ICS Milan International School
Description of ICS Milan International School
- Location: Milan, Italy,
- Number of students: about 950,
- Language of instruction: English,
- Type: mixed.
ICS Milan International School is an international school that offers programs for children from one year to 18 years old. Despite the location of the institution in Italy, all courses are taught in English.
Students gain competitive knowledge and experience through internationally recognized programs: the Early Years Foundation Stage for the youngest, the IPC and Cambridge Mathematics and English programs for primary grades, the Middle Year Programme for secondary school students and the IBDP (International Baccalaureate Program) for high school students.
The institution is a member of Europe's leading IB group of schools and has four affiliated schools located in the UK, France and Italy. Originally opened in Milan, ICS Milan International School later acquired four campuses, each of which is designed to educate children depending on age.
The student staff of the university has more than 950 students, most of whom are representatives of Italy, about 50 students are foreigners.
Programs and prices, tuition fees in ICS Milan International School
Early Years Foundation
- Age - from one year to five years,
- The term of study is four years.
The Early Years Program is a diverse curriculum for the youngest students from one to five years old. It is a step-by-step development of important personal, social, academic, physical skills in a comfortable and safe atmosphere.
The Early Years Foundation has two subprograms, each of which meets the needs of the child's specific age:
- Nursery: from one to three years old is a game program for better adaptation of children to the educational atmosphere. Pupils explore a lot, communicate, study the world around them and have the opportunity to gain versatile experience that creates a strong base for further education.
- Kindergarten: from three to five years old - the same game atmosphere, but with a more structured class schedule and more lectures, time to communicate with teachers on academic topics. At this stage, a more in-depth study of the world around us, participation in collective activities and the development of the emotional, social qualities of each student begins.
Due to the fact that all teachers are native English speakers, at the earliest stages of education, children are in a multicultural environment and gain experience of multilingualism - among the students there are foreigners and locals.
Primary School, Primary School
- Age - from six to 11 years,
- The term of study is six years.
The primary school at ICS Milan International School is an international curriculum aimed at developing creative and critical thinking through practical experience and gaining a variety of skills, unlocking the potential of each student.
The primary school curriculum consists of Cambridge (English, mathematics) and IPC (natural and social sciences, geography, history, art) programs, which gives students the opportunity to study a wide range of disciplines, broadening their horizons and gaining important knowledge. Teachers encourage the development of critical and analytical thinking, freedom of thought and expression, attach great importance to cultural differences and curiosity, as they believe that these factors are the driving force of learning.
The predominant language among students and teachers in the classroom is English (80%), but speaking practice and reading are the most important areas of learning for young researchers. The curriculum includes a variety of activities and activities aimed at developing a rich and diverse vocabulary.
Classroom activities are active learning with hands-on tasks, research activities, interactive resources, and group work. Teachers use songs, videos, role-plays, and mind diagrams to help children absorb knowledge faster and deepen their understanding of topics, and make connections between different areas of the curriculum.
IB Middle Years Programme
- Age - from 11 to 16 years,
- The term of study is five years.
Students in grades 7-11 are taught in key elements of the Italian state curriculum, which is integrated into the International Baccalaureate Middle School curriculum. This approach allows students from Italy to prepare for the state language exams, which are not mandatory for foreign students.
The Middle Years Programme consists of seven subject areas:
- Language and literature: English and Italian,
- Language acquisition: Spanish, French, English, Italian,
- Individuals and Societies: Geography, History, Man and Society,
- Mathematics: standard level,
- Science
- Art: performing (drama, music), visual,
- Physical and Health Education: Theory and Practice.
Each subject group consists of at least 50 hours of study annually. For senior high school, there is an opportunity to choose the disciplines you like the most and attend classes in six groups out of eight.
Each year, students are required to take part in one collective research module, composed of two subjects. Also, a prerequisite for graduating from middle school is a completed long-term project on an individual topic.
IB Diploma Programme (IBDP)
- Age - from 16 to 18 years,
- The term of study is two years.
The diploma program of the senior 12-13 grades of the school is a fusion of six subject groups and three academic elements.
Students need to choose one subject from six groups:
- Language and Literature,
- Language acquisition,
- Man and society,
- Mathematics
- Science
- Art.
Three additional training elements can be completed in parallel with training in selected disciplines. The results will help to enter the selected universities and prove the high level of knowledge and skills of the graduate.
- Extended Essay (EE): research on an individual topic in the form of a 4000-word article,
- Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS): improving creativity and working to support the community,
- Theory of Knowledge (ToK): A project about the nature of knowledge and critical thinking.
Summer School, Summer School
- Age - from one year to 12 years,
- Dates – July,
- The duration of training is from one week.
Every year, the school presents exciting summer programs for students from one year to 12 years old. Children are divided into three campuses: Symbiosis (4-12 years old), Colletta (1-5 years old), Milano2 (1-5 years old) and participate in a variety of activities, language classes.
- The program for the youngest students (from one to five years old) consists of four weeks of games and activities on various topics. During the training, children will be engaged in art, sports, social activities and learning English, will take part in a mini-show.
- The program for children from 6 to 12 years old is participation in STEAM activities, research in the field of science, engineering, art and mathematics + English classes. Students will have the opportunity to try themselves in a variety of sports, engage in fine and performing arts and go on excursions to the sights and natural beauties of Italy.
Accommodation, meals, prices
The school has no residential buildings.
