We provide a high-quality international education to students from age 6 to 16 with a residential address in Norway

Approved by the AIS Board 15th February 2023.

Background

Arendal International School is an English-language private elementary and middle school open to all students from 6 to 16 years (grades 1 to 10). The school wishes to attract students who have a positive attitude, are highly motivated, eager to learn, and wish to participate in the challenging educational program of the International Baccalaureate. The academic year runs from mid-August through to late June.

The admission of students when the number of applications is higher than the school’s capacity is based on the following criteria:

1. Children of permanently employed AIS staff
2. Former students returning from abroad
3. International students. An international student in AIS has one or more of the requirements below:
   -At least one parent is born with a non-Norwegian passport
   -Student has a non-Norwegian passport
   -Student has at least one non-Norwegian mother tongue
   -Student does not have a permanent residency
4. Siblings of students already registered in the school
5. Students returning to Norway after having been enrolled in/attended school abroad
6. In case a class has more than 60% of one gender and all of the criteria above are equal for the applicants, the school will try to even the gender balance in the class by choosing the applicant of the less represented gender.
7. If applicants are equal in terms of one or all of the criteria above there will be a draw between the candidates.
8. If any of the founding companies have hires moving to Arendal with students applying for a class that already has 24 students (23 in grades 1 – 3), it will be accepted to enroll one more student, so the maximum will be 25/24 students. If there is more than 1 applicant in the same admission, preference shall be given to international hires. If multiple applicants with the same priority apply, the final enrollment will be decided based on a draw between relevant candidates from the founding companies.

All students prioritized based on the criteria above will need to provide documentation upon request to prove their qualifications for prioritization.

The total enrollment of students in AIS is governed by the Directorate of Education’s overall approval and the available spaces for teaching. For the academic year 2022-2023, we are approved for 220 students. For the following academic year, we are approved for 330 students. However, due to the restrictions of our facilities, the school aims to have 24 students per class (with the exception of grades 1-3, aiming for 23 students). When coming close to full capacity a prioritized waiting list for students will be applied using the above criteria.

All admission deadlines are at 12.00 (noon) on the listed dates and will be handled according to the admission criteria listed above. Students who are admitted need to be able to start before the next admission deadline unless otherwise stated above.

The students who are accepted for enrollment at AIS will receive an individual decision (enkeltvedtak) as a confirmation of their enrollment. The ones who have their application rejected will receive an individual decision stating this with an offer of being placed on the waiting list. If a student rejects an offer of admission or a current student withdraws their enrollment in between application deadlines and in this process makes a place at AIS available, students on the waiting list will have priority (and will be prioritized according to the criteria). Students who apply in between the application deadlines will not be considered for this place until their application has met an application deadline. Students applying in between deadlines will be included at the point of the next admission and a new priority list including all applicants meeting the application deadline at stake will be made based on the criteria in this admission policy.

Individual decision (enkeltvedtak):

According to the Free School Act (Privatskoleloven) § 3-1 Enrollment of Students in AIS is an individual decision/ Enkeltvedtak, in accordance with the Admin Act (Forvaltningsloven) § 2. The matter has been handled according to Chapter IV and V in the Admin Act and you are entitled to see the documents linked to the case if you so wish.

If you disagree with this individual decision it can, according to the Admin Act § 27 and 28, be appealed against. The appeal should be presented to the school, either orally or in writing. The school will then deal with the appeal and either uphold or change the decision. If the appellant is satisfied with the documentation and accepts the school’s decision, the case is closed. If the appellant upholds the appeal, the school will forward the case to Statsforvalteren in Agder for final consideration. According to the Admin Act § 29 the Appeal must be presented to the school within three weeks of receipt of this letter.

Anyone can apply to AIS, Norwegians as well as international students.

Yes, you can apply from abroad. Please note that having a work permit or residency permit is not a requirement for us to be able to accept students at our school, however, the Norwegian Government is very strict regarding these permits. Unfortunately, having a place at our school will not in any way help you in gaining a residency permit. Your parents would need to have a valid employment contract in Norway before applying for any such permits. We are unable to offer boarding facilities at our school.

Please see this table to determine the correct grade to apply for, based on birth year and school year. The students’ grade levels in Norway are determined by their birth year, regardless of which years they have been through in other countries prior to entering Norway. 

It is essential for the school to provide good Norwegian education for our students, for both native speakers and international students. We provide Language and Literature for native speakers and Language Acquisition lessons for language learners. Our Norwegian language lessons are crucial for the student’s introduction to Norwegian culture as language is essential for the student’s inclusion in the larger community. All of our Norwegian teachers are bilingual in Norwegian and English.

All students who attend AIS can transfer to Norwegian schools at a later point if they so wish. This goes for those who graduate grade 10 as well as those who transfer to other Norwegian schools at any time during their education. The grade 10 students will have their IB grades converted into the Norwegian system for their high school applications.

The annual school fees for the 2024/25 school year are:

NOK 25.400,- for PYP

NOK 27.000,- for MYP

There is a discount for families with more than two children at the school. School fees can be paid in 1, 2 or 10 instalments.

The school fees are adjusted by the Board’s decision annually every August, in accordance with the consumer price index.

AIS reserves the right to review the Home-School Partnership Contract and to revise the School Fees at the beginning of each calendar year, giving proper notice of intention to parents/guardians.

No, we do not ask you to take any tests before we accept you at AIS.

Yes, normally the PPT will be contacted when a child requiring extra help joins AIS and the Individual Plan will continue at our school too.