FAQ - American School of Warsaw

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Application Timeline

When should I start the application process?

Annual application process: Applications for the academic year can be submitted starting September. Families applying for mid-year enrolment can also apply one year ahead.

If you are interested in enrolling your child in more than 12 months from now, please complete our online inquiry form and we will contact you when applications open.

Most of the spaces are allocated by April but openings may become available in the months after that.

Which grade level will my child be eligible for?

As you are aware students enrolled at ASW come from many different countries and school systems, and families often ask what grade their child will be eligible for at ASW.

Candidates for Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1 will be placed strictly by age. Placement in Grades 2-12 is determined by evaluating the student’s age, development, and previous school experience. The final decision will be made by the Admissions Committee after review and evaluation of the child’s application. Please consult the Grade Placement Chart below.

GRADE PLACEMENT CHART

It is important that students have completed a full grade level (American system equivalent) before advancing to the next grade level. If a student has not completed a grade level when enrolling at ASW, he/she will be placed in the same grade level to ensure completion of that grade level.

Any student’s course of study must be completed before he/she reaches his/her 21st birthday.

What is ASW’s academic year?

How do students from a school with a different academic year transition to ASW?

Each application is considered individually and carefully. Normally, students who have just completed a grade level (American system equivalent) in their home country will not be promoted to the next grade level mid-year at ASW as this would mean skipping months or even a full semester of that year’s work and leading to gaps in learning. Additionally, students who in future years return to an alternative calendar are often significantly impacted even more. Review of a student’s full record, relevant assessments, and other pertinent information may be used in making an alternative placement, if the body of evidence supports that decision after being reviewed by school administration.

Will my child have to take a placement test?

Prospective students for Grades 9 (Second Semester) through 12 whose native language is not English, or whose primary language of prior instruction was not English, must undergo English language testing. Specifically, the WIDA English language proficiency assessment is required to evaluate the applicant's ability to successfully navigate the ASW academic program. Parents will be contacted by our Student Support Director for this test.

Admission and Waiting Lists

Why has my child been placed on the waiting list?

ASW has maximum class sizes per grade level, as well as nationality capacity guidelines, and a limited number of spaces in selected programmes such as EAL (English as an Additional Language) and Learning Support. Waiting lists may be opened if capacity is reached for any of the above reasons. As enrollment is very dynamic, spaces may open at any time during the school year. Please contact the Admissions Office if you would like to know more about the current situation.

How are spaces allocated?

Students are placed on the waiting list by priority group, as defined in the admissions policy. Within each group, students are placed by order of the date of their application (completed application form and payment of the application fee). Admission decisions for August enrolment are taken at set dates, starting from March each year.

The date of the application is the date when the application form has been submitted and the application fee paid. The application cannot be reviewed, however, until the supporting documentation has been submitted as well.

My child has not been admitted for the new school year. Do I have to re-apply?

Once an application has been submitted, you do not need to re-apply nor pay the application fee again. We may ask you for updated information on your child’s academic progress. Your child will remain on the waiting list and we will periodically provide you with an update on his or her admissions status. Should you decide to withdraw your child from the waiting list, please let us know in writing.