School Profile

2023 – 2024

Bonn International School (BIS) was founded in 1997 as a non-profit organization following the merger of three schools, which had formerly served the diplomatic communities when Bonn was the capitol of Germany. Students come from business, professional and NGO families, have broad cultural backgrounds and tend to be fluent in two or more languages. BIS is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization and New England Council of Schools and Colleges and is a member of the Council of International Schools and Association of German International Schools. BIS has an open enrollment policy.

Core Strengths

We engage all students in an academically rigorous education and challenge them to achieve their personal best.

Our well-resourced learning environment responds to and supports a wide range of individual needs.

Our purpose-built facilities offer students and teachers the infrastructure they need to excel.

We teach the globally-recognized, comprehensive programmes of the International Baccalaureate, with focus on real-life skill sets and analytical thinking.

As a truly international community, we celebrate a world of cultural richness and profit from a diversity of perspectives and mindsets.

Curriculum

BIS has offered the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma since 1997. As an IB World School, BIS offers all three IB programmes for an integrated education and seamless transition between programmes: Primary Years (Early Learning – Grade 5), Middle Years (Grades 6 – 10) and Diploma Programme (Grades 11 and 12). Students in Grades 9 – 12 follow a university preparatory programme leading to the IB Diploma, IB Course Certificates and the BIS High School Diploma. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is open to all BIS students in Grades 11 and 12.

The IB Diploma Programme offers challenge for highly motivated students and is a demanding pre-university programme with external exams. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, intercultural understanding, research skills and community service.

Director: Dr Robert Sims

Our Students

We currently have approximately 800 students, aged 3 – 18 from more than 78 countries, enrolled at our school. In our Secondary School (Grades 6 - 12), enrollment is approximately 483 students. Our student cohort in the Diploma programme (Grades 11 and 12) is approximately 156 students. We are truly an international and global-minded institution.

In terms of university placements for our graduating students, historically, 32% of students have appied to Dutch Universities, 26% to Germany, 19% to the United Kingdom, and 8% to the United States.

Our Faculty

The whole school faculty consists of 110 teachers representing 20 nationalities, and the Secondary School faculty consists of 70 teachers.

Campus Life

BIS has an active Student Council in the Secondary School, and offers many student leadership activities. Co-curricular activities include: Model United Nations, TEDxYouth, yearbook, choir, dance, creative writing, Tech Team, peer tutoring, robotics, student ambassadors, math competition, Mother Tongue Language lessons, and maths clubs. Along with a variety of recreational sports, BIS competes with other international schools (within the NECIS and ISAA leagues) in basketball, cricket, cross country, football (soccer), softball, swimming, track and field and volleyball. The Co-Curricular Programme is continually developing and offering new activities, sports and lessons.

Behaviour Policy

BIS has a transparent student handbook that details our expectations of students. Behavioural issues are guided by a restorative approach. BIS will only reports offenses that include off-campus suspension, expulsion or the involvement of law enforcement to universities and colleges.

University and Careers Advisor: Sara Miletic, sara.miletic@bonn-is.de,

Address: Martin-Luther-King-Str. 14, 53175 Bonn, Germany, Telephone:

CEEB Code: 576038, IB School Number: 000972

Diploma Options

The Diploma years at BIS are key to positioning students for university success and defining possible career paths. Students at BIS benefit from significant counseling support and from following the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP). This is a demanding two-year programme that meets the needs of inquisitive, highly-motivated and mobile students. This challenging and comprehensive education provides students with skills and attitudes to be successful in their tertiary education and beyond.

Bonn International High School Diploma

All students work toward achieving the High School Diploma by meeting specific graduation requirements from Grades 9 – 12. To be awarded the BIS High School Diploma, a student must:

• Complete four years of full-time education or its equivalent

• Take two consecutive years of the same 2nd language

• Pass 24 total courses, meeting all requirements.

- Passing is defined as achieving end of year grades 3 or higher

- Cannot fail more than 6 courses across Grades 9 – 12

- Cannot fail more than 2 courses in any given year.

• Successfully complete Service as Action in Grades 9 and 10

• Successfully complete Creativity, Activity and Service in Grades 11 and 12.

• Attendance policy: 90 % attendance required.

The BIS High School Diploma is the equivalent to high school diplomas awarded in North America and recognized for application to North American universities.

Courses Offered

Language & Literature (Language A)

English Language & Literature

HL/SL/HSD*

English Literature HL/SL/HSD

German Language & Literature

HL/SL/HSD

German Literature HL/SL/HSD

Self Taught Literature SL

Spanish A Language & Literature HL/SL

With appropriate recommendations from Grade 10 faculty, students may choose to follow one of three paths to graduation:

IB Diploma, a qualification valued by leading universities around the world

The DP is based on six subject groups from which students make their subject selections. The subject groups are:

• Language and Literature

• Language Acquisition

• Individuals and Societies

• Sciences

• Mathematics

• Arts (or a second subject from the other subject groups)

DP students complete an Extended Essay, a 4000 word research paper to prepare them for university-level writing. They also complete Theory of Knowledge, a unique critical thinking course that explores the nature of knowledge in different subject areas. Additionally, DP students fulfill Creativity, Activity and Service requirements.

Students receive an IB Diploma only after completing both years of the programme and passing demanding examinations evaluated by independent, external examiners.

