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Frequently Asked Questions  
Where do ISM's students come from?We have more than 45 nationalities enrolled in International School Moshi. About one quarter are Tanzanian citizens, usually the children of local business people or of parents working for international organisations. Many of our expatriate families are working with the UN or for businesses involved with the flourishing tourist trade in this area of Tanzania. Others are working as medical personnel or as missionaries. In Moshi we have many children whose parents are working elsewhere in Africa and an increasing number of IB diploma students who have come from Europe or North America specifically to study in Africa for the last two years of their schooling.Who are the teaching staff?Our teaching staff are drawn from the UK, Canada, USA, Kenya, Tanzania and about eight other countries. The strong reputation that ISM has built up over many years enables us to employ a high quality teaching faculty, all well-qualified, and the majority experienced in teaching the subjects and curricula offered in the school. Continuing professional development is important to us as a school and ISM encourages all teachers to regularly attend workshops and conferences, hence upgrading their professional skills.Are ISM students successful in entering university?The IB Diploma programme is an excellent passport to university admission in most countries across the globe. About 40% of our students enter UK universities after graduating, another 40% go to the USA or Canada, and most others enter universities in Europe, South Africa or Australia. We are a center for SAT and TOEFL tests and assist our students in preparing for the SAT to facilitate entry to American colleges. A list of universities who recently offered places to our students is to be found on the ISM Profile.My son wants to join a British University. Will the IB diploma help him?The IB Diploma is very well recognised in the UK and is rated as a superior qualification to A Levels by the university admissions body (UCAS). Read a comparsion between IB Diploma and A Levels here.Although I am living in the USA, my daughter wishes to join your IB diploma programme for 2 years. Is this possible?Yes - we welcome applications from students planning a two year educational experience in Africa before joining university or college. With our boarding facilities on the Moshi Campus we can offer a secure and safe environment for your child, whilst he/she develops the independence and maturity for college life. Students can benefit from a superb educational programme whilst enjoying our Outdoor Pursuits trips in one of the most spectacular environments imagineable and participating in thought-provoking and possibly life-changing community service activities. We can assist with air travel, visas and any other arrangements.Can I get a reduction in the fees?ISM's only source of income is from fees and we do not currently have any external funds to support applicants. However families can apply for assistance with fees based on financial circumstances. If you wish to apply for a remission based on financial need, please request a remission application form from (Moshi Campus) or from (Arusha Campus). Applications for remission are considered confidentially by a remissions committee and some small reductions in the fees may be possible.ISM is also currently offering a special fees package for boarders up to M5 (Tanzanian Form 4 - US Grade 10) which will allow new boarders to join the school for only $4000 more than a day student. Click here for details of the special fees package. Do you have any bursaries or scholarships?Yes - there are a few bursaries available for academically able secondary students. These bursaries can provide a 25% reduction in tuition fees. Further details are given on our Bursaries Page.Our scholarship programme is currently only open to Tanzanian students who complete Form 4 with excellent CSEE results. Click here for further details of our scholarship programme. Can students join the school at any time?Our school community includes many exptriate families who move from one posting to another at diferent times of the year. We are happy to admit students at any stage of the school year and will work hard to help them settle in this new environment.Because of the demanding nature of the IB Diploma programme and its two-year duration, we are usually only able to accept students in the first few months of the school year (August-January) in D1 (Grade 11). We can only admit students to D2 (Grade 12) if transferring from another IB Diploma school. What is the deadline for application?Because we can admit students at any stage in the school year, we do not have an application deadline. However we do advise you to apply in plenty of time so as to be certain of securing a place.Is there an application fee?No - there is no fee for submitting an application for admission.Do students need to take tests or have an interview before being admitted?Although we welcome the opportunity to meet families and to discuss admission with new students, we recognise that many families may apply for places whilst outside Tanzania and therefore we do not require an interview for admission. Usually we can offer places based on previous school records, results, reports or references which can be sent to us by post, email or fax. In some special circumstances we may request additional information or, if previous school records are not available or are insufficient, we may ask a student to take placement tests.Students applying for a bursary place are expected to have an interview and tests in Moshi or Arusha. Will the International Baccalaureate Curriculum be recognised in my own countryThe International Baccalaureate PYP, MYP and Diploma programmes are well-recognised world-wide and many countries prefer to admit IB students rather than those from their national systems. You can read more details on IB recognition in your home country by clicking here to access the IBO website.Can my child take IGCSE exams in ISM?We are no longer a centre for IGCSE examinations and all our students in grades 6 to 10 (M1 to M5) take the IB Middle Years Programme, which we believe is a better preparation for the academic study to come.What about children who have Special Educational Needs?Both campuses have a special needs teacher who will support and encourage the particular learning needs of the students. We are happy to offer admission to any student who we feel can benefit from the educational programme and additional support that we can provide. When applying for admission, please provide any appropriate reports that will help ISM to determine how best we can support your child.My child cannot speak English. Can he/she be admitted?We have an English as a Second Language (ESL) programme specifically designed for the needs of students learning English. Generally students will join their mainstream classes for many regular lessons and will also receive additional English language support at other times. It is difficult for us to admit students who have no English at all to our diploma programme, because of the academic demands at this level; in such cases we would usually offer a year in M5 first to enable the student to acquire a good standard of English.I will only be in Tanzania for 4 months. Can my child join the school?If space is available, we are pleased to admit students for a short stay in ISM. Please apply for admission in the usual way. If your stay is very short (less than one month), you may also be exempt from payment of the Capital Development Fee.What happens after I submit the application form?Within a short while you should receive a letter from us either asking for additional information or offering a place in the school. Once a place has been offered you will also be sent a health form and possibly some other forms to complete as well as some additional handbooks. You should also receive an invoice detailing the amounts to be paid and available methods of payment. Payments for the beginning of a school year need to be made by the 1st July preceding; at other times of the year, invoices allow one month before payment becomes due.Is Tanzania a safe country to live in?Moshi and Arusha are towns in the north of Tanzania a long way from the main city of Dar es Salaam. Whilst we do not have all the facilities of a first world city, we also escape from many of the difficulties of living in a developed metropolis. Both of ISM's campuses are outside the towns in quiet and secluded surroundings. Many ISM families have lived in this region for a very long time and will attest to the safety and pleasure of living in this outstanding environment.What about medical facilities?The Moshi Campus neighbours the main teaching hospital in northern Tanzania, KCMC, and many of the doctors' children attend ISM. Both KCMC and the Selian Hospital in Arusha can provide immediate medical care as needed, and there are also facilities to evacuate to the excellent hospitals in Nairobi in the event of an emergency. Moshi Campus maintains a health centre with a nurse on duty at all times and a private doctor on call.Malaria does occur in this area and you are advised to consult your doctor about malarial prophylaxis. You are also advised to take out appropriate medical insurance for your stay in the country. What standards of behaviour do you expect from boarding students?Our students come from many different backgrounds and sets of family expectations. When they join our boarding school community it is necessary to accept the expectations of this community which may be different from those at home. Our aim is to provide a clear structure and straightforward set of expectations for our students that will guide them later in their lives when they have greater independence. We publish a Secondary Student's Handbook and a Boarding Handbook which contain guidelines for students. Each student is also given a document containing our Expectations.Return to home page |