Most families applying to an international school for the first time underestimate one thing: the document stage takes longer than the decision stage. A transcript from Singapore, vaccination records from a clinic in Munich, a passport renewed last month in Sydney. Admissions offices use these records to decide grade placement, learning support, and language services before your child sets foot on campus.
At Qingdao No. 1 International School of Shandong Province (QISS), our admissions team walks families through this process every week. This guide covers every category of international school application documents you are likely to encounter, with specific notes on what QISS requires in Qingdao. We wrote it because parents kept asking the same questions, and the answers deserved more than a checklist.
Why the Document List Matters More Than the Form Itself
Most families arrive thinking of international school admissions requirements as a paperwork hurdle. They are something quite different. Admissions offices at accredited schools use these records to place your child at the right grade, identify learning support needs early, and build a student learning profile before orientation week.
A transcript is not just proof of study. It shows a teacher’s comments on your child’s reading habits, attendance patterns during a family move, and the courses that will inform placement in mathematics or English.
As a WASC accredited school, and a member of both EARCOS and ACAMIS, we are required to verify and maintain student records to internationally recognised standards. That verification protects your child. It ensures the classroom they enter matches the learner they are.
Think of the checklist as a tool for your family, not a barrier.
The Core Documents Every International School Will Ask For
Across international schools in China, the documents needed for school enrollment fall into a predictable baseline. Gathering these first saves weeks later. Many schools now collect these through online portals such as OpenApply or Ravenna, though QISS uses a direct submission process managed by our admissions team.
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A student passport copy for school enrollment is the starting point. Most schools ask for a clear scan of the photo page for the student and both parents or legal guardians. Two-parent documentation matters because international schools operate under safeguarding frameworks that require verified custodial information, particularly in cases of divorce, single-parent households, or guardianship arrangements while parents travel.
You will also be asked for the child’s birth certificate. If your family is applying from a country different to where the birth was registered, an apostille or notarised copy may be required. More on that in a moment.
Six to eight passport-sized photographs, taken within the last six months, round out this section. Schools use them for ID cards, class rosters, and health records.
Academic Records and Transcripts
Official transcripts covering the previous two academic years are standard. For older students applying to Middle School or High School, three years is common, along with a cumulative GPA where the previous school issues one. These should include:
- Course names and grades
- Attendance records
- Teacher comments where available
- The school’s grading scale or key
For High School applicants, schools also conduct a transfer credit evaluation to determine how prior coursework maps to graduation requirements. This is why school records transfer international timelines matter: incomplete transcripts delay the evaluation, and the evaluation drives class placement.
Ask the previous school to send these directly to the admissions office where possible. A sealed envelope or a verified email from the registrar carries more weight than a photocopy your family carries in a folder.
Proof of Residence
Schools need to know where your child lives, both for emergency contact and for local regulatory compliance. In China, this typically means a copy of the family’s residence permit (居留许可) or a rental contract paired with a police registration form. Families still in transit can usually submit a signed statement of intended address and update it later.
Health, Immunization, and Wellbeing Records
Health documentation is often the last thing families gather, and it should be one of the first. Immunisation schedules vary between countries, and gaps can appear when a family moves mid-cycle.
Immunization and Physical Health
Bring the full vaccination history in its original language along with an English or Chinese translation where required. A physical examination report dated within twelve months of enrolment is standard at most international schools in China. Local clinics in Qingdao can complete this if your home country’s report is older or incomplete.
If your child has ongoing medical needs, allergies, or a condition that requires an action plan, share this early. The school nurse and homeroom teacher use this information to keep your child safe from day one.
Learning Support and Special Education Records
This is where families sometimes hesitate, worried that disclosure will hurt their application. It should not, and at an accredited school it will not.
An existing Individual Education Plan (IEP), psychoeducational assessment, or speech therapy report helps the admissions team determine whether we can meet your child’s needs well. Withholding these records almost always leads to a placement mismatch that hurts the child in the first term. Share them openly.
