What documents do you need to enroll a child in a Bali international school?

Every school in Bali runs its own admissions process, but the paperwork overlaps a lot. Expect to provide your child's birth certificate, passport (plus a copy of the parents' passports), and proof of current visa status, whether that's a tourist visa, KITAS, or KITAP. Some schools, especially larger ones with many nationalities, will ask for the birth certificate to be translated into English or legalized if it's not already in that language. You'll also need recent passport style photos of your child for the student file and ID card.

Academic history matters too. Bring report cards or transcripts from the last one to two years of schooling, and a transfer or reference letter from the previous school if your child is moving mid year. Younger children starting preschool or kindergarten usually skip this step, but older applicants may sit a short placement assessment in English and math so the school can place them in the right grade. Immunization records are commonly requested as well, partly for the school's own health file and partly because some schools ask before a child can join sports or swimming.

Because good schools in Bali often have a waiting list, it helps to understand how admissions and waiting lists actually work before you gather paperwork, since some schools want a deposit alongside the documents to hold a seat. If you haven't settled on a school yet, it's worth checking what international school options exist across the island first, since the admissions paperwork and deadlines differ between them. Once you're accepted, keep your documents handy for the enrollment contract stage, where you'll also want to understand how tuition and other fees are structured so there are no surprises on the invoice.