2021-22: Key Dates for Your Child’s Education
Are you looking to enrol your pre-schooler into an international or local school? Do you want to plan the family holidays around exams and results? Or do you need to know the application deadlines for universities in the US, UK and beyond? WhichSchoolAdvisor.com rounds up all the key dates in the 2021-22 academic calendar.
Included in this feature:
- Exam timetables and results days
- University application deadlines
- Key dates for IB, UK and Indian curricula
- School application deadlines
- Scholarships application
Exams and results
Find out when the exams are being held, and how long you'll need to wait until the results are out…
IB Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP)
May 2021 exams
April 29 to May 20, 2021
May 2021 exam results
July 5, 2021
UK curriculum schools
BTEC results
August 10, 2021
A Level, International A Level results
August 10, 2021
GCSE/IGCSE results
August 12, 2021
Indian curriculum schools
CBSE 10th and 12th exams
July 15, 2021
CBSE 10th and 12th results
August 15, 2021
University application deadlines
Applications to study at many of the most popular university countries in the world are due before the end of January.
UCAS: 2022 undergraduate entry
You can apply to UCAS for 2022 entry from September 7, 2021. The deadlines for application are:
October 15, 2021 – any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. (You can add choices with a different deadline later)
January 15, 2022 – for the majority of courses
US Ivy League: 2022 undergraduate entry
The most prestigious universities in the US include: Brown University (Providence); Columbia University (New York City); Cornell University (Ithaca, New York); Dartmouth College (New Hampshire); Harvard University (Massachusetts); University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania); Princeton University (New Jersey); and Yale University (Connecticut).
November 1, 2021 – deadline to apply for Early Action admission
January 1, 2022 – Regular Decision application deadline
However, Princeton University has announced that it will only offer one application deadline for the 2021-2022 cycle, which is January 1, 2022; this will allow students more time to take standardised tests in the autumn. Other US universities are expected to follow Princeton’s lead and cancel early decision applications.
Key dates for IB, UK and Indian curricula
Whether you are planning to move schools or country, make sure you understand when the key dates fall in your child’s education – for the IB Programmes, UK, US and Indian curricula.
International Baccalaureate Programme
IB Primary Years Programme
The IB PYP is studied over eight years from KG to Year 6/Grades 5 (three to 12 years) and exams are taken at the end of Year 13. Students complete a project-inquiry known as the PYP Exhibition in their final year of the programme.
IB Middle Years Programme
The IB MYP is studied over six years from Years 7-11/Grades 6-10 and exams are taken at the end of Year 13. All students complete an MYP Personal Project over an extended period of time in Year 11/Grade 10.
IB Diploma Programme or Career-related Programme
The IBDP/IBCP is studied over two years from Years 12-13/Grades 11-12 and exams are taken at the end of Year 13. Most students will choose the subjects they want to study for the IBDP towards the end of the first term of Year 11/Grade 10 (aged 15/16 years).
UK curriculum schools
GCSE/IGCSE
GCSE/IGCSEs are studied over two years from Years 10-11/Grades 9-10, and exams are taken at the end of Year 11. Most students will choose the subjects they want to study for GCSE/IGCSE towards the end of Year 9/Grade 8 (aged 13/14 years).
A/AS Level options
A/AS Levels are studied over two years from Years 12-13/Grades 11-12 and exams are taken at the end of Year 13.
Most students will choose the subjects they want to study for A/As Level towards the end of the first term of Year 11/Grade 10 (aged 15/16 years).
Indian curriculum schools
CBSE
Students studying the CBSE taken the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) in Grade 10, and the All India Senior School Certificate (AISSCE) at the end of Grade 12. Exams are taken in March/April.
School Applications
The majority of international schools across South East Asia and the Middle East do not operate an annual application system; instead, they accept applications throughout the year and for both the current year and future academic years.
There are some exceptions to this as listed below.
Singapore
MOE Primary
To apply to a local, Ministry of Edcuation-run primary school, you had to submit an online ‘indication of interest' form via the MOE P1 website from June 2 to 8, 2021. Those who did not do so by June 8, 2021 are not be able to register during Phase 3 of the P1 Registration Exercise. Applications for 2022 from international students are expected to be in the first week of June 2022.
MOE Secondary
The Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) is conducted by MOE around September or October each year for international students who wish to join an MOE secondary schools in January of the following year.
Hong Kong
English Schools Foundation (ESF)
Parents can submit ‘one’ online application for admission for the following academic year for an ESF primary or secondary school. The Central Applications process for 2022-21 will be open from September 1 to 30, 2021.
Scholarship applications for international schools
Schools typically require you to apply by March prior to the start of the academic year in September.
Each school has its own requirements and you should refer to the school’s website for information about who qualifies for the scholarship and how to apply – and always meet the application deadline.
