Admissions explained for families who move between school systems
CEC Education publishes step-by-step guides to international school entry, applying to universities abroad and the tests that admissions offices ask for. We explain the process and the deadlines. The decisions stay with you.
School admissions
How international schools assess applicants, when to start, and what happens when a family relocates in the middle of a school year.
University applications
The UK and US systems work on different calendars and reward different things. Our guides set them side by side.
Tests and requirements
Which tests are required, which are optional, and how scores are reported after the recent changes to TOEFL and the ACT.
Dates on the 2026-27 cycle
Individual institutions set their own dates. The full calendar lists the sources.
How to use this site
Start with the section that matches the next decision in front of you. Parents of younger children usually need the school admissions guides first: most international schools admit students year-round but fill popular year groups early, and the entrance assessment matters more than any interview. Students in their last two years of secondary school should read the university guides in order, beginning with the step-by-step overview, then the guide for the country they are applying to.
Every guide says when it was last reviewed. Admissions rules change each year, so treat our pages as a map and the institution's own website as the final word.