator. An international quota exists for accommodation bursaries. 3. Grade 10 (pre-IB): No failed Turkish subjects; GPA of 4.0 on a 5.0 scale in Grade 9; English level at B1+ or above; English instruction is provided. Scholarships: 0%–100% (range). End-of-Grade 10 tests or IGCSE/GCSE results may be used in the process; DP coordinator makes the final decision. An international quota exists for accommodation bursaries. 4. Grade 11 (IB Diploma Programme): No failed Turkish subjects; GPA of 4.0 on a 5.0 scale in Grades 9–10; English level B2 or above; English instruction is provided. Scholarships: 0%–100% (range). End-of-Grade 10 tests or IGCSE/GCSE results may be used; DP coordinator makes the final decision. An international quota exists for accommodation bursaries. 5. Grade 12 (IB Diploma Programme) – DP transfer: Turkish or International DP transfer students only; Final decision by the DP coordinator. An international quota exists for accommodation bursaries.
Admissions
Step 1: To begin the application process please submit your inquiry through the Online Student Registration page. The admissions process is designed to ensure that students are appropriately placed at Istanbul International School, while maintaining the integrity and consistency of the school program and policies. Detailed information about grade content and level is explained in registration meetings. An offer of a place is not based solely on the entrance test; parents should provide the most recent copies of their child's school report from the past two years to assist with placement, especially if the student is coming from another country or a different curriculum. All students will be evaluated by a School Counselor and, for high school applications, by a placement test to demonstrate developmental, emotional and academic readiness.
Step 2: After completing the online application you will be sent an automatic email confirmation of your application. In the following days you will be sent information on the next steps to the email that you have provided. Assessments may be required to determine if the curriculum suits the student; assessments are conducted by the faculty who appreciate that each child progresses at their own pace. Following an assessment, the student may be offered a place, placed on the waiting list (if places are currently not available) or denied entry in case the school cannot confidently support a child's specific learning needs and development.
Step 3: After all preliminary steps are completed as stated in the email that you receive, you will be contacted by our Admissions Team to set up a meeting for you and your child with a Principal and Counselor. Before Counsellor appointments and Entrance Examinations are scheduled, you will be requested to make a payment for the Assessment fee to the bank account number that we will send you. This fee is non-refundable, non-transferable, non-adjustable and is required in order to qualify for the entrance examination.
Step 4: After completing Steps 1-3, as well as the assessment and placement test/entrance examination (if required) you will be contacted by our Department Head informing you of the school's decision on registration. If the application is accepted and registration can move forward, a meeting will be set up with our Admissions Officer to discuss School fees and payment plan options.
Scholarships
Scholarships
Scholarships are available as bursaries tied to admission category. Foundation Year scholarships: 50% for 400–450 LGS score; 100% for 451–500 LGS score (maximum 500 points). Rates may change if the national exam scoring system changes; if the exam is repealed, the school will determine rates via its own written and oral exams. For students switching to IB from the Anatolian High School, 100% scholarship is possible if average grades are between 4.50 and 5.00, subject to the final decision of the DP coordinator. The school works with international foundations to provide scholarships and accommodation for international students to form international IB classes. There is an international quota for accepting students with accommodation bursaries. The school reserves the right to change admission criteria and bursary rates to ensure diversity.
Scholarships
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Waitlist
Waitlist
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Waitlist
Assessments may lead to admission decisions. If there are no places available at the time of assessment, the student may be placed on the waiting list. The waiting list is part of the admissions process and placement is determined by availability. A decision may also be denied entry if the school cannot confidently support the student's specific learning needs and development.