The Christian International School of Prague reserves the right to admit students on the basis of academic performance, English language proficiency, religious commitment, lifestyle choices, and personal qualifications, including a willingness to cooperate with administration and to abide by its policies.
Admissions Requirements
Students applying to Grade 1 must be 6 years old by 1 September. At CISP we believe a child’s social and emotional readiness is critical for success in a structured classroom environment. A student may be academically ready for grade 1, but we believe time spent playing before beginning formal education is very important for a child’s development.
English Language Requirements
Applicants to grades 1 and 2 may be accepted with any level of English.
From grades 3 through 12, CISP students are required to meet the following English language proficiency levels, as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
- Grades 3-5 students: A1
- Grades 6-8 students: A2
- Grades 9-10 students: B1
- Grades 11-12 students: B2
If you would like to test your English language level for free, visit: www.examenglish.com.
Non-native English speakers will be tested in the application process. The entrance test will determine if the applicant will be required to take English language learning (ELL) classes for an additional fee. Students enrolled in the ELL program are not permitted to take Czech language classes until they have completed the ELL program.
Sometimes applicants who do not meet the minimum language requirement are accepted in a lower grade level to allow time for their academic English skills to improve.
Meeting the required level of English is one component in the admissions decision. Other factors may determine whether CISP accepts a student, including CISP’s policy of a maximum ratio of ELL students for each class and the current availability of ELL teachers.
Admisssion Process
We encourage families to visit the school before beginning the online application. Please complete the Inquiry form to request additional information about CISP and to arrange a tour of the school. During your tour we will explain the admissions and enrollment processes and answer any questions you may have about life at CISP or Prague in general. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have additional questions.
Step 1: Online Application Phase
The application is online, and parents are asked to upload school records (report cards/vysvědčení) from previous schools, translated in English or Czech.
- Grades 1-5: 1 full year report
- Grades 6-10: 2 full year reports
- Grades 11-12: 3 full year reports
Parents are also asked to provide a referral contact who can fill out a short, online reference form about the applicant.
A non-refundable application fee of 5 000 CZK is due at the time of submission. Applications are considered complete when all requested documents and the application fee have been received.
Step 2: Entrance Exams/Interviews
Once your completed application is received by the Admissions Team, we will contact you to schedule the entrance exams and/or interviews. Students do not need to prepare, and we don’t want them to feel nervous. This is only one of several pieces of information considered as we determine acceptance and grade placement. Students should get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. They don’t need to bring anything.
The following details will give you and your child an idea of what to expect:
Grade 1 – Readiness Interview: Your child will have an interview* with our Grade 1 teacher. This usually takes about an hour. This interview can only take place in person, in Prague. During the interview the teacher will determine the following:
- If the student is ready physically, socially, and academically to begin Grade 1
- What the student’s English language proficiency level is and if they will need English Language Learner (ELL) classes
*If your student does not speak English, we request that parents arrange for an interpreter (not a relative) to accompany the student to the interview. CISP can arrange an interpreter for Czech or Korean-speaking families.
Grades 2-5 – Entrance Exam: Native English speaking students take the Wide Range Achievement Test. This exam takes about 1 hour, and includes the following sections: word reading, sentence comprehension, spelling, and mathematics.
Non-native English speaking students take a short math assessment and an English proficiency exam which tests students on their English writing, speaking, reading and listening. This takes about 1-1.5 hours.
Grade 6-12 – Entrance Exams: All applicants are given a math placement assessment to help us determine what math class they would be suited for. In addition, they are asked to write a short essay responding to a prompt. This takes about 1 hour.
Based on the writing sample, some non-native English speaking students are asked to return on another day to take an English proficiency exam. It tests students on their English writing, speaking, reading and listening. This exam takes about 2 hours for middle school students, and up to 3 hours for older students.
Parent/Guardian Interview with School Director: This informal interview provides our school director with an opportunity to meet new families and share more about our school. Parents are free to ask questions about academics and school life in general at CISP. (The interview may be conducted by the principal or school counselor, when the director is unavailable.)
This interview usually takes about half an hour, and will be scheduled during your child’s entrance exam or first grade readiness interview.
Step 3: Application Review
After the entrance exams, the school leadership will review your student’s application. This team will decide grade placement and whether concurrent enrollment in ELL classes will be required for your student. Acceptance and grade placement is based on the following factors:
- Age of the student
- Academic English language skills
- Entrance exams/interview results
- Grade reports from previous schools
- Requested grade level
- Most recent grade level completed
- Anticipated parent/guardian involvement.
Acceptance: The admissions manager will send an email to parents with the admissions decision typically 1-3 days after the entrance exams. Early applications for next school year will be sent their admission decision by the end of April.
Step 4: Enrollment Phase
A) Online Enrollment: Parents are asked to complete an online enrollment packet in Family Portal. This includes uploading the following:
- Student’s Medical Insurance card
- Student’s Passport
- Student’s Visa or Biometric card (for non-EU students)
B) Enrollment fee: Parents pay the 8 000 CZK Enrollment Fee (per student) and make the first tuition payment (by August 15, if for the following school year).
C) New family orientation: Parents and students are invited to this meeting to finalize enrollment which typically takes 30-45 minutes. Parents sign the Enrollment Contract and receive training on the Family Portal where parents can find information about events at CISP and their children’s homework and grades. High school students complete course selection. The student’s first day of classes is determined during orientation.
After this, the student will be considered enrolled at CISP, and parents will receive an email confirming enrollment.
