Application for Admission to SAS

Application Process

SAS has a rolling admission process. Parents are advised to start the application process in September for the following school year beginning in August. To download a pdf with the Admission Process Flow, please click here.

Parents are also advised to start the application process in July for the second semester of the school year beginning in January.

Applications are reviewed by the Admission Committee and approved for admission only after the application fee and all required application supporting documents have been received.

Admission decisions for the beginning of a school year are made on a rolling admissions basis and continue until August. Most decisions for second semester admission in January are made during October and through the month of December.

Based on seats available, decisions are communicated as early as possible. If a grade level is at capacity, we will maintain a wait pool.

Recent changes instituted by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SHMEC) requires all students applying to international schools in Shanghai to be covered under a parents work visa designated for Shanghai only. If a family wishes to reside in Shanghai and attend school the working parents 'work visa' must be specifically designated for Shanghai.

How to Apply to Shanghai American School 2012-2013 School Year

Submit the online application.

Click here to complete the online application process.

Submit the application processing fee (RMB 2,500)

Once the online application is received, you will receive an invoice directly from the Finance Office for payment of the application processing fee. This fee is non-refundable and applies for the academic year of application only. The application will only be processed after the fee has been received and notification given to the Office of Admission.

Submit a copy of the photo identification page from the passport, the entry stamp, and valid visa for the student. Submit copies of both parents passports.

Submit your academic transcripts / records

We require school records/academic transcripts of the student's current (full or partial) and previous two years (as applicable). If necessary, school records must be translated into English and authenticated by the current school/certified by an official translator. Scanned copies will be accepted for the admission process.

Submit standardized achievement test results

Please see the testing information page for more information on which tests we require. The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is the preferred Admission Test at SAS.

Submit the following required additional forms:

a. Educational or Emotional Support Documentation (if applicable)

Please submit copies of any/all diagnostic test reports, current psychological educational evaluations or other learning support profiles, special needs evaluations, 504 plans and Individualized Educational Program (IEP) if applicable. Our programs are not designed to meet the instructional needs of students with complex learning, language, emotional or behavioral difficulties.

Failure to provide this information during the application process will result in SAS being unable to fulfill its educational commitment and may result in denial of admission or a reversal of an admission decision for an already accepted/enrolled student.

b. School Recommendation Form

This form is required for all students applying for Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K - Grade 5) to Grade 12 (Grade 6 - 12) and must be completed by the student’s current school representative (as indicated on the form) and submitted directly to the Office of Admission.

c. English and Math Teacher Recommendation Forms (English), (Math)
These forms are required for all students applying for Grades 6 to 12 and must be completed by the student’s current English and Mathematics teachers and submitted directly to the Office of Admission.

We are unable to accept recommendations sent to SAS by parents.

d. Student Information Form [download]
All students applying for Grades 6 to 12 must complete this form in their own words and handwriting.

Submit Digital Photo of each applicant and both parents

Submit recent, color, individual passport size digital photos (200 x 250 pixel) of each applicant and both parents.

Photographs must be with a white or blue background, clearly labeled with passport names of each individual and sent as JPEG files.

Submit a signed "Permission to Release Official School Records" [download]

All supporting documents must be submitted to the Office of Admission:

Express Mail:
Shanghai American School
Office of Admission
Puxi Campus
258 Jin Feng Road
Hua Cao Town
Minhang District
Shanghai, China 201107

Shanghai American School
Office of Admission
Pudong Campus
Shanghai Links Executive Community
1600 Ling Bai Road, San Jia Gang
Pudong New Area
Shanghai, China 201201

Email scanned scanned copies to: admission@saschina.org

Checklist of Documents Required to Complete the Application

click here for a printable copy of this document

Required Application Documents	Students applying for Pre-Kindergarten– Grade 5	Students applying for Grades 6 – 8	Students applying for Grades 9 - 12
Online Application Form	Required	Required	Required
Application Fee	Required	Required	Required
Copy of Passport (Student & Parent/s)	Required	Required	Required
Color Digital Photo	Required	Required	Required
School Records	Required (current + 2 full previous years)	Required (current + 2 full previous years)	Required (current + 2 full previous years)
Standardized Test Scores	Required for grade 4 and 5 applicants	Required	Required
School Recommendation Form	Required	Required	Required
Math and English Teacher Recommendation Forms	N/A	Required	Required
Student Information Form	N/A	Required	Required
Educational or Emotional Support Documentation	If applicable	If applicable	If applicable
Signed Permission for Release of Official School Records	Required	Required	Required

High School Credits
For students applying for admission to grades 10 to 12, we will take into consideration the number of credits reflected in the official transcript from your current school. For all students in grades 9 to 12, the transcript must show that the student will have a sufficient number of credits to meet our graduation requirement of 24 credits. A passing grade in a year long course earns one credit. A passing grade in a semester-long course earns a half credit.

Priority Criteria for Admission
Consideration for Admission to SAS is on a priority basis according to the following categories; however, all students accepted to the school must be mission appropriate;

1) Qualified dependents of U.S. Government employees

2) Qualified dependents of overseas-hired faculty

3) Siblings of students already enrolled at SAS

4) United States citizens

5) Other expatriate students with English proficiency

6) Other expatriate students

7) PRC National students who have permission from the Shanghai Municipal Education

Commission (SHMEC)

Recent changes instituted by the SHMEC require all students applying to international schools in Shanghai be covered under a parents work visa designated for Shanghai only. If a family wishes to resides in Shanghai and attend school the working parents 'work visa' must be specifically designated for Shanghai.

Waitpool

In the event enrollment at a grade level is at its capacity, the Office of Admission will maintain a wait pool. The wait pool is maintained for the applying year only; all applicants that are interested in the next school year must re-apply each school year.

Visitation Review (Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten only)
A visitation review will be scheduled for all Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten applicants that meet our admission criteria. Acceptance will be dependent upon successful completion of the visitation process.

Visitations for the fall semester will be held in the months of May and August. Students unable to attend any one of these visitations will be scheduled on an individual basis. Detailed information will be sent to parents with a pre-acceptance letter.

Tuition Payment
Once a seat is offered, the student must enroll at that time, and pay the tuition in order to hold the seat for immediate or later entry within the school’s calendar year. A family cannot defer a student’s entry for the next school year without reapplying and submitting the necessary documentation and application fee.

Edit This Favorite

Application Process

How to Apply to Shanghai American School 2012-2013 School Year