CIA First International School

CIA FIRST is based in Phnom Penh with campuses in Sen Sok and Chbar Ampov and a Russey Keo campus listed on the school site; the main administrative address is No. 107, Street 2004 (Tek Thla) in Sen Sok. The campus pages give local orientation (e.g., Sen Sok campus is in front of Orkide; Russey Keo is on Street 330 near the Ministry of Land Management).

CIA FIRST operates programs from Pre‑K/Preschool through Grade 12. Individual campuses serve different ranges (for example: Sen Sok K3–G8, Sen Sok High School G9–G12, Chbar Ampov PreK–G12 and a Preschool site).

CIA FIRST is a co‑educational, day international school (no boarding provision is listed on the school website). It operates multiple purpose‑built day campuses across Phnom Penh.

The school has a Student Support Services department that includes counselors, SEL coaches, Multilingual Learner (MLL) specialists, literacy specialists and learning‑to‑learn specialists; support is provided through a Multi‑Tiered System of Support with push‑in and pull‑out models and individualized learning plans. MLL support is offered for Grades 1–10 and interventions are guided by WIDA standards.

The school is based in Cambodia and is accredited by Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS); it also holds WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation, which is a U.S. regional accreditor. It does not present a single overseas national affiliation.

The school website does not list a religious affiliation and presents itself as an inclusive, secular international school community (see the school's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion statement).

Daily hours vary by campus and program. Typical start times are 7:30–8:00 AM; full‑day kindergarten and preschool run roughly 8:00 AM to 3:30–4:00 PM, international programs commonly finish around 4:00–4:15 PM, and students in the Full‑Time Khmer (FTK) option have additional Khmer‑curriculum classes running until about 5:15 PM (FTK schedules and exact times differ by campus).

The school operates its own door‑to‑door bus fleet across Phnom Penh with zoned fees (0–3 km, 3.1–6 km, 6.1–10 km) and an onboard assistant for supervision; buses are described as having seat belts, air conditioning and in‑bus CCTV and each vehicle has a stated maximum capacity (the site describes an 8‑student maximum per bus). Parents register per campus and contact details for bus registration are listed on the school bus page.

CIA FIRST offers WASC‑accredited, standards‑based international education alongside Khmer‑accredited pathways from Pre‑K/preschool through Grade 12. The preschool/Early Years programme follows the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood and uses a play‑based, hands‑on approach to social–emotional, language, physical, creative and cognitive development. The Elementary curriculum is UbD‑aligned and, together with Middle School (Grade 6–8), delivers a student‑centred, inquiry‑based STEAM and humanities programme that draws on Common Core, AERO and NGSS standards and includes English, mathematics, science, social studies, computer science, arts, music and physical education. High School (Grade 9–12) is WASC‑accredited, issues an international high‑school diploma recognised as equivalent to the national Grade‑12 diploma, and offers Advanced Placement courses (the school lists 22 AP subjects and the AP Capstone pathway). Families can choose Full‑Time International (FTI), Full‑Time Khmer (FTK — MoEYS‑accredited Khmer national curriculum offered as afternoon electives), or FTI+FTC (adds daily Khmer language and culture classes) to combine international standards with Khmer language and national recognition.

CIA FIRST publishes a Student Leadership programme that includes a Student Learners' Voice and an elected Student Council through which class representatives and student leaders raise concerns and run initiatives. The school also lists a Student Support Services team and a named Director of Student Support Services, indicating an institutional point of contact for student wellbeing. The school's curriculum materials note classroom work that addresses themes such as mental health and life skills within Humanities and English courses, which can support social and emotional learning in class. The website does not, however, publish a separately named, detailed SEL programme or a full description of specific SEL staff roles beyond the Student Support Services function.

CIA FIRST's public site lists a Student Support Services team and a Director of Student Support Services, which suggests an organisational structure for supporting diverse learner needs. The About Us page also says the Student Support Services team receives ongoing training, implying the school invests in developing that provision. The website does not provide a list of specific categories of Special Educational Needs it can support, nor does it state that the school is a specialist SEN institution. If you need details on particular diagnoses, therapy access, or specialist placements, the school does not publicly disclose that information on its site.

CIA FIRST operates a Full‑Time International (English‑language) programme and describes itself as an English‑speaking international school, which establishes English as the primary instructional language. However, the school website does not publish a dedicated EAL/ESL programme description, named EAL staff roles, or explicit EAL entry/exit procedures. The school does not publicly disclose information regarding EAL.

