International School of Bucharest vs Liceul Teoretic Scoala Mea
International School of Bucharest and Liceul Teoretic Scoala Mea are both in Bucharest, about 12 km apart. Both schools offer British, Cambridge (Secondary) and Cambridge IGCSE programmes. International School of Bucharest also offers IB, and Liceul Teoretic Scoala Mea also offers Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge International AS Levels and Cambridge A Levels. Published annual fees are RON 9,847 - 17,663 at International School of Bucharest and RON 5,800 - 13,500 at Liceul Teoretic Scoala Mea, which puts International School of Bucharest roughly 43% higher. International School of Bucharest takes pupils from 2 to 18, and Liceul Teoretic Scoala Mea from 3 to 18.
British Curriculum, Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)
Curriculum
British Curriculum, Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils
Pupils
500
Pupils
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Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
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Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
Romanian, English
Opened
Opened
1996
Opened
2001
Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
Yes
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
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Location
The school is located in Bucharest, Romania, at Str. Văliug, nr. 12-18. The campus is in central Bucharest and accessible by local transport. A door-to-door bus service operates for students traveling from Bucharest and nearby areas. The school day runs on weekdays from 08:30 to 16:30.
Stages
Stages
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Stages
Nursery, Primary, Lower Secondary, High School, and International High School.
School type
School type
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School type
Day school
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
United Kingdom (Cambridge International; British School Overseas accreditation)
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
School hours on weekdays are 08:30–16:30.
Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
Door-to-door bus service with a fleet of 10 Ford Transit 8+1 buses (years of manufacture 2015–2019) serving Bucharest and nearby areas including Pipera, Corbeanca, Otopeni, Mogoşoaia and Chitila. The service is operated by a dedicated team with school supervisors, and parents are kept informed about any events.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application fees - Registration (one-time): EUR 1,000. This fee is non‑refundable.
Tuition fees by year group (annual; published for 2025/2026) - Early Years (ages 2–5): EUR 9,847 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 8,599 if paid by 20 February; EUR 9,200 if paid by 20 April. - Primary School (Key Stage 1–2, Years 1–6): EUR 15,879 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 14,258 if paid by 20 February; EUR 15,119 if paid by 20 April. - Secondary (Key Stage 3, Years 7–9): EUR 16,685 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 15,081 if paid by 20 February; EUR 15,879 if paid by 20 April. - Secondary (Key Stage 4/5, Years 10–13): EUR 17,663 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 15,974 if paid by 20 February; EUR 16,809 if paid by 20 April.
Per‑term illustration (inference) - The school publishes annual tuition amounts. If those annual figures are divided evenly across a conventional three‑term school year, the per‑term amounts would be approximately: - Early Years: EUR 3,282 per term (EUR 9,847 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 2,867 and EUR 3,067 per term.) - Primary: EUR 5,293 per term (EUR 15,879 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 4,753 and EUR 5,040 per term.) - KS3: EUR 5,562 per term (EUR 16,685 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 5,027 and EUR 5,293 per term.) - KS4/5: EUR 5,888 per term (EUR 17,663 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 5,325 and EUR 5,603 per term.) - Note: these per‑term figures are calculated by dividing the published annual tuition by three to provide a term‑level illustration; they are not an official ISB billing schedule. The school's published materials state there are flexible payment options and early‑bird deadlines but do not publish a fixed public instalment calendar in the 2025/2026 fee materials.
Billing schedule and payment terms - The school publishes annual tuition rates and explicit early‑bird discount deadlines (20 February and 20 April for the 2025/2026 schedule). Flexible payment options are available through the school's Finance Department; specific invoice/instalment dates and detailed public billing calendars are not listed in the published 2025/2026 fee materials. The registration fee is charged once at enrolment and is non‑refundable. Sibling discounts are offered: 5% for a second sibling and 10% for three or more siblings.
Boarding fees - Not applicable. International School of Bucharest operates as a day school (no boarding programme).
Other costs and typical additional fees - ESL / SEN support fee: an additional EUR 2,000 per year applies for students placed in ESL programmes or enrolled in the school's special needs programme. - Charges that may be additional to tuition include: uniform costs, external examination fees, certain extracurricular activities, residential trips, lunch, and transport (lunch and transport are optional services and are not included in the tuition).
Refund information - The registration fee is explicitly non‑refundable. The published 2025/2026 fee materials do not include a publicly detailed tuition refund schedule for mid‑year withdrawal or the exact pro‑rata refund mechanics; no specific tuition refund percentages or deadlines were published in the fee documents located for 2025/2026.
Fee payment options - Bank transfer is documented as an accepted payment route in the school's enrolment materials. The published fee information states that flexible payment options are available via the Finance Department; specific public lists of accepted card types or alternate payment channels were not included in the 2025/2026 fee documents located. Families typically receive invoice and bank details from the school Finance Office when completing enrolment.
