The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The Programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is recognised by many universities worldwide. Students will be offered a European-focused learning programme that promotes European values of multiculturalism and multilingualism.

The European-focused IB Diploma Programme will be delivered by New School in Tbilisi, Georgia, an authorised IB School since 2010 and a partner of the European Union.

The Scholarship programme is funded by the European Union.

The scholarship covers the full two-year cycle of the IB Diploma Programme, plus boarding costs, where relevant.

The scholarship will be awarded in the first academic year and will be automatically extended to the second academic year, subject to the students' successful completion of year 1. Students will not need to reapply for a scholarship in their second year.

Included in the scholarship:
Tuition fees for academic year 2023/2024 for the European focused International Baccalaureate Programme at the New School located in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Boarding in Tbilisi, Georgia, including meals. Students will be accommodated in the on-campus dormitory at New School premises.
Round trips between Tbilisi and family residence, during two school breaks.
Allowance for local transportation, accessible to each student on a personal debit card of a local bank in Georgia.
Study materials and resources needed for students to perform in the programme (books, laptops, calculators, and smartphones for the duration of the studies).
Participation in EU sponsored seminars, conferences, study tours and other events.
Medical insurance.

The scholarship does not include:
Direct transfers of funds or cash to students or students' families.
Domestic or international travel to/from Tbilisi of students' family members.
Students' personal expenses such as clothing, charges for shipping extra luggage, out of campus food or drinks, mobile phones and personal computers other than those provided for the purposes of carrying out the Diploma Programme.

The competition for the scholarship is based on merit and open at no cost to applicants who meet the requirements.

Eligible applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
1. Be a citizen of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova or Ukraine and be able to receive an international travel document to go to Georgia.
2. Reside in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova or Ukraine at the time of application (see Chart 1, Call for Applications brochure).
3. Meet the grade/age requirements set for their country, as set out in Table 1.
4. Be enrolled in a secondary school in one of the six countries at the time of application (see Chart 1, Call for Applications brochure).
5. Demonstrate a minimum average of 70% of GPA * over the previous and current year of secondary school studies.
6. Have previously studied English and demonstrated English language ability at the time of registration (B2 Level and higher **).
7. Knowledge of another EU language will be considered as an advantage.

Note:
• Students who are required to complete military service in their final grade of school may not be eligible.
• Students who already hold a high school graduation diploma or certificate are not eligible to apply.

*Grade Point Average
**B2 Level corresponds to the Upper Intermediate level, which means that a student can function independently in a variety of academic and professional environments in English, although with a limited range of nuance and precision.

Table 1. Age/Grade Requirements

The selection process will give equal consideration to all eligible applications received.

The selection process consists of the following stages:
❏ Submission of applications – from 16 December 2022 to 16 March 2023, at 12:00 pm (noon), Georgia time (UTC +4:00).
❏ Written tests – during March/April 2023
❏ Interviews – during April/May 2023

A qualified selection panel will conduct the selection process, using objective and transparent scoring methods. The decisions of the selection panel will be final and without appeal.

Submission of Applications

The deadline for submitting applications is 16 March 2023, at 12:00 pm (noon), Georgia time (UCT+4.00).

Candidates are requested to create an online applicant profile on the New School website (www.eapeuropeanschool.eu) to submit their application.

Any late or incomplete application will be disregarded. After successful submission of their complete file, applicants will receive an automatic acknowledgement email.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to sit the written tests.

Online tests in Mathematics and English

There will be two written tests: a Math test (40 minutes) and an English language test (one hour). All tests will be conducted in English via an online platform. Students shall ensure having laptops along with good internet connectivity to successfully complete the online test.

Mathematics test:

Minimum level of competence 40% (however, students achieving higher scores will have an advantage over students with a lower percentage during selection).

Students achieving 60% or higher will be allowed to enroll for higher-level courses in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics.

Mathematics test topics are as follows: Number, Set and Numbers, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Coordinate Geometry, Statistics and Probability (details are available upon request).

English examination:

The test is composed of two sections. In the reading test section, students will be asked to read texts and answer given questions, thus demonstrating understanding of the texts.

In the written section, students will be asked to produce a text (150-250 words) about a real or imaginary event related to culture, health, leisure, science or technology.

All tests will be administered online and students must have good internet connectivity and a working laptop/computer with a camera and a microphone to meet the requirements. Testing will be held online in all six countries at the same time, during March/April 2023.

Candidates will be notified of the exact date of the tests as well as requirements and other details.

Interview:

Based on the test results, applicants will be invited to a Zoom interview – the third and final stage of the selection procedure. These are tentatively scheduled to take place in April/May 2023 and will be conducted in English language.

The interview, which will last for 30 minutes, will assess the following elements of a students' preparedness for the course:
❏ Openness to new learning experiences and cultures.
❏ Readiness for boarding life and living in a foreign country or far from home (as applicable).
❏ Curiosity and motivation.
❏ Study subjects of interest and courses, the candidate would like to enroll in.
❏ Communication and oral skills, including but not limited to spoken English.
❏ Social competences and active involvement in extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, competitions, etc.).

During the interviews, the selection panel will give high consideration to the motivation of students, their openness to other cultures and interest in European affairs. The selection panel will also be meeting the parents of the students who have been shortlisted.

The list of scholarship recipients for the academic year 2023-2024 will be announced in the second half of May 2023. The selected students are expected to commit to the full duration of the Scholarship Programme.

The entire application process for the scholarship is free of charge.