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Antofagasta International School

Chile, Antofagasta

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Spanish
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 900
Type Co-educational
Opened 2003
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), American Curriculum, Cambridge (Secondary)
Taught languages Spanish, French, English
Strengths STEM, Languages, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Antofagasta International School (AIS) offers a trilingual, internationally oriented education for students from playgroup to high school. The curriculum combines IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), American Curriculum foundations, and Cambridge Secondary, with English taught by native-speaking teachers and a bilingual pathway that incorporates Spanish across subjects. In the early years, about 70–80% of instruction is in English; in grades six to twelve, English accounts for 30–50% and ongoing ESL development supports language growth. AIS employs a Balanced Literacy approach in Language Arts, integrates STEAM/Project-Based Learning, and uses technology platforms such as Odilo, Raz-Kids, and Seesaw. The school operates Cambridge certification as a mandatory bilingual pathway, including PET at the end of 5th grade, FCE in 9th grade, and CAE in 10th grade. Facilities include the FAB LAB ATACAMA, a MIT Bits and Atoms lab, a grass field, and dedicated academic spaces. AIS emphasizes values and leadership, with activities for students.

The Essentials

Antofagasta International School has 900 pupils, instruction in English, Spanish.

Location
The school is located in Antofagasta, Chile, at Avenida Jaime Guzmán Errázuriz #04300. The address places it in the Antofagasta region.

Stages
Play Group, Pre Kinder, Kinder, Lower School (1° - 5°), Upper School (6° - 8°), and High School (I - III).

Type
The school is bilingual. The language of instruction is English, taught by native English-speaking teachers.

Additional learning support
The school has a Psychopedagogical Department.
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
The school is governed by a Board of Directors and a Head Council. The President of the Board of Directors is Carlos Claussen Calvo. Other Board Directors include Carlos Figueroa Ahumada and Claudia Sagner Calvo, and Ivania Petricio Veliz. The Head Council comprises the Principal, Carlos Figueroa Ahumada, the Vice Principal General, Paulina Figueroa Petricio, the Curriculum and International Programs Director, Yasna Vargas Canivilo, and the Vice Principal of Community Regulations, Ismael Riveros Araya.
Fees
Application / Cuota de incorporación

- New students pay a one-time family incorporation fee (Cuota de Incorporación) at enrollment. Amounts are charged in Unidad de Fomento (UF):
- First child: 36 UF.
- Second child: 2.0 UF.
- Third child: 1 UF.
- Fourth child: 1 UF.

Registration / Matrícula (annual registration fee)

- Annual registration (matrícula) is charged per student at registration. Amounts for the Plan Nacional are:
- First child: CLP 599,000.
- Second child: CLP 587,000.
- Third child and subsequent children: CLP 585,000.
- The registration fee is not refundable. Parents/guardians sign the Contract of Educational Services at registration.

Tuition (Escolaridad) — by year group (annual and instalments)

- Pre‑Basic (Play Group / Pre‑Kinder / Kindergarten): annual tuition CLP 574,702.
- This annual amount is normally collected on the Plan Nacional schedule described below.

- Primary and Secondary (1º Básico to IVº Medio): annual tuition CLP 619,209.
- Sibling tuition values published for the Plan Nacional (applied to the stated escolaridad) are: first child CLP 619,209; second child CLP 606,825; third child and subsequent CLP 603,730.
- Students in IVº Medio follow a different instalment count (see billing schedule).

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Standard billing (Plan Nacional): the annual tuition is payable in 10 monthly instalments, March through December. Parents may choose fewer instalments if desired, subject to school procedures.
- Students in IVº Medio pay the Plan Nacional tuition in 9 monthly instalments, March through November.
- Parents opting to pay the full annual tuition in advance are eligible for an early‑payment discount (for the 2026 school year a 2% discount applies if payment is completed by the published deadline).
- Parents choosing monthly instalments must document the tuition at registration by providing post‑dated cheques dated within the first five days of each month (March–December) or by arranging automatic debit (sistema PAC), credit card, or web‑pay. A grace period of two days after the payment due date is allowed; after that a late payment penalty/fee is applied.

International plan (foreign students)

- Foreign students admitted under the Plan Internacional are billed according to the international plan: tuition for Plan Internacional must be paid in full in advance; monthly payments are not permitted for this plan. The Plan Internacional tuition includes all the students English‑language textbooks specified for the plan. Payments made in advance for the following year by Plan Internacional students are non‑refundable.