Students receive daily lunches and afternoon snacks prepared with fresh ingredients on a balanced, healthy menu. Meals are included in the price of the programs.
Activities ICS Milan International School
The ICS infrastructure allows students not only to gain competitive knowledge, but also to develop physical, creative and social abilities. The campus provides specialized laboratories:
- Learning languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Spanish and Italian,
- Circles: journalism, cooking, arts and crafts,
- In-depth study of subjects: mathematics, computer technology,
- Performing Arts Sections: Drama, Dance,
- Sports: yoga, capoeira, judo, fitness and athletics, football, tennis, swimming and other water sports,
- Music: choir, orchestra, playing musical instruments.
During the academic year, collective events are regularly held on the ICS territories: from literary evenings and intellectual games to festive concerts and scientific seminars.
Advantages
- Recognition by the Italian Ministry of Education as Scuola Paritaria and Parificata,
- Authorized Institution for Teaching International Baccalaureate Programs: Middle and High School,
- School uniforms with distinctive signs,
- After-school childcare services,
- Qualified teachers, most of whom have doctoral degrees,
- The average number of students per class is 20 people, with each teacher having an assistant teacher.
Facilities and equipment at ICS Milan International School
The International School of Milan has four city campuses.
- ICS Symbiosis: Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary Schools
On this educational area of 10,000 sq.m. Premises have been prepared for teaching children from 4 to 18 years old. This is the only campus for adult schoolchildren, so it is the largest and most technologically advanced: classrooms with interactive technologies, an indoor gym and a semi-Olympic 25-meter swimming pool, outdoor areas for games and much more.
- ICS Colletta: Nursery & Kindergarten
The campus accepts children from one to five years old and has a comfortable territory adapted for young researchers. With an area of 1600 square meters, the campus includes a large swimming pool, two separate playgrounds, innovative laboratories for exciting research, spacious classrooms with a variety of materials to get a positive experience from classes.
- ICS Tenca: Kindergarten, Primary School
Large and bright classrooms, a closed and safe courtyard for games, a warm pool at any time of the year - all this is located almost in the center of Milan.
- ICS Milano2: Preschool Department
The newest campus, planning the first intake of students from September 2024. Classes for preschoolers based on the bilingual British program are planned here.
The institution provides its pupils with transfers for safe and comfortable movement between campuses and to their place of residence.
Admission dates and extra charges
The education begins in early September and continues until the end of June. During the school year, weekends are organized: Saturdays and Sundays, in honor of national, international holidays. Holidays are provided every season.
The weekly schedule includes five school days: Monday-Friday. Classes are held in the morning, and in the second half of the day the staff organizes activities and excursions.
An approximate list of additional costs:
- Registration fee: upon admission and annually,
- Educational trips,
- Artistic performances and events,
- School uniforms and teaching materials,
- Individual digital device, starting from the second class,
- Annual school transfer fee,
- Personal expenses.
Enrolment process
The registration process includes several stages:
- Filling out an online application form for the admissions office to clarify the available places in the class, admission conditions,
- Upon receipt of a positive response - filling out an application and providing documents, paying the registration fee,
- Visiting the campus for interviews and entrance tests,
- Filling out the latest forms for assignment to classes, applications for additional services, such as language support,
- The beginning of education.
Perspectives
The IB Diploma earned by high school students upon graduation provides graduates with the opportunity to gain admission to top universities around the world.
Entry requirements, how to apply, what is required to enrol
There are no special requirements for admission to the preschool department for students from one to five years old. If the student has already studied in kindergarten and has educational documents, reports or letters of recommendation, the staff will definitely consider them. From a linguistic point of view, there are no criteria for admission, since the level of knowledge will be checked at the interview, but will not radically affect enrollment.
Prospective students in elementary, middle and high school should provide:
- The last two school reports,
- CAT4 testing, aimed at identifying mental abilities,
- Certificate confirming the level of knowledge of the English language, if any.
Each foreign candidate must have personal documents: passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit for long-term study in Italy. All documents must be translated into English and certified.
Institution on the map
Residence permits, citizenship and other services
- Guardianship services during the studies
- Student supervision
Review about ICS Milan International School
Recommendations on when to apply
| Language courses, schools and children's language camps | Primary and secondary education - private schools | Preparation programmes for entering universities - higher education | Higher education (after completing accredited programs A-level, IB, High School) - Bachelor, Master, MBA |
| - we recommend to apply 6-9 months before the start of the course (some camps and schools offer discounts for early booking or for lengthy study programs) - there are some very popular and high demand children's camps, where the applications need to be submitted 1 year in advance (in particular Switzerland , Great Britain , USA , Canada , Austria) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the training program, - some schools have a specific time frame (September-November - please specify an individual school) - some schools require tests in several stages (UKISET, internal tests of the school: English, mathematics, logics, subjects, interview, some require a personal visit) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the program, - for Foundation and Pathway programs, IELTS and TOEFL certificates are usually required, respectively | - recommended submission one year before the start of the program, - the deadline normally closes in January, for TOP HEIs and, as a rule, in March in other universities - for a bachelor, a Foundation or Pathway preparatory program a completed A-level, IB, High School + IELTS / TOEFL are required - for Masters you need a graduated higher education, in some cases you need a pre-Masters program - MBA requires completed higher education, work experience preferably at least 2-3 years, etc. |
