Canadian International School of Phnom Penh

1. Complete the online application: Start by creating and submitting an application through CIS's online platform (gibbon.cisp.edu.kh). Parents should save progress if they cannot upload everything at once; the school says you can return later and the Admissions Team will contact you after submission to confirm receipt and next steps. Be prepared to provide accurate birth and passport details because these determine grade placement and residency checks.

2. Pay the application fee: The application fee must be paid (in person or by bank transfer) before CIS will consider the application or schedule an assessment. The site states the fee is non-refundable — plan for that cost when you apply and keep payment confirmation to avoid delays. If the fee is not paid, the school will not proceed to the assessment or interview stage.

3. Submit required supporting documents: CIS lists documents required for all applicants (recent school reports, completed online recommendation forms, standardized test results if available, passport ID pages for student and parents, birth certificate or family book, vaccination records, signed CIS Parent Agreement, and a signed student health questionnaire). Additional, grade-specific recommendations or extra report cards are required for different year levels (for example, Grades 10–12 require three years of report cards plus multiple teacher recommendations). Parents should collect original or certified copies and be ready to upload them to the online platform; recommendations are submitted online by the referees.

4. Assessment, interview and English requirement: After documents are reviewed, CIS may request an interview and/or academic assessments (these can be online or in person). Students from Senior Kindergarten through Grade 12 may need an English-language proficiency assessment; Grade 10–12 applicants must show grade-level English proficiency (via prior records from an accredited English-instruction school or an assessment). If your child will require EAL (English as an Additional Language) support, note that CIS provides EAL for Grades 1–9 but enrolment in the EAL program carries additional fees.

5. Offer, deposit and fee arrangements to confirm enrolment: If CIS offers a place, parents must accept the offer and pay the required deposits to confirm enrolment — the school specifically states deposits and the ability to meet school fee requirements are conditions of enrolment. CIS publishes a 2025–2026 Fee Guide and offers multiple payment plans (annual, semesterly, quarterly); the school also runs specific discounts and referral/voucher programs (for example, an early-enrolment discount, sibling discounts, and referral vouchers). Before accepting an offer, review the fee guide and confirm which payment plan and any applicable discounts you will use.

6. Placement, first day and orientation: Grade placement is determined by year of birth for Nursery–Grade 6 and by a combination of birth year and prior education for Grades 7–12; parents are expected to accept the school's placement decision. CIS accepts applications on a rolling basis and the Admissions Team can schedule personalized campus visits; they also provide information to prepare families for the student's first day and run a New Family Orientation.

CIS does not publish a detailed public waitlist policy on its website; the General Requirements page instructs prospective families to contact the Admissions Team for information about waiting lists. That wording implies a waiting-list or vacancy-management process exists but that specific places and prioritization rules are handled case-by-case by Admissions. If you need to know whether your child will be placed on a waitlist, the likely next vacancy date, or how long wait times are, contact admissions@cisp.edu.kh — they are the official source for current waitlist status and any documentary steps required to remain on a list.

The CIS Phnom Penh admissions and fees pages do not describe a scholarship program for incoming students; the school's published fee information focuses on payment plans, an early-enrolment discount, sibling discounts, referral vouchers, and a forthcoming loyalty discount. CIS's community page also notes partner discounts (for example, a Canadia Bank junior account offers a tuition discount). Because other schools in the wider ‘CIS' network (for example, CIS branches in Vietnam) do run named scholarship or talent programs, be careful not to assume those apply to the Phnom Penh campus. If you want a definitive answer about scholarships, hardship assistance, or merit-based awards for the Phnom Penh campus, request that information directly from admissions@cisp.edu.kh — they can confirm whether any scholarships or internal assistance programs exist and explain eligibility, application windows, and documentation required.