REVISED JANUARY 2025
Thank you for your interest in Brent International School Baguio!
Our admissions process is designed to ensure that prospective students and their families experience a smooth and welcoming transition into our diverse and inclusive school community. At Brent International School Baguio, we value academic excellence, character development, and a strong sense of global citizenship. Families are encouraged to review our admissions requirements, submit the necessary documents, and schedule an interview and assessment. We are here to guide you through each step and look forward to assisting you in joining the Brent family.
It is recommended to call the school and arrange a scheduled appointment if you desire to meet with the Admissions Team for any reason.
Tours are provided for families with a serious interest in enrollment.
Applicants are admitted and retained on the basis of their ability to meet the academic, moral, and behavioral standards of Brent School.
The Admissions Team makes decisions in the best interest of the applicant, as well as in the interest of the specific grade level.
The right is reserved to refuse admission to any applicant who does not meet the admissions requirements. The right is also reserved to determine the placement of an accepted applicant in the grade level or subjects deemed most appropriate for the student’s success.
- The Admissions Team evaluates the following when considering an applicant for admission:
Entrance test results; - Review of academic records from a current or most recent school;
- Evaluations from a current or most recent school;
- English language proficiency;
- Presence of any learning differences, special needs, or giftedness; and,
- Interviews with the applicant and parent/s or guardian.
Entrance tests and interviews are scheduled individually throughout the year by appointment. The entrance tests are done Monday through Friday, and only when the complete application packet has been submitted.
Entrance and placements tests are only for Grade 1 and above, including former Brent students returning after one or more years of absence from Brent. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten applicants undergo an interview and skills assessment by the Guidance Counselor.
Please note that the admissions process may take one to two days to complete.
ACCEPTED
An applicant is approved for admission and the family pays the US$ 1,500 Slot Reservation Deposit and signs the Undertaking after the family’s receipt of the Approval for Admission. A formal Letter of Acceptance is given after payment of the Slot Reservation Deposit and signing of the Undertaking.
WAIT POOL
An applicant meets all admissions requirements and is approved for admission, but space is not available in the grade level or program. The family may choose to pay a refundable U.S. $600 to be placed on the wait pool. The applicant will be notified as soon as space becomes available. Brent International School Baguio offers no guarantee that a space will open. The name of the applicant will remain on the wait pool (only for the academic year accepted for) until a space opens or the application is withdrawn. It is advised to seek enrollment at another school to ensure the student is receiving an education while waiting for a slot to become available.
DENIED
An applicant is not approved for admission. The Admissions Team is not able to predict success for the applicant at Brent International School Baguio, either academically or behaviorally. A mandatory six‑month waiting period is required before a second application. The Admissions Office will keep the original application materials, and there is no need to pay the application fee if admission is sought within one year of the initial application. New academic records, confidential evaluation forms, and entrance tests are usually required for the second application.
The School decides on the grade placement of the student. For certain Lower School grades, placement may be decided according to age and appropriate level of ability, based upon the results of diagnostic tests. For higher grades, proof of satisfactory completion of the prerequisite grades will be necessary.
No student will be placed in a grade level without showing proof of satisfactory completion of the preceding grade. Brent International School Baguio’s program consists of six years beyond Grade 6. The “first year high school” of local schools does not correspond with the Upper School’s Grade 9.
Only students who have completed Grades 6, 7 and 8, or the equivalent in other school systems, are admitted to the Upper School. The table below gives both the required grades levels to be completed as well as the corresponding age brackets for our grades 9 to 12.
| BRENT GRADE LEVEL | GRADE COMPLETED OR EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF YEARS OF STUDY | AGE BRACKET |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | Grade 8 | 14-15 |
| Grade 10 | Grade 9 | 15-16 |
| Grade 11 | Grade 10 | 16-17 |
| Grade 12 | Grade 11 | 17-18 |
For certain subjects (e.g. Upper School Math and English), placement may be determined by one’s level of ability/achievement, result of a diagnostic test, past performance with teacher and head of department recommendations, endorsement by the Director for Academics or Principal and the approval of the Deputy Head or Headmaster.
Filipino applicants, as members of the international community, are most welcome to attend Brent International School Baguio. The Board of Trustees has limited the number of Filipino students, however, to not more than one third (1/3) of the total student population.
Students applying for admission in the Lower and Middle School, whose competence in the English language is not sufficient for them to participate actively in, and benefit from the regular instruction program, are enrolled also in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program. Only to be admitted are students whose Admission Tests indicate that they are at least at the required Level of Proficiency in the English Language.
Moreover, only ESL students who commit themselves to pursuing a full academic program with credit or obtaining the Brent Diploma will be considered for admission. The School does not admit applicants who want to learn only the English language.
