Welcome To TKS
Welcome to TKS! I’m delighted you’re considering our school for your child. You join a warm, diverse, and supportive community in proud partnership with our friends and collaborators at KAUST.
We’re proud to offer the International Baccalaureate program, which is the perfect fit to meet the needs of our diverse and internationally minded community. You can read more about this rigorous curriculum in our Learning section. We focus on developing the whole child, which looks beyond the classroom and involves learning essential life skills through a dynamic range of athletics and activities.
To find out more about student life at TKS, follow us on our social media platforms and read our latest school magazine, TKS Wave.
TKS is a place where your child can find their passion and truly thrive. We look forward to welcoming your family to our wonderful community.
Dr. Leigh Martin
Admissions Director
Admissions to TKS
As part of KAUST's commitment to graduate students, faculty and staff, and their families, The KAUST School (TKS) provides an excellent education for the children of the KAUST community.
We welcome students from a wide range of countries, backgrounds, and abilities who wish to study an international curriculum with the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive an English-language education.
Eligibility
For your child to be eligible for admission and continued enrollment at TKS, they must:
- Be a resident of the KAUST community
- Meet the age requirements for their grade
- Possess the level of English required for the grade
- Demonstrate the ability to be successful, with limited learning support, in a rigorous academic environment.
We admit students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Learning support is available for students with mild-to-moderate learning needs, however, the academic requirements remain the same for all students. We are unfortunately unable to offer admission to students with learning support needs that are beyond mild to moderate.
Immunization Requirements
Students must be up to date with their immunizations before starting at TKS. Immunization requirements are based on the Saudi Ministry of Health schedule. The KAUST School Health Office checks the records of all incoming students and advises what, if any, immunizations are required for admission.
Our application process: step-by-step.
Submit your child’s application via Open Apply.
Parents will be contacted by the Admissions Team for any further clarifications.
You’ll receive a decision on your application through an Open Apply email.
Enrollment starts with a campus tour, a divisional meeting, submitting forms, finalizing start date, and orientation.
Welcome to TKS!
If you’re new to KAUST
Before you join the KAUST community, Human Resources, Graduate Affairs, or the KAUST Business Partner Team will provide the link to the TKS online application form. Applications must be submitted online. There’s no application fee with the initial submission.
Timing
Our school year begins in August. It’s divided into two semesters. Our first semester begins in August and our second semester starts in late January. We strongly recommend that your child joins the school at the beginning of a semester and does not arrive later than March 31 of the academic year.
We accept applications throughout the year, but encourage parents to apply:
- By June 1 for first-semester intake in August, and
- By December 1 for second-semester intake in January.
If you’re a current KAUST resident
If you’re a current KAUST resident, you should contact the Admissions Office with your primary KAUST ID number at: schooladmissions@kaust.edu.sa.
Timing
We open applications in March each year. New applications should be made as soon as possible, but no later than June 1. We schedule our parent sessions for Kindergarten 1 primarily in May, with some late sessions in August.
Admissions Process
Admissions Process
At TKS, we aim to make the application process as simple as possible. We’d love to hear from you. So, if you like what you see, and are part of KAUST community, please get in touch with our Admissions Office.
Tuition and Fees
The KAUST School (TKS) is a valuable benefit that KAUST provides to its eligible faculty, staff, and postgraduate students, free of charge. However, postdoctoral fellows are required to pay tuition for the third child enrolled at TKS.
Students admitted to TKS as dependents of eligible service providers, or business partners and consultants are liable for school tuition and fees. School fees are invoiced through KAUST Finance to the relevant service providers or business partners department, who then make their internal payment arrangements with their employees. The collection from consultants (including visiting faculty) is settled individually.
TKS issued Devices
Devices issued by The KAUST School that are broken or fail to work properly must be taken to the TKS IT Support for an evaluation of the equipment.
The student/parent will be responsible for the loss or damage of the laptop/information technology device whilst in their care. This also includes peripherals (eg. Charger)
In the case of stolen/lost/damaged devices or peripherals, a fee will be charged to parents to replace/repair the device. This fee will be determined by the KAUST IT department. (Please note as an estimate the cost of a damaged screen replacement is SAR. 1894 inclusive of VAT as of 1st June 2023 and prices vary based on the model and part availability at the time of repair.) Devices must be returned before the end of the school year for reimaging
Parents and employers should understand that the tuition is semester-based, and that the contract is for the entire semester. They will be responsible for the payment of the entire tuition regardless of the number of days of school that the student attends. If the student begins school after the beginning of the second semester, the tuition will be only one-half of a full year’s tuition plus the admission fee.