Summary of key points - Annual tuition for 2025/2026 (published): Early Years EUR 9,847; Primary EUR 15,879; KS3 EUR 16,685; KS4/5 EUR 17,663. Early‑bird discounts reduce those annual figures if payment is completed by the stated early‑bird deadlines. Registration fee: EUR 1,000, non‑refundable. ESL/SEN supplement: EUR 2,000 per year. Boarding is not offered. Flexible payment arrangements are available through the Finance Department; detailed instalment dates are not published in the publicly available 2025/2026 fee materials.
Fee details
Application / Registration fees
- Registration (one‑time) for the International High School: 1,000 EUR, paid prior to signing the contract. - Enrolment deposit / place reservation for the International High School: 2,000 EUR; this deposit is deducted from the annual tuition once admission is completed. - Enrolment evaluation fee (Elementary & Middle School): 400 EUR (one‑time). - Early childhood registration: an educational resources fund is charged at 300 EUR per year and is paid on registration.
Tuition fees by school level (per academic year and per year group)
- Elementary & Middle School (per academic year): - Standard tuition listed at 9,000 EUR per academic year for the applicable level; Primary level noted at 9,100 EUR per academic year for primary.
- High School (national curriculum): - Standard high‑school tuition: 9,000 EUR per academic year (payment normally in 10 monthly instalments).
- International High School — Tuition Fees 2026–2027 (per academic year): - Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11): 13,000 EUR per year; Resource fund: 600 EUR. - Key Stage 5 (Years 12–13): 13,500 EUR per year; Resource fund: 500 EUR.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Early childhood tuition: payment terms are monthly according to the published fee schedule; the preschool fee schedule for 2025–2026 shows a 10‑tranșe (instalment) calendar with a 300 EUR advance at enrolment and subsequent tranșe due between mid‑August and mid‑May (specific tranșe amounts and exact 15th–20th payment windows are provided in the annual fee schedule). - Elementary, Middle and High School tuition: billed for the academic year with payment commonly accepted in 10 monthly instalments; catering (food service) fees are often charged in 10 equal monthly instalments starting in September. - Food service (where applicable) is charged per academic year and may be billed separately from tuition; for example standard catering for school levels is stated as 2,000 EUR + VAT per academic year and paid in 10 equal monthly instalments. - Payment currency and invoicing: instalment amounts are issued in the local currency (RON) and are to be settled at the bank exchange rate applied on the invoice day (ING Bank rate is indicated as the exchange reference). Advance sums paid in advance are subject to the school's stated non‑refund rule in specified circumstances.
Boarding fees
- No boarding provision applies; there are no boarding fees listed for Liceul Teoretic Școala Mea (boarding is not part of the published fee schedule).
Other costs and compulsory additional fees
- Fund fee for educational resources and programmes (covers textbooks, auxiliaries and partner programmes): typically 800 EUR/year for Elementary/Middle and High School levels (payable on enrolment); other levels (early years) show a 300 EUR/year fund. - Administrative / management fees: a management/administrative fee of 1,000 EUR per academic year is shown for school levels; a management fund single tax of 820 EUR is also listed for nursery. - Food service / catering fees (examples): - Nursery 8:30–12:00 catering: 650 EUR/year + VAT; 8:30–13:00 or 14:00: 1,100 EUR/year + VAT; 8:30–18:00: 1,400 EUR/year + VAT. Holiday‑programme catering has daily/weekly/monthly rates listed separately. - Uniform: the school requires a compulsory uniform and uniform items are sold through the school's uniform shop; example retail price for a tracksuit set shown on the school shop is 280.00 RON. The cost of compulsory uniform items is separate from tuition and is not included in the tuition amounts. - Transport, trips, camps and Cambridge / external examination fees are charged separately and are not included in the stated tuition figures. Examination fees for Cambridge assessments and other external tests are paid in addition to tuition.
Refund and guarantee conditions
- Refundable guarantee: a refundable guarantee of 500 EUR is collected in August for certain levels; outstanding debts for books, optional activities and similar items may be deducted from this guarantee; the remaining amount is returned to parents when the contractual relationship ends. - Advance payment and deposit refund policy: sums paid in advance (including advance instalments) are stated as non‑refundable if the educational contract ends for reasons not attributable to the school. The enrolment deposit for the International High School is, however, fully deducted from the annual tuition after admission is completed.
Fee payment options
- Payment by bank transfer / invoiced payment in local currency (RON) is the standard arrangement; invoices reference the ING Bank exchange rate for EUR→RON conversion on the invoice date. - Instalment billing is available (commonly 10 monthly instalments for school years and catering); specific instalment amounts and due‑date windows are provided in the annual fee schedule distributed at enrolment.
(End of fees overview)
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 Primary School follows the English National Curriculum for children aged 2–11, delivered in a child‑centred, challenging and well‑balanced programme. In Key Stage 3, English, Mathematics and Science follow the Cambridge Secondary Lower Curriculum, with the National Curriculum for England used as the framework for History, Geography, ICT, Music, Art, Drama, PSHE and Physical Education. Modern Foreign Languages include Spanish and French, with Romanian studied as a First or Foreign Language and Turkish taught as a First Language. In Key Stage 4, most courses lead to Cambridge IGCSE qualifications. In Key Stage 5, all students follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. ISB is an IB World School offering the IB Diploma Programme. The language of instruction is English.
