Apply
We are delighted that you are considering AISB for your family. Whether you are just beginning to explore or ready to apply, our admissions team is here to help. Contact us any time at admissions@goaisb.ro. We would love to hear from you.
How to apply
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Inquiry / Book a tour
Start with a campus tour. See the school in session, meet teachers and principals, and get a feel for the community.
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Application checklist
Apply online and upload supporting documents, like school reports, passport copies, and any learning support records.
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Admission assessment
An age-appropriate assessment helps us understand your child’s strengths and needs.
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Admissions review process
Our admissions panel reviews every application individually. You will hear from us within 2-4 weeks.
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Acceptance process
Once accepted, you will receive a welcome pack and enrollment contract. We will walk you through everything.
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Orientation & first day
Your child will attend an orientation to meet classmates, explore the campus, and feel at home before day one.
Admissions process in full
Our Admissions Team would love to get to know your family and understand what you are looking for in a school. We are with you the whole way from first call through to first day.
We are committed to making the admissions process as seamless and welcoming as possible.
The first step is to introduce your family to our community and the AISB learning experience.
Families are warmly welcomed to explore AISB by arranging a campus visit or meeting.
During the visit, families will meet with staff, receive detailed information, and, where possible, meet with principals or faculty members to address specific questions.
A follow-up email will provide application details and next steps.
All applications for the AISB are submitted online through the Admissions Portal by clicking the button below.
All prospective applicants will be considered unless there is reason to believe that admission to AISB is not in the best interest of the applicant or the school.
To ensure your application is complete, all required documents must be submitted.
Once you have successfully completed the Applications Checklist and we have a space available in the desired grade level, you will need to complete the admissions testing.
ELC (EC2–EC4) and Kindergarten
Families meet with the Principal, Pedagogical Coordinator, or ELC Pastoral Lead – in person or online – to discuss the application and meet the student.
For EC4/KG applicants, an age-appropriate assessment with an Early Intervention Specialist identifies any additional support needs. This is conducted in person in Romania and online (or as a conversation) for applicants outside Bucharest, to help determine AISB’s capacity to support the child.
Where prior school information is limited or further evaluation is needed, children may be invited into a classroom setting.
Elementary (G1–G5)
Applicants still acquiring English may take a proficiency test covering reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Literacy and Math assessments are used to determine support needs and resource availability. These are completed in person for applicants in Romania, and online for applicants outside Bucharest who lack documented standardized results (e.g. MAP or NFER).
Secondary (G6–G12)
Applicants complete supervised English and Math assessments in person at AISB, online with AISB representatives, or at their current school under designated supervision.
For Grades 11–12, a meeting with the IB Diploma Coordinator or a high school counselor may be required in specific situations or for mid-year applications. This can be held online or in person.
After completing the application checklist and required testing, applicants undergo a comprehensive review process. Final admission and continued enrollment decisions are made by the School Director, based on recommendations from the Early Learning, Elementary, and Secondary School Principals.
Key factors in admission decisions
The review panel weighs a set of factors that reflect AISB’s character and the capacity of the specific grade level:
- Potential to benefit from AISB’s IB programs (PYP, MYP, DP)
- AISB’s capacity to support the applicant’s educational and behavioral needs
- Ability to meet attendance, behavioral, financial, and medical requirements
- Language proficiency and any learning differences or wellbeing needs
- Current schooling situation
- International diversity
- Application completion date
Additional meetings
The Principal often requests meetings with parents and students to assess fit and understand the applicant’s needs. For overseas applicants transferring from comparable schools and programs, this meeting may be waived at the Principal’s discretion.
Further meetings – typically with the Support Services Coordinator and/or the Principal – may be required when:
A student (at any grade level) may have diagnosed or undiagnosed learning or social-emotional needs, or will require English language support. Additional testing may also be needed.
Application materials raise questions that need clarification.
For the full picture of AISB’s admissions process, policies, and protocols, please request a copy of our Full Admissions Policy.