CIA FIRST's curriculum pages show that topics such as mental health and wellbeing are addressed within classroom units in Humanities and English at middle and high school levels, indicating curricular coverage of related issues. The school also lists a Student Support Services team and a Director of Student Support Services as a resource for students. The About Us material highlights annual child safety training and ongoing training for the Student Support Services team, which supports a safeguarding and welfare framework. The website does not, however, publish detailed descriptions of dedicated counselling staff, specific mental‑health programmes, or how external mental‑health referrals are handled.

CIA FIRST's About Us page states that student safety is a top priority and that the school is a member of the Phnom Penh International Schools Safeguarding Association; it also says the school works with Child Safe and the Child Protection Unit and provides annual child safety training for all staff. The school's recruitment information notes strict child protection policies and background checks for applicants, which the school presents as part of its safeguarding procedures. The website also says the Student Support Services team and School Heads receive ongoing training in child safety, indicating organisational responsibility for child protection. If you need the full safeguarding policy text or named safeguarding officers, those documents or names are not posted in detail on the public site and would need to be requested from the school directly.

1. Make an inquiry and/or book a campus tour. Contact the Admissions office to ask about program options (Full‑Time International, Full‑Time Khmer, or Khmer Language & Culture) and to arrange an on‑site tour at the campus you prefer. Parents should bring or be ready to upload basic documents (ID, previous school reports) when requested and note that the school recommends scheduling visits in advance during Admissions office hours. See the school's published enrollment steps and contact links.

2. Readiness assessment and admissions test. Kindergarten applicants sit a short readiness assessment (about 20–30 minutes); students from Grade 1 to Grade 12 take a paper‑ or computer‑based entrance test (approximately 2–3 hours) followed by an interview with a school principal. Parents should confirm which campus and test format will be used for their child, prepare recent school reports if applicable, and allow time for the post‑test interview that influences placement. Test scheduling is done through the Admissions team.

3. Submit an application after assessment. If the student passes the readiness assessment or admissions test the school will issue an enrollment offer and parents complete the formal application. The school provides an application form to download and asks that supporting documents (birth certificate/passport, previous transcripts, immunisation records where requested) be submitted with the form. Verify that the child's intended program (FTI, FTK, FTC) and campus are correctly shown on the application to avoid later schedule or fee mismatches.

4. Pay fees to secure the seat and complete enrolment. The offer becomes a confirmed place once required one‑time and tuition payments are made; the site lists common items that must be paid (registration fee, tuition, technology/resource fees, uniform sets and other miscellaneous fees). The public fee page shows an Entrance Test Fee of $40 (one‑time) and a Registration Fee of $850 (one‑time); parents should download the detailed AY fee schedule and check payment deadlines and bank transfer instructions before paying. If you need payment plans, campus‑specific figures (some campuses list different tuition ranges) or promotional discounts, contact Admissions for the current schedule and any time‑limited offers.

There is no single, clearly described merit scholarship programme listed on the school's main Admissions or School Fees pages. The public site does, however, show that CIA FIRST has active partnerships and promotional arrangements that can include discounts, tuition credits, or scholarship opportunities: for example, a memorandum of understanding with the American University of Phnom Penh references scholarship and tuition‑discount pathways for CIA FIRST students, and a more recent partnership announcement with Trinity College (University of Melbourne) refers to a scholarship opportunity (up to a stated amount in that announcement). The school also appears in third‑party promotion programmes and member discount schemes (for example insurer or chamber member offers) that list registration or tuition concessions for eligible customers. Because these offers vary by year, campus, partner and target group (founding‑family discounts, partner promotions, or university‑pathway scholarships), parents should not assume a permanent, school‑wide need‑ or merit‑based scholarship is available; instead, ask Admissions which current scholarships, partner discounts, or promotional offers apply to your child, what the eligibility criteria are, and whether an additional application is required. For program‑specific scholarship details and the most recent availability, contact admissions@ciaschool.edu.kh or request the Admissions team to confirm any partnership scholarships and timelines.

The school's public admissions pages do not describe a formal, published waitlist or central pool system; instead they emphasise that seats are limited and recommend starting the application process early. Because the website directs families to inquire and schedule tests and notes that places are secured by payment, the practical implication is that availability is managed case‑by‑case by the Admissions office rather than through a clearly advertised waitlist. If you are applying and a grade/campus is full, ask Admissions whether they operate an internal waiting list, what the typical wait times are, and how they notify families (email, phone, or their student management system). For the most accurate, up‑to‑date answer about current seat availability or an internal wait list for a specific campus/grade, contact admissions@ciaschool.edu.kh or the phone numbers listed on the site.