🎓 Enrollment Open for 2026–27, Request Information Here
We know how complex choosing a school environment can be, and are here to assist you as you consider your options. We hope the below FAQs are helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.
Our application cycle for future school years opens the summer prior (i.e. July 2026 for the 2027/2028 school year) with the first round deadline in mid-December. We begin reviewing applications mid-fall so that we may turn around admissions decisions as early as possible for families but do not ask them to make their commitments until enrollment opens in February, so that they have ample time to consider their options, come see the school in action, and meet some of our teachers and current families ahead of making their decision.
Following the first round deadline, or for families applying in-year, we offer rolling admissions where space is available. Siblings are given priority, but otherwise places are offered in order of receipt of application, so we encourage families to apply early.
Applying is a simple three-step process:
Â
For more details about each step and the full list of required documents, please visit our Admissions Process Page.
BIS-NY does not require parent interviews as part of the application process. While we encourage all families to arrange a call with the admissions team or a visit to the school, we recognize that your school search is about finding the best match for your children, and so any calls or visits are offered to help demonstrate life at BIS-NY.
For our Middle and Upper School applicants, we do arrange brief informal interviews with their respective Divisional Heads, but this is so the students have a chance to meet a teacher and ask any questions they may have, in addition to our teachers getting to know them as well.
Occasionally when students are applying to the A-Level program but have not done (I)GCSEs, we may request sample test papers in maths, English, and/or science in order to help us better gauge their level and advise on their potential subject choices.
We know what a difference visiting a school can make and encourage families to visit us wherever possible. During the first round of admissions in the fall we offer a number of Open Houses and virtual events to provide families with different perspectives and touchpoints to the school, or we welcome families to schedule a private tour of the school year-round.
If you are unable to visit in person, please feel free to arrange a video call with the Admissions Team in the first instance, where we will be happy to answer any questions and speak in more detail about how BIS-NY might be a good match for your family.
The British International School of New York is committed to increasing access to as many families as possible and as such is delighted to offer Financial Aid and to offer partial tuition assistance to families who demonstrate need, and encourages families who might not be sure if they qualify to have an initial conversation.
Awards are based solely on need without regard to race, religion or ethnic background, and BIS-NY Financial Aid funds are determined independently of the admissions decision.
Once a family has enrolled at the school, our commitment is to continue their child’s award for the duration of their time at BIS-NY.
BIS-NY does not currently offer sibling discounts, but we encourage families to apply for Financial Aid if interested, as this is one of the factors taken into consideration when determining how we might be able to assist with the fees.
Our tuition fees cover educational materials, lunch and snacks, athletics, extracurricular activities, and day trips. It does not cover uniforms, after school clubs, after school care, residential trips, or Parent Association dues, and there is a one-time new student fee due at the time of your child’s initial enrollment to the school. The British International School of New York does fundraise from our parents or any other organization.
BIS-NY is delighted to be able to issue F-1 Visas for students in Year 1 (US Kindergarten) and above. Please contact admissions@bis-ny.org for more information and additional required documents.
Unfortunately BIS-NY does not offer boarding, as we are a day school, and so all students must have a parent or legal guardian to live with while enrolled with us.
Authorized as an IBO World School in Spring 2009, we are proud to offer a distinctive and unique blend of the IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programs alongside the English National Curriculum for students in Nursery through Year 9 (US Grade 8).
In Upper School, our students follow the IGCSE and A-Level programs, delivered through the Cambridge International Examinations.
Across BIS-NY we aim to develop confident young learners with a truly global outlook in a cross-curricular, supportive, and engaging teaching environment.
Our faculty are as diverse as our students–Given the curriculum we offer, it’s no surprise that many of our staff are British or British-trained, but we also have a number of highly qualified, world class faculty from all over the world, including New Zealand, Cameroon, Pakistan, Jamaica, Malaysia, Japan, the Dominican Republic, and–of course–the United States! One thing all of our teachers, specialists, assistants, and administrators have in common is a true commitment to education and enriching the lives of the children in our care.
We know that small class sizes promote deeper learning and enable greater individualization for the students, and therefore it is our general principle to keep our classes around 14-18 students. Most Lower School grades have one class per year, while the Middle and Upper Schools generally have two classes per year.
The student-teacher ratio across the whole school is around 1:7, while in the Early Years it is closer to 1:5.
As part of our continued commitment to meeting students where they are and helping every learner thrive, BIS-NY has an in-house learning support program designed to deliver structured, inclusive academic support for students through a personalized plan designed with their family and specialist teachers.
Beginning September 2026, BIS-NY’s learning support program will expand to include on-site services such as speech, occupational, and physical therapy; along with expanded academic, emotional, and social intervention groups.
In some cases, BIS-NY may also help families coordinate DOE evaluations, as our program is designed to complement, not replace, services provided by the city.
For students who need support with the English language, we offer English as an Additional Language (EAL) lessons to ensure they reach their full potential and can fully participate in both academically and socially. In collaboration with class teachers, the EAL teacher supports students through small group pull-out lessons in lieu of French or Spanish, as well as with in-class support. When we introduce Latin in Middle School, some EAL students may also have the option to forgo adding Latin for an additional EAL lesson.
During pull-out EAL classes, students receive small group lessons that are catered to accommodate each student’s individual language needs within the context of each class unit. We focus on supporting the development of language learners’ vocabulary and grammar, as well as the four language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Student learning is scaffolded with the use of visual and practical aids, dramatization, graphic organizers, and hands-on demonstrations in order to provide a more concrete context for understanding.
Doors open at 8:15am for arrivals with lessons beginning promptly at 8:40am. End-of-day dismissal is staggered, between 3:20pm (Early Years) to 3:45pm (Upper School).
We do offer supervised care (Late Club) for Nursery to Year 6 (US Grade 5) students every day until 5:30pm, and after school clubs and extracurricular activities end between 4:30 – 5:30pm depending on year group.
For families living in Manhattan, we offer a free school bus provided by the city that picks up within a few blocks of your home (Years 1-7 / K-Grade 6 inclusive), as well as scooter or bike parking for families within walking distance, and we can validate 30 minutes parking at Waterside’s garage.
For students Year 8 (US Grade 7) and up, or younger students traveling to school with older siblings or parents, we can issue Omny Travel Cards free-of-charge. Children under 5 years old can ride public transportation for free.
For our Brooklyn/Long Island City studehe East River Ferry, exiting at 34th Street, is a short 8-10 minute walk north of the school along the river.
An area in which we are experts and take great pride in is helping introduce our new students and their families to the BIS-NY Community. With rolling admissions and our international profile, new children are always welcomed with open arms.
Our Parents’ Association ensures that new parents are connected with families already in the school in order that students can have some familiar names and faces upon their first day. New students are encouraged to visit the school for themselves before starting to have a good sense of their new environment.
We know what reassurance a friendly face and a chance to explore before the first day can make, and in our experience whether the family is joining from the other side of the island, or the other side of the world, everyone settles in very quickly!
Every parent is automatically a member of our Parents’ Association. As we do not fundraise at The British International School of New York, the primary function of the PA is to enhance the community of the school, providing many social events for parents and students, as well as assisting with school events such as Sports Day, International Week, and World Book Day.
Where possible we encourage parental involvement and are always delighted to have a parent visitor come into class and share something unique to the family’s culture or perhaps an overview of their profession. We recognize that often the parents are as much a part of our shared culture and community as their children.