Compare American Curriculum International Schools in Timor leste

Aldea 04 Marconi, Suco Fatuhada, Sub Distrito Dom Alexio, Dili, Timor Leste

Preschool through Secondary School

International school

Students come from over 20 nationalities represented in the student body.

Intensive English; Counseling; Learning Support

All students have the option to use the student transportation service. Morning and afternoon pickups are near home and aim to arrive at QSI Dili between 7:50 am and 8:15 am; the van departs school at 3:30 pm. After-school activity transport is available at no extra charge and departs by 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. The driver is fully licensed and trained and meets U.S. Embassy specifications; vans are new or recent, with seat belts, stop signs, emergency exits, and cameras. A bus monitor is assigned. Fees may be paid by term or for the full school year; there is no discount program.

Cafeteria on campus

QSI International School of Dili is part of Quality Schools International (QSI), a global organization based in Malta that provides support and resources.

The QSI Dili Curriculum is built on Exit Outcomes: Knowledge, Competencies, and Success Orientations. Program Outcomes cover seven departments: Mathematics, English, Cultural Studies, Science, Languages Other Than English, Creative and Applied Arts, and Personal Health. Courses are organized into units, with most courses comprising about ten units per year, and students master each unit to earn an A or B grade or a P while continuing toward mastery. The Educational Model uses Time as a Resource and emphasizes Mastery Learning, with reteaching, differentiated instruction, and frequent status reports to keep parents informed. The curriculum is aligned with U.S. standards, including Common Core and NGSS, and is designed to prepare students for university through clearly defined outcomes, unit outcomes, and student-will objectives.

Class sizes are kept reasonably small. Intensive English classes are smaller than mainstream classes to allow teachers to target individual student needs more effectively.

An Advanced Placement program is offered to secondary students, providing university-level courses and rigorous prep for AP exams credentialed by the Educational Testing Service. Many U.S. colleges grant credit for AP scores of 3 and higher. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for university and life beyond school.

Counseling ensures all students are well adjusted, learn appropriate social skills, and receive extra support when needed. The elementary teachers and the counselor work to create and provide a comprehensive social emotional learning program for all students. The program supports students' social development and emotional wellbeing. Counseling and social emotional learning are delivered through the school's student services.

QSI Dili offers Learning Support and works with a regional Learning Support Coordinator to provide additional learning support for students identified with special educational needs. The curriculum is suited for students with aptitude in the average to above average range with no discernible learning differences, or those with diagnosed or undiagnosed learning differences that have a mild to moderate effect in day-to-day classroom performance, which can be mitigated by existing policies, procedures and resources. Some students with identified special needs may not meet the requirements of the curriculum, and accommodations to learning environments and, when necessary, modifications to the curriculum are provided. The school strives to provide the full conditions for all students, including those with special needs, to be successful in the QSI environment. Intensive English, Counseling, and Learning Support are available to address these needs.

Intensive English is designed for students whose English proficiency level is below that commonly associated with their age. The goal is to facilitate an accelerated learning environment in which students acquire English language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing to be successful in age-appropriate mainstream classes. Intensive English classes are smaller than mainstream classes to allow teachers to target individual student needs more effectively. The Intensive English program allows students to be successful at school and feel confident as learners.

Counseling ensures all students are well adjusted and receive extra support when needed. The elementary teachers and the counselor work to create and provide a comprehensive social emotional learning program for all students. The program supports mental wellbeing by addressing social skills and emotional development. These supports are part of the school's student services.

QSI Dili is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for students. All employees must report suspected incidences of child abuse or neglect when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered or is at risk. QSI Dili adheres to a comprehensive child protection policy and uses the QSI Child Protection Handbook (2022-2023), the QSI Child Protection Statement, and the QSI Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct governs safe student interactions and requires individuals to maintain appropriate boundaries and report concerns. If abuse or neglect is suspected, it must be reported to the appropriate school and local authorities; safeguarding is a top priority.

Join the QSI Dili community through a structured admissions process. 1. English language requirements: QSI Dili accepts students with no prior English from preschool through 13-year-olds; secondary students must demonstrate increasing language proficiency as determined by an English language assessment conducted at the school. 2. Entrance age and grade level: Students are assigned to classes according to their birthdays; QSID classes do not use traditional American terms; elementary classes are named by age (e.g., five-year-old class, six-year-old class). Exceptions to placement are made only through a meeting with the Director, after which the rationale is documented and the plan is signed by the parents. 3. Student placement: The MAP placement examination is given to applicants (7 years old and above) to determine placement, and covers reading, language arts and mathematics; a writing prompt may be administered at the secondary level to assess writing proficiency and credit transfer; the process also includes discussion of the student's academic, social, emotional and physical development, and screening by the classroom teacher during the first weeks. 4. Secondary credits: Some middle school students may have secondary credits from other institutions; such credits must be clearly stated as secondary level on transcripts to count toward graduation requirements; courses taken during Secondary I–IV years at another school may be eligible for transfer; the Director works with families to determine transfer credits; grades of A, B and C (or their national equivalents) may transfer; official transcripts are required. 5. Prerequisites for preschool: The child must turn three before November 1 to be admitted; exceptions may be approved by the school director; children must be toilet trained and able to feed themselves; they must demonstrate willingness and ability to engage with peers and be led by the teacher; exceptions require director approval. 6. Special needs: QSID may admit students with limited learning needs within the classroom's capacity; there is no resource department and there may be limitations; for students with moderate disabilities, evaluations, reports, IEPs or referrals may be required to help determine whether a program can be provided; admission may depend on family or sponsor providing additional school fees to cover professional services. 7. Intensive English: The Intensive English program provides additional instruction in verbal and written English, particularly for non-native speakers; its goal is to bring students to a level of academic English that allows transfer to regular classes as quickly as possible; students are assigned to levels to best meet individual needs; the content parallels Elementary literacy while building a foundation for academic success. 8. Placement and program structure: Preschool and Elementary serve ages 2 through 10–11; class sizes are small with between 6 and 10 students in Pre-K and 10–14 in Kindergarten and Elementary; each class has a lead teacher and an assistant; Music, Art, Languages Other Than English, Intensive English, Technology, and Physical Education are taught by specialists. 9. How to apply and contact: Applications are submitted through the Admission Application portal; for questions about the academic program contact Angela Warner (angela-warner@dili.qsi.org); for questions about admissions scheduling contact the Director, Audra Phelps (audra-phelps@dili.qsi.org). Location: Aldea 04 Marconi, Suco Fatuhada, Dili, Timor Leste; Phone: +670-332-2389.