This connects directly to the Mindful Hearts approach to student wellbeing that shapes how we welcome every new learner, and to Leader in Me and social-emotional learning at QISS, which reinforces the whole-child framework. We use the full picture to build the right support, not to screen students out.
What a Strong Application Package Looks Like in Practice
Consider a Grade 6 student transferring mid-year from a school in Singapore. Her parents send us her last two years of transcripts, teacher comments from her Grade 5 English and mathematics teachers, a WIDA English proficiency score from her previous placement testing, and a short cover letter from her mother explaining that the family relocated to Qingdao because of a parent’s new role. She sits an internal placement assessment during her campus visit.
That package is complete. Together, the documents form a clear student learning profile that lets our team recommend the right classroom on day one.
The Parent Cover Letter
A good parent letter is short. Four or five paragraphs cover it. Introduce your child by name and current grade. Explain the reason for the move or the school change. Note one or two things your child loves and one area where they are still growing. Close with what you hope the new school will offer.
A well-written letter saves the admissions team a follow-up call and often speeds up the placement decision.
Avoid exaggeration and avoid apology. Honesty places your child in the right classroom.
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Most international schools request one or two confidential teacher recommendations, sent directly from the recommender’s school email. A confidential teacher recommendation carries more weight because the admissions team knows the comments are candid rather than curated. When you ask a teacher, give them at least three weeks and share the recommendation form early.
English Proficiency Evidence
For families whose child is a non-native English speaker, evidence of English proficiency shapes placement decisions and support planning. Common formats include WIDA scores, Cambridge English results, or a letter from a previous ELL teacher describing the child’s current level.
If your child has no prior test result, that is not a barrier. We assess new learners on campus and, where support is needed, place them into our English Language Learner support program alongside their grade-level classes. The WIDA English language development standards inform how we measure progress across listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Translation, Notarization, and China-Specific Requirements
Families applying to international schools in China face one additional layer that families in most other countries do not. Understanding it early prevents last-minute stress.
Documents in a language other than English or Chinese should usually be accompanied by a certified translation. A certified translator’s stamp is the standard many schools accept, though some records (birth certificates, custody documents) may need notarisation as well.
Apostille certification applies when a public document issued in one country must be recognised as legally valid in another. The Hague Apostille Convention country list tells you whether your home country is a signatory. If it is, your foreign ministry or designated authority issues the apostille. If it is not, a consular legalisation process at the Chinese embassy in your country of origin serves the same purpose.
Chinese national families applying to an international school in Shandong may also be asked about hukou registration and school-choice eligibility. Our admissions team walks families through this on a case-by-case basis, since regulations vary by district and student status.
Plan on four to six weeks for translation, notarisation, and any apostille work. Starting early protects your application timeline.
Common Questions Parents Ask About Application Documents
Below are the questions our admissions team hears most often about international school application documents. Each answer reflects how QISS handles the situation in practice.
What if my child’s previous school cannot provide official transcripts in time? Request an interim report or a signed letter from the registrar confirming the child’s current grade and standing. Most accredited schools accept this on a conditional basis while the official transcript follows. We have processed dozens of applications this way.
Do documents need to be originals or are copies accepted? Certified copies are accepted for most items. Originals are typically shown at the campus visit and returned to the family. Birth certificates and any apostilled documents follow their home country’s standard for what counts as certified.
How to apply for school as an international student with no prior English-medium schooling? Apply openly and share your child’s current language level. We assess English proficiency on entry and enrol students into the ELL program where appropriate. Many of our strongest High School students began in ELL support.
What happens if a document is missing at the time of application? Submit what you have and note what is coming. Because we operate on rolling admissions, a conditional offer is often possible while final documents are prepared. This is common for mid-year transfer families.
How to write an application letter to an international school? Four to five sentences per paragraph, four to five paragraphs total. Introduce your child, explain the transition, highlight strengths and growth areas, and share what you hope the school will provide. Short and honest works best.