Other annual fees and material costs

- Annual book import fee: there is a variable annual fee (cuota anual importación de libros) charged according to course/grade to cover imported bibliographic material and/or online memberships for subjects taught in English. The amount varies by course.
- Annual materials fee for early childhood: Play Group, Pre‑Kinder and Kindergarten have a material fee that covers materials delivered by the school during the semester; parents do not need to supply those covered items.
- Textbooks and classroom materials for 1º Básico to IVº Medio must be purchased by parents; lists of required materials and textbooks are published and parents are expected to purchase those items.

Uniforms and school supplies

- The school requires standard PE and institutional items (PE tracksuit, jacket, PE t‑shirt, hat for sun protection, appropriate footwear) and other course‑specific items per the published supply lists. PE uniform items and other listed supplies are purchased by families according to the grade‑specific supply lists. Prices for uniforms and individual supplies are set by suppliers and are paid by parents.

Refunds and cancellations

- Incorporation fee: non‑refundable except in the following cases:
- If a newly matriculated student is withdrawn before beginning attendance for reasons of transfer or health, 75% of the incorporation fee will be refunded.
- For other withdrawal circumstances the school opens a credit for future re‑enrolment rather than refunding the incorporation fee.
- Registration (matrícula): the registration fee is not refundable under any circumstances and does not constitute opening of credit, except where a specific exception is published in school policy.
- Tuition and instalments: in general there is no refund of tuition for absence, family travel, exchange programs, or study abroad; instalments already due remain payable. For Plan Internacional (foreign students) payments made in advance are explicitly non‑refundable. Specific refund and credit rules are set out in the financial regulations and contract of services.

Accepted payment methods and administrative requirements

- Accepted payment methods for families on the Plan Nacional include: post‑dated cheques for the instalment months, automatic debit (sistema PAC), credit card, and web‑pay.
- Parents who select monthly instalments must provide the required payment documentation at registration (post‑dated cheques or PAC/card/web‑pay authorization).
- A short grace period (2 days) follows each due date; after the grace period the school applies a late payment charge.

Notes on sibling discounts and special cases

- Published sibling pricing examples for the Plan Nacional explicitly show discounted registration and tuition values for second and subsequent children in the family (see the listed amounts above). Plan Internacional and other special cases (late matriculation, mid‑year admissions, exchange programs) have their own billing rules (for example, Plan Internacional requires full advance payment and does not allow monthly instalments).
Academics

Antofagasta International School teaches IB (PYP), American Curriculum, Cambridge (Secondary) for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
The Antofagasta International School is a bilingual institution where English and Spanish are languages of instruction and socialization, and language and its expression are the driving axis of the curriculum. From playgroup through fifth grade, English is the language of instruction for the majority of subjects (about 70-80% of the curriculum in English). In sixth through twelfth grade, English accounts for 30-50% of instruction, with ongoing English-language development including ESL in middle school. The curriculum covers Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Personal Development, using resources from English-speaking countries and a Balanced Literacy Approach in Language Arts; the program also incorporates technology platforms such as Odilo, Raz-Kids, and Seesaw, and employs STEAM/Project-Based Learning, Spelling Bee, Cooperative Learning and other methodologies. The AIS bilingual program follows Common Core State Standards ELA and ensures English proficiency through Cambridge Certification, which is mandatory, including Cambridge PET at the end of 5th grade (level B1). The structure is Play Group – Pre-Kinder – Kinder; Lower School (1st–5th); Middle School (6th–8th); and High School (I–III).
Parent Experience

History
Antofagasta International School has 21 years of experience. The school is governed by a Board of Directors and a Head Council. The President of the Board of Directors is Carlos Claussen Calvo. The Head Council includes the Principal (Carlos Figueroa Ahumada), the Vice Principal General (Paulina Figueroa Petricio), the Curriculum and International Programs Director (Yasna Vargas Canivilo), and the Vice Principal of Community Regulations (Ismael Riveros Araya). The school's philosophy emphasizes values such as honesty, respect, responsibility, solidarity, and perseverance. The language of instruction is English, taught by native English-speaking teachers.

Community
The AIS community hosts events such as Spectacular Folkloric Gala 2025 and BrigadAIS environmental cleanup in 2025, as well as following activities like Segunda Jornada Externa Generación 25. News from the school highlights student achievements, including sports and other competitions. The school is located at Avenida Jaime Guzmán Errázuriz #04300, Antofagasta, Chile, and can be contacted at +56 55 2694900 or ais@ais.cl.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
FAB LAB ATACAMA is a laboratory for prototyping and technology content. It is part of the MIT Bits and Atoms network and focuses on education and entrepreneurship. It is described as one of the few such laboratories located within a school. It supports technology education as a central component of AIS.

Sports Facilities
AIS provides a synthetic grass field for sports. There is a High School pavilion for activities. The facilities support physical education and athletic programs across grade levels. The field is used for sports events and activities.

