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Taught languages English, Russian, Armenian, Mandarin, Spanish
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, Languages
Clubs Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional, Community and Service
Stages Kindergarten, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction
UWC Dilijan is an international boarding school in Armenia that delivers a global education across ages 3 to 18. It offers Cambridge Primary and Secondary programmes for younger students and the IB Diploma Programme (DP) for students aged 16 and above, taught in English with Armenian and Russian support for language learners. The campus spans eight hectares in Dilijan National Park, featuring facilities including Academic and Administration Building with classrooms, laboratories, a Library and Resource Centre, integrated IT, Art Studios and a Medical Centre. Boarding houses and staff accommodation are on site, with a Sports Complex containing a gym, swimming pool and a FIFA-standard football pitch, plus tennis, squash, and volleyball courts. The school emphasises service, sustainability, and hands-on learning through CAS and a broad range of clubs. It welcomed its first cohort in 2014 and marked its tenth anniversary in 2024, maintaining a diverse community drawn from fifty countries.
UWC Dilijan has 220 pupils, instruction in English.
Location
7 Getapnya Street, 3903, Dilijan, Armenia. The campus occupies 8 hectares of land and is partially located within Dilijan National Park.
Stages
IB Diploma Programme for students aged 16-17 (two-year program; grades 11-12).
Type
International boarding school.
Pupil Nationality Mix
Students from about 80 countries.
Additional learning support
SEN policy; supports additional learning needs.
Country affiliation
Armenia
Fees
Annual tuition at UWC Dilijan ranges from AMD 2,700 to AMD 44,000 for 2026/27.
IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12) — Tuition and boarding
- IBDP total fee: USD 88,000 for the full two-year programme; payable in five instalments. - What this covers: full board (on-campus residential accommodation and meals), tuition, coursework outings and project weeks, medical insurance for the two-year programme, and the loan of textbooks and graphical calculators. - What this does not cover: travel to and from the college, visa costs, clothing/uniform, summer and winter holiday costs, and other personal expenses. Families should budget for pocket money of approximately USD 700–1,000 per student per year. - Security deposit: USD 300 is collected and held until graduation to cover lost or damaged equipment or books.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- IBDP billing: the two-year fee is payable in five instalments (the school bills and expects payment in five separate instalments). Specific instalment dates are set by the school's billing schedule.
Dilijan International School (Kindergarten – Grade 10) — Tuition (annual amounts)
- Kindergarten (age 3+): USD 2,700 per year. - Primary (Grades 0–5): USD 6,000 per year. - Lower secondary (Grades 6–8): USD 7,000 per year. - Upper secondary (Grades 9–10): USD 9,000 per year. - These annual tuition amounts include meals, learning materials and exam fees as part of the school's inclusions for these year groups.
Application fees and application-payment handling
- Applications to the college are processed through the school's OpenApply admissions/registration system. Application charges, where applied, and payment of application-related fees are handled through that portal. Accepted payment methods on that platform commonly include credit card and bank transfer (as configured by the school).
Other costs and typical additional charges
- Uniforms, personal clothing, travel to/from the college, visa costs, holiday travel, elective or optional programme costs, instrument tuition or external exam fees, and personal items are additional to published tuition and should be budgeted for separately. An indicative pocket-money range is USD 700–1,000 per year for students.
Refunds and held deposits
- The school collects a USD 300 deposit retained until graduation to cover loss or damage to equipment or books; this deposit is held against such charges until the student leaves. Other tuition-refund terms or formal refund policy details are managed under the school's finance terms and conditions.
Fee payment options (typical methods used for applications and school billing)
- Application payments and invoicing can be processed via the OpenApply system; OpenApply supports credit card payments, bank transfer and other electronic payment processors (schools choose which options to enable for applicants). For school tuition invoicing, the school typically issues invoices and arranges payment instructions—payment methods commonly available through school invoicing platforms include bank transfer and credit/debit card processing (as configured by the school).
Notes for budgeting
- The two-year IBDP fee is presented as a programme total and billed in instalments; parents should confirm instalment dates and payment deadlines with the school's finance or admissions office when completing enrolment paperwork. The published annual tuition amounts for Kindergarten–Grade 10 are single-year figures; families should plan for recurring annual billing and additional incidental costs (uniform, travel, personal expenses, optional activities).
Academics
UWC Dilijan teaches IB (DP), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary) for students aged 3 to 18.
Curriculum
IB Diploma Programme (16+) taught in English. The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year programme for students aged 16-19, recognised by universities worldwide. The DP comprises six subject groups: Group 1 Studies in Language and Literature; Group 2 Language Acquisition; Group 3 Individuals and Societies; Group 4 Sciences; Group 5 Mathematics; Group 6 The Arts. The core components are Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE) of 4000 words, and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). The curriculum is delivered in English as the working language, with Armenian and Russian support for language learners and related courses offered as part of language provision.
Student Teacher Ratio
1:6.
Exam Results
96% of UWCD students pass the IB exam.
