International Admissions

Welcome International Students! We invite students from around the world to be a part of The City School family and we hope that will be you.

International students enrich our school with new cultures, insights, and perspectives. In return, we offer you a safe and supportive environment where you can flourish academically, while experiencing spiritual, social and emotional development.   As a college preparatory school, we want to prepare you to thrive in college and life beyond. We look forward to connecting and building a relationship with you.

Click here to apply. If you have any questions, you can send a message to admissions@cityschool.org

The City School is a Pre-k-12 private, Christian School that has provided excellent college-preparatory classes based on Christian principles since 1978. Our mission is to train students’ minds, disciple their hearts and bring light to the city-one child at a time.  We are located in the heart of the historical city of Philadelphia, a major metropolitan American tourist city where the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States were signed.  The City School is surrounded by many of Philadelphia’s top universities and colleges, making it a great place to grow and study, as well as engage in American culture.  We bring learning to life by taking advantage of our community’s unparalleled cultural resources.

“The best thing about The City School is the cultural interactions between International students like me and other people.”

-Yuhang, International Alumni Student

                                                                                         ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES

 & SUPPORT SERVICES

• On-site International Coordinator Support
• Peer Tutoring & Additional Teacher Assistance
• Homestay support
• College Guidance Counseling
• Professional Counseling
• Honors & AP Course Options
• Dual Enrollment at Local Colleges

Sample of program offerings include: English, Math, History, Science, Bible, Spanish, American Sign Language, Art, Health/P.E., Competitive Sports, Choir, SAT Prep, National Honors Society, Student Councils, N.E.R.D.S. Club, Literary Magazine, Electives such as Boxing, Dance, Theatre and Aikido

SCHOOL STATS

100	High School Students
10%	International Students
10:1	Student to Teacher Ratio
100%	College Acceptance Rate of our Graduates
2/3's	Of our students graduate from college within 6 years or remain in school

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

• Willingness to work hard and follow school standards
• Proficiency in English (Applicants are encouraged to submit scores from TOEFL or another English test)
• Submission of online application, application fee and requested documents
• Google Meet Interview

(Upon acceptance we will issue an I-20, which can be used to apply for an F-1 Visa for middle or high school admissions. For elementary school admissions please contact us) To apply, click here.

APPLICATION PROCESS & FEES 

STEP 1- Submission of Admissions Application and Uploaded Application Checklist Documents:

• International Student Application
• $100 non-refundable application fee*
• Copy of birth certificate
• Your transcript (translated into English) showing grades for the past three years including the current year
• Standardized Test Results
• Copy of passport
• Copy Visa Identification page
• Copy of Student Visa
• Results of an English proficiency test (TOEFL, TOEFL Jr, iTEP SLATE, IELTS, or ELTiS)
• Two Teacher Assessments (attach teacher recommendation letters)
• Evidence of Financial Support (attach bank statement/letter)

STEP 2- Once all documents have been uploaded to your Parent Portal, you will be contacted to set up an Admissions Interview.

This is conducted in person, via Zoom, or Skype with the Student, Parents, Principal, and Admissions Manager.  Also, you will be scheduled to take our Entrance Exam. If interested, please talk to the Admissions Manager about the homestay program at this time (see note at bottom).

STEP 3-  Letter of Decision

Once the Admissions Interview and Entrance Exam are completed, a Letter of Decision will be sent to you notifying whether you are accepted into The City School.

STEP 4- Enrollment

To enroll, a completed Enrollment Form is due along with a non-refundable $1,000 Enrollment Deposit* and the International Student Handbook signed by the student and parent. Half ($500) of the Enrollment Deposit will be used for processing the I-20 and the other half will be credited to your tuition payment for the first year.

STEP 5- Student Visa

Once Step 4 is completed, we will mail you an I-20, a certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant F-1 student status.  You will need to schedule an appointment with the U.S. Consulate to apply for an F-1 visa. A copy of the F-1 visa should be uploaded under the “Student Visa” checklist item in your parent portal account. If the F-1 visa is denied, $500 will be refunded from the enrollment deposit. Proof of denial is necessary for refund.

STEP 6- The following are due within 90 days of the I-20 being mailed out or by July 1st (whichever date comes first):

• $20,000 Tuition payment* (preferably remitted in full by July 1st ; or remitted in two payments- 50% by July 1st and 50% by December 1st).
• Student Medical Form (completed by a licensed physician)
• Designated Caregiver Form (signed by parents)
• Power of Attorney (signed by parents requesting a homestay from The City School)

STEP 7- Communicate with Admissions Director to set a date of arrival.

A copy of the flight itinerary should be forwarded to Admissions at least 14 days before departure.

STEP 8- School Visit

Within 24 hours of arrival, come in to school to meet with Jean Maire Staico, Admissions Manager. Student and caregiver should attend International Student Orientation and Back-to-School Night the week before school starts.

College Acceptances

Here is a sample of our students’ college and university acceptances

TUITION AND PROGRAM FEES

See our Frequently Asked Questions  to learn more and explore the school website.

Here is a testimony from Yuhang, an International student and gifted pianist, who is a recent graduate from The City School.

To apply, click here:

*Note on Making Payments: You can pay tuition and other fees by check or by Flywire. The City School has partnered with Flywire to make tuition and fee payments easier for our international students. Flywire offers multiple methods of international payment and helps save on bank fees and exchange rates. Flywire will make sure your payment arrives here safely. If you would like more information about Flywire, check out this brochure.

Once these steps are complete, you are all set to arrive at The City School.  We can’t wait for you to join our school community!