A language cap for selective admission may be imposed on certain grades when and if the number of ESL students (in combination with LSS students) within the grade is at a 40% level.
IB is an internationally recognized and externally examined diploma program. It consists of two‑year courses spread over grades 11 and 12. As a result, it is rare to accept a new student into grade 12. If a course schedule can be made guaranteeing the student will meet graduation requirements, the student must begin school within the first quarter of grade 12.
For students with special learning needs, a detailed medical or psycho-educational report is required as one
supporting document. This must:
- Be up-to-date;
- Be legible, on paper with letterhead, signed and dated;
- State the title, name and professional credentials of the person (or persons) who has undertaken the evaluation and diagnosis of the candidate;
- State specifically the nature of the special need, and the tests or techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis;
- Describe the specific functional limitations arising from the disability; and,
- Include a summary (or conclusion) and recommendations of what special assessment arrangements are appropriate. Photocopies of documents are acceptable as these are kept in file, not to be returned.
Applicants with special learning needs are placed under the Learning Support Services (LSS) program of the school.
The LSS Team determines the level of the student.
In order to better serve the needs of students, the school may only admit no more than two (2) LSS students for every Grade level, but this is still dependent on the level of support needed by the applicant.
If a student is determined within the school year to be in need of the LSS program, medical documents are to be presented to Administrators as a prerequisite for re-admission in the succeeding school year.
Parents are reminded that their enrollment agreement obliges them to make prompt payment of all financial obligations, and their thorough cooperation will be most appreciated.
Late payments are subject to a penalty charge on the amount due. Report Cards and other School records will be withheld until the dues are settled in full. The School reserves the right to ask a student to withdraw due to nonpayment of financial obligations.
Boarding students whose parents live abroad should have a legally designated guardian who lives within the country.
For day students, while relatives are preferred, the legally designated guardian should be a resident of Baguio.
Guardians are the first contact of the school in cases of emergency and academic and behavioral concerns. Guardians act as the student’s “in loco parentis” and are expected to participate in the PTA affairs, Parent-Teacher Conferences and community activities. Guardians, moreover, have the responsibility of communicating to the student’s parents all concerns and matters regarding the student’s life and performance in school, and more importantly, as discussed and brought to their attention by The School.
Students who wish to transfer to another school and who need a copy(s) of their Transcript of Records may apply for an official transcript, provided that their accounts with the school are in good standing, a School Clearance form is completed, and that the request is made at least three working days in advance. A fee is charged for each copy.
Should a student withdraw from school one month or more before the closing of the school year, that student is required to complete a School Clearance form before he/she is given a narrative or anecdotal evaluation of performance with grades earned at date of departure.
The Registrar’s Office places a priority on keeping the records of graduating students updated because these records are needed to accompany applications for college admission. The transcript includes not only the student’s most recent academic ratings and rank in class, but also a list of the student’s current activities, honors, awards, and recognitions. Students may make sure that the Registrar’s Office has a complete list of their activities and honors for inclusion with the Transcript of Records.
The School considers all information on students to be confidential. Only the Headmaster, the Principals, the Registrar, the Guidance Counselor and the students’ teachers (with approval of the Registrar), may have access to a student’s files. No file may be taken out of either the Registrar’s or the Guidance Office.
The Registrar and the Guidance Counselor are responsible for the students’ files entrusted to their safekeeping.
The Registrar’s Office is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date information for each student. This information includes:
- Brent academic records;
- academic records from other school(s) attended;
- change of address/telephone number;
- name of the person(s) to be informed of student’s performance, to be notified in case of emergency, and to be billed by the Accounting Office.
The Guidance Office is responsible for all other student records and files.
The cooperation of all parents/guardians concerning the matter of change of address, etc. is both essential and deeply appreciated. The Registrar must be notified in this case.
The Board of Trustees determines the annual fees. Fees are to be paid at enrollment time, either for the whole year, or on a semester or quarter scheme. Other payment plans must be approved in advance by the Headmaster.
Fees are to be paid in US Dollars or in the Pesos equivalent on the day of payment. Students are officially enrolled only after all admission requirements are met and fee payments/payment arrangements have been done. The School reserves the right to refuse admissions and/or permission to sit for any official examination to any student who is delinquent in the payment of his or her accounts.
Reviewed yearly. Last Review : January 2025
Brent Baguio allows IB for all admitted students in good standing who would like to, to participate in the programme. Students transferring in 11th and 12th grade may be admitted after feasibility is approved by the IB Coordinator and Headmaster. To help students and parents decide if taking some or all IB courses is a good fit for them, they should take the following into consideration.
