Admission FAQ

Each year, ICSB has many more applications than spaces available at the school. In keeping with our school's mission and missionary commitment, we prioritize applicants from full-time Christian ministry families.

The Right Fit

As we review applications, we consider how well the applicant and the family might fit our school and its mission, both from the school's and the applicant's perspective. 

THE SCHOOL

As a school, we consider how well we can meet the applicant's individual educational needs. We also factor in the overall cultural diversity of our student body and the size and composition of the class (grade level) the student is applying for. 

THE FAMILY

We believe that parents are influential partners in the educational process, so we consider not only the applicant but the family as well. We look at their alignment with ICSB's Foundational Statements and how well they can support our educational program and Educational Philosophy. As a community-oriented school, we also appreciate parents with a history of active involvement in school life and activities.

THE APPLICANT

We consider the applicant's potential to contribute to our Christian learning environment and school community positively. We check past academic performance, academic testing results, and behavior in previous schools.  We also consider the applicant's English language ability and potential need for learning support.

We are a school intent on ensuring that all students feel a strong sense of belonging upon joining the ICSB community.

Please see our How to Apply page's When to Apply section for application deadlines. 

You can SUBMIT AN ONLINE APPLICATION HERE. 

We have 265 students enrolled in 13 grade levels (Pre1^st through 12^th grades), affording us an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio and smaller class sizes than most traditional local or international schools. Each grade level has one class.

We are blessed to have over 90% native English-speaking teaching staff, which is an exceptionally high rate among international schools in Hungary.

No. As an international school, ICSB has students representing many different nationalities. To support this international population, we offer additional English language support at all grade levels. However, we only offer beginning classes in our English Language Learning (ELL) program through 5^th grade.

Please note that, while we do provide support for English Language Learners, our academic program is quite rigorous, so we require a minimum of high beginner (but preferably intermediate) English language level for acceptance into 6^th-8^th grades, and a minimum of intermediate level for acceptance into 9^th-12^th grades.

In order to maintain the high quality English language education we are committed to, we have a maximum number of English language learning (ELL) students we can admit in each grade level. It is important to note that when a grade level reaches its capacity of English language learning students, we can only admit advanced or fluent English-speaking applicants into that class, regardless of the minimum English language requirements in that grade level.

English Language Levels Recongized at ICSB

COMPLETE BEGINNER - Has little or no exposure to or knowledge of English.

BEGINNER - Can understand basic words and phrases. May know the alphabet and/or sounds. Can communicate simple needs and ideas.

HIGH BEGINNER - Can read and understand simple texts. Can write simple sentences that communicate basic information and answer simple questions. Can talk about simple and routine tasks but may have limited vocabulary.

INTERMEDIATE - Can read and understand the main ideas of longer texts and identify some details. Can write clear sentences and organize them into paragraphs. Can have discussions about familiar topics. Can use a range of vocabulary about everyday topics.

HIGH INTERMEDIATE - Can read and understand complex texts and identify key details. Can write clearly in longer, organized responses. Can participate in discussions without little difficulty. Can use a good range of vocabulary on academic topics.

ADVANCED - Can read and understand long academic texts independently. Can write clear, well-structured responses using strong grammar and sentences. Can participate in discussions comfortably on a variety of topics using a wide range of vocabulary.

FLUENT - Near native fluency. Can read, write, and understand in academic and social settings with ease. Can complete grade-level work independently in English. Can participate in discussions in complex situations using precise technical vocabulary.

NATIVE - English is the language spoken at home, and the student has been educated primarily in English.

Visit our Calendars page to download calendars for the current and upcoming school years. The School Calendar At-a-Glance version shows only the school holidays and major dates you need to plan your holidays. 

For a more detailed view, check our online calendars on the same page.

School days are Monday through Friday, starting at 8:15 am. Dismissal time is at 3:35 pm, except on Wednesdays when school ends at 2:45 pm.

LOWER SCHOOL (Pre1^st-8^th grades)

Early Grades (Pre1^st-5^th grades) have 30-45-minute classes with 5-minute breaks (with more flexibility for Pre1^st-2^nd grades), a 10-minute outdoor recess and snack break mid-morning, a 45-minute lunch break with outdoor playtime, and a 20-minute afternoon break with outdoor playtime.

Middle Grades (6^th-8^th grades) have 45-minute classes with 5-minute breaks, a 10-minute snack break mid-morning, and a 30-minute lunch break with outdoor recess.

UPPER SCHOOL (9^th-12^th grades)

Upper School has 45-minute classes with 5-minute breaks, a 10-minute snack break mid-morning, and a 30-minute lunch break with optional outdoor recess.

HUNGARIAN

We offer a beginner and an intermediate Hungarian language program for international students, in grades 1-6. 

We offer a special Hungarian language program for Hungarian nationals and those international students who qualify as fluent Hungarian speakers, in grades 1-6.

Students in grade 7 take one semester of Spanish and one semester of German to help them decide which language they would like to study in Upper School (grades 8-12).

GERMAN

We offer German for 8^th-12^th grade students.

SPANISH

We offer Spanish for 8^th-12^th grade students.

YES! We offer sports (soccer, basketball, volleyball, track & field) and a musical theater program in grades 6^th-12^th. We also offer a variety of clubs in grades Pre1^st-8^th, courtesy of our amazing Parent-School Association's parent volunteers.

There is no extra fee for participation in these activities. 

ICSB doesn't have a school bus service. Our school is easily and quickly accessible by public transportation (Volánbusz) from Kelenföld bus station in Budapest or from Érd bus station. The bus stop is a 1-minute walk from the school. Our neighborhood is a safe, suburban area.

YES! We encourage parents to volunteer throughout the school to make new connections, help build the school community, and improve the learning for our students. Our Parent-School Association involves our parent volunteers in helping with school events or field trips, coaching sports teams, substitute teaching, and running after-school clubs.

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