Are there different document requirements by grade level? Yes. Early Childhood applications focus on health records, developmental notes, and family context. Lower and Middle School applications add transcripts and teacher comments. High School applications include standardised test scores where available (SAT, AP, IGCSE), a cumulative GPA, and a student personal statement.
Applying to QISS: What to Prepare Before You Contact Admissions
If your family is considering international schools in Qingdao, here is the short version of what to gather before your first conversation with our team.
QISS International School Application Checklist:
- Passport copies for the student and both parents
- Academic transcripts for the previous two years (three for High School, including cumulative GPA)
- Immunisation records and a recent physical examination report
- Any existing IEP, psychoeducational assessment, or ELL history
- Copy of the family’s China residence permit or intended address
- A short parent cover letter introducing your child
As a WASC- and CIS-accredited school (CIS accreditation standards for student records and WASC accreditation criteria for international schools both require rigorous verification), our process is thorough. It is also personal. Ms. Paula O’Connell and our admissions team guide every family individually, including families whose international school application documents are incomplete or still in transit.
Our approach to admissions reflects the wider QISS philosophy of Learn, Lead and Live. We look at the whole child, not just the paperwork, because our job is to help every student find a joyful place to learn and grow on our 48, 000 m² Laoshan campus.
If a document is missing, Ms. O’Connell’s team will tell you exactly what interim step keeps your application moving.
The most useful first step is often a campus visit. Walking the campus with your child, meeting a division principal, and sitting with our admissions counsellor usually clarifies which application documents your child’s specific grade and situation require. It also gives your child a sense of the place before the paperwork begins.
To start your admissions inquiry, email admissions@qiss.org.cn or schedule a campus visit at a time that suits your family. Bring what you have. We will help you with the rest.
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Start your application →Frequently Asked Questions
What documents are required to apply to an international school?
We require passport copies for your child and both parents, academic transcripts from the previous two years (three for High School with cumulative GPA), immunisation records and a recent physical exam, any existing IEP or ELL history, proof of residence, and a short parent cover letter. Teacher recommendations and English proficiency evidence are also standard for most applicants.
How to apply for school as an international student?
Apply openly and share your child’s current language level with us. We assess English proficiency during the admissions process and enrol students into our ELL program where appropriate, so prior English-medium schooling is not required.
What documents do I need for school enrollment?
You will need passport copies, birth certificate (possibly with apostille if from outside China), academic transcripts with teacher comments, immunisation records, a physical exam report, proof of residence or intended address, and any learning support documentation. We also request a parent cover letter explaining your child and the reason for the school change.
How to write an application letter to an international school?
Write four to five paragraphs of four to five sentences each: introduce your child by name and grade, explain the reason for the move, note one or two things your child loves and one area where they are growing, and close with what you hope the school will offer. Short and honest works best, and avoid exaggeration or apology.
Do documents need to be translated or notarized for a Chinese international school?
Documents in languages other than English or Chinese should be accompanied by a certified translation. Birth certificates and custody documents may need notarisation, and apostille certification applies when public documents from your home country must be recognised as legally valid in China. Plan four to six weeks for this work.
What school records should I request from my child's previous school?
Request official transcripts covering the previous two years (three for High School), including course names, grades, attendance records, teacher comments, and the school’s grading scale. Ask the previous school to send these directly to our admissions office in a sealed envelope or verified email from the registrar, as this carries more weight than photocopies.
Does my child need an English proficiency test to enroll?
If your child has no prior English proficiency test result, that is not a barrier. We assess new learners on campus and place them into our ELL support program alongside grade-level classes where needed, using WIDA English language development standards to measure progress.
What happens if I am missing a document when I apply?
Submit what you have and note what is coming. We often offer conditional admissions while final documents are prepared, which is common for mid-year transfer families, and our admissions team will tell you exactly what interim steps keep your application moving.
