China, Beijing
Let the school know you're thinking of applying — they can share their prerequisites and help you through the process.
It's best to ask — circumstances can change at any time.
1. Submit an online application. Parents should use BIBA's official application channels (the school website / WeChat and the OpenApply portal linked from the site). Make sure you fill in the application form completely and upload any immediately requested documents — an incomplete online application will delay the next steps.
2. Prepare and submit supporting documents. The school asks for the completed application plus required documents (examples available in the site's Download Resources such as the School Recommendation Form and the Age/Placement guide); typical documents families should have ready are recent school reports, passport/ID, and any previous testing or language records. If you are uncertain which documents are required for your child's year level, confirm with Admissions before attending testing or interview.
3. Attend interview and/or testing. After the school receives the completed application and documents, Admissions will schedule the student's interview and any grade-appropriate tests; testing and interview are required for all applicants. Parents should expect subjects and formats to vary by grade (for example, BIBA requires a Chinese writing test for applicants in Grades 2–12 who have attended a Chinese school or are native Chinese speakers). Be prepared to bring originals of school reports and ID to the interview/testing session if requested.
4. Receive an enrollment decision and notice. The school will notify families in writing if a place is offered or if further steps (such as re-testing) are required. Note that acceptance is conditional on meeting any stated requirements (for example additional testing or documentary checks). If a place is offered, read the offer letter carefully for the payment deadline and other conditions.
5. Complete fee payment to confirm placement. BIBA requires tuition/payment to be made by the date shown on the invoice; placement is not guaranteed until the Finance Office confirms payment. Check the Tuition & Fees page for the current fee schedule, payment methods, and the school's refund/withdrawal conditions so you know the deadlines and the consequences of late payment.
6. Submit the health check / medical paperwork. After payment and acceptance, the school requires a health-check report (the site lists submission of a health check report as a final administrative requirement). Make sure any immunization/medical documents follow the format or content BIBA specifies (ask Admissions for the exact health form or any medical checklist).
7. Prepare for start of school. Follow the orientation instructions in the enrollment notice (uniform orders, bus registration and lunch/meal options are handled separately and often have their own forms). Note optional costs (uniforms, lunch, bus and boarding) and the school's stated refund schedule for withdrawals made after the school year starts. If you have additional logistical questions (transport, sibling discounts, or division-specific placement) contact the Admissions or Finance Office directly.
BIBA's Admissions Policy indicates the school operates a waiting-list practice and gives admissions priority to siblings of current students or graduates and to those on the previous year's waiting list. Placement is described as first-come, first-served and also depends on the candidate's overall assessment (interview/testing) and timely payment; the school therefore uses both assessment results and chronological order when allocating limited places. The website does not publish a step-by-step public procedure for joining or tracking a live waiting list (for example, how/when the school notifies families on the list), so if you need a seat and the grade is full you should contact Admissions to ask how to be added and what the expected turnaround time is.
BIBA publishes a scholarship programme for current and prospective students with three broad categories: Academic Scholarships, High-Achiever (talent) Scholarships, and Minor/Contribution Scholarships. The school's materials describe eligibility windows (scholarships commonly targeted at students entering certain grades such as Grade 6, Grade 9 and Grade 11) and that awards are competitive, conditional on continued progress and participation, and regularly reviewed. The school's published scholarship descriptions (and secondary summaries of the programme) show different award formats: some pages describe scholarship amounts (examples on the school's scholarship page include tiered RMB awards for academic winners and fixed annual awards for talent/minor categories), while earlier summaries and announcements describe tuition remissions as a percentage for top academic awards — because the site has multiple historic summaries, the precise award levels and validity periods can vary year-to-year. For those reasons, confirm the current award types, amounts, application timing and conditions directly with BIBA Admissions (the school's scholarship page and public summaries explain the application components — exam/interview, reports, auditions or portfolios — and state that the final decision and duration of the award are at the school's discretion).
Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) opened in 2006 and is based at No.1 Yumin Road, Houshayu, Shunyi, Beijing (postcode 101300). BIBA is a bilingual (Chinese–English) school serving Early Years through Grade 12. Early Years integrates Montessori practice with an IB PYP framework; Elementary follows the American Common Core alongside the Chinese national curriculum; Middle School combines the Chinese curriculum and the IB MYP; High School uses IGCSE in Grades 9–10 and offers the IBDP and A‑Levels in Grades 11–12. The school publishes 2025–2026 tuition rates (Nursery through Grade 12) and lists optional boarding and school-bus fees. Admissions materials include a 2025–2026 age-placement guide (Nursery from age 1; Grade 12 typically age 17). BIBA lists over 200 extracurricular activities and a specialised STP Dual Excellence pathway for arts/sport. Contact and divisional phone numbers are available on the school's Contact Us page.