UWC is a global movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. Our schools and colleges provide a transformative education that combines academic excellence with experiential learning, empowering young people to discover that change is possible and that they can make it happen.

UWC is committed to expanding access to this model, particularly in underserved regions. We welcome interest from existing institutions that wish to join the UWC movement and from individuals and groups developing new school concepts inspired by UWC’s educational model.

Two distinct UWC models

UWC offers two distinct school models, each designed to deliver a transformative education through UWC’s mission and values.

• UWC colleges: These institutions focus exclusively on the final two years of secondary education, offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) to students from around the world.
• UWC schools: These institutions provide a broader educational experience beyond the final two years of the IBDP or IBCP. Some UWC schools start from kindergarten or early secondary years, while others operate as three-year programmes with a pre-IBDP year. Regardless of length, UWC schools ensure that the IBDP/CP years remain the largest cohort, allowing for a diverse intake of students.

In both cases, IBDP or IBCP students are selected through UWC’s global network of national committees, ensuring a deliberately diverse, mission-aligned community.

Key features of a UWC school or college

Becoming a UWC school or college means aligning with UWC’s mission and educational model. This has distinctive features, including but not limited to:

• Mission-aligned learning: Academics are integrated with experiential education, social impact, service learning and student-led activities that reflect local and global issues.
• Deliberate diversity: Students are selected through UWC national committees based on potential, not financial background and needs-based scholarships are available.
• Long-term financial sustainability: New UWC schools are independent non-profit institutions. Founders are responsible for developing robust governance structures and long-term financial sustainability, including establishing an endowment.

Process to join the UWC movement

Joining the UWC movement is a purposeful journey. We follow a careful, multi-stage process to ensure each new institution is mission-aligned and financially sustainable and will strengthen the movement for years to come.

The application process includes five formal stages and generally takes two to six years, depending on fundraising, construction, curriculum development, staff recruitment and governance setup.

UWC International does not fund, build or operate schools, but we provide strategic guidance to support your journey.

Interested in joining the UWC movement?

If you wish to initiate a school project to join UWC, please contact the UWC International Office at info@uwcio.uwc.org.