TIS was established in September 2002 to provide Canadian education programs and degree certification for local and foreign students, with English as the medium of instruction. Initially, it shared facilities with the University of Macau, with only 58 students.

By 2006, when the school moved to a new, well-equipped building, the number of students had exceeded 500, and the school's curriculum was recognized by the Alberta Ministry of Education in Canada.

In 2008, the school launched its grade twelve program, and in June 2009, the first graduating class had 27 students; graduates received the Alberta high school diploma, recognized by higher education institutions worldwide.

The international school has about 1,000 students from over 40 countries. TIS is planning a second phase of campus expansion, which will accommodate 1,600 students to meet the educational development needs of Macau.

Philosophy

Committed to cultivating students' skills and attitudes, enabling them to learn lifelong and care for society, preparing them for the future.

Goals

Judgement

Cultivating students' ability to tackle problems without absolute answers, helping them understand that judgement is not solely based on preferences, but involves reasonable analysis of various feasible options to make correct choices, with good judgement relying on good reasoning skills.

Critical Thinking

Students critically engage with different ideas, enjoying the nuances of critical thinking as an important part of learning. We encourage students to bravely express their new viewpoints from a young age.

Meaningful Literacy

Cultivating students' cultural literacy and comprehension skills. This includes not only reading, writing, speaking, and arithmetic but also cultural literacy in music, visual arts, and dance.

Collaboration

Providing students with more opportunities to collaborate harmoniously with others, which is particularly important for the multicultural TIS. In the process of collaboration and resonance, new ideas can emerge, helping students develop social skills.

Service

Students learn civic values through campus service. The school places great importance on cultivating students' sense of social responsibility, encouraging them to bring positive changes to their communities.

"In a safe and caring environment, cultivate socially responsible students who are eager to learn for life, enabling them to solve problems independently and think critically, and actively improve themselves in societies around the world."

To enroll in the International School of Macao, one must first become a Macau citizen.

According to the Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region,

1. Application Conditions: Mainland residents who meet one of the following conditions may apply to settle in Hong Kong or Macau.

(1) One spouse has settled in Hong Kong or Macau; they may also apply for accompanying children under the age of eighteen.

(2) Individuals aged eighteen or above but under sixty, whose parents residing in Hong Kong or Macau are both over sixty and have no children in Hong Kong or Macau who need their care.

(3) Individuals over sixty with no children in the mainland who need to join their children aged eighteen or above residing in Hong Kong or Macau.

(4) Individuals under eighteen who need to join their parents residing in Hong Kong or Macau.

(5) Children of permanent residents of Hong Kong or Macau. The phrase "no children in Hong Kong or Macau" in item (2) refers to those who do not have permanent resident status in Hong Kong or Macau or have not been approved by the public security authority to settle in Hong Kong or Macau.

Mainland residents applying to settle in Hong Kong or Macau must submit an application to the entry and exit administration department of the public security authority at their place of household registration, undergo an interview, and complete the following procedures:

(1) Submit a completed application form for mainland residents to settle in Hong Kong or Macau, with recent passport-sized color photos (48×33mm) of the applicant and the intended Hong Kong or Macau relatives (hereinafter referred to as Hong Kong or Macau relatives).

(2) Present the original household registration book and resident identity card of the applicant, and submit copies; those under sixteen must be accompanied by their guardian.

Present the guardian's household registration book and resident identity card, and submit copies, along with a statement from the guardian agreeing to the applicant's settlement in Hong Kong or Macau.

(3) Submit copies of the Hong Kong or Macau resident identity card and the Hong Kong or Macau travel permit of the Hong Kong or Macau relatives. If the Hong Kong or Macau relatives are foreign nationals, they must present copies of their Hong Kong or Macau permanent resident identity card and foreign passport.

(4) Submit a statement from the applicant's workplace or the public security bureau at their place of household registration regarding the applicant's settlement in Hong Kong or Macau.

1. For national staff, the statement must be issued by their workplace or superior authority according to personnel management authority.

2. For employees of state-owned enterprises or public institutions, the statement must be issued by the human resources department of their workplace.

3. For students over sixteen, the statement must be issued by their school.

4. For those under sixteen, the statement from their school or the public security bureau at their place of household registration is exempt.

5. Other personnel, opinions issued by the public security bureau at the place of household registration.

(5) Submit corresponding proof related to the application reason.

1. For situations specified in item (1) of the application conditions, it refers to marriage certificates; for accompanying children, it refers to medical proof of birth and other proof of parent-child relationship.

2. For situations specified in items (2), (3), (4), and (5) of the application conditions, it refers to medical proof of birth and other proof of parent-child relationship, and parents' marriage certificates; among them, item (2) also includes proof of no children for parents in Hong Kong or Macau, and item (3) also includes proof of no children for parents in mainland China.

3. For situations specified in item (6) of the application conditions, it refers to proof corresponding to specific special circumstances. The proofs specified in items 1 and 2 above must be presented in original form and submitted with copies.

1. If the applicant is under eighteen years old, is a non-marital child or the parents are divorced, and the parent (father or mother) who is raising them is about to or has already settled in Hong Kong or Macau; they can be treated as accompanying children for family reunion or apply to settle in Hong Kong or Macau as minors relying on their parents. The applicant must provide legally effective proof that they are being raised by the parent (father or mother) who is about to or has already settled in Hong Kong or Macau.

2. If the applicant or the person related to Hong Kong or Macau is an adopted child, they must provide legally effective proof of the adoption relationship: for adoptions established before March 31, 1992; it refers to the adoption notarization issued by the notary department at or above the county level when establishing the adoption relationship;

For adoptions established from April 1, 1992, to July 31, 1999, it refers to the "Adoption Certificate" issued by the civil affairs department of the people's government at or above the county level when establishing the adoption relationship; or the adoption notarization issued by the notary department at or above the county level;

For adoptions established after August 1, 1999, it refers to the "Adoption Registration Certificate" issued by the civil affairs department of the people's government of municipalities directly under the central government, cities with districts, autonomous prefectures, or the civil affairs department of the administrative office of regions (alliances) when establishing the adoption relationship.

3. If the applicant is a non-marital child or there is doubt about the parent-child relationship with the parents, they must undergo parent-child relationship identification at hospitals or institutions designated by the public security entry and exit administration department; if the children of permanent residents of Hong Kong or Macau are non-marital children or there is doubt about the parent-child relationship with the parents, they must undergo parent-child identification at institutions designated by the Entry and Exit Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security.

(7) Submit other proofs deemed necessary by the public security entry and exit administration department.