Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Under each section click on the questions to see the answers.

General questions

Des élèves de l'école Jeannine Manuel en récréation

How do I apply?

To use our Admissions Portal to submit an application for the first time, you will need to set up a user account on our OPENAPPLY online platform.

How do I reapply?

If you have registered to attend an event during 2023, or if you submitted an application for the 2023-24 school year, you have already created an OPEN APPLY account. Please log in before continuing.

To complete a new application form, please select “Add New Applicant”. If you are submitting a new application for the same child, do not modify your previous application, simply select “Add New Applicant”.

What is the Adaptation Program?

The Adaptation Program is designed for children who speak little or no French. It involves both immersion into the school’s bilingual curriculum and special French language support to help structure the oral and written language. Non-francophone students receive intensive and immersive French tuition tailored to their individual level; their progress is closely followed by a senior advisor. The Adaptation Program is available from 2nd through to 9th grade.

Do you have a Petite Section (Age 3)?

Our Paris campus accepts children from the age of 4 (Pre-K/Moyenne Section, while our Lille campus welcomes children ages 3 (Petite Section) and up.

Do you have feeder nursery schools ?

No. We welcome children from many different schools, both public and private, both monolingual and bilingual.

How do you decide who you admit?

Ecole Jeannine Manuel is a highly oversubscribed school. Our Admissions Policy is available on our website and guides our decisions.

Applicants are accepted on the basis of their academic profile, their ability to cope with the academic challenge of an enriched bilingual curriculum and their contribution to the School’s cultural diversity.

Successful applicants will have met our academic entry requirements. They will also, depending on their level of entry, have demonstrated ability and/or interest in co-curricular areas, and excellence of character. Our admissions process is designed to identify students who are able to benefit from our education and to make a positive contribution towards the life of the School.

The parents of successful candidates will be internationally minded families who embrace the School’s mission statement and are deeply invested in the education and wellbeing of their children.

Among equally qualified applicants, places will be offered in accordance with the following criteria (weighting of these criteria may vary and meeting one or more of these criteria does not guarantee entrance):

– Current and former students of École Jeannine Manuel’s sister schools and their siblings (a full or half-brother or sister, an adoptive brother or sister, or a child of the same household);
– Children of alumni and staff;
– Extra-curricular interests and other talents;
– Other factors.

We also make every effort to reserve space for international applicants (e.g. university faculty on sabbatical or research fellows) whose families expect to remain in France for a limited period of time and wish to combine a cultural immersion in a bilingual education with the ability to re-enter their own school systems and excel.

Can you recommend other international schools in France?

We are not in a position to make recommendations regarding other establishments. However, for a list of international schools in France, you can visit the ELSA (English Language Schools Association) website.

How much are the school fees?

Please refer to Tuition fees for more information.

Do you accept boarders?

We do not have boarding facilities in Paris, however, our school in Lille accepts boarders from 6th to 12th grade (6ème – Terminale).

Do you have a school bus service in Paris ?

No.

[Paris] Do I have time to drop off/pick up my children if they are at different sites?

All sites open at 08h10. School starts at 08h30. Please note that for those families who will be dropping their children off at our Dupleix school site by car, there is a “Drop-off” system in place. School finishes at 15h15.

[Paris] Can my child enter the school before 08h10?

No.

[Paris] How long does it take to walk to and from the school sites?

Approximately 15 minutes from one to another.

Do primary school children have school all day on Wednesdays?

Wednesday mornings: 08h30 – 12H30.

Is there a school uniform?

No.

Applications (Paris campus)

When does the admission process begin?

The admission process begins in September of the year prior to entry. Admissions for the 2024-2025 school will open on Tuesday 19th of September 2023.

How do I contact the Admissions office?

Before applying online, please read the admission procedures carefully. Contact: Call +33 (0)1 45 75 22 40, between 09h30 and 17h30, Monday to Friday (except Wednesday), or email the team at admissions@ejm.net. The office will be closed from Tuesday July 25th through to Sunday August 27th 2023, but our team can still be reached by email.

Is there an application fee?

A non-refundable €350 application fee for the 2024-2025 school year is due (online) for each applicant.

Application deadlines

The application deadline for the 2024-2025 school year is January 9th 2024 at 6pm. The application deadline is waived for families applying from abroad. However, we advise families to apply as early as possible. Places for our Adaptation program (2nd — 5th grade/ 7th—9th grade) are offered on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Are applications evaluated on a first come, first-served basis?

No. We send out decision letters by email in March or April, and on a rolling basis thereafter.

I’m not sure which year group I should be applying for.

Please click here for our Age/Year/Grade Equivalency Chart.

Do I have to wait to have all the mandatory documents before uploading them to my child’s application online?

No, please upload each document as soon as possible.

When do my documents have to be uploaded by?

All supporting documents should be uploaded as soon as possible to allow the Admissions Team to begin processing your application.

Moyenne Section (Pre-kindergarten): all supporting documents to be uploaded by the end of March.

Grande Section (Kindergarten): Speech Therapist report (Bilan orthophonique) and additional supporting documents to be uploaded by mid-March.

