Admissions

How to Apply

Included in the application package, is a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the admissions process. An application fee of $1,000 USD is payable upon submission of application documents for each prospective student applying to VIS (see 'Method of Payment' for information on how to transfer funds). Payment must be made before the admissions department can assess the application and arrange language testing (if required). This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, unless VIS cannot offer the student a placement.

There are currently waiting lists for some grade levels. Please check with the Admissions Manager when applying.

Our school year commences in August and concludes in June. For admissions to the new school year placement offers commence from April.

We are unable to admit any child who is not toilet trained.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are determined by grade level as per the table below, with the option of annual or semester payments. Tuition fees are used to provide for all annual operational costs incurred in delivering the curriculum to students.

Annual Capital Fee

The Annual Capital Fee of $2,800 USD must be paid for each student enrolled in Prep through to Grade 12. This fee is payable in full whether a student joins for one semester or for the entire school year. It is non-refundable under any circumstance and must be paid in total before 1st August 2018. For students who enrol during the school year, the fee is payable within two working weeks after the date of enrollment. This fee is used for the development of VIS facilities and all major capital items, as well as to service debt as part of the development of the school.

Fees For High Level English Support

If a student is simultaneously enrolled in the High Level English support program and a Language A - Mother Tongue program, with the exception of Lao Mother Tongue, a reduction in fees is applicable (refer to the Discounts Section below).

Additional Fees

International Baccalaureate Examination Fees: Grade 12 students will be charged exam fees as an additional cost. A separate invoice is sent out to parents in February each year.

Bus Fees: A limited bus service is provided for students residing in Vientiane. The cost of the bus service is $550 per semester (both pick-up and drop-off), or $1,100 per year. This service is optional and dependent on route availability.

Lunch fees: An onsite caterer provides a-la-carte meals cooked on the premises daily, available to all students. Charges and payment for this service are made directly to the caterer.

Discounts

Tuition Fee: Families with three or more children simultaneously enrolled in the school receive a 10% discount for the third child and 10% for each child thereafter on tuition fees only. The discount will first be applied to the youngest child and then to the next youngest child. Families who receive part or full payments by an organisation, government or company for any of their children are not eligible.

High Level English Support (HLS): Students who are enrolled simultaneously in the HLS program and a Language A - Mother Tongue program (with the exception of Lao mother tongue) are entitled to receive a 50% discount on the total HLS fee, only if the family is 100% responsible for the payment of tuition fees. Families who receive part or full payments by an organisation, government or company for any of their children are not eligible.

Fees And Payment Policy

Tuition and payment responsibility: Parents/guardians are responsible for the prompt payment of all school fees by the due date. This responsibility extends to situations whereby fees are payable in part/full via a third party, part/full via parents, or part/full reimbursed to parents via a third party. Payment for the 1st semester must be made before 1st August 2018 and for the 2nd semester before 7th January 2019. For students who enrol during the school year, fees are payable within two working weeks from the date of enrolment.

Please note that the school will take action to suspend a student’s right to attend classes and other school activities should school fees remain unpaid by 1st September 2018 for the 1st semester and 1st February 2019 for the 2nd semester. Students will not receive report cards or school transcripts if fees remain unpaid by the end of the school year.

New students enrolling after the commencement of a semester will be charged the entire semester rate. Students withdrawing during or after the commencement of the semester will not be entitled to a refund. However, if the annual tuition fee has been paid upfront and the student withdraws before the start of the 2nd semester, the 2nd semester tuition fee will be refunded in full.

Application Fee Refund Policy: This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable unless VIS cannot offer a placement for the prospective student due to unavailability of places in our language program or general class sizes are at capacity.

If an enrolled student withdraws from VIS for a period of more than two years and subsequently re-enrols, the application fee is again payable. If returning within this two year period, this fee will be waived.

If a student is offered a placement at VIS and the family decides to defer the start date or does not start, the two year policy as above applies.

Language testing as part of the admissions process for the EAL program costs $300.00 (USD) per test. In the event that VIS cannot offer a place to a prospective student, this amount will be deducted for each test undertaken from the original application fee paid.

VIS Board of Trustees Policy: Vientiane International School sets its annual fees based upon projected income and expenses. In case of severe financial problems, the Board of Trustees reserves the right to revise fees or the fee policy at any time during the school year.

Method of Payment

All charges are quoted in US Dollars, although payments can be made in Kip. The exchange rate applied will be as per the Business Office monthly exchange rate for all transactions.

All payments must be deposited into one of the bank accounts listed below. The VIS Business Office will not accept any cash payments for tuition fees.

Please provide the VIS Business Office with a copy of the bank deposit or internet transfer document, quoting the invoice number stated on the invoice.

Please contact the Business Office for full information of bfl intermediary bank (3^rd party) as the information supplied is dependent on the origin of transfer.

Payments shall be deemed received after an authorised copy of the bank deposit or internet transfer document is forwarded to the Business Office and VIS receives confirmation of the deposit from the bank.

When transferring payments into any VIS account via internet or international transfer, including depositing of cheques, the total amount due must be credited and the payer is responsible for the payment of all fees incurred, regardless of which bank charges them (payer's bank, correspondent bank, or VIS's bank).