Frequently asked questions (FAQs) on applying to UWC.

• The deadline for applications varies from one country to another. Please contact your national committee directly for accurate information.

• Several of our schools and colleges have strict age restrictions since all students share the same campus.
• Age restrictions also vary from country to country. Most of our national committees require students to be between the ages of 16 and 17 when they arrive to the colleges, but some accept applications from younger and older candidates.
• You need to contact your UWC national committee to confirm the age limits in your country.
• Simón Bolívar  UWC of Agriculture offers a tertiary level diploma in farming administration – this means that candidates to this college are already secondary high school graduates, usually aged 18 and 19 years old when they start at the college.

• No. Do not be discouraged from applying to UWC because of a lack of fluency in English. It is not a requirement to apply, but it can be one of the factors evaluated during selection.
• 11 of our 13 colleges/schools have English as their teaching language.
• UWC Costa Rica teaches in English and Spanish and Simón Bolívar UWC of Agriculture in Spanish. Fluency in either of these languages is not a pre-requisite.

• UWC does not offer scholarships for university or further tertiary education.

• The scholarships are provided either by the colleges or by the national committees through their own localised fundraising.
• Donors to UWC include philanthropists, private companies, governments and alumni.

• No. At our pre-university colleges, the UWC experience is two years long It is three years at Simón Bolívar UWC of agriculture. At our schools, there is more flexibility in the younger years but not for the IB Diploma years. There are no opportunities for transfer into or between the schools/colleges

• If you are a refugee or stateless person please contact UWC international office. We will be able to guide you as to what to do next.

• You are only able to apply to UWC through one national committee, regardless of the numbers of nationalities you have.
• Your first point of contact should be the national committee in the country you reside in, since virtually all selection processes will require you to attend personally.
• If this national committee is unable to accept your application, please contact the Committee in the other country that you hold a passport for.
• If neither national committee is able to accept your application, please contact UWC International Office for more information and guidance.

• First you should contact the national committee in the country where you live and ask if they accept applications from non-nationals.
• If the national committee tells you it is unable to consider your application because you are not a national/citizen, contact the national committee of the country where you are a national/citizen.
• If neither national committee is able to accept your application, please contact the UWC International Office  for more information and guidance.
• Please ensure that you provide sufficient time to make these enquiries in order to avoid missing an application deadline.