CP (1st Grade): Speech Therapist report (Bilan orthophonique) and additional supporting documents to be uploaded by the end of February.

6ème (6th grade): all supporting documents to be uploaded by mid-February.

CE1 – Terminale (2nd to 12th grade):

Once you have submitted your application together with all supporting documents, your application is ready for the next phase:  Pre-selection.  It is therefore essential that all mandatory documents are uploaded as soon as possible.

What kind of “Letter of Recommendation for the parents” are you looking for?

We do not have any preference with respect to the recommender (family, friends or professional relations). We simply would like to form a personalised “picture” of your family from someone who knows you well and can convey a feeling of who you are. Two recommendations are not necessary, but we understand that they might be desirable in certain circumstances, particularly when parents are separated. There are no “right” recommenders and no recommendation “codes.” The letter can be written in French or English.

What is a co-signed authorisation?

This mandatory document only applies to parents who are separated, divorced or living apart. The school requires a brief written statement, drafted and co-signed by both parents, confirming their agreement to apply for a place at EJM for their child/children.

Do you have a printable co-signed authorisation model?

Yes. Click here to download it.

If I applied last year, do I need to complete a new application online and upload certain documents again?

Yes. You must complete a new application and submit it online. The supporting documents required will be listed on the “Checklist” of your child’s online application.

Can I use the same letters of recommendation as last year?

Yes. However, a more recent letter for your child is recommended.

Letter of recommendation for an applicant - do you have a printable model ?

No.

Do you have intake years?

Our main entry years are Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 6th and 10th Grade.

When and how will I be informed if my child is offered a place?

– Pre-K and Kindergarten, 2nd grade to 12th grade: Mid to end April
– 1st grade and 6th grade: End of March
The Admissions Team will inform families by email.

Do you have a waiting list?

Yes. Waiting list applicants are those whom we would really like to admit, but cannot due to a lack of space.

Do I have to reapply the following year if my child is on the waiting list?

Yes, you must complete a new application online.

Will my child be automatically placed on a waiting list?

No. The school will inform those families concerned by email.

Can I ask for my child to be added to a waiting list?

No. The Admissions Committee’s decision is final.

Is there an order on the waiting list?

No, when a space becomes available, the admissions team reviews the entire waiting list. Among equally qualified applicants, places will be offered in accordance with the following criteria (weighting of these criteria may vary and meeting one or more of these criteria does not guarantee entrance): · Current and former students of École Jeannine Manuel’s sister schools and their siblings (a full or half-brother or sister, an adoptive brother or sister, or a child of the same household); · Children of alumni and staff; · Extra-curricular interests and other talents; · Other factors. We also make every effort to reserve space for international applicants (e.g. university faculty on sabbatical or research fellows) whose families expect to remain in France for a limited period of time and wish to combine a cultural immersion in a bilingual education with the ability to re-enter their own school systems and excel.

Evaluation

Elèves du lycée de l'École Jeannine Manuel à Paris

What is a playdate?

All applicants (French residents) for Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st Grade are invited to participate in a “playdate” (educational activities in small groups) coordinated by two EJM teachers. Families have the choice between a French or English-speaking playdate.

What is a standardized test? E.g., ERB, MAP, CAT4, SAT

These standardized tests are helpful when the applicant’s schooling does not follow the French system, which is easily readable by our admission team. In such cases, standardized tests provide useful information over and above school reports.

Please note that we do not administer standardized tests. 

What is a language evaluation? (Kindergarten and 1st Grade only)

In order to determine if an early bilingual education is appropriate and comfortable for your child, we ask for a standardized language evaluation (e.g., CELF-5, CELF-CDN-F, PLS 5, ELO, Exalang, K-SEALS, CASL-2, N-EEL, EDA). These evaluations are performed by speech therapists.

My child is bilingual. Does my child need to do a language evaluation?

Yes. All children applying for Kindergarten and 1st Grade should complete this evaluation.

I applied for Kindergarten last year and my child completed a speech therapist evaluation. I’m now applying for 1st Grade (CP). Does my child need to complete this evaluation again this year?

Yes.

Presentation and campus tour (Paris)

Une vue sur les toits des bâtiments de l'école Jeannine Manuel

Can I visit the school?

Campus Tours of the main site (rue du Théâtre) are organised throughout the year. Visit our School Visits page on our website. Due to security reasons, regretfully, we are unable to organise tours of our primary and infant school sites (Dupleix and Suffren). You can nevertheless view our photo galleries for these two campuses.

Do I have to attend a school presentation before completing an application online?

All candidates’ families are expected to attend a presentation. You can join us in person on our Paris campus or for one of our live webinars, in either French or English. You will be able to discover the school’s history, mission, principles and philosophy. Each school presentation will close with a Q&A session.

How do I sign up for a School Presentation or Campus Tour?

Go to “Admissions” on the school website and select an option (“School Presentations” or “School visits”). Select a date and register. The Campus Tour is optional.

How do I cancel my attendance at a School Presentation or Campus Tour?

If you are unable to attend a campus tour, please contact campustour@ejm.net. For school presentation cancellations, please contact the Admissions office at admissions@ejm.net