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Danube International School

Faced a very challenging situation with the administration of this school trying to enroll my son who had in the past some speech delay issues. I have reports showing the outstanding progress that my son has made over the past three years. Yet the administration of this school refuses to offer us a place despite many attempts over several months. Totally uncooperative management.

Well, international schools in Vienna have a waiting lists in place. They are suppose to accept children of diplomats in Vienna and they are the only ones with priority enrolling - which makes sense since this is why those schools were established in a first place. They also don't have appropriate personnel for any kind of special needs so I would not be so upset if I would be you, since they are in a way doing you a favour buy not making you pay enormous scholarships and not being able to offer your child a support that he needs. as far as I know for VIS, there is quite long waiting time as well and they also don't have any special programmes of personnel. You have to know that those schools offer only IB and matura degrees and that is only for really excellent students. I know of several kind in VIS who were asked to change school because they would not get place in matura of IB because they results were to low.
Vienna is full of very good schools, so rather find one that will be able to take care of your son.

VesnaV

your post is a proof that Vienna is not ready to accommodate expatriates.

Apart from the diplomatic missions, there are international companies and Austrian Corporates doing business internationally. These companies need to move their staff around and at times assign them to office in Vienna on Temporary basis for three or two years. If Vienna only offers schools to families of diplomats then Vienna is intentionally hurting the business of Austrian companies with headquarters in Vienna.

Since the international staff are only relocating to Vienna on temporary basis, The international schools are the only option. Vienna German schools are absolutely not an option based on the fact that it will only last for two year or so.

In my case, I was offered the alternative of using German school for my kid with the condition that he has to go back to Grade one losing two years of his life in the process. What kind of logic is this.

Vienna is trying to project it self as an international city, but unfortunately it is not. The situation with the education of expatriate families children is the biggest proof.

Well,I am here for 7 years now and I can assure you that we are all not that welcomed as you might think. The banks, schools... no one is really impressed by having any of us here. You have trouble with all sorts of thinks here. I don't believe that Viennese people appreciate all those internationals here in their city, I think it's just opposite, especially in time of financial crises when they think we all are taking jobs away from them. In Vienna, there are all sorts of international schools, not only Danube and VIS, but VIS was establish exactly for children of diplomats. The Vienna International School was founded in September 1978 to serve the children of the United Nations and diplomatic community in Vienna and all other kinds are not their priority. Diplomats are also coming to Vienna for only few years, not all of them can stay. I still believe that the school acted professional by telling you upfront that they don't have facilities or staff that can take care of special needs. This school is extremely expensive, and imagine you pay all these money and your child will not be treated as he should be!! I would be very angry if that happened to me!! I would think that they were just after my money and that would really upset me and possibly heart my child as well. There are many other English or even bilingual schools in Vienna. I am sure you will find better school as VIS. VIS is just expensive and because of that foreign universities like to take kids from VIS because they know the money will flow their way, but academically.... hmm... not really. You are not the only person they refused, I know few diplomats who had to take their kinds out of VIS because they did not score high enough academically and would never be accepted in IB programme (which is international mature and it's really difficult).

I leaved in many cities before, and there is no such think as appropriation of expatiates!! It can be that you can find it on the paper but not in real life!!! We don't pay taxes here so they don't consider us beneficial and there is a lot of jealousy involved, especially here in Austria... you should hear stories from my co-workers and some comments from our neighbours.

I am sorry that you felt offended by my post but that juts the way it is and we all have to leave by their rules otherwise we can go home, they won't miss us a bit.