Dual American High School Diploma with MCI

This year Maine Central Institute (MCI) and CIA FIRST International School has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that gives students the opportunity to gain a dual diploma upon completion of the program, namely ACS WASC accredited CIA FIRST International School diploma and a Maine Central Institute American High School diploma.

This landmark agreement is the first of its kind for an International School in Cambodia and will see students from CIA FIRST earning dual diplomas, which secure coveted credentials for application to the most competitive universities in the US.
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Participants in the program will access course modules during the course of the traditional academic year. These modules, designed and implemented by MCI teachers, allow students from CIA FIRST International School to incorporate rigorous American independent school coursework into their current  academic program.
Who should apply for this program to have a dual diploma?

Students should ideally enter the program at Grade 9. Students can also enter at grade 10 and 11, at the beginning of the school year. Students will spend one summer (5 weeks) at MCI campus in USA, preferably between grade 9/10 or 10/11. 

Please note that entrance from Grade 11 is only available for this introductory year in AY 2019/2020.

What are the entry requirements for this program?
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Students who wish to enter this program must get a:
  1. Recommendation from CIA FIRST school leadership
  2. Report card marking a C average or higher from the previous year

What are the benefits of this diploma?
Upon completion of the Dual Diploma Programme and CIA FIRST Graduation, students will be awarded the following:

  1. A CIA FIRST ACS WASC Accredited Graduating Diploma and Transcript
  2. A MCI USA Graduating Diploma and Transcript
 
Students enrolled in the Dual Diploma Programme have access to MCI College and Career Guidance Counselors in Grades 11 & 12 in addition to the services provided by CIA FIRST.
 
Students enrolled in the Dual Diploma Programme will experience life on campus in the USA in the Summer STEM Programme
 
Students enrolled in the programme will have digital instruction from MCI teachers in addition to CIA FIRST teachers.
 
Students graduating with an MCI Graduating Diploma will automatically gain conditional offers of acceptance to the US Universities articulated in this document. 

What academic work is involved in this program?

Per academic year, students must meet the following requirements:
  1. Humanities course with an English Language Arts emphasis. 
  2. A STEM course with a mathematics emphasis. 


As students move into high school, these courses may be Advanced Placement courses within the discipline of their choosing although one would have to be Humanities based and the other STEM. Should a student wish to take more courses than those offered at the home campus, special arrangements may be made through on-line learning platforms of which an extra fee may apply. 

  • Automatic Letters of University Acceptance
Students in this program will be granted automatic university acceptance from the following universities once they enter the program as long as they fulfill the MCI requirements and the requirements of CIA FIRST
  • Adelphi University
  • Auburn University
  • Florida International University
  • Louisiana State University
  • University of Dayton
  • University of Central Florida
  • University of Illinois and Chicago
  • The University of Kansas
  • University of South Carolina
  • University of the Pacific
  • University of Maine
  • Husson University
  • Umas Amherst
  • Cleveland State University
  • International Accelerator
  • Auburn Montgomery
  • Mercer University
  • LSU
  • U of SC
  • UMASS Boston
  • University of Mississippi
  • University of Utah
What are the courses currently offered?

STEM
Humanities

Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Trigonometry
Precalculus
Statistics & probability
AP®︎ Calculus AB
AP®︎ Calculus BC
AP®︎ Statistics
US history
AP®︎ US History
World history
AP®︎ World History
US government and civics
AP®︎ US Government & Politics
Art history
Economics & finance
AP®︎ Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
AP®︎ Microeconomics
Finance & capital markets
Science & engineering
Physics
AP®︎ Physics 2
Cosmology & astronomy
Chemistry
AP®︎ Chemistry
Organic chemistry
Biology
Health & medicine
Electrical engineering

Computing

Computer programming
Computer science
How will the course be taught?
The courses will be taught on the CIA FIRST Campus with bi-weekly audits from the MCI academic team using such tools as Google Classroom, Skype, and other programs to enhance communication and transparency.

MCI Courses at CIA FIRST can be studied in the following ways:

  1. For full-time international (FTI) students only, as a replacement for either a World Language & Culture Elective, or a Visual and Performing Arts Elective, or both,
  2. For full-time international (FTI) students and full-time with Khmer Curriculum Elective (FTK) students, as a replacement for a core Humanities course and a core STEM course.
  3. MCI courses are allocated a minimum of 4.5 instructional hours per week, and some additional self-study hours will also be required.
  4. MCI non-AP courses are treated as Honours courses, with a maximum GPA of 4.5, and 1.0 credit per course. MCI AP courses are treated the same as CIA FIRST AP Courses, with a maximum GPA of 5.0 and 1.5 credits per course.

Why do it this way?
Students may have coursework more heavily weighted in the best practices of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) until students demonstrate the necessary skills for a full immersion course. These courses are selected to enhance and support the skills required for standardized tests, such as the SAT, and to equip students with an overall lexicon for academic expression in all disciplines.

The courses will be taught on the CIA FIRST International School campus, with audits occurring once every two weeks from the MCI academic team using such tools as Google Classroom, Google Hangouts, or/and other programs to enhance communication and transparency.

Can you tell me more about the advantages of this program?

  • International Career Counselor
Students will be guided by the CIA FIRST Career Counselor and in Grade 11 have access to MCI’s International career counselor to help prepare students for the university admissions process and find the best school for each learner.

  • Extra Student Support
Students will be provided additional resources for on-line standardized test preparation.

  • GAP Year Internship
Upon graduation, CIA FIRST students may apply for a year long paid internship at MCI. Living and housing expenses are paid for by MCI, and students will learn skills applicable to education and the business of education and project management. This is an excellent opportunity to advance world, work and educational experience and to build connections in American industries.
  • Experience Summer Program abroad at MCI
In summer sessions, students will experience language enhancement through travel and activity and focus on project-based learning with MCI STEM-based summer programs.
This will serve to enhance students classroom experience in the following years. There will be added focus on the college admissions process, standardized testing, and North American university campus visits.

When is the deadline to apply?
Application deadline for the August intake - 1st of May; application deadline for the February intake - 1st of November.

How much does the program cost?
The program costs $10,000 USD total per student.
The annual cost varies depending upon the entry point, but ideally $2,500 per AY, starting at Grade 9. The tuition fees can be paid in advance, either annually or per semester.

All CIA FIRST students have the option of undertaking the Summer STEM program at MCI, regardless of their participation in the dual diploma program.

The Summer STEM program at MCI (4- 6 weeks) is $5000. This can be attended at any grade level between G6 and G12.

Please note: Round-trip flights, visa and spending money to the USA are the responsibility of the participants.

Payment Plans:
  • The whole MCI program tuition fee $US10,000 plus one summer STEM $US5000
  • If students starts in G9, tuition fees begin at $US2,500.00 per year
  • If students starts in G10, tuition fees begin at $US3,333.50 per year
  • If students starts in G11, tuition fees begin at $US5,000.00 per year
  • Students can pay in full or students have the option of paying half before enrollment to MCI and another half in February, in the second semester.
  • Summer STEM fees of $US5,000 have to be paid at least 2 months before the travel date (exchange program to USA).

How can I apply?
​Students and parents can contact the CIA FIRST Admissions Officer by email at harysiyana.hang@ciaschool.edu.kh or by calling + 855 (0)77 8000 12