Academic Facilities
Academic spaces include departments for Mathematics, Language, History, and Science and Technology. There is a Department of Physical Education. There is a Psychopedagogical Department. There is a Department of Bilingualism. The language of instruction is English, taught by native English-speaking teachers.

Extra Curricular Facilities
AIS hosts the Cambridge Award Ceremony 2025 recognizing PET, FCE and CAE certificates. The school has established a bilingual certification pathway, with PET in 5th grade, FCE in 9th grade, and CAE in 10th grade. Espectacular Gala Folclórica 2025 is an AIS community event. Limpieza de Nuestro Entorno BrigadAIS 2025 is an environmental cleanup event. AIS hosts TEDx events.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
AIS aims to provide a safe learning environment with a challenging curriculum aligned with international-mindedness and lifelong learning. The school seeks to prepare conscientious leaders who will be agents of local and international change toward a more sustainable and humane world. The Four Cs—critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity—are central to AIS's approach to thinking and learning. English is taught as a second language with ESL support; Lower School instruction is in English by native-speaking teachers, while upper levels use a mix of English and Spanish in different subjects; Cambridge language qualifications are integrated and CLIL is used.

Arts & Creative
Music and arts are part of the curriculum, with staff dedicated to Music and Arts. A Gala Folclórica is hosted to celebrate music and traditional dances. Extra-curricular arts activities are offered, including creative arts academies. The school also hosts TEDx events as part of its program.

Cultural & Language
The school hosts a Gala Folclórica showcasing music and traditional dances. The site references a TEDx program in admissions materials. English is taught as a second language with ESL support, and the program uses CLIL with Cambridge language qualifications. In Lower School, instruction is in English; in upper levels, some subjects are taught in English while others are in Spanish, and English Language Arts is taught in English as part of the Cambridge pathway.

Social & Hobbies
Extra-curricular academies in 2025 include art creative, design and technology, pre-sports, hockey, volleyball, instrumental ensemble, theatre, and football. Students participate in cultural activities such as music ensembles and theatre. The Gala Folclórica is a social and cultural event that involves the AIS community.

Community & Service
BrigadAIS environmental clean-up campaigns are organized to care for the school environment. Community service and volunteering activities are part of AIS's culture and student involvement in service programs is promoted.

Leadership & Professional
Head Council includes the school's top leadership roles, such as the Principal and a Curriculum and International Programs Director. AIS has a student government known as CEAL, with elected representatives (e.g., President, Interior Minister, Hacienda Minister, Exterior Ministers, and others) for the 2025–2026 term. The school is governed by a Board of Directors and a School leadership structure.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The Department of PE leads physical education with dedicated PE and Music staff. Extracurriculars include hockey and volleyball, among other sports, and there are instrumental ensembles and theatre offerings. Social activities such as the Gala Folclórica foster teamwork and community spirit.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the language of instruction. In Lower School (1–5), most subjects are taught in English, with Language and Communication, Music, and Physical Education taught in Spanish. A French Workshop is offered, and ESL support includes Cambridge exams (FCE in I Medio, CAE in III Medio) with an optional CPE.

Bilingual Teaching
From Pre-School (Play Group) onward, students are exposed to English through a bilingual program. In Lower School (1–5), all subjects are taught in English by native-English-speaking teachers, with Language and Communication, Music, and Physical Education taught in Spanish by specialists. In Upper School (6–8), some subjects are taught in English while others (Physical Education, Language and Communication, Music, History, and Chilean Geography) are taught in Spanish; in High School (I–IV), all subjects are taught in Spanish except English Language Arts; an ESL program supports English-language learning, and Cambridge exams are offered (FCE in I Medio, CAE in III Medio), with an optional CPE.

Immersion Programs
Students are exposed to English through a total-immersion system from early ages. The program includes CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and an ESL approach to language development, with Cambridge English exams (FCE, CAE) used as part of the program.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Complete and submit the Application Form with accurate information using the Apply Now link. The school teaches in English, with instruction by native English-speaking teachers. The school provides education from Play Group through High School (I-III). 2. After the application is received, an interview is scheduled with the parents and the level's Vice-Principal. Results are obtained 48 hours after the interview. 3. Submit the required documents; documents vary by level. For Play Group, Pre Kinder, Kinder, Lower School (1st–5th), and Upper School (6th–8th), documents include the original birth certificate, current progress report, Development Report, and a photocopy of the previous year's study certificate; for High School, the applicant must take Language and Literature and Mathematics exams, and a report from a speech-language pathologist, psychologist, psychopedagogist, or neurologist may be required if the student is in treatment. 4. Vacancies are limited. 5.
School Events
The school has not added events
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