We are delighted that you are considering us for your child(ren)’s education and look forward to working with you in close partnership to explore if International School Suva (ISS) is the right place for you and your family.
Students in class
ISS admission is non-discriminatory and open to all students without regard to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnic origin. We invite applications from students who can benefit from an international, holistic, and rigorous education. While inclusive, the school has chosen to offer a dynamic and intense academic preparation through the PYP, MYP, DP, HSD and ACT programmes. These programmes demand a high level of dedication, enthusiasm, and motivation from students.
International School Suva operates on a southern hemisphere timetable with the academic year running from January to December. We acknowledge that for applicants joining us from other parts of the world, this can raise questions and we encourage you to reach out to admissions@iss.school.fj with any questions you might have regarding the transition.
Our admissions process is designed to identify each candidate’s unique qualities, to learn more about their strengths, and to ascertain the best ways we can support them. Our goal is to make the best educational decisions for your child upon enrollment.
We encourage you to navigate through our website and learn more about ISS as an IB world school, our history and unique features of our school, like the Oceans programme to get a more holistic view of International School Suva. When you’re ready, we encourage you to apply today through our online form.
We look forward to welcoming you to the ISS Community and to the home of the Vai.
The Admissions Process
Each application is assessed on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the year. If a year level is full the applicant will be placed on a waiting list. At International School Suva we place applicants based on their age according to our requirements. We understand that for students transitioning from the Northern Hemisphere this might involve doing additional months at a particular grade level.
Getting certified in diving
We sometimes require applicants to be academically tested or assessed on admission, depending on previous report cards and school recommendations. All applicants must demonstrate that they can access and benefit from the IB curriculum and activity programmes we offer with English as the language of instruction.
We aspire to get to know each applicant in advance of their admission to school. Therefore, we invite Early Years applicants to join an age-level appropriate classroom for an hour prior to the start of their schooling. Applicants for Reception to Year 5 will have an interview with our Head of Primary and applicants for Year 6 – 12 will have an interview with our Head of Secondary. These interviews are to learn more about the applicant and get to know a little about their interests and qualities. During the Secondary school interview, subject choices and preferences will also be explored.
Overall, the Admissions process looks as follows:
- Parents/Guardians fill out the admissions form and provide additional documentation. This can be done online.
- All documentation will be reviewed by the placement team and possible clarifications / additional documents can be requested. An entry assessment can be part of this process.
- Applicants and parents/guardians have an interview with their prospective Head of School where year level placement is confirmed.
- A letter of offer and invoice is sent.
- Once the enrolment fee has been paid, the placement of an applicant is secured and is ready to enrol in the school.
- Parents and applicants often visit the school prior to their first day of school. At that time, information about buses, canteen, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) initiatives and other specific information is shared and uniforms can be purchased. Applicants are also asked to read and agree on the ‘Bus behaviour and safety standards’ as well as the ‘Student IT acceptable use agreement’
Throughout the process, our Admissions officer is ready to answer all the questions you might have.
Admissions Requirements
In the table below you can find our age-requirements. In exceptional cases, where student development, former school experience and/or performance supports compatibility with a grade outside of that determined by the schools cut-off date, Heads of schools will evaluate and decide on the appropriate placement. Applicants joining us from the Northern hemisphere need to take into account that the transfer may include additional months in a particular grade.
PYP Stem project
Applicants coming from schools with a different language of instruction and/or are not proficient in English, will undergo an English Proficiency test (WIDA) to determine if English language support is necessary, as well as the level of support. Language testing and support incur additional fees. English Academic language support (EAL) is a mandatory requirement for admissions, should your child(ren) require it.
ISS has various models in place for student differentiation. During the process of admissions specific learning needs will need to be addressed by parents in order to support the student in the best way possible. Learning support services can come at an additional fee, depending on the amount of support a student might need to access our curricula.
| Primary | Student's age upon entry | Secondary | Student's age upon entry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECH1 | 3 (turning 4) | Year 6 | 11 (turning 12) | |
| ECH2 | 4 (turning 5) | Year 7 | 12 (turning 13) | |
| Reception | 5 (turning 6) | Year 8 | 13 (turning 14) | |
| Year 1 | 6 (turning 7) | Year 9 | 14 (turning 15) | |
| Year 2 | 7 (turning 8) | Year 10 | 15 (turning 16) | |
| Year 3 | 8 (turning 9) | Year 11 | 16 (turning 17) | |
| Year 4 | 9 (turning 10) | Year 12 | 17 (turning 18) | |
| Year 5 | 10 (turning 11) |
Documents needed for Admissions
To apply for Admissions at International School Suva, an online form needs to be completed. Please note, that during the process, you will be asked to submit the following additional documents:
- A copy of the first page of the passport (BIO Page) of the applicant.
- A copy of the birth certificate of the applicant.
- A copy of a passport sized photograph of the applicant.
- School reports from the past two or three years of schooling including transcripts for applicants entering years 11 and 12.
- Proof of the right of abode or a visa/entry permit to study in Fiji / exemption issued by the Fiji Immigration department must be presented prior to be admitted to ISS (If non-Fiji citizen)
- A copy of immunisation records
Admissions Policy
Please note that the current admissions policy is under review and will be updated asap.
Tuition and Fees
International School Suva sets its annual fees based upon projected income and expenses. Tuition fees are determined by year evel with the option of annual or Termly payments. As a not-for-profit institution, tuition fees are used to provide for all annual operational costs included in delivering the curriculum to students.
We utilise two fee standards. One for Local fee payers and one for Expatriate fee payers.
Please see our annual fees for this school year and click here to view 2025 annual fees.
Concession Fee
Parents/guardians, with one applicant, whose annual income is less than FJ $90,000 net per annum, and those with two or more applicants in the school and a total income of less than FJ$120,000 net, are eligible to apply for a 30% concession on tuition fees. Please ask for or download the concession application form, complete, and submit to the principal.