Al Zahra College accepts students for enrolment without discrimination of religion, race or nationality. Admission to Al Zahra College will be determined by the Headmaster based on information obtained with respect to:
- the potential of the applicant to benefit from the educational services available at the College; 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 college screening and formal interview, as places become available. A final decision will be determined by the Headmaster. 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.
Current Enrolments
The deadline for present Al Zahra College families to re-register for the following year is the first day of Term 4. Before this date, we have no information about the availability of places for the following year.
Kindergarten Enrolments
1st June – The point at which we process the applications for Kindergarten we have received from unaffiliated families. This is done in order based on the date of receipt of the formal application documents. Parents will be advised of screening and interview dates in Term 3. The cut-off date of births for subsequent enrolment in the following year is the 30th April.
Other Enrolments
July-December: We continue to process applications as they arrive. Applicants for enrolments undergo a screening process based on diagnostic testing and upon presenting copies of previous years’ academic reports. A student may be admitted to Al Zahra College at any time during the school year (if places are available). Applicants who meet all admissions criteria are admitted for the appropriate year group based on age and current performance level, class size permitting.
Entrance Age
Class ages are as follows:
Kindergarten 5 years-old (before 30th April)
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
Year 7 12 years-old
Year 8 13 years-old
Year 9 14 years-old
Year 10 15 years-old
Year 11 16 years-old
Year 12 17 years-old
Student Records from Other Schools
Al Zahra College requires student records from the applicant’s previous school before any student is accepted. These records include reports, transcripts, results of standardized 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.
Decisions on Admission
All applicants will be interviewed by the Headmaster prior to acceptance as part of the enrolment process. After all the admissions procedures have been followed, the application will be considered. Decisions will be given in writing.
Fees
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 Principal by 1 July. Due to inflation and school obligations, tuition fees must be increased by at least 5% annually. The tuition 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.
Included in the fees are: the tuition and the provision of all necessary transcripts relating to attendance and academic performance are included in the fees. The following items are not included in the annual tuition fees, as these costs will vary per year group and per year:
- Textbooks
- Sport
- Excursions & field trips
- 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.
Early Withdrawal
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.
Re-Registration
By the end of Term 3 each year, parents will be asked to complete and return a re-registration form, indicating whether their child will be returning to Al Zahra College the following school year. Places cannot be reserved unless there is a definite indication that a student intends to return and a deposit of $600 paid for each student. This deposit will be credited against the Term 1 fees for the new academic year.
