STUDENT ENROLMENT POLICY

Al Zahra College accepts students without discrimination of religion, race or nationality.

Admission to Al Zahra College will be determined by the Education Director based on information obtained with respect to:

· the potential of the applicant to benefit from the educational services available; and the capacity of Al Zahra College to meet the educational needs of the applicant.

Applications for admission for the current academic year will be considered in order of priority, date of application, and the results of entrance examinations and formal interview, as places become available.

We understand the need for an 'early' confirmation of a place at Al Zahra College. However, regardless of how early we receive an application, our admissions timeline remains the same:

First Day of Term 4: The deadline for present Al Zahra College families to re-register for the following year. Before this date we have no information about the availability of places for the following year.

1 June: The point at which we process the applications we have received from unaffiliated families. This is done in order based on the date of receipt of the formal application documents. Applications will be accepted until the screening date (Term 2 vacation period).

July-December: We continue to process applications as they arrive.

Al Zahra College can only guarantee a place once a formal offer has been made, accepted in writing, and the Acceptance Fee has been paid.

All placements are conditional. An interview with the Education Director will be arranged prior to acceptance as part of the enrolment process. Placements are reviewed after 3 months. Admissions are conditional on a student’s ability to benefit from the tuition offered.

If a student requires prolonged individual support, the cost of the extra tuition will be the responsibility of the parents.

Applicants for admission are considered in the following priority order:

• children of staff;

• children of all other applicants who have a sibling already enrolled in or admitted to the Academy; and

• all other applicants.

Applicants who meet all admissions criteria are admitted for the appropriate year group based on age and current performance level, class size permitting. However, factors such as previous records, measured aptitude and achievement, physical and emotional development and other relevant details are also considered. The final decision rests with the Education Director. A four-week trial period in the class to which the student is assigned, is mandatory.

Al Zahra College reserves the right to deny admission or re-enrolment to any applicant if, in its opinion, there were reasons to believe that admission or re-enrolment would not be in the best interest of the applicant or Al Zahra College.

Al Zahra College also reserves the right to postpone admission if a class is full. In this case, the applicant is placed on a waiting list. The qualified applicants are then accepted in order of date of application, subject to the above priorities.

Entrance Age

A child may be accepted into a class if s/he is of age before 1 January. Class ages are as follows:

Kindergarten:  5 years-old

Year 1:  6 years-old

Year 2:  7 years-old

Year 3:  8 years-old

Year 4:  9 years-old

Year 5:  10 years-old

Year 6:  11 years-old

Al Zahra College requires student records from the applicant's previous school before any student is accepted. These records include reports, transcripts, results of standardised tests and any reports by a counsellor or psychologist. Al Zahra College reserves the right to contact the applicant's previous school prior to acceptance.

All applicants will be interviewed by the Education Director prior to acceptance as part of the enrolment process.

Notice of a student’s withdrawal must be given to the Education Director, in writing, three (3) months preceding departure. If the deadline for notification of withdrawal is not adhered to, the following semester’s fees become due in their entirety, even if the student does not attend.

A student may be admitted to Al Zahra College at any time during the school year (if places are available).

After all the admissions procedures have been followed, the application will be considered. Decisions will be given in writing.

An acceptance fee of $600 per student is due when Al Zahra College offers a place and the place is accepted. In order to be secured, the place offered by Al Zahra College needs to be confirmed by the applicant through payment of the acceptance fee within ten days of notification. This application fee is non-refundable and does not count towards tuition.

Tuition fees for the following school year are set by the Al Zahra College Board and are advised by the Education Director by 1 July. The fees are divided into two semesters and are payable upon receipt of an invoice and by the start of each semester.

In all cases, the tuition fees for a semester which has started are payable in full. Unless the deadlines for notification of withdrawal are adhered to, the cancellation of a confirmed enrolment or re-enrolment entails the obligation to pay the fees for the current and following semester. The same payment obligations apply in the event that it is necessary for the school to terminate the student’s enrolment at any stage during the school year.

The academic year is divided into two semesters:

First Semester: January - June

Second Semester: July - December

Note: Parents who wish to pay the annual tuition fee in one payment by 25/1/10 will receive a discount of $200.

Please note that the following items are included in the fees:

• Tuition

• Provision of all necessary transcripts relating to attendance and academic performance.

Please note that the following items are not included in the annual tuition fees, as these costs will vary per year group and per year:

• Textbooks

• Sport

• Educational assessment by outside specialist

• Some extra-curricular activities

• Canteen requirements

• Uniform requirements

• School photos

Non-Payment of School Fees

A student’s enrolment is suspended if tuition fees are not paid by the due date.

Late Enrolment

Students enrolling during the first four weeks of school will be billed the full tuition for the year. Students enrolling after the first four weeks of school will be billed proportionally for the number of full or partial weeks of school remaining plus a late enrolment surcharge of 5% of the annual fees.

Students withdrawing before 1st April are charged 30% of the annual tuition fee. Students withdrawing before 1st July are charged 55% of the annual tuition fee. Students withdrawing before 1st October are charged 80 % of the annual tuition fee.