GTAIS seeks to admit students based on their ability to benefit from the GTAIS program. In addition to expatriates holding a foreign passport, students holding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passports are also eligible for enrollment under the People's Republic of China's laws and regulations.
GTAIS reserves the right to request any additional testing and evaluations necessary during the academic year for any student. These tests are at the expense of the family and could influence the child’s enrollment at GTAIS.
Residency
Students enrolled at GTAIS must temporarily reside with their parents or legal guardians in Shantou. GTAIS is a school for day students. There are no boarding facilities for students whose parents live and work outside of Shantou.
Non-Discrimination
GTAIS is committed to celebrating the diversity in our community. The School will ensure that each student is treated with dignity and respect and protected from intimidation, discrimination, physical harm and/or harassment from other students and/or school staff. The School treats all students equally regardless of gender, race, national or ethnic identity, sexual orientation or religion in allowing them equal access to courses of study, career guidance, preparation and qualifying examinations for further study, and extracurricular activities. School regulations, communications and staff development opportunities shall reinforce these expectations.
No student, who is otherwise eligible (as stated in this policy), shall be denied admission to, the School on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national or ethnic origin. Nor shall race, color, gender, religion, national or ethnic origin affect in any way the treatment, evaluation or any other consideration of the students of the School.
Within the limits defined in Board policy or by host government directive, the School shall accept for admission students with exceptional needs, provided that such needs can be accommodated within available school resources that include physical space, trained faculty and impact of student’s enrollment on the learning of other students. The admission priority system does not guarantee admission in the case of an exceptional learner.
Our goal is to act in the best interests of every student and as such, if your child has received or is currently receiving learning services of any kind, GTAIS requires the submission of all applicable documentation.
Admission Standards
Admission in all cases is contingent upon a determination by the Admissions Coordinator and/or Head of School that:
- The student will be able to meet the school’s academic standards;
- The student has exhibited acceptable behavior in his/her previous school;
- The school will be able to meet any exceptional needs of the student;
- The student will embrace the school’s mission: endeavor to facilitate the development of self-efficacy, to provide our students with a rigorous academic program to reach their true potential while promoting the building of character, enabling them to contribute to their communities in meaningful and positive ways.
Age Requirement and Grade Level Placement
Expatriate nationals who meet the age requirements below may apply. Students enrolling must be the age listed below on or before September 1 of that school year:
| GTAIS Class | Age at Entry | US Grade | UK Grade | AUS/NZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tadpole | 3 yrs*+ | Toddler/Pre-School | N/A | N/A |
| PreK-1 | 3 yrs* | Pre-School | N/A | N/A |
| PreK-2 | 4 yrs | Pre-Kindergarten | Reception | Kindergarten |
| Kindergarten | 5 yrs* | Kindergarten | Year 1 | KG/Prep |
| 1st Grade | 6 yrs* | Grade 1 | Year 2 | Year 1 |
| 2nd Grade | 7 yrs | Grade 2 | Year 3 | Year 2 |
| 3rd Grade | 8 yrs | Grade 3 | Year 4 | Year 3 |
| 4th Grade | 9 yrs | Grade 4 | Year 5 | Year 4 |
| 5th Grade | 10 yrs | Grade 5 | Year 6 | Year 5 |
| 6th Grade | 11 yrs | Grade 6 | Year 7 | Year 6 |
| 7th Grade | 12 yrs | Grade 7 | Year 8 | Year 7 |
| 8th Grade | 13 yrs | Grade 8 | Year 9 | Year 8 |
*To enter the Tadpole program, a child must be 3 years old. Students may begin at the start of the school quarter following the birthday when they turned 3. Annual tuition is prorated in the Tadpole class on a quarterly basis, and families must pay in full for all quarters to be attended. Students who complete the Tadpole class will attend the Pre-Kindergarten 1 program the following year.
**To attend AIS, a child must meet the minimum age requirement above and also be fully toilet trained (no diapers, Pull-Ups, or other toilet trainers).
The criteria for enrollment into all other grades shall be based not only on age, but also on school records, academic achievement, and grade level completion. Applicants applying from schools using calendar year school years, from January/February until November/December (as in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, Singapore, Japan, Korea), need to apply to the grade level that extends their current school year. In other words, applicants applying for August enrolment should apply for the grade level they are currently attending; applicants applying for January enrolment should apply to join the grade level they have just completed.
In all cases, the final decision regarding admission and placement rests with the Administration.
