Step 1

Entrance Qualification: Who is eligible to attend an international school in Korea?

Families wishing to apply to Korea International School must meet the eligibility requirements set out by the Korean Ministry of Education:

• A student having one or more parents holding a nationality that is not Korean as verified by an alien registration card and Korean family registry.
• A student who has lived overseas for no less than 3 years (1,095 days) as verified by the “Entry and Exit Certificate” issued by the Korean immigration department.
• A student with 6 semesters of official report cards and a letter of attendance from an overseas school. Note: 6 semesters status applies only to Grade 1 and above.
• One or both parents are naturalized Korean citizens whose child is considered to be unable to continue study in the local school system (Grades 1-12), as determined by the deliberation of the school’s Operations Committee, and approved by the Principal of the local school.

Grade & Age Eligibility

Step 3

Applicant Photo  

Student’s most recent color photo (passport style in jpg, jpeg format)

Passport

Copies of valid passports for the student and both parents

Birth Certificate

Copies of Student’s birth certificate and/or Certificate of Korean Family Registry

Eligibility Criteria

 1. Foreign Parent(s)

• • Non-Korean Ethnicity : Copy of the front and back of the Residence Card (former known as the Alien Registration Card) or a  Diplomatic or SOFA ID
  • Korean Ethnicity : Copy of the front and back of an Overseas Korean Resident Card, Copy of most recent Korean Family Registry, Deleted Family Registry or Basic Certificate from the Family Registry, if a parent is ethnically Korean

2. Three-Year Overseas Stay

• • Official Certificate of Entry and Departure for the applicant (Reference period from birth)
  • If the applicant has dual citizenship, a certificate for each passport must be provided.

3. A student of a naturalized Korean citizen (originally a foreign national)

• • Copy of the student’s Korean Family Registry
  • Original Basic Certificate of the parent(s)
  • Original letter issued by the principal of the local Korean school confirming the deliberation of the Operations Committee.

 4. Six (6) Semesters Overseas

• • Official report cards and/or transcripts showing completion of six (6) semesters directly from school(s) abroad.
  • Official letter of attendance directly from school(s) abroad.
  • Official Certificate of Entry and Departure for the student

5. (Admission Outside the Fixed Quota) Minor Children of Outstanding Overseas Talent

• • A parent’s “Certificate of Outstanding Foreign Talent (K-Tech Pass Card or Confirmation Letter)”, issued under the name of KOTRA by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Transcripts and/or Report Cards

Both the current report and reports from the two most recent years are required for applicants in Grades 1–5, and for Early Years applicants if applicable. All reports issued by a Korean elementary school must be translated into English and notarized.

Confidential Recommendations

One confidential recommendation letter must be submitted directly by the student’s current homeroom teacher via the application portal, for Early Years applicants if applicable.

Most Recent Standardized Test Results (Grades 3-5)

• Please provide standardized test scores taken within the last 12 months. Acceptable standardized tests include MAP, ISEE, STAR, and most US state assessments.         
• KIS offers on-site assessment for applicants in Korea who do not have standardized test scores. 
• For applicants without other test scores who are not yet in Korea, the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is a worldwide option.

※ Please note that submitted documents are non-returnable.

Step 4

 Online Application

At KIS, admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. It is recommended that applicants have all eligibility documentation and testing completed at least one month before the anticipated first day of school.

Step 5

At this point, all required documents should have been submitted. Only students who have submitted all required documents will be contacted for testing/interview scheduling. If you are not contacted for testing scheduling, please refer back to Step 1 to find which documents are missing.

Please note that the entire evaluation process typically takes between 5-10 business days after the Admissions Exam and Interview. Application results will be communicated via email on the result of their admissions application.

[ Make Application & Testing Fee Payment ]

• Once the documents are all submitted, please wire the Non-Refundable Application Processing Fee of KRW 400,000 or USD 400. 
• Payment Instruction: Wire transfer to:
  • Kiup (IBK) Bank
  • Swift Code: IBKOKRSE
  • Account Number: 211-028515-01-034 (KRW) / 211-028515-56-00082 (USD)
  • Account Name: Korea International School
  • Sender’s name: Applicant’s name as shown on the passport.