Admission Requirements
Each applicant to Concordia is considered holistically based upon prior report cards, test scores and teacher recommendations. Please read the requirements for student admission below. Feel free to contact an admissions representative with questions.
Passport Eligibility & Residency Requirement
Concordia follows the regulations set by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SHMEC). Families applying to Concordia must meet one of the categories below.
All students must be living with at least one parent in Shanghai throughout their time of study at Concordia.
Note: Should Concordia become aware that an enrolled student is living in Shanghai without at least one parent or does not hold current copies of the required government-mandated documents, the student will be asked to leave school and all tuition/fees paid will be forfeited.
Government Mandated Documents
- Foreign Families with at Least One Working Parent in Shanghai 外籍家庭
- Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Families with at Least One Working Parent in Shanghai 港澳台地区家庭
- Student Born Overseas with Both PRC Parents 学生持合法境外出生证明;双方父母均持中国护照
- One Parent Holding non-PRC Passport and Shanghai Work Permit/Reunion Residence Permit; the Other Parent and Student Holding PRC Passport with Legal Supporting Documents 外籍/港澳台地区人员与其中国籍配偶的中国籍婚生子女
- Student Holding a Foreign Passport and Valid China Entry Visa; One PRC Parent Holding Permanent Residence in a Foreign Country 父/母持中国护照获国外永居,随行子女持外国护照且有合法入境签证
- PRC Parents and Students with Foreign Permanent Residence Permits; Student Has Recently Studied for Consecutive Two Years in the Country in Which the Permanent Residency was Obtained 全家均持有中国护照获国外永居,回沪工作居住的中国公民子女,其最近两年在获得永久居留权国的学校连续就读
Foreign Families with at Least One Working Parent in Shanghai 外籍家庭
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Families with at Least One Working Parent in Shanghai 港澳台地区家庭
Student Born Overseas with Both PRC Parents 学生持合法境外出生证明;双方父母均持中国护照
One Parent Holding non-PRC Passport and Shanghai Work Permit/Reunion Residence Permit; the Other Parent and Student Holding PRC Passport with Legal Supporting Documents 外籍/港澳台地区人员与其中国籍配偶的中国籍婚生子女
Student Holding a Foreign Passport and Valid China Entry Visa; One PRC Parent Holding Permanent Residence in a Foreign Country 父/母持中国护照获国外永居,随行子女持外国护照且有合法入境签证
PRC Parents and Students with Foreign Permanent Residence Permits; Student Has Recently Studied for Consecutive Two Years in the Country in Which the Permanent Residency was Obtained 全家均持有中国护照获国外永居,回沪工作居住的中国公民子女,其最近两年在获得永久居留权国的学校连续就读
Please consult the Admissions Office if you are unsure whether your child is eligible to apply.
The Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SHMEC) requires that international schools keep on file the above official documents for each student. Please reference the categories above to determine into which category your family falls, then submit the relevant documents when requested during the application and the enrollment process.
Language and Testing
English Language Proficiency
Students applying for Kindergarten (our 5-year-old program) through Grade 12 must possess proficient English language skills (age-appropriate listening, speaking, reading and writing). Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten students may be admitted with beginning English.
An English assessment may be given to candidates based on the following:
- Native and home languages
- Number of years in an English-language curriculum
- School records
- Confidential Teacher recommendations
Admissions Assessments
Assessments are used to aid the application review process and may consist of some or all of the following: Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Listening Comprehension, and/or Writing.
- Submitting an application does not guarantee assessment. A non-acceptance will be issued without assessment should the admissions review team determine that the student does not meet admittance requirements.
- If the requested grade level has reached wait pool status and an applicant requires an assessment, the assessment will be scheduled if/when the space availability increases.
Learning Needs
Admission to Concordia is contingent upon a match between the student’s learning needs and levels of service available at the time of application. As a result, all decisions regarding admission for students who may need minimal accommodation or support are made on an individual, case-by-case basis to ensure that individual students will find personal and academic success within our community. We ask families whose children have specialized schooling requirements to include documentation and full disclosure* of these needs and the reasons for these requirements with the application. Parents are invited to discuss their child’s needs at any time without a fee.
*Failure to disclose a full history of learning needs can result in dismissal from the school.
Grade and Age Placement
We consider the following information to determine grade placement for admission decisions.
Non-August/September School Year Start
Students coming from school years that begin at any point other than August/September will be required to apply for the same grade level in which they are currently studying or which they may have just completed.
Birth Date Eligibility
Concordia’s cut-off date for Preschool through Kindergarten enrollment is September 1. When prioritizing placement and admissions decisions, the applicant's age may be considered. Students coming from August/September to June/July school years who are applying for Grade 1 to 12 and whose dates of birth fall after the cut-off date will not be required to repeat a grade level should they meet all requirements for admission and continuance into the next logical grade level.
Wait Pool Priority
When making an admissions decision or when a grade level has reached its enrollment capacity, priority consideration (not automatic placement) is given to those with:
- Siblings currently attending or applying to Concordia;
- Those with stronger academic English proficiency, or;
- Those who have attended school in the United States or an American school abroad;
Admission decisions also take into account the balance of English language learners, student age and other relevant demographic factors in order for Concordia to realize its mission and support its core values.