Admissions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What’s BIS Charlotte’s mission or educational philosophy?

  Our educational philosophy is "Create Your Future." This emphasizes the importance of empowering students to take an active role in shaping their own futures. We recognize that every student is unique and has their own strengths, interests, and goals. We place a strong emphasis on personalized learning and providing students with the tools and resources they need to pursue their individual passions and achieve their goals.
• How many students does BIS Charlotte have? How diverse is the student body?

  Our student body of about 200 students is a vibrant and diverse community, representing over 20 nationalities from all over the world. Our multicultural environment provides an exciting opportunity for students to learn from and appreciate different perspectives and cultures from around the world.
• What’s the student-teacher ratio?

  • 18–24-month Program: 1:5 teacher to student ratio (10 students max)
  • 2-year Nursery Program: 1:7 teacher to student ratio (14 students max) 
  • All other classes: 1:20 teacher to student ratio
• Is the atmosphere competitive or more nurturing?

  We believe that every child is unique and has their own learning style. We provide a nurturing environment with a personalized approach to learning for all ages, where students can thrive and achieve their full personal potential.
  
  Our small class sizes allow our teachers to get to know each child on an individual level, building strong relationships based on trust, respect, and open communication. This enables our teachers to tailor their teaching approach to meet the specific needs of each student, providing them with the support and guidance they need to succeed.
• What's the advantage of the British educational style over the American way of teaching and learning?

  The British educational system places greater emphasis on what educator's call “inquiry-based learning” than in the American system. This means that, through the UK curriculum and approach, there’s a greater focus on encouraging students to ask questions, investigate problems, and develop their critical thinking skills.
  
  One of the ways this is reflected in the British approach is by continually using open-ended questions and discussions in the classroom. Teachers may pose questions to their students, encouraging them to explore different perspectives and come up with their own ideas and interpretations. This approach empowers students, because they’ll have more agency, self-direction, and motivation in their learning as they relate it to their existing knowledge and experience.
  
  UK-trained teachers also know very well how to deliver differentiated learning as part of their teaching certification. This means that although they may teach the same lesson to a group of students, they can proceed to tailor the level of difficulty to each child’s goals, interests, and needs, so each child can advance with the right amount of support or challenge for their development. To complement this approach, UK-trained teachers are also well experienced in assessing students’ personalized learning styles and adapting instruction accordingly.
• At BIS Charlotte, are there other charges, such as for books, lab fees, transportation, and so on?

  You can find further information regarding any additional fees here.
• What financing options or financial aid does BIS Charlotte offer?

  Families who are interested in applying for a need-based scholarship are welcome to submit a TADS form for review.