Higher Education Progression
Graduates have progressed to universities worldwide, including Yale, Columbia University, UCL, SOAS, Minerva University, McGill University, Duke University, Queen Mary University of London, University of Warwick, UC Berkeley, Ringling College of Art and Design, University of Edinburgh, Sciences Po, King's College London and Harvard University, among others.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
UWC Dilijan provides a multi-tiered pastoral system to support students emotionally. Toon parents (house parents) and pastoral tutors offer listening ears and help students balance academic, co-curricular and social commitments. Twelve peer listeners (two from each Toon) are trained and supervised by the Pastoral Counsellor and Toon parents to provide peer support. A full-time Pastoral Counselling Service offers individual and group counselling, psychotherapy and group mediation to promote psychological wellbeing. The residential life programme and community culture emphasize supportive relationships across staff and students to foster social-emotional growth.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
UWCD SEN Policy recognises that students come with diverse learning needs and outlines support for Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). The school promotes inclusive education and may provide appropriate accommodations and strategies to support learners with SEN/SpLD. English as an Additional Language is considered within SEN contexts.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The working language of the curriculum is English.
Mental Wellbeing
Pastoral Counselling Service provides psychological facilitation and support for individuals and the community. Services include individual counselling, group counselling, psychotherapy, group mediation and experiential groups. Activities and programmes promote psychological wellbeing, foster self-awareness and resilience, and help develop interpersonal skills. Peer listeners and the residential team contribute to emotional support as part of the wellbeing framework.
Safeguarding
A safeguarding policy exists to protect the welfare of students. There are designated safeguarding leads and contact points for concerns, including safeguarding@uwcdilijan.am. The policy covers procedures for dealing with safeguarding concerns and ensures safety across campus.
Admissions
Admissions
1. Decide your application route: UWC Dilijan provides two paths to the IB Diploma Programme—through the UWC National Committee (with potential scholarships) or through the UWC Global Selection Programme (direct application to UWC Dilijan with no scholarship). For the 2026/27 entry, applicants must be 16 or 17 years old on 1 September 2026, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is taught in English. The two-year program costs $88,000, payable in five installments, and places are limited.
Scholarships
2. Scholarships are available through the UWC National Committee selection process, with both full and partial awards available; initial admission decisions are said to be ‘needs blind' and scholarships are granted on the basis of need and means. Education at UWC is provided independent of socio-economic means through a comprehensive scholarship system. If applying via Global Selection Programme, you are not eligible to receive scholarships or financial assistance for UWC Dilijan.
FAQs
What type of school is UWC Dilijan?
UWC Dilijan is an international boarding school in Armenia and a member of the United World Colleges movement. It offers the IB Diploma Programme for students aged 16+, taught in English, on an 8-hectare campus in Dilijan National Park.
Where is the campus?
7 Getapnya Street, 3903 Dilijan, Armenia. The campus spans 8 hectares, partially within Dilijan National Park.
How much are the fees?
The full two-year IB Diploma Programme costs USD 88,000, payable in five instalments. This covers full board, tuition, medical insurance, textbooks, and project weeks. Scholarships are available through UWC National Committees.
What is the IB pass rate?
96% of UWC Dilijan students pass the IB exam.
What is the student-teacher ratio?
1:6, with approximately 220 students from about 80 countries.
What are the boarding arrangements?
Students live in on-campus residences called toons (Armenian for 'house'). Two or four students share a room. Toon Parents supervise each residence. There are four toons: Vardenis, Maymekh, Arpa, and Debed.
What sports facilities are available?
A FIFA-standard football pitch, tennis courts, squash courts, volleyball pitch, gymnasium, swimming pool, and fitness centre are all on campus.
What languages are taught?
English is the working language. Armenian is taught to all first-year students. Group 1 languages include Armenian, English, and Russian Literature. Group 2 options include German, Russian, French, Chinese, and Spanish.
What universities have graduates attended?
Graduates have gone to Yale, Columbia, UCL, SOAS, McGill, Duke, UC Berkeley, Sciences Po, University of Edinburgh, University of Warwick, and many more worldwide.
What is the CAS programme?
Creativity, Activity, Service is core to the UWC experience. Creativity includes film-making, debate, coding, and ceramics. Activity spans basketball, football, swimming, and hiking. Service includes community projects in Dilijan.
What counselling and wellbeing support is provided?
A multi-tiered pastoral system includes Toon Parents, pastoral tutors, trained peer listeners, and a full-time Pastoral Counselling Service offering individual and group counselling, psychotherapy, and mediation.
Are there scholarships?
Yes, scholarships are available through UWC National Committee selection. Both full and partial awards exist. Initial admission is needs-blind.
What is the food like?
The cafeteria provides five meals daily (breakfast, lunch, dinner, plus two snacks). Options include vegan, dairy-free, halal, and gluten-free. Dishes are inspired by cuisines from students' home countries.
When was the school founded?
UWC Dilijan opened in August 2014, conceived in 2006 by Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend. It was the first international boarding school in Armenia.