- The IB diploma requires students to take 3 subjects at Higher Level (HL) and 3 subjects at Standard Level (SL). Students must also complete the core program of Theory of Knowledge (TOK), CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) and the EE (Extended Essay) at the IB level. The Brent Diploma is awarded to IB diploma students, and to all students, who fulfill the Brent Baguio graduation requirements outlined in the Student-Parent Handbook.
- Students may opt not to take the IB diploma but rather take some courses for IB Course Results, at HL or SL level, while they pursue the Brent Diploma. For example, a student might take English A at the HL level and Biology at the SL level while taking Brent Diploma level courses in his/her remaining subjects.
- Students may decide not to pursue the IB diploma or IB Course Results and take all courses at the Brent Diploma level earning credit toward the Brent Diploma.
- All Brent students must complete the core program of Theory of Knowledge (TOK), CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) and the EE (Extended Essay) whether at the IB level or for Brent Diploma Credit. Students pursuing the Brent Diploma only (non-IB Diploma students) have the option of taking one or more of these courses for IB Course Results.
- All Brent students must take one course from each of the six groups listed below.
- Placement in a language A, B, or ab initio course is based on the student’s language ability as outlined in the school’s language policy.
- Please state your course preferences and we will try to arrange a class schedule based on your choices. Although there is no guarantee that you will be able to take the subject/level that you have chosen or that the subject/level will be available, we will do our best to arrange your preferred schedule.
- To enter IB subjects at the Gr. 11 level, you should satisfy the target grade criteria for that IB subject to expect to achieve success in the course. Students who miss out on meeting the target grade criteria for the IB Diploma must make an appointment with the IB Coordinator and the subject teachers concerned to discuss their course of study. Such students may be given a probationary period of study in a course or courses at the discretion of the IB Coordinator and Headmaster based on their standing.
- The following are the possible options in each of the compulsory six (6) groups. Fill in this section by circling your choices and having the form signed by the appropriate subject teacher.
- Any questions should be directed to the subject teacher and/or the IB Coordinator
- To remain in the IB programme, students must remain in good standing. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic grades or failure to adhere to Brent Baguio or the IB’s rules, could result in the student no longer remaining in the programme or not receiving credit for the course.
IB SUBJECT target grade criteria FOR STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 11
| IB SUBJECT | TARGET GRADE CRITERIA |
|---|---|
| IB ENGLISH A1 | Average grade of B in grade 10 English A |
| IB FILIPINO | Average grade of B in grade 10 Filipino |
| IB CHINESE Ab Initio / B | Average grade of B in grade 10 Chinese For B, this is upon the Chinese teacher’s recommendation |
| IB KOREAN | Some background in the language – to be discussed in interview w/ Teacher & IB Coordinator |
| IB BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | SL = Average grade of B in grade 10 English HL = SL requirement and Average grade of B in grade 10 Math Standard |
| IB HISTORY | SL = Average grade of B in grade 10 History & English HL = Average grade of B+ in grade 10 History & English |
| IB BIOLOGY | HL= Average grade of B+ in grade 10 Science SL = Average grade of B in grade 10 Science Average grade in grade 9 Biology will also be considered |
| IB CHEMISTRY | Average grade of B in grade 10 Science and Math |
| IB PHYSICS | Average grade of B in grade 10 Science. Average grade of B- in grade 10 Math Advanced or average grade of A- in Math Standard |
| IB MATHEMATICS: APPLICATIONS AND INTERPRETATION (HL/SL/BRENT DIPLOMA) | HL = Average grade of A in 10th Math |
| IB MATHEMATICS: ANALSIS AND APPROACHES (HL/SL/BRENT DIPLOMA) | HL = Average grade of A+ in 10th Math |
| IB ART | Average grade of B in grade 10 Art |
| IB THEATRE | Average grade of B in grade 10 English. Recommendation of English teacher. |
| IB ECONOMICS | SL = Average grade of B in grade 10 English & Social Sciences. HL= SL requisite |
Notes:
- Students wishing to pursue 4 HLs should have and maintain a GPA of 3.7 to expect to achieve success in the IB programme. Due to the demanding workload, taking 4 HL courses is generally discouraged unless necessary for university admissions.
- Average grade means average over the entire school year (grade 10).
- In addition to meeting the subject’s target grade criteria listed above, students should maintain a 3 or 4 Citizenship mark
throughout grade 10. - Any deviation from these target grade criteria is subject to the approval of administration.
Brent School reserves the right to refuse admission to any student who does not meet all the admission requirements. No student is officially enrolled until all admission requirements are met and fee payments/payment arrangements have been done.
The School Admissions Card, duly signed by the the Finance Officer and the Registrar, must be presented to the student’s Homeroom Teacher on the student’s first day of school.