Choosing the right school is a very important decision for both you and your family when relocating to a new country. I have therefore put together a short list of the best admission tips and included additional information that you may need when applying to schools in Qatar.

1. I strongly recommend that parents research all available schools beforehand to learn each school’s curriculum, available spaces, fees and fee structures, and very importantly, where it is located. The easiest way to do so is online as most schools in Qatar have a detailed and up-to-date website with a dedicated admissions team.

Note: It’s always better to phone the school directly as you will get a much faster response than by email.

2. Ask schools about their application dates, criteria, and required documents as these can vary from school to school and from family to family. They may vary depending on the following: nationality, the age of the child and many other factors. It is vital that these documents are obtained as soon as possible and not left to the last minute.

3. To ensure your child receives a placement, it is best to apply to several schools, as most international schools in Qatar are operating at capacity and have long waiting lists.

4. All students are required to have a valid Residency Permit to attend school in the State of Qatar. Even if your child has been accepted and allocated a space in the school, please ensure they have a valid Residency Permit before the start of the schooling year.

5. Schools in Qatar offer various curricula, it is important to know how the different grading systems work and to ensure your child is placed in the right grade/year. The school you apply to will help verify this, however if you apply online and select the wrong grade/year, your child may initially be allocated a space in the wrong grade.

6. One of the best things you as parents are able to do to help identify if a school is appropriate for your child is to request a school tour. During the tour you will have the opportunity to meet the admissions staff and also gain valuable insight into the facilities and the student/teacher body.

7. I recommend you ask schools for a copy of their curriculum if it is not available online as this will allow you to better understand what it is that the school offers.

8. Admissions staff are able to assist parents and confirm that you are complying with the Supreme Education Council (SEC) regulations in your application(s). However, it is always worth visiting the SEC website to stay up-to-date, and contact the school’s admissions staff directly to see if there are any new regulations that you will need to comply with.

9. If you have several children in your family and they receive a position but in separate schools, I highly recommend you take the spots! It is difficult to allocate spots to three children across three different age groups in Doha at the moment. Therefore it is better to have children even in separate schools, than in no school at all. Most schools however do have a sibling priority system, so make sure it is known that you have more than one child’s application currently being processed.

I hope that these tips make your transition smooth and finding the right school in Qatar that much easier! If you would like to visit our campus then our staff would be happy to arrange a personal tour at a time that is suitable for you.

To make an appointment or for further assistance with the admissions process, then please call the ACS Doha’s Admissions Department on +974 3026 6800 or email us at [email protected]. Kindly note that an appointment must be made in advance as we cannot accommodate any unplanned visits.

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