There is no tuition credit or waiver due to illness, vacation, school holidays, missed days due to suspension, expulsion, withdrawal, or other reasons. Students accessing intensive learning support services will be assessed an annual fee.
| Admissions fees |
Secondary School (G 6-12) |
Elementary School (G 1-5) |
KG (K 2-3) |
PK (K1) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 1,400 | 23,240 | 18,399 | 15,338 | 11,620 |
| SAR | 5,250 | 87,150 | 68,996 | 57,520 | 43,575 |
IT and materials charge
TKS charges a nominal IT & Materials Charge to contribute to the cost of technology, supplies, and materials. The monthly charge applies to all students enrolled in TKS via payroll deduction or direct payment over 12 months (August-July).
- Grades Pre-KG-G5: SR 160 per student per month
- Grades G6-G12: SR 225 per student per month
This charge will be deducted from the monthly payroll for KAUST employees and students. Non-KAUST employees will be invoiced separately for this charge.
TKS Charges FAQ’s
TKS Charges FAQ’s
Schools around the world include these charges in a variety of ways.
Some schools charge a rental fee for IT equipment and some require students to purchase their own equipment. It is very common for parents to purchase the students’ school supplies and those costs will vary by country.
No, the monthly charge is an offset that contributes towards the cost of both hardware and software, so simply bringing a computer will not satisfy this requirement.
Additionally, the computers used at TKS are managed by KAUST IT and monitored closely for security purposes. We will continue to provide the hardware and software via TKS and KAUST IT, supported by payment from families.
No, the monthly charge is for IT hardware and software as well as consumable materials. TKS orders materials both locally and internationally to ensure the best quality and consistency across all students and all grade levels.
The large majority of these costs are still being borne by KAUST, but this charge helps to offset the overall costs.
Charges will apply to all students.
No, because each child is given access to supplies, materials, IT hardware, and software, there is a cost for each child in attendance.
The students in the Early Years use a large quantity of consumable supplies and materials, which are provided to all students. Early Years students have the same 24/7 access to learning software, e-libraries, and age-appropriate online tools.
Yes, the damaged items must be repaired so that your child still has access to appropriate learning materials. The cost of repair is always the responsibility of the family.
TKS provides access to many current online resources that help to enhance the curriculum and education. Some of this software helps support students with their learning, and some tools provide an additional challenges for students to be stretched. In addition students from Pre-K - Grade 12 have access to comprehensive e-libraries.
With regard to hardware, TKS will continue to cycle through new devices at different grade levels each year. In addition, TKS continues to remain current with software and hardware to support design technology, robotics, and maker- spaces.
The charges will be assessed over 12 months.
KAUST continuously reviews community charges. This will be reviewed each year, and a determination will be made whether or not any adjustments are necessary.
Family Orientation Pack
Family Orientation Pack
Services and Contacts
You can find the Admissions Office in the Director’s Suite in the Secondary School building. The best way to
contact us is via email at schooladmissions@kaust.edu.sa.
You may need to contact us for:
- Pre-admission inquiries
- Re-enrollment for TKS students
- School exit clearance
- Enrollment Letter Pre-K - Grade 8
- Transcript Request for G9 -G12
- Report card request for G6 - G8
Admissions FAQ’s
Admissions FAQ’s
In determining grades TKS uses a strict cut-off date of by August 31 of the academic year for which they are applying.
- 3 years of age – K1
- 4 years of age – K2
- 5 years of age – K3
No, TKS admits students throughout the year, preferably by the end of March. It is recommended for high school students to start at the beginning of each semester due to graduation and credit requirements.
K1 admissions applications are accepted at the beginning of March for the upcoming school year. Applications for K1 will only be accepted from the time the child is 2.5 years old and above.
There are priority deadlines for K1 (May 1st) and Grades K2-G12 (May 1st for the first semester and December 1st for the second semester).
All applications are given the same consideration. For applications received after the priority deadlines, there may be a slight delay in starting school.
No, there is no fee with the application for admission.
After a completed application is submitted, the Admissions team processes and reviews the application.
Emails are sent acknowledging receipt of the application and will contain information about the next steps. Parents have access to all the application information in their admission portal account.
All applications will be assessed during the admissions process and this may include taking an entrance and/or placement test. Assessment and selection criteria include a review of report cards, grades, transcripts, recommendations, and standardized test results from the current and two most recent academic years.
No, all applications are processed and offered a place if eligible. Offers remain valid for one year, and academic records need to be updated every six months to maintain an open application.
Grade-level placements take into account the child’s previous academic background (i.e. have they already completed the same grade in an IB school or equivalent), their academic progress, and social and emotional factors.
If you are already on campus, school tours are available by contacting the Admissions Office at +966 12 808 6248 or emailing admissions@thekaustschool.org.
Yes, beyond expenses associated with PE uniforms, school supplies, and IT & Materials Charge for laptops for Grades 6-12, TKS offers a number of required and/or optional learning experiences that families should plan for.
Examples include school trips for arts, athletics, and additional activities for students during the KAUST Winter Enrichment Program week.