IB Courses

Students who choose not to pursue the full DP may take individual IB subject courses and are awarded grades based on internal assessments and final IB examinations. They have greater flexibility regarding the combination of subjects and the levels that they choose. They participate in the same classes as students completing the IB Diploma but are not required to study Theory of Knowledge, or to complete the Extended Essay. IB subject courses contribute towards “Tariff Points” for placement in some UK colleges and universities and may be given equivalency to ‘Advanced Placement (AP)’ courses in the USA.

lndividuals & Societies

Economics HL/SL/HSD

Geography HL/SL/HSD

History HL/SL/HSD

Mathematics**

Mathematics: Analysis and approaches HL/SL

Mathematics: Applications and interpretation SL/HSD

Language Acquisition (Language B and ab initio)

English B HL /HSD

German B HL/SL/HSD

German ab initio SL/HSD

Spanish ab inito SL/HSD

Sciences

Biology HL/SL/HSD

Chemistry HL/SL/HSD

Physics HL/SL/HSD

Sports, Exercise & Health Sciences

HL/SL/HSD

Arts

Visual Arts HL /SL/HSD

Theatre HL/SL/HSD

* HL = Higher Level subject, SL = Standard Level subject, HSD = High School Diploma subject

** BIS is a recognized school by the German Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) for IB Diplomas which include a DP Standard Level (SL) Mathematics course to be recognized as an “allgemeine Hochschulzugangsberechtigung” (general university entrance qualification), equivalent to the German Abitur, provided that all other requirements are met.

Rank, Grade Point Average and Weighting Grades

Due to the transitory nature of our student body and the diversity of educational backgrounds from which our students come, it is difficult to provide an accurate or fair class rank. Therefore, we do not rank our students. GPA calculations are based solely on grades earned at BIS and may include anywhere from one to four years of course work. We calculate GPA on a 7.00 basis using the equivalency scale above. The chart provides a translation of the various letter grades, grade point averages and percentages compared with an IB grading scale.

Although all grades are unweighted, IB Diploma Programme courses are both challenging and demanding, particularly at the Higher Level and are considered honours-level courses. Passing requirements for the IB Diploma and Certificates are higher than for the High School Diploma. In order to receive credit toward successful completion of the BIS High School Diploma, students must receive a 3 in the subject.

Grading Distribution (Class of 2023)

Class of 2023 (68 students)

- 6.75 Average

SAT Score Results

5.38

Due to the small number of students who take SAT exams each year, please be aware that averages and score breakdowns are easily skewed.

For data protection purposes, grade distribution is only available for subjects with 4 or more students.

IB Diploma Results (Graduates of 2023)

The IB Diploma Programme and Course Certificates are open to all BIS students. The two-year program requires participation in an IB school in Grades 11 and 12. Students transferring from a non-IB school to BIS after the September of Grade 11 are not eligible as an IB Diploma candidate.

A total of 55 (81%) students pursued the full IB Diploma, and a total of 67 (99%) students sat IB exams in May 2023. 22 students (40%) received bilingual Diplomas.

* These are students who were not awarded the Diploma. Although they achieved the necessary total point score, they did not meet the requirements for HL subjects.

Post-Secondary Plans

While almost all BIS graduates go on to university, the Class of 2023 is doing the following immediately after graduation:

Post

AUSTRALIA

University of Melbourne

AUSTRIA

WU Vienna University of Economics and Business

CANADA

Bishop’s University

HEC Montreal

University of British Columbia

University of Toronto

University of Waterloo

CYPRUS

University of Nicosia

FRANCE

American University of Paris

École Polytechnique

EDHEC

GERMANY

Berlin International University of Applied Sciences

Cologne Business School

Constructor University

Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

Geothe University

Phillips-Universität, Marburg

UMCH Medical University

Technical University, Munich

ITALY

Bocconi University

Luiss University

THE NETHERLANDS

Breda University of Applied Sciences

Delft University of Technology

Eindhoven University of Technology

Erasmus University in Rotterdam

Fontys University of Applied Sciences

Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Leiden University

Maastricht University

Radboud University

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Saxion University of Applied Sciences

Stenden University

The Hague University of Applied Sciences

Tilburg University

Twente University

University of Amsterdam

University of Amsterdam of Applied Sciences

University of Applied Science Utrecht

University College Rosevelt

University of Groningen

University of Twente

Utrecht University

Vrije University Amsterdam

Wageningen University & Research

NORWAY

BI Norwegian Business School

SPAIN

Blanquerna - Ramon Llull University

IE University

SWEDEN

Stockholm School of Economics

SWITZERLAND

St Gallens University

THE UNITED KINGDOM

Anglia Ruskin University

Arts University Bournemouth

Arts University Plymouth

Bristol, University of the West of England

Canterbury Christ Church University

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Cardiff University

City, University of London

Coventry University

Durham University

Falmouth University

Heriot-Watt University

Imperial College London

King’s College London

Kingston University

Lancaster University

Leeds Arts University

Liverpool Hope University

University Acceptances (Class of 2023) Inspire. Empower. Achieve

London School of Economics and Political Science

Loughborough University

Newcastle University

Oxford Brooks University

Queen Mary University of London

Regent’s University London

SOAS University of London

Solent University

The University of Glasglow

The University of Manchester

University of the Arts London - Camberwell

University of the Arts London - Central

Saint Martins

University College London

University of Bath

University of Birmingham

University of Leeds

University of Nottingham

University of Plymouth

University of Portsmouth

University of Reading

University of St Andrews

University of Stirling

University of Sussex

University of Warwick

University of Westminster, London

THE UNITED STATES

Alvin Ailey Dance School in New York

Bentley University

Central Michigan University

Eastern Michigan University

Fordham University

Grand Valley State University

Marymount Manhattan College

New York University

Oberlin College

Occidental College

Oregon State University

Pace University

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The Julliard School

The University of Maine

The University of Tampa

University of Arizona

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Indianapolis

University of Washington

Western Michigan University