After completing the documentation, testing, and review process, the AISB Admissions Office will notify parents with one of three outcomes:
Acceptance
Parents will receive notification of their child’s acceptance along with the starting date. They will be directed to the school’s online database to complete the enrollment process.
Conditional Acceptance
The school will outline specific terms for acceptance, including the goals that must be met and the timeframe for evaluation.
Not Accepted
Students who are not accepted may be placed in a waiting pool* if parents express continued interest.
Please note: AISB will provide feedback regarding the reasons for non-acceptance.
Enrollment Steps and Policies
Once accepted, new families will be required to sign the online Enrollment Steps and Policies to confirm their registration.
At AISB, we strive to foster a culture of respect within our entire school community. Students, staff, and parents/guardians all have the right to be in a safe and respectful environment, and we share the responsibility to uphold behavior standards that reflect this commitment. As part of this process, parents/guardians must also sign the AISB Parent Code of Conduct.
After completing this process, families will receive a contract and have two weeks to return it signed.
Re-enrollment
Online re-enrollment invitations for the upcoming school year will be sent to currently enrolled families at the beginning of February. To secure their place, all families wishing to re-enroll must complete the online re-enrollment procedure by the deadline of February 15. Families that do not meet this deadline are not guaranteed a spot for the following school year.
Families will be given the opportunity to re-enroll their child for the next year unless any of the following circumstances apply:
A consultation between the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s), Principals, and Head of School concludes that the student can no longer benefit from the AISB educational environment.
There are overdue invoices on the student’s account.
The student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) have not sufficiently supported the school’s philosophy and community expectations over the past year.
The student or their parent(s)/guardian(s) have failed to uphold the behavioral standards outlined in the Parent Agreement and Rights and Responsibilities Framework.
The student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) have not been able or willing to support the school in obtaining necessary documentation if the student’s learning needs change.
After consultation with the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) and the School Director, the School reserves the right to require that a student repeat a year if there is insufficient evidence that the student is prepared to successfully advance to the next grade.
The decision made by the Head of School in this matter is final.
Grade level comparison
AISB follows the North American grade structure. Use the table below to find the equivalent AISB grade for students transferring from other school systems. *Age on or before September 1.
| Age* | AISB | Romanian | North American | British |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | EC 2 | Cresă | — | — |
| 3 | EC 3 | Grupa Mică | Preschool | Nursery |
| 4 | EC 4 | Grupa Mijlocie | Pre-Kindergarten | Reception |
| 5 | KG | Grupa Mare | Kindergarten | Year 1 |
| 6 | Grade 1 | Clasa 0 | Grade 1 | Year 2 |
| 7 | Grade 2 | Clasa 1 | Grade 2 | Year 3 |
| 8 | Grade 3 | Clasa 2 | Grade 3 | Year 4 |
| 9 | Grade 4 | Clasa 3 | Grade 4 | Year 5 |
| 10 | Grade 5 | Clasa 4 | Grade 5 | Year 6 |
| 11 | Grade 6 | Clasa 5 | Grade 6 | Year 7 |
| 12 | Grade 7 | Clasa 6 | Grade 7 | Year 8 |
| 13 | Grade 8 | Clasa 7 | Grade 8 | Year 9 |
| 14 | Grade 9 | Clasa 8 | Grade 9 | Year 10 |
| 15 | Grade 10 | Clasa 9 | Grade 10 | Year 11 |
| 16 | Grade 11 | Clasa 10 | Grade 11 | Year 12 |
| 17 | Grade 12 | Clasa 11 | Grade 12 | Year 13 |
| 18 | — | Clasa 12 | — | — |
Admissions events
No upcoming events right now. Check back soon.
Come and visit us
A campus tour is the best way to feel what AISB is really like. Walk through the school while it is in session, and meet the Director. Bring your whole family!
Admissions questions
No. You can visit first, many families do. A campus visit or virtual tour helps you decide whether to apply.
From completed application to decision, typically 2-4 weeks. Timeline depends on document readiness and space availability.
Yes. AISB accepts applications and enrollments throughout the school year. Partial-year tuition is calculated by semester.
