Canadian International School of Guangzhou

1. Initial enquiry and eligibility check — Contact the Admissions Office to begin. Parents should confirm eligibility (CIS accepts students who hold foreign passports, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) before completing the online application form; if you are unsure, ask Admissions so you do not complete unnecessary paperwork. You can request a campus tour or an online information session — tours are available year-round but appointments are recommended.

2. Complete the application and gather documents — Fill in the school's Application Form (the site links to the online form) and prepare required documents: a recent photo, the student's passport information page, both parents' passport copies, and school records (current year and previous full-year reports and any standardized test results). Note the non‑refundable application processing fee (stated on the admissions page) is required when you submit — this fee covers review, one test and an interview. Keep certified/translated copies ready if your documents are not in English.

3. Arrange assessment and interview — After submission you will be scheduled for an admissions assessment and an oral interview; these are conducted in English and are used to determine grade placement and any language support needs. If you are outside Guangzhou the assessment and interview can be scheduled online; follow the instructions Admissions provides so your child is prepared (timing, platform, and materials). Expect the school to test English and, where relevant, to assess academic levels against the Alberta curriculum.

4. Learning support / ELL assessment — If the assessment indicates the student needs English Language Learning (ELL) or other additional learning support, the school will evaluate needs individually and may make ELL a condition of entry (especially above Grade 2). Parents should ask in advance about ELL costs, frequency, and how ELL lessons are scheduled relative to mainstream classes. If your child has documented learning support needs, disclose these early so CIS can confirm whether appropriate services are available.

5. Offer, acceptance and securing placement — Once assessments and document checks are complete, CIS will issue written notification of the outcome (offer or otherwise). To secure a confirmed place the FAQ states families must complete tuition payment — parents should clarify whether this means a deposit or full payment and ask for the exact invoice and payment deadlines. Ask Admissions for the written offer's conditions (start date, grade placement, any conditions such as continuing ELL).

6. Fees, payment timing and mid‑term starts — Tuition can be paid annually or by semester; fees are inclusive of experiential-learning fees, tests, materials and insurance, and the school invoices pro‑rata for students starting mid‑semester (monthly or half‑month rules apply as specified). Parents should request the full tuition table and a written copy of the school's refund and withdrawal policy before paying to make sure they understand deadlines and any penalties. Also note optional miscellaneous fees (boarding for Secondary students, bus fees) are charged separately.

7. Arrival and orientation — Arrange a campus visit or orientation before your child's first school day where possible; the Admissions Team normally arranges a meeting with a relevant head of school or teaching staff during visits. If you are relocating from overseas, inform Admissions early so they can accept documents by email and schedule an online interview if needed. For visa purposes the school can provide a “future student letter of enrolment” only after tuition fees have been paid; CIS does not provide visa‑application services.

The school's public admissions pages (Admissions and FAQ) do not describe a formal waitlist or centralised ‘pool' system; instead CIS accepts applications year‑round and emphasises that offers are made subject to seat availability. Parents are explicitly advised to apply as early as possible because seats in each grade are limited, and the FAQ notes that placement is secured by completing tuition payment — which implies places are allocated on a first‑come/confirmed‑by‑payment basis rather than by an automatic ranked waitlist. If you need to know whether CIS will hold your application on a waiting list or maintain a priority order for late applicants, contact Admissions directly (phone, WeChat or email) to request the school's local practice for your child's grade.

CIS publishes a formal Academic Scholarship Programme (2025–2026) on its website. The programme includes several categories: (a) a high‑value “Million RMB Scholarship” tied to Grade 12 graduates who receive offers from certain elite universities (Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge — the page describes awards up to one million RMB); (b) a Tuition Scholarship that can cover full tuition for high‑performing students entering Grade 10; and (c) an Excellence Scholarship recognising new and current students for academic achievement, leadership and contribution in areas such as STEM, arts and service. The scholarship announcement asks new families to contact Admissions for details and current students to speak with their Learning Partner (LP), so application procedures, eligibility criteria, selection timelines and award amounts appear to be managed directly by the school rather than through an open online application form; parents should contact Admissions to request the official scholarship guidelines and any deadlines.