We've put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help you find the information you need about our school. If the information you're looking for isn't included below, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Admissions FAQs
Our admissions portal is open for new applications all year round, and also accepts applications for up to 3 years ahead. We usually start processing applications in December-January of the previous academic year, however there is a priority period for applications for siblings of current students in October-November.
To submit an application, please click here.
Yes - USI currently runs group tours at 10am on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during term time. To book a place on a tour, please submit an online enquiry and you will receive an email containing a link to our online tour booking system.
If there is no availability for your preferred dates or you wish to visit the school at another time, please email the Admissions Team and we will be happy to try and arrange a personal tour for you at a convenient time.
You should allow up to an hour for a full tour of the school.
If you are not in Qatar, you can watch our virtual tour video.
The admissions process differs slightly depending on the year group you are applying for.
FS1, FS2 and Year 1: Students are invited for an in-classroom observation with a member of teaching staff
Year 2-6: Previous/current school reports are reviewed. If there are no concerns, students are invited to take a CAT4 assessment and meet with a member of the Primary School academic team.
Year 7-10: Previous/current school reports are reviewed. If there are no concerns, students are invited to take a CAT4 assessment and meet with a member of the Head of Admissions or another member of the Admissions Team.
Year 12: Previous/current school reports are reviewed. If there are no concerns, students are invited to take a CAT4 assessment and meet with the Head of Sixth Form or Head of Secondary. If students are taking GCSEs or other exams, any offer of a place at USI will be conditional on the grades achieved.
In some cases we may ask students to come back for further assessment, which may take the form of a follow-up meeting/observation or a written assessment.
Once assessments and interviews have been completed, we aim to let you within one week if the place has been approved. If an offer is made, we will ask you to sign an enrolment agreement, and you will then receive an invoice for the registration fee of QAR 2,500. This needs to be paid in order to secure the place.
Yes - for most year groups.
For Years 2 and above, we can arrange for children to take the CAT4 assessment online and to have an online meeting with a member of staff - although it is always preferable to meet the students face-to-face if possible.
For Early Years and Year 1, online assessment is harder as we like to observe the children in a classroom setting - however it is possible in some cases. Please check with the Admissions Team, who will be able to confirm whether online an assessment is possible.
No - the children do not need a QID in order to submit an application.
They will, however, need a QID in order to start attending school.
There is no fee to submit an application for your child to enrol with USI.
For students going into Year 2 and above, there is a fee of QAR 300 for the CAT4 assessment.
There is a registration fee of QAR 2,500 to be paid once the admissions process is complete and we have been able to offer your child a place.
You can check our year group finder which shows which year group your child might be eligible for, based on their date of birth.
However, please note that the Ministry of Education in Qatar has strict regulations on children progressing from one year to the next, and in some cases this may supercede the date of birth. We can only accurately establish which year group your child should go into once we know which year group or grade level they are in at their current school.
Please click here for full details of USI's fees.
General FAQs
General contact details can be found HERE.
If your child is attending USI and you have a question regarding academics, your first point of contact is always their class teacher (for Early Years and Primary) or Form Tutor (for Secondary). If they cannot answer your question directly, they will forward it to the relevant member of staff.
The timings of the school day can be found here.
Office hours are 7am to 3pm, Sunday to Thursday - although hours may be reduced during school holidays.
The school will be on shortened hours during the Holy Month of Ramadan - details will be shared with parents closer to the start of Ramadan.
All of our policies can be found HERE.
If you have any questions about school policies, please contact reception@unitedschool.qa
USI's school uniform is supplied by Zaks.
You can find information about the uniform required for each year group HERE.
Zaks usually open a shop at the school towards the end of the summer break and on certain days during the first 2 weeks of each term - emails will be sent to parents informing them of the dates that the shop will be open.
At other times, uniform items can be purchased at the Zaks store or ordered online.
Yes, USI's bus service is operated by New Image. You can sign up to the bus service for just mornings, afternoons, or both. There are different packages depending on whether families live on or off The Pearl.
For more information about the bus service, please click here.
When students enroll with USI, parents will receive an email from the canteen app provider, Genio, with instructions for downloading the app and creating an account. Using the app, parents can top-up the balance on their child's canteen card, view menus and pre-order.
For students up to and including Year 3, canteen food must be pre-ordered (this can be done up to the previous evening).
Students from Year 4 upwards will be issued with a canteen card which they can use to make purchases. You may also pre-order to save queuing time.
All students have the option to bring a packed lunch from home.
More information about the school canteen can be found here.
USI's After School Activities are split into 2 categories:
1.Extra-curricular Activities run by USI teachers. These are included in tuition fees, and students can participate in up to 3 per week. At the beginning of each term, parents will be emailed a list of activities available on each day and will be able to submit their preferences.
2. Paid After School Activities run by external providers. These carry an additional fee which is paid directly to the provider. A list of the paid activities on offer can be found here.
Yes - our Parent Zone is our one-stop shop to find information for parents of currently enrolled students.
USI students follow an enhanced British Curriculum which blends the English National Curriculum with the cultures and norms of the local market.
An overview of the curriculum for each stage of the school can be found HERE.
There are also resources available for parents in our Parent Zone:
Primary School Resources
Secondary School Resources
The English National Curriculum is structured in the following Key Stages:
Early Years Foundation Stage - FS1 and FS2
Primary: Key Stage 1 - Years 1 and 2
Primary: Key Stage 2 - Years 3 to 6
Secondary: Key Stage 3 - Years 7 to 9
Secondary: Key Stage 4 (IGCSEs) - Years 10 and 11
Sixth Form: Key Stage 5 (A Levels) - Years 12 and 13