Depends on age. ELC: meeting with principal. Elementary: literacy and math. Secondary: supervised English and math tests. These help us understand your child, they are not pass/fail.
AISB provides feedback. Your child can join the waiting pool, reviewed based on priority guidelines.
The American International School of Bucharest is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) in the USA. It is also authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer all three International Baccalaureate programs: the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme, and the Diploma Programme. However, AISB does not follow the Romanian educational curriculum and, as a result, is not accredited by the Romanian Ministry of Education (MEC).
AISB supports students with mild to moderate learning, social-emotional, and behavioral needs. Our Learning Support team works with classroom teachers to adapt how students access the curriculum. To keep the program effective, we manage the number of learning support students we admit in each grade. For details, visit the Learning Support page.
The School Director and the relevant Principal decide placement together, based on what will work best for your child. While students are typically placed within their age-appropriate cohort, adjustments may be made based on their cognitive, emotional, and social needs.
No single nationality makes up more than 30% of any grade. This keeps every classroom genuinely international. The school determines nationality based on citizenship, native language, language spoken at home, and educational background.
To determine a student’s de facto nationality, the school leadership will evaluate the following criteria:
- Nationality (based on passports and birth certificates)
- Country of residence
- Primary language spoken at home, as well as any other languages spoken within the household
- Schooling history, including the country of education, the language of instruction, and the duration of attendance. A student will qualify as an International Student applicant if they have spent at least three years in an international school outside of Romania.
For mixed-nationality families, it is required to submit the parental passport(s) that validate their residency in Romania. If a passport is foreign, the applying child must possess the same foreign passport to be considered an International Student applicant.
When more students apply than we have places for, we follow these priorities: This approach aligns with our commitment to maintaining an inclusive and international school environment.
Whenever it is not possible to accommodate all qualified applicants, the following admission priorities will apply:
- Returning students who are currently enrolled and who confirm their re-enrollment to the Admissions office by the re-enrollment deadline (communicated every year by the Admissions office)
- Completed registration for new students of children of U.S. Government employees.
- Completed registration for former AISB students who have completed all registration requirements.
- Completed registration for new students of children of foreign embassies staff and international students.
- Siblings of currently enrolled/returning students who have completed all registration requirements.
- Completed registration for new students of children of AISB Alumni who have completed all registration requirements.
- Registration for other students (and those in the waiting pool), based on the general admission criteria.
A waiting pool of applications will be created if a class is full. AISB will draw from this pool based on these priority guidelines and on a review of all applications to determine those students we feel can best benefit from an AISB education.
AISB welcomes students from all linguistic backgrounds and is committed to fostering an inclusive, multilingual community. Upon admission, we conduct a comprehensive language assessment to understand each student’s unique linguistic profile. This assessment allows us to tailor our support and ensure that every child receives the appropriate resources to thrive in our multilingual learning environment.
Early Childhood (EC2–EC4) and Elementary (Grades 1–5)
- AISB embraces learners with varying levels of English proficiency.
- Upon admission, students undergo a comprehensive language assessment to evaluate their unique linguistic profile.
- Non-native English speakers admitted to Grades 1–5 will complete an EAL evaluation after admission is confirmed.
Secondary (Grades 6–12)
- Assessment for Native English Speakers: Evaluated in Math and a foreign language (French or Spanish) for proper placement.
- Diagnostic Testing: All students complete assessments in English, Math, and French/Spanish to determine admission and placement.
- IB Diploma Programme Expectations (Grades 9–12): Students are expected to undertake the full IB Diploma Programme. Entry into Grade 11 IB Diploma requires advanced proficiency in writing and mathematics. Students must be within one year of the average age for their grade and cannot be older than 19 at graduation.
EAL Program
Our dedicated English as an Additional Language (EAL) program is designed to empower students, celebrating their home languages while supporting their English language development. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community where all students can succeed academically and socially, regardless of their initial English proficiency level.
If you are feeling overwhelmed about choosing a school, you might find our ‘Choosing a School‘ page helpful.