Admissions timing: the calendar by city

Three timing models you'll encounter

International school admissions cycles fall into three broad patterns. Knowing which pattern applies to your destination city is the difference between a calm shortlist and a panicked scramble.

The "urgent" cities have severely capacity-constrained Tier 1 inventory. Top schools in Singapore, Hong Kong, Geneva and parts of Dubai have multi-year waitlists for popular year groups. If you can apply 18 months out, do.

The "moderate" cities have one or two clearly-defined admissions cycles per year (typically September and January entries) with most decisions made 6 to 9 months in advance. Most European, North American and many Middle Eastern cities fit here.

The "rolling" cities accept applications year-round with relatively short turnaround. Bangkok, KL, Lisbon and most emerging hubs sit in this category. Capacity is rarely the binding constraint; matching the right child to the right school is.

The full city-by-city timing table

The table below covers all 50 cities we track. "Apply by" is the date to have applications submitted for September 2026 entry. "Critical year groups" are the year groups where waitlists are longest and where the timing pressure is most acute.

Cities with non-September academic years

A trap families regularly fall into: assuming all international schools start in September. Several major destination cities run non-September cycles, which both extends and compresses the planning timeline depending on direction.

• Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland: late January or early February start. Apply by August of the year before.
• Tokyo, Seoul: most international schools follow the August/September cycle, but some local-curriculum bilingual schools follow the April Japanese/Korean cycle.
• Mexico City, Sao Paulo: many schools follow the local August (Mexico) or February (Brazil) cycle.
• Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore: April start at most CBSE-aligned schools; September at international-curriculum schools.

If you are moving from a September-cycle city to a non-September-cycle city (or vice versa), expect a 4 to 8 month gap or overlap. Many families use that window for an intensive language programme, an exchange experience, or a structured family travel plan rather than treating it as wasted time.

What "rolling" actually means

Rolling admissions sounds reassuring, but it does not mean unlimited capacity. It means there is no fixed cycle date. Schools with rolling admissions still fill specific year groups, and once full, late applications go to a waitlist or get redirected to a sister school. In Bangkok and KL, where most schools roll, the practical upshot is that 4 to 6 months ahead is comfortable for most year groups, but Y7 (the most popular entry point) and Y12 IB intake can fill 12 months ahead at top schools.

Working back from "first day of school"

For September 2026 entry, the timeline most families should aim for, working backwards from first day of school:

1. September 2026: First day of school.
2. July to August 2026: Pack, ship, fly, settle.
3. April to June 2026: Visa approval, deposit paid, housing identified, healthcare arranged.
4. February to March 2026: Offer letters received, place accepted, deposit paid.
5. October 2025 to January 2026: School tours (in person where possible), applications submitted.
6. July to September 2025: Shortlist, financial planning, registration fees paid.
7. March to June 2025: Decision made on destination city. Reading our city guides begins.

This timeline gives you slack to recover from any single delay. Visa rejections happen, school offers fall through, family circumstances change. A 12-month runway is not over-cautious; it is the buffer most relocations need.

Related guides

• How to actually move up a waitlist
• How to choose an international school
• The Singapore school shortage isn't going away
• Dubai's international-school glut: who survives
• The Relocate Hub: banking, insurance, housing, visas