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The 2026 admissions calendar
The first thing to settle in Bangalore is which calendar a school follows, because the city runs two. The international and IB schools, including The International School Bangalore, Stonehill International School and the Canadian International School, work to an August to June academic year, so the working deadline for a September 2026 cohort runs through the preceding months and the main start is in August 2026. Many Indian-curriculum CBSE and ICSE schools instead run an April to March session, which shifts their main intake to the start of the year. Confirm the calendar of each school on your shortlist before you plan dates, because the two windows do not line up.
Within the international group there is rarely a hard cut-off. These schools admit on a rolling basis, subject to a place existing in the year group, and keep applications open through the year. The honest reading is that the deadline is set by demand rather than a date: a popular year group can fill well before August, so applying early widens your choice rather than meeting a fixed close. For the seasonal rhythm around term dates and holidays that shapes these windows, see our Bangalore school holidays and term dates 2026 guide.
Main intake points by school
The leading schools publish their own admissions structure, and knowing it tells you where the genuine deadlines bite. The table below summarises the confirmed pattern at three of the largest international campuses for the 2026 to 2027 year.
| School | Confirmed admissions pattern for 2026 |
|---|---|
| The International School Bangalore (TISB), Sarjapur | Accepts applications all year round, subject to grade availability; places students by age on 31 August of the year of entry; Open Mornings run January to April. |
| Stonehill International School, north Bangalore | Admits throughout the year where places exist across an August to June year; Grade 11 IB Diploma entrants must start at the beginning of the academic year. |
| Canadian International School (CIS), Yelahanka | Admissions open for Kindergarten through Grade 11 for 2026 to 2027 on an August to June calendar. |
Two points follow. First, rolling admission does not mean unlimited availability: schools add places on a first come basis, so an early file beats a late one for the same year group. Second, the IB Diploma entry in Grade 11 is the firmest deadline in the city, because the two year programme has to begin in August and cannot be joined part way through. For families weighing the IB route specifically, our IB curriculum hub explains how the Diploma intake differs from earlier entry, and the best Bangalore schools for university preparation shortlist shows which schools run it.
Not sure which deadlines apply to your child?
The school finder filters Bangalore schools by curriculum, area and entry year, so you can see which schools still have your year group open.
Use the school finderDocument and registration deadlines
The quiet deadline that derails more Bangalore applications than any form is paperwork and assessment. International schools typically ask for the child's prior school reports, a passport copy and proof of date of birth, and most add an entrance assessment or interview before they confirm a place; TISB, for instance, registers applicants for an assessment as part of its Open Mornings. Allow time for that chain, because an offer can wait on a completed file and a sat assessment. Registration and admission fees are charged at the point of applying or on accepting an offer rather than later, so budget for those alongside the deposit. Tuition itself is reviewed annually and billed ahead of the August start; our guide to international school fees in Bangalore sets out the bands and timing. If you want the application steps in order rather than the deadlines alone, our how to apply to international schools in Bangalore walkthrough covers the full sequence.
How to time your application
Three practical rules hold across the city. Begin the moment a move is likely rather than confirmed, because the assessment and reference chain is the slow link and the one you cannot accelerate at the school's end. Apply to a portfolio rather than a single school, mixing a first choice campus with one known to have rolling availability in your child's year. And confirm in writing whether an early enquiry counts as an application, because some schools only hold a place once the registration fee is paid. For families still deciding when in the year to move, our best time to move to Bangalore for schools guide weighs the August and mid-year entry points against the relocation calendar. Younger families can also see stage specific timing in our Bangalore primary schools guide.
Bangalore admissions deadlines 2026: FAQ
There is no single citywide deadline. Most international schools in Bangalore run an August to June academic year and admit on a rolling basis, subject to places in the year group, so applications stay open through the year rather than meeting one cut-off. The practical deadline is when a popular year group fills, which is why families aiming at the August 2026 intake are encouraged to apply months ahead. The IB Diploma entry in Grade 11 is the main exception, as it must start at the beginning of the academic year.
The International School Bangalore accepts applications all year round and assists with the process whenever a family applies, subject to grade availability. It places students by their age on 31 August of the year of entry and runs Open Mornings from January to April, so although there is no fixed deadline, applying within that window gives the widest choice for an August start.
The Grade 11 IB Diploma year is the one entry point that is tied to the start of the academic year in August. Schools such as Stonehill International School confirm that Grade 11 students must begin at the start of the year rather than join mid-session, because the two year Diploma cannot be picked up part way through. Apply well before the August 2026 start for this year group.
Both calendars exist in the city, so confirm which a school uses before timing an application. International and IB schools such as TISB, Stonehill and the Canadian International School run an August to June year. Many Indian-curriculum CBSE and ICSE schools instead run an April to March session, which shifts their main intake to the start of the year. Match your application to the calendar of the schools on your shortlist.