IBS of Provence
The IBS Admissions Process
1. Get Informed
IBS offers a wide range of programmes, from nursery school through to high school, each differing in its language of instruction, pedagogical approach and tuition fees. We invite you to contact us for general information about the programmes that interest you, and to receive personalised guidance in choosing the track best suited to your child.
2. Apply
Applications are submitted through an online portal that will guide you, step by step, through the information and documents required. We offer two distinct diploma-granting tracks, each with its own application process, so please take care to select the appropriate one. Should you begin an application and subsequently decide to consider another programme within our school, our team will be happy to transfer it for you.
Once you have started your application, a dedicated admissions officer will be in touch to help you complete the file — whether that means adding new documents, clarifying educational information, or adjusting household details. Rest assured, we are here to help get everything in order so that the application can be reviewed and considered for admission.
3. Our Admission Procedure
The IBS admissions procedure is selective, as we must ensure that our school is the right fit for each child. Every application is reviewed by our admissions and academic team before proceeding further, typically through the following stages:
• Application review. Once an applicant's file is fully complete, it undergoes a detailed review by key faculty and staff, including the Admissions Office and the Head of Lower or Upper School.
• Interview. Following an initial review of the file, your child may be invited to an interview. We are always delighted to meet families in person, but for logistical reasons an online interview may prove more convenient.
• Once accepted, your child may be invited to sit placement tests in certain subjects, in order to determine the appropriate level.
Upon completion of the review process, families are notified of the admissions decision by email.
4. How Admissions Decisions Are Made
Admissions decisions are based on a committee review of each candidate's previous school experience, social-emotional development and behaviour, and linguistic background, taking into account the applicant's programme requirements and the support resources available at the school.
The Admissions Committee comprises the Director of Admissions, the Admissions Officer working with the family, the relevant school Principal, counsellors, learning support specialists, grade level coordinators, the school nurse and/or other faculty as appropriate to the application.
Every application receives careful individual consideration with regard to grade placement, which is determined on the basis of previous school records and other supporting documents. The school reserves the right to refuse admission for reasons it considers relevant.
5. Responses and Enrolment
The International Primary Programme and the International Baccalaureate operate on a rolling admissions basis, accepting enrolments and issuing offers throughout the year.
Once you receive an admission offer, the contract must be signed by both parents, and the initial tuition payment must be made, which includes the entrance and enrolment fees.
6. Learning Support
IBS believes that all learners are individuals, each with their own strengths and challenges, and that diversity should be advocated for and celebrated within our community of learners. The IBS Learning Support Department participates in the admissions process for students with mild to moderate learning challenges or physical disabilities, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Such applications are considered on an individual basis, depending on the school's ability to meet the specific conditions and support required. Applicants must provide complete documentation of their academic history, psychological and educational evaluations, and details of any extra academic or specialist support they have received or are currently receiving. Once the application is complete, the Admissions Committee will evaluate it to determine whether the school can offer a learning environment optimal for the child's growth and development.
7. Language Requirements
As a school serving an international community, where English and French are equally heard on campus, IBS is committed to supporting and developing students' academic English proficiency (international section) and French proficiency (French section) so that they can fully access their chosen programme.
• Up to Year 9/Grade 8/4ème: Students may join the school without any prior English language proficiency.
• Year 10/Grade 9/3ème (entry or progression): Students must demonstrate at least intermediate proficiency in academic English and/or French.
• Year 11/Grade 10/2nde:Students must demonstrate advanced proficiency in academic English and/or French.
• IB Diploma programme Year 12/Grade 11/1ère + Year13/Grade 12/Tle:Students should understand that two years are required to complete the courses.
Our Commitment
IBS is committed to showing empathy and respect, and to promoting racial and social justice. We believe this approach allows us to engage with local culture in a way that supports the school's mission, vision and beliefs, and upholds the principles of IBS as set out in the school handbook.
SUMMARY
The IBS admissions process begins with getting informed. The school offers a wide range of programmes, from nursery school through to high school, each differing in its language of instruction, pedagogical approach and tuition fees, and families are invited to contact the admissions team for guidance in choosing the track best suited to their child. Applications are submitted through an online portal that guides families step by step through the information and documents required, and care should be taken to select the correct one of the two distinct diploma-granting tracks — although the team can easily transfer an application to another programme should a family's plans change. Once an application is underway, a dedicated admissions officer assists the family in completing the file, whether that means adding documents, clarifying educational information or adjusting household details.
The admissions procedure itself is selective, as the school must ensure it is the right fit for each child. Once a file is complete, it undergoes a detailed review by key faculty and staff, including the Admissions Office and the Head of Lower or Upper School. The child may then be invited to an interview — in person or, for logistical reasons, online — and, upon acceptance, may sit placement tests in certain subjects to determine the appropriate level upon arrival. Families are notified of the admissions decision by email.
Decisions are made by an Admissions Committee — comprising the Director of Admissions, the Admissions Officer working with the family, learning support specialists, coordinators, the school nurse and other faculty as appropriate — based on a careful review of each candidate's previous school experience, social-emotional development and behaviour, and linguistic background, together with programme requirements and the support resources available at the school. Grade placement is determined individually on the basis of previous school records and other supporting documents, and the school reserves the right to refuse admission for reasons it considers relevant. IBS operates on a rolling admissions basis, with offers made throughout the year; once an offer is received, the contract must be signed by both parents and the initial tuition payment made, which includes the entrance and enrolment fees.
IBS believes that all learners are individuals, each with their own strengths and challenges, and that diversity should be celebrated within its community of learners. Recognising that some students need additional support, the Learning Support Department participates in the admissions process for students with mild to moderate learning challenges or physical disabilities, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Such applications are considered individually, depending on the school's ability to meet the specific conditions and support required, and families must supply complete documentation of academic history, psychological or educational evaluations, and details of any past or current specialist support.
Finally, as a school serving an international community where English and French are equally spoken on campus, IBS is committed to developing students' academic English (international section) or French (French section) so that they can fully access the programmes offered. Students may join without any prior English up to Year 9/Grade 8/4ème; entry into or progression to Year 10/Grade 9/3ème requires intermediate proficiency in academic English and/or French; entry into Year 11/Grade 10/2nde requires advanced academic English; and students entering the IB Diploma programme (Year 12/Grade 11/1ère + Year13/Grade 12/Tle) should understand that two years are required to complete the courses.
At the heart of all this, IBS is committed to empathy, respect and the promotion of racial and social justice, engaging with local culture in a way that supports the school's mission, vision and beliefs, and upholds the principles set out in the school handbook.
