Shanghai United International School

1. Initial enquiry and campus selection — Contact the admissions office for the campus you prefer and confirm which curriculum and year levels that campus offers. SUIS operates multiple campuses (Hongqiao, Gubei, Pudong, Wanyuan, Shangyin, Jiaoke, Qingpu and others) and different campuses offer different pathways (e.g., UK National Curriculum, IGCSE, IBDP, AP/BC options), so confirm program availability and age ranges before you apply. Use the campus phone/email listed on SUIS directory pages to request the current admissions pack and key dates.

2. Complete and submit the application form and required documents — Fill the school's application form (online or PDF) and submit the standard documents: the student's passport, birth certificate, recent school reports/transcripts (usually the last 1–2 years), vaccination/health records, passport-sized photos, and any guardianship or visa/residence documents if required. Expect to pay a non‑refundable application fee at this stage; some campus guides list a small application fee and a separate non‑refundable seat/placement deposit if a place is offered. Keep certified translations ready for any non‑English/Chinese documents.

3. Admissions assessments and testing — Many applicants sit age‑appropriate placement assessments. For entry beyond Reception/Year 1 these commonly include English and mathematics; some campuses also test Chinese language for bilingual or Mandarin‑track placement. Prepare your child by ensuring recent school records and, where possible, practicing short reading or math assessments — the school uses results to determine the correct class and any required support.

4. Interviews and meetings — After assessments, the school usually schedules an interview with the family and/or a short interview or sample lesson for the student. Parents should be ready to discuss the child's prior schooling, language exposure, medical or learning‑support needs, and relocation timeline; bring originals of any credentials referenced in the application. Ask during the interview about pastoral care, English‑as‑an‑additional‑language (EAL) support, and special‑needs arrangements if relevant.

5. Offer letter and seat reservation — If a place is offered, SUIS campuses typically issue a formal offer/acceptance letter that lists the fees due to reserve the place (often a seat deposit) and the deadline for accepting the offer. Many school listings note the seat deposit is non‑refundable but is usually credited against first‑term or first‑year tuition once the student enrolls; confirm the exact refund/transfer policy with the campus. Pay attention to the deadline in the offer — late payment can result in the place being released.

6. Final enrolment and fee schedule — After accepting the offer and paying the deposit you will complete enrollment paperwork, select optional services (school bus, meals), and be given the full fee schedule and payment deadlines (annual/termly options vary by campus). Published fee summaries and local school directories indicate annual tuition bands rather than a single citywide figure, so ask the campus for the current, grade‑specific tuition and one‑time fees (capital levy, resource fees, uniforms, insurance, exam fees). Keep receipts and check refund conditions for any refundable deposits.

7. Orientation and first term — The school will provide an orientation plan and start‑of‑term information (uniforms, timetables, transport routes). Note that popular grades and some pathways have limited places and campuses may only open a small number of transfer or mid‑year seats; if you have a hard deadline for arrival, tell admissions early so they can advise on availability or waiting options. If any element of the offer (fees, start date, required documents) is unclear, request written confirmation before travel.

SUIS does not publish a single, central waitlist procedure on public listings; management of places appears to be handled at the campus level. Several campus notices and local listings indicate that some year groups have limited places and that campuses sometimes hold places for transfer or later admissions, which suggests they may keep internal waiting lists or hold back a small number of conditional places for mid‑year intake. If a grade is full you should ask the specific campus admissions office whether they run an active waitlist, how they prioritise families (date of application, assessment results, siblings, residency status), and whether a seat deposit is required to hold a place if one becomes available. For immediate clarity, contact the campus admissions email/phone shown on SUIS directory entries.