Dalian American International School, International American School in Dalian

• Location: Dalian, China,
• Year of foundation: 2005,
• Number of students: about 800,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of studying: mixed.

Dalian American International School (DAIS) is one of the leading international schools in China, recognized by national and international ranking agencies and trusted by hundreds of foreign students from around the world. It offers programs for all stages of school education designed for children aged 3 to 18.

DAIS opened in 2005 when the local government set a goal to attract more foreign investors to the Liaoning region and simultaneously expand educational opportunities for Chinese students. The idea of creating an international school was supported by major companies Intel and International School Services — thanks to them, DAIS currently offers high-quality American courses, diplomas which can be obtained by both local and foreign students.

Dalian American International School provides students with extensive opportunities to achieve the best academic results, including comprehensive support from qualified teachers, a rich extracurricular program and a number of individual events that improve academic performance. Its students consistently maintain a high level of exam success and admission to leading universities around the world.

Teachers support students of all ages not only during the main classes, but also in an individual format, offering additional lessons with a breakdown of difficult subject topics. Senior students receive slightly more attention from both teachers and specialized staff of the academic department, as they have to pass important school exams. College admission consultants provide professional advice and support to students when transitioning from high school to university. From writing recommendations and letters to providing feedback on applications and conducting mock interviews — each student will receive all the necessary tools for successfully completing the application process and entering their chosen university.

DAIS academic programs cover all stages of school education:

• Early Years — 3-5 years,
• Elementary — 6-10 years,
• Middle School — 11-13 years,
• High School — 14-18 years.

The school offers several studying options: full-time, with accommodation for five or seven days a week. Students are accommodated in small residences, occupying four-bed furnished rooms with bathrooms and common relaxation areas. The campus houses Campus Village, representing a small university town where staff and teachers live, as well as some student families: apartments with several rooms, kitchens and bathrooms have been prepared here, all premises are fully furnished and equipped with household appliances and the necessary amenities for comfortable living.

Hot and cold dishes, snacks and drinks prepared according to recipes of national and international cuisine are served daily in the DAIS dining hall. Students can choose dishes in advance, as the full menu is available a week before it starts. If students do not want to arrange meals at school, they can bring packed lunches and healthy snacks with them.

In extracurricular time, students can participate in one of more than 100 thematic areas of leisure activities: from sports teams and music groups to an ecology club and a programming science community.  Among the sports sections are:

• Swimming,
• Basketball,
• Volleyball,
• Football,
• Badminton,
• Table tennis,
• Golf and others.

School teams participate in interschool and regional competitions, regularly training on extensive open fields and in indoor halls.

Popular directions include visual and performing arts: students attend classes in studios and halls where they can learn to play musical instruments, sing solo or in a choir, perform on stage, dance, or realize their talent in any other field of music, drama, painting.

Social activities are actively supported in extracurricular time: students participate in charity projects, visiting nursing homes, animal shelters, and environmental protection organizations. By helping the local community, they acquire important personal qualities and develop skills that will help them in the future.

Another exciting direction of the leisure program is annual trips — students go on excursions around the province and neighboring regions to study the culture and customs of local residents. In recent years, students have visited a remote primary school in Zhuanghe, went on a ski trip to Anbo, participated in Model UN, and explored exhibitions of historical and cultural museums in Liaoning Province.

Despite the fact that the school is closed during the summer months, short-term day courses are organized on its educational grounds for pupils of primary and secondary grades: they are created to immerse students in a language environment and develop creative, sports, and social skills.

• WASC, EARCOS, AAIE, ACAMIS, NESSIC accreditations,
• Cooperation with UNICEF, The Juilliard School, IMG Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
• Partner school of the International Schools Services (ISS),
• Best SAT results in the region in 2024-2025,
• 100% admission to colleges and universities,
• More than 30 nationalities among students,
• Teacher-student ratio — 1:6, high level of individual attention,
• Studying English and Chinese languages.

DAIS occupies a vast area of 166,500 square meters, located in one of Dalian's districts. The campus features approximately ten buildings — administrative, academic, residential and recreational — with open areas for sports, games and walks. Some of the distinguishing advantages of the campus are:

• Flexible learning spaces with interactive equipment,
• Specialized laboratories for practical preparation,
• Three libraries — elementary, middle and bilingual, including reading rooms, classrooms for individual and group work,
• Design laboratories with the latest technologies, 3D printers,
• Indoor and outdoor sports facilities: full-scale fields for team sports, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, a 25-meter heated swimming pool and much more.

The training area is fenced, under 24/7 video surveillance, and completely safe, so students can move around it freely.

The academic year runs from mid-August to early June and includes three semesters. Classes are held on weekdays, with weekends and holidays, as well as seasonal breaks, provided for rest.

The list of additional expenses will include:

• Registration and administrative fees,
• Medical insurance,
• Accommodation and meals,
• School transportation,
• Some extracurricular activities, such as trips and museum visits,
• Individual lessons in subjects, after-school clubs,
• Personal educational materials, school uniform,
• Personal expenses.

The admission process stipulates several stages:

• Completing the online application form, submitting documents and paying the admission fee,
• Attending an interview, taking entrance tests in mathematics, English,
• Receiving an official letter of acceptance,
• Paying for the program and starting classes.

Admissions staff support applicants at every stage of enrollment, providing all the necessary information.

According to statistics from previous years, 75% of DAIS graduates are admitted to the top 100 universities in the world, and the overall admission rate to colleges and universities reaches 89% annually.

The common requirements for all foreign applicants will be:

• Personal documents, including a foreign passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit,
• Academic transcripts from the previous place of study,
• Results of an international test confirming English language proficiency (however, this item is optional as all candidates take a test on campus upon admission).

Depending on the applicant's age, the admission criteria may vary slightly: the older the future student, the more solid their academic preparation should be.

The school offers a number of discounts to reduce tuition costs:

• "Discount for Years of Service" — after three full and consecutive years of study at DAIS, parents are entitled to a discount of 7000¥ per child.
• Sibling Discount — a 10% discount applies to the tuition fee for the third and subsequent children from one family.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision