Admissions
Admissions Policies
Based our mission to develop the whole person; intellectually, spiritually, morally and socially, through education, entrepreneurship, curiosity and creativity, the demand for a place at St. Mary’s is highly competitive. The admission policy is designed to ensure that the students who attend the school have the capacity to thrive within, and benefit from, all that the school offers. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the school and book an appointment to see the Head of Admissions or send in their enquiries via email at admissions@stmarys-tiko.org.
An Enquiry Form must be completed after which an interview is carried out by the Head of Admissions. If parents are in the country, they will be invited to the Office of Admissions for an informal interview. Prospective parents who are abroad will be interviewed via Google Meet, Zoom or by phone. After the interview, an application form will be issued by the Head of Admissions if appropriate.
It is important to note that the Office of Admissions will only communicate with a parent or legal guardian. If a child is in the care of an adult who is not the parent, the Office of Admissions requires a letter of authorization from the parent or parents stating that the adult is able to act on their behalf in the affairs of the child. It is advised to apply as early as possible as demand for places is high. Thank you for choosing to make St. Mary’s a part of your educational journey. We wish you well.
Selection
When submitting a student application to the school, a Registration Fee must be paid before the application is processed.
For the Registration Fee rates, please contact the Admissions Office to obtain the full fee schedule for this academic year, please visit the Admissions Office.
Stage 1: Completing the Application
Soft or hard copies of the completed application form are submitted to the Office of Admissions.
The registration fee can be paid online or paid at any Ecobank branch, into the School’s Account (see details in Guide). No other payment is required at this point. The fee is 200,000 CFAF and 300,000 CFAF for 1st and 2nd cycle students respectively.
NB: The School is unable to proceed with an application without all of step 1 being in place.
All applications are to be submitted to the Office of Admissions located in the administrative block.
As soon as the completed application is received, the file will undergo a detailed review by the Office of Admissions. If appropriate, the review will also involve Academic Management. All applications go to the Principal for final approval. Applications will be acknowledged within the working week. Parents will be notified by e-mail, so should ensure that all contact information on the application is correct.
If an application has been unsuccessful, parents will be notified by email and are required to indicate their intent to remain on the waiting list for the next academic year.
Stage 2: Entrance Assessments
English is the language of instruction, therefore, entrance exams are conducted in English
First Cycle entry assessments take place in April.
Lower 6th entrance examinations take place in August
Forms One to Three are tested in Math and English
Late entrants (expatriates and returnee Cameroonians) will be tested in August or as required.
Non-resident applicants may, at the discretion of the Head of Admissions, be tested in their country of residence.
Results and recommendations will be submitted to the Office of Admissions for evaluation in consultation with the sectional VPs and Principal.
Prospective locally domiciled students (and otherwise) are required to spend a day in the year group to which they have applied. This is to enable teachers to observe pupils in the school setting and fully assess whether the school can meet their needs.
Acceptance/ Denial of Placement
The decision to make an offer of admissions is always approved by the Principal
After the assessment, Parents/Guardians will receive notification by e-mail on whether their child will be offered a place or not.
Virtual Tour
Stages 3 and 4: Payment of Fees and submission of documentation
Once the child has received acceptance into the school, the appropriate admission and tuition fee payment must be paid within 30 days of the notification of admission. If the appropriate tuition fee is not paid within the given timeframe, the admitted student will be deemed withdrawn and the spot will be opened to students in the waiting list. When payment is made at our designated bank (please see fee schedule), the deposit slip must be submitted to the Accounts Office as proof of payment.
When the deposit slip from the bank is presented, an official receipt will be issued from the school.
Parents are informed of all mandatory documentation including medical reports and previous school reports and given a deadline for submission
A ‘Welcome to St. Mary’s College’ pack is given by the Office of Admissions
*Please note that all monetary transactions must be done through the Cashier, located at the Administrative Building.
Orientation and School-related information
The Office of Admissions provides orientation events for all new families which are repeated over the academic year.
An Information Pack is provided on uniforms and the daily requirements and procedures in the appropriate section(s) of the School.