Apply for Grades 8 to 12 (Boarding)

Welcome to St. Michaels University School. We are delighted to welcome you to Victoria and our boarding community.

Key Information

  • Boarding at SMUS is offered in Grades 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. SMUS does not offer boarding below Grade 8.
  • SMUS has a rolling Admissions process. This means there is no deadline to apply but we recommend applying as soon as possible as places in some of our boarding houses can become limited.
  • For international families, further information about SMUS can be found on our International Families page.

Before You Begin

SMUS is both a day and boarding school. This information is for applicants to Grades 8 to 12 intending to enrol as boarding students, i.e.: students that live and study at SMUS during the school year. If you are interested in our day program, please review the information on the Apply for Day School page.

This information is for boarding applicants who do not require additional English language support.

If you’re interested in English Language Learning (ELL) as part of the boarding program, please read the information on the English Language Learning application process page.

Start Your Application

Applying to SMUS is a multi-step process. Before your child's application is reviewed by the Admissions Office, you will be asked to create an account through our Admissions Portal. This account will manage the admissions and assessment process of your child. Once you have created the account, you will be asked to complete and submit a series of forms and documents. Once you have gathered supporting documents, this process should take you no more than 30 minutes to complete. Only parents or guardians can submit applications. If you are a student, please ask your parent(s) to complete the application on your behalf.

Admissions Portal

Help With Your Application

If you have any questions or have any difficulties with the Admissions Portal, please reach out to [email protected].

Note for Applicants to Grade 8, 10, 11 and 12

If you're applying to Grade 8, an in-person visit either to SMUS or with a visiting Admissions Associate is required. You will also have an opportunity to meet with the Director of Middle School.

If you’re applying to Grade 10, 11 or 12, you will need to ask that a transcript from your child’s current school be sent directly to our Admissions office, preferably by email to [email protected].

Application Fee

There is a non-refundable application fee of CAD $250, which is paid online by credit card through the Admissions Portal.

Financial Information

Information about tuition fees for Boarding is available from the Fees and Financial Support page.

The school assumes that parents, to the extent that they are able, will bear the primary responsibility for financing their children’s education. However, if you need extra help meeting the cost of tuition then you may wish to consider our Financial Aid program. An early application is advised but no offer of financial aid is made until you have an offer of a place at SMUS.  

There are a limited number of merit scholarships for exceptional boarding students. Learn more about scholarships.

Interview and Testing

After you submit your application and supporting documents, it will be reviewed by the Admissions office. 

Your child will then be invited for testing and an interview. Please do not come to the school for testing before being invited. The Admissions office will contact you to discuss the best way for your child to be tested and interviewed. 

  • If possible, it is always best to visit SMUS for testing. It will allow you and your child to meet staff and get to know the school in person.
  • If you cannot visit the school but Admissions staff are visiting you where you live, they will conduct the test and interview in person.
  • If there is not an Admissions visit coming up and you cannot visit the school, testing and interviewing can take place online.

If you have taken or are planning to take the SSAT, SMUS recognizes the SSAT and may consider it in lieu of SMUS’s own entrance testing. When you register, include St. Michaels University School (#6869) as a recipient of the SSAT scores. We also accept PSAT results.

About Testing

SMUS’s entrance testing is unique for each student. We take into account previous test scores and qualifications and adjust your child’s testing accordingly. It is an assessment of your child’s current skills and is not a test that can be prepared for.

There is often anxiety about testing but it is in the student’s best interests to ensure that SMUS is the right fit for them. There is no pass or fail grade because test scores do not solely determine whether a student is admitted. At SMUS, we are looking for well-rounded young people that will contribute fully to our community.

English Language Requirement

If your child has not been attending a school where the primary language of instruction is English for at least three years, they must write one of the following language tests. We recommend you register for these tests while completing your application to the school.

iTEP 'SLATE PLUS'

Register to take the iTEP Slate Plus online and include St. Michaels University School as a recipient of the score report. On the iTEP exam, applicants should score a minimum as follows to be considered for admission: 5.0 – 6.0 or CEFR B2 – C1.

TOEFL Junior

Register for the TOEFL Junior and include St. Michaels University School (#7442) as a recipient of the score report. On the TOEFL Junior, applicants should score a minimum as follows to be considered for admission: 867-900 or CEFR B2 - C1.

Review

The Admissions office will then assess your full application and notify you of the result. Your application will be placed in one of three categories:

  • Offer. Your application is successful and you have been offered a place at SMUS.
  • Wait Pool. Your application is placed in the Wait Pool and you will be notified should a space for your child become available.
  • Non-Acceptance. Your application is unsuccessful. This can be because of limited space or the Admissions office does not believe the program is the right fit for your child at this time.

If you have received an offer from the school, you will be given a time period in which to accept your offer.

To accept your offer, you will need to:

  1. Contact our Admissions office stating that you wish to accept.
  2. Pay a non-refundable CAD $3,500 registration fee. Because we are a school with limited places, this fee helps us ensure your commitment to the program.

If you need more information to make a decision, please contact the Admissions office.

Note that depending on the time of year, you may have only a short time after accepting the offer to either pay the full first year fee (international families) or complete the payment options form (North America and BC). Read more information in the Fees and Financial Support section.