Beijing Aidi School

1. Initial inquiry & visit. Contact the admissions office to request current admissions materials, schedule an on‑campus visit or attend an open day, and confirm which programme(s) you are applying to (kindergarten, bilingual primary, IGCSE/A‑Level, WACE/Australian, US/AP, or arts pathways). Parents should check whether the intake for their child's year group is open and whether the school is admitting local (Beijing) and/or non‑local students for that intake. Aidi publishes event/registration notices and encourages families to visit or make an appointment before applying.

2. Complete the online/paper application. Families complete the school's application form (online or downloadable from admissions) and submit required basic information; the school records intent and schedules the next steps (assessment or interview). Ask admissions in advance which version of the form applies to your child's pathway (e.g., international high‑school tracks versus domestic bilingual class). The school's admissions pages and third‑party summaries repeatedly list online/telephone reservation and form submission as the first formal step.

3. Gather and submit required documents. Typical documents the school asks for are: passport or national ID, current visa/residence permit (for non‑Chinese nationals), most recent school reports/transcripts, birth certificate, vaccination/health record, and school‑transfer or graduation certificates as applicable; Beijing local students may also need the district “five documents” (五证) or other local paperwork for school‑record (学籍) registration. Confirm the exact document list with admissions before you submit; different programmes and nationalities often require slightly different paperwork. Multiple admissions guides and local portals note the five‑certificate requirement for non‑local to local registration—parents should prepare originals and certified translations if needed.

4. Entrance assessment and language check. Aidi requires an entry evaluation that typically includes a written test and an interview; international tracks normally include English language assessment and subject checks (maths, English comprehension, and sometimes subject tests for older students). Younger applicants (KG/Primary) commonly have an interview/observation and simple readiness tasks rather than full formal exams. The school's public profile and admissions summaries explicitly state that entrance tests plus interviews are used to determine placement and any language support needed.

5. Special‑pathway checks (programme‑specific requirements). If you apply to a specialised pathway (A‑Level, WACE/Australian, US/AP or arts high‑school), expect additional requirements such as portfolio submissions for arts, demonstrated subject grades for A‑Level/AP, or minimum English thresholds (some pages report IELTS/placement guidance). Where language thresholds are not met, the school runs a language/bridge programme (language centre or pre‑session) that many families use before full entry to the international curriculum. Check the precise academic/portfolio/English minimums for the pathway you want—these differ by programme and year level.

6. Offer, acceptance and payment to secure a place. If the school offers a place you will receive formal enrolment paperwork; schools commonly require parents to return a signed acceptance and to pay a deposit or the invoiced tuition amount to secure the seat. The exact deposit amount and refund policy are not consistently published on third‑party pages, so confirm the current payment terms, timelines for payment, and whether there is a non‑refundable component before you accept. Contact admissions to get the latest invoice and written payment terms for your child's offer.

7. Registration, placement and additional assessment. After payment and acceptance the school completes administrative registration, assigns classes, and—if needed—places students into English support groups or sets up individualized learning plans. Parents should ask about arrival‑date orientation, uniform lists, health/medical form deadlines, and whether textbooks or digital devices are included or billed separately. The school's profiles note that learning support and differentiated placement are part of the post‑offer process.

8. Boarding, transport and meal arrangements (if applicable). If you plan to board, confirm room availability, the boarding fee schedule, weekend‑stay options, and any additional administration or management fees; if using school buses, ask about routes, fees and pickup‑drop rules. Multiple fee tables and school summaries list boarding and meal charges separately from base tuition—parents should budget for these extras and confirm the billing schedule with admissions/finance.

9. Visa, local registration and school records for non‑local families. Non‑Beijing families should confirm whether the school will assist with local school‑record (学籍) processes and what documents are needed to register with the district education authorities; some classes or programmes have different eligibility for local registration. If your child is not a Chinese national, verify visa/permit rules for study and whether in‑country guardianship rules apply. Admissions materials and local guides recommend starting these steps early because local paperwork and district approvals can take time.

10. Orientation and term start. Attend the school's scheduled orientation for parents and students (dates are set each year) and complete any outstanding forms (medical, emergency contacts, bus/meal signups). Confirm the school calendar, uniform delivery timeframe and the school's communication channel (parent portal / WeChat / email) so you receive start‑of‑term updates. The school publishes regular admissions calendars and asks families to follow those timelines for a smooth start.

Publicly available admissions materials for Beijing Aidi School do not publish a formal, detailed waitlist policy that I could find. The school's admissions notices and third‑party summaries describe a staged/rolling admissions cycle and the use of assessment rounds with subsequent '补录' (additional offers) when places open, which is common practice for busy Beijing international schools. Because the school does not appear to post a standard waitlist procedure online, families who are told a year group is full should contact admissions directly and ask (a) whether they operate a formal waitlist, (b) how candidates are prioritised (e.g., by application date, assessment score, sibling link or programme fit), and (c) how often the school releases additional places after initial offers. For the most reliable guidance about your child's specific case, request written confirmation from the admissions office about how they handle full cohorts and waiting applicants.

Yes — Aidi publishes and is reported to run entrance/award scholarships for incoming students, including a high‑school scholarship programme tied to Beijing senior‑middle exam (中考) performance. Public reporting on the school's scholarship initiatives (often called a '奖学金计划' or in some reporting a '千万奖学金计划') shows structured awards for Beijing students who meet stated mid‑school exam thresholds; media and education portals have listed example tiers such as 120,000 RMB/year (or per year amounts reported) for top scorers and lower tiers (e.g., 70,000; 50,000; 30,000 RMB) for other score ranges. These scholarship schemes are typically programme‑ and year‑specific and often require Beijing academic registration (学籍) and application to particular school pathways; amounts, eligibility and application deadlines have varied by year in public announcements. Because the school's scholarship rules and the amounts can change, if you are interested in financial awards ask admissions for the current scholarship brochure (eligibility criteria, how awards are applied to fees, whether awards renew each year, and any conditions tied to Beijing residency or exam results).