QSI International School of Dongguan

1. The school encourages early enquiries because spaces are limited and applications are accepted year‑round. Parents should have the child's passport and basic school history ready when they call or email.

2. Start the online application — Families begin by completing the online application (OpenApply) linked from the school site. The OpenApply application portal is where you upload required documents and submit the initial application; registering an account ahead of time will speed the process. Expect to be asked for basic family, emergency contact, and previous-school information on the form.

3. Gather and submit required documents — The school requests a student passport, parent/guardian passport copies (one copy per child if applicable), school records/transcripts from the previous two years (with English translations if necessary), and an immunization record. For applicants from Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, the portal notes that travel permits are accepted but Hong Kong/Macau ID cards are not. Have certified translations and up‑to‑date immunization records available before you upload.

4. Pay the non‑refundable application fee — After the school receives and reviews your submission, there is a one‑time, non‑refundable application fee of RMB 2,200 (listed on the OpenApply portal). Keep the receipt and confirmation email—this verifies your application has entered the formal admissions queue. Ask the admissions officer where and how to pay if you do not see an automated payment option in the portal.

5. Admissions testing and interview — Placement testing is used to determine appropriate grade-level or course placement. For students aged 6 and up QSI uses the NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) computerized adaptive tests (Reading, Mathematics, Language Usage), plus a written essay and an interview; other placement or subject tests may be given as needed. For younger students (preschool/elementary) the school describes age-based placement but will still assess literacy and numeracy to place students at the correct achievement level. Parents should prepare their child for a short interview and a writing sample if applicable, and allow time for testing appointments.

6. Review of records, placement decisions, and possible additional testing — The school requests transcripts to inform placement but notes that transcripts alone may not show mastery; they may administer unit tests for credit or additional assessments if a student's prior learning suggests a different placement. Secondary placement is also tied to credits (e.g., fewer than 50 credits = Secondary I; 50+ = Secondary II, etc.), so older students should provide full transcripts and course descriptions where possible. If your child has special educational needs, the school asks for evaluations or IEPs so it can assess whether it can meet those needs; some students with moderate-to-severe needs may be declined if appropriate programs cannot be provided.

7. Offer, deposit and enrolment — If an offer is made the school will issue an acceptance and instructions to secure the place. The Dongguan site and OpenApply state the application fee is non‑refundable, but the school's public pages do not publish a standard acceptance deposit amount or a full fee schedule—parents should request the fee schedule, deposit amount, payment deadlines, and refund policy from admissions before accepting. For current contact and to request tuition/fee details, use the OpenApply contact and the school contact email.

8. Pre‑start requirements and orientation — After the deposit/payment and paperwork are complete, the school will confirm start dates and any orientation arrangements. Ensure immunization records, any medicine/health plans, and emergency contact information are submitted in advance. Ask about bus routes, lunch program options, school calendar (term start/end dates), and family orientation sessions so your child's first days are prepared.

QSI Dongguan's published admissions information does not describe a formal, published waitlist process. The OpenApply admissions notes that applications are accepted throughout the year but recommends applying “sooner rather than later due to limited space,” which indicates capacity constraints may affect timing and offer decisions. Because the school site does not spell out a waitlist/pooling procedure, parents should explicitly ask admissions whether a waiting list is used, how long it typically lasts, whether offers are made from the list by age/grade/application date, and what (if any) fees or deposits are required to hold a future place. For transparency, request the school's current vacancy status for your child's grade when you apply.

QSI Dongguan's public pages and the OpenApply admissions portal do not list a scholarships or financial‑aid program for the Dongguan campus. Some other QSI campuses publish scholarship policies (for example, scholarship pages exist for other QSI schools such as Bishkek and Zhuhai), which shows that scholarship practice varies by campus and is often administered locally by an advisory board or school committee. If you wish to explore financial assistance, contact QSI Dongguan admissions directly (dongguan@qsi.org or jenny-rong@dongguan.qsi.org) to ask whether any campus-specific scholarships, fee concessions, or hardship funds exist, and what documentation or timelines would apply. If you prefer, ask whether the broader QSI organization offers any centrally managed financial‑aid programs that could apply to Dongguan.