The Agnes Irwin School welcomes students from around the world to its 18-acre campus in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We are not able to provide housing in the form of “homestays” (with the exception of students enrolling from China through the Cambridge Institute in Boston, Massachusetts); however, we welcome students who will be moving to the area for a period of time with family members. For more about the Philadelphia area, visit
www.gophila.com.
International Students coming from China should work through the Cambridge Institute to apply to Agnes Irwin. Through an exclusive agency arrangement, we have partnered with the institute to help Chinese students work through the admission process and be properly placed. All applicants from China should direct their inquiries to the Cambridge Institute’s General Manager Zhou May at
mayz.cicbr@gmail.com.
The Agnes Irwin School is registered with SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, and is authorized to issue I-20s to international students so that they may acquire a F-1 Visa.
In addition to the regular application for admission, international students must conduct a Skype interview with our Director of Admission and submit a bank verified financial statement as per the procedure below.
APPLICATION DATES
Parents may submit the application with the application fee at any time. Our application deadline is December 15, and we occasionally are able to consider applications after the due date.
Step 1 – The Online Application
The online application is the gateway to our Admission Process. Once you begin the process, you can use your user name and password to log on and check the status of your application. A current photograph of your child is requested to help the Admission Committee put a face with a name!
Step 2 – Standardized Testing
Agnes Irwin requires the results of the Secondary School Admission Test or the Independent School Entrance Exam. If English is not your first language, we also require the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Step 3 - Request for Transcripts and Teacher Recommendations
We ask that you include the last two years of grade reports, including any testing results with your application. We do not require official transcripts directly from the student’s current school.
Step 4 – Birth Certificate and Immunization Records
We must have a copy of the student’s birth certificate and immunization records, translated into English.
Step 5 - Confidential Financial Statement
In order for Agnes Irwin to prepare to issue an I-20 form, United States Immigration and Naturalization Services require that all parents of applicants submit proof of their ability to support their child's studies. This documentation is usually required when applying for an F-1 visa, in which case you may submit a copy of the F-1 application instead of the Confidential Financial Statement.
Step 6 - Schedule an Admission Interview
When you have submitted your forms to the Admission Office and are ready for a family interview, please give us a call. Admission interviews generally take about 20 minutes and are an informal, “get-to-know-you” time in which we will also look for English proficiency. This process will take place through a Skype interview.
Step 7 - Agnes Irwin issues an I-20.
Once we have received enrollment paperwork, Agnes Irwin issues an I-20. A signed enrollment agreement with a $2,000 enrollment deposit is required from admitted students before the process for the I-20 can begin.
If you have any additional questions, contact Sally Keidel, Director of Admission, in the Admission Office at 610.526.1667 or email
skeidel@agnesirwin.org.