Curriculum details
The school offers a mixed National and Cambridge international curriculum. It awards the National Bacalaureat Diploma, an ECDL certificate, Cambridge IGCSE certificates (up to three, completed by the end of year 10), IELTS (in year 11) and 1–3 Cambridge A Levels (years 11–12). The National track (years 11–12) provides the National Bacalaureat Diploma, ECDL and IELTS (year 11). The school is a Cambridge International School (CAIE) authorized to run CAIE exams and offer IGCSE, AS and A Level programmes, and is accredited as a British School Overseas (BSO). In September 2026, new high school programmes in Acting and Singing (Pop and Jazz) will be available.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
7:1
Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
Cambridge IGCSE examinations are offered to students in Years 10–11, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is offered in Years 12–13. In 2025, ISB reported Romania's strongest IB results.
Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
ISB's Career Counseling Service guides students toward universities worldwide. In Year 9, students receive career guidance through MyFirstChoices; in Year 11, through MyCareerChoices to plan IB options; in Year 12, through MyUniChoices to create a university shortlist. ISB also runs on‑campus and online university fairs and offers internship opportunities to support progression to higher education.
Higher education progression
Cambridge CAIE accreditation enables entry to universities worldwide, and British School Overseas accreditation aligns with UK standards for higher education pathways. Graduates may pursue higher education via the National Bacalaureat route or Cambridge qualifications (IGCSE, AS, A Levels).
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented students have access to visual arts courses as well as music and a variety of instrumentals.
Gifted and talented
Extracurricular enrichment includes Math Club, Science Club, Doodle Town, Jolly Phonics, Conversation, and clubs such as Math Club and Science Club; language competitions and exam prep such as Spelling Bee, Junior Public Speaking, WordFest, Cambridge YLE, and Trinity; advanced language and Cambridge exam preparation (IGCSE, IELTS, AS) and inter-disciplinary themes (e.g., strategies for taking FCE/IGCSE/IELTS/AS).
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
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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
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Admissions
Transfers during the school year are possible after completing enrolment stages, based on a request form from the LTSM secretariat, with approval by the current school. LTSM provides a wide range of learning support; after collecting the necessary information, LTSM decides if the appropriate program can be provided; places are limited. The admission process has two essential steps: schedule a visit to LTSM by filling the Visit us form or by contacting the secretariat; and undertake the evaluation test as part of the final selection. LTSM offers two curricula: Mixed National and Cambridge and International Exclusive British. National High School Real/Humanities Profile follows the national curriculum with a Real (Natural Sciences) or Humanities (Social Sciences) profile, complemented by Cambridge Mathematics and a range of electives. LTSM International British Pathway follows Cambridge pathways: IGCSE in years 10–11 with eight Cambridge IGCSE exams; compulsory English, Mathematics, Sciences and Modern Foreign Languages; Advanced Level AS/A2 in years 12–13 prepares for top universities. The teaching staff are dedicated specialists; 11.2% are native English-speaking; 76.92% have more than four years of experience; 4.61% hold PhDs; 21.53% hold a first degree; 16.58% hold a second degree; 29.23% have Qualified status.
Scholarships
Scholarships
The school offers a Scholarship Programme providing full or partial scholarships to eligible students who cannot meet the expense of ISB education. Following acceptance into the programme, a contract is signed between the school and the parents and the ISB admission procedure is completed. The Programme is overseen by the Director, Head of Primary School/Secondary School, Finance Manager, PTA members and the Admissions and Communications Manager.
Scholarships
Scholarships awarded include Merit Scholarships, Social Assistance Grants and Loyalty Scholarships. Application Process and Calendar: External candidates can apply if they demonstrate outstanding academic results, active involvement and exemplary behavior; eligibility is defined in the Scholarship Regulations. To apply, meet eligibility, write an English application letter of up to 700 words on the topic Describe your personal goals and the obstacles or difficulties that must be overcome to achieve them, and complete the online Application Form for 2026–2027. 2026–2027 Scholarship Program Calendar: 23 February – 1 March 2026 Information dissemination; 2 March – 1 April 2026 Registration at the High School Secretariat; 3 April 2026 Posting of accepted application files on the school website; 20 – 24 April 2026 Interview scheduling for Merit Scholarship applicants; 22 April 2026 Written examination for Performance Scholarship candidates; 30 April 2026 Release of written test results; 8 May 2026 Final results announcement. Categories of Scholarship Awards: High Performance Scholarships (Grades IX–XII) with selection criteria including national test results or Cambridge/ CAT4 measures and Olympiad prizes; Study Scholarships represent 50% of the tuition for eligible students with low family income (monthly per-family member not more than 3000 lei), a GPA above 9.50 and a behavior grade of 10, plus a municipal prize in national Olympiads; Social Aid Scholarships represent 70% of annual tuition for students who have lost one or both parents or have illnesses requiring expensive treatment.