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What do I need to know in 12th grade?
What do I need to know in 12th grade?
UCAS Buzzword for CIS Class of 2026
UCAS Buzzword for CIS Class of 2026
Copenhagen2026
University Deadlines
University Deadlines
IMPORTANT - when planning for and applying to Universities, CIS has implemented its own timelines and deadlines to ensure students are able to complete their applications prior to exams and holiday breaks, to the extent possible. It is of the utmost importance that students, both current CIS students, and alumni, adhere to the timelines to ensure teachers, staff, and the counselors have ample time to complete all necessary steps to support students in their applications.
*Students who do not follow the CIS timelines and deadlines are not guaranteed timely support.*
What should I be doing?
What should I be doing?
All Year
All Year
Work hard all year; second-semester grades can affect scholarships and acceptance.
Stay involved and seek leadership roles in your activities.
Continue to meet and talk to College/Uni reps and/or research Gap Year ideas
Autumn
Autumn
Meet with your Future Planning Counselors and the IB DP Coordinator to make sure you are on track to graduate and finalize post-CIS plan
September: Request early projected grades if you are applying to a university with an October or November 1 deadline
Update/Start a resume so that you can keep track of your activities, volunteer work, jobs, academics, etc. You will need this info for all applications – uni, jobs, gap year, etc.
Well before your application deadlines, ask your counselor and teachers to submit any required documents (transcript, letters of recommendation, etc.) to the colleges that want them.
End of October: Receive projected grades on your Q1 report card. These will be used for any universities requiring predicted grades that you apply to for the rest of the year
Work on and complete applications if you’re planning to attend University
Register for and take any admissions tests needed (for Oxford/Cambridge, you may beed to register by mid-September)
Complete any financial aid forms required for college/university/gap year programs
Winter
Winter
Meet with Future Planning Counsellors and IB DP Coordinator to make sure you are on track to graduate and finalize post-CIS plans
Update resume
Work on and complete applications if you’re planning to attend University
Register for and take any admissions tests needed
Complete any financial aid forms required for college/university/gap year programs
Spring
Spring
In March, request your six free IB score reports to universities
May 1st – Decision Day deadline for most US and UK schools
Report final plans for transcript requests and IB documentation
For those attending University, finalize and submit enrollment forms, housing, and meal plans
For those on Gap Year, finalize job/travel arrangements – begin college/uni/job applications. Please be aware that if you intent to apply for schools in the following year, you will need to start applications in August of the year you graduate. You may have three appointments (virtual is an an option) with a Future Planning Counsellor as a gap year student, and if you don't attend an appointment, that still counts as one of your three.
Important Terminology
Important Terminology
Buzzword: This is used to connect your UCAS application to our school (centre). You will enter it when you start you application. The buzzword changes every year.
Common App: Application system for many US universities. You complete one main application, and then a supplement for every school you add.
Cumulative GPA: You can find this on your transcript. This is your grade point average from grades 9-12. Our grades (1-7) are converted to a weighted 4.0 scale. Cumulative GPA is mainly used by North American universities for admissions purposes.
CSS Profile: A financial aid form required by many of the most selective universities in the US. It is hosted by College Board.
Early Action (EA): A type of admissions agreement when applying to US schools. Essentially, if you meet the early action deadline (often November 1), you find out earlier if you are accepted to the university. This often has a higher acceptance rate than Regular Decision. Watch for Restricted Early Action, as it sometimes stipulates that you apply to no ED school.
Early Decision (ED): For US universities, this a binding form of Early Action. You can only apply to one of these, and if you get accepted, you agree to withdraw your application from any other universities, because this is your top choice.
FAFSA: A financial form often required in the US to be considered for need-based tuition assistance.
https://www.optagelse.dk/: The website for applying to Danish universities
Projected/Predicted Grades: Projected grades are predictions of your final IB scores, typically generated at the end of October (in Grade 12) for your first quarter report card. If you apply to any universities requesting predicted scores during Grade 12, we will use this report, from this date (many UK/EU universities request these, and some US ones). The only except is if you requested early predicted grades in September, due to applying to universities with an October 15/November 1 deadline. There are also predicted scores sent to IB in the spring, but these ar enot used for university admissions.
Recommender: In spring of Grade 11 you requested two teachers to write recommendations from you. Most schools don't require more than this, but some also require a future planning counselor or principal recommendation. For UCAS and Common App schools, we will submit the recommendations for you, but for other application systems, you may need to send a request directly to the teacher you need it from.
Referee: In UCAS applications, your future planning counsellor will be your referee. That means we will add your teacher references and predicted scores to your application before it gets sent to the universities. If you send us your application early enough, we will also review your essays.
Rolling Admissions: Universities with rolling admissions review applications as they are submitted. For these universities, the earlier you apply within the admissions cycle, the better chance you have of getting accepted.
School Profile: This is something Future Planning Counsellors submit for you. It details general school information and statistics.
SAT (and PSAT): The SAT is a standardized test typically used for admission to US universities, but can often be used for admissions in other countries in lie of an entrance exam, or in conjunction with an American High School Diploma, if you don't have the IB Diploma. the PSAT is the preliminary version of this, given in Grade 11. Taking the PSAT allows you to better prep for the SAT.
Studielink: The application portal for Dutch universities.
Studievalg: Advice on applying to Danish universities. You can book individual appointments here.
Transcript: When applying to universities, your CIS transcript includes any classes taken here from grades 9-12. For any other schools you attended, if a university requires a grade report from that grade, you will need to contact that school to send the university that transcript directly.
UCAS: The application system for UK universities
Weighted GPA: For more challenging courses, you get a slightly higher GPA score for taking them (so HL courses are 4.5 if you get an A, SL is 4.25 for an A, regular courses are 4.0 for an A). There is a full chart on the transcript. If schools ask if your GPA is weighted, it is.
Resources for 12th grade students
Resources for 12th grade students
Registering for the SAT
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat
UK Applications
https://www.ucas.com/applying/applying-university
US Applications
(Remember to link to Unifrog and sign the FERPA waiver)
Danish Applications
To book an appointment with Inge (Our Danish university expert) from Studievalg, please visit https://studievalg.dk/book and under shcool list, select Copenhagen International School
Dutch Applications
Gap Year Programs
Højskole Programs
ASSE Danmark udvekslingsprogrammer
Formal Gap Year Programs
Internships & Apprenticeships
Research companies that represent the industry you are interested in, and look for internship/apprenticeship opportunities on their websites
Search & Planning Resources
https://www.airtreks.com/students/the-basics-of-planning-a-successful-gap-year/
https://www.travelaccessproject.org/’Workaway.info
https://sites.coloradocollege.edu/gapyearresearchconsortium
Gap Year Students
Gap Year Students
If you took a Gap Year and are now applying to universities after having graduated, here are a few things to note.
You must still follow all above deadlines (so if you'd like us to review any application documents, please send them to us at least two weeks before the deadline).
If you need to send IB scores to a school you did not previously select in March before graduation, you must request them yourself from IB. You can do that here: https://rrs.ibo.org/replacement_orders/index.cfm
If you did attend a university and now you want to go elsewhere, that means you are a transfer student. You will need to work with you university regarding any application forms and transcripts that need to be sent,
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