Each UWC school is a legally independent non-profit institution and all UWC schools are united by the UWC mission. New schools or colleges that wish to join the UWC movement must go through an approval process run by the UWC International Office and the UWC International Board, and meet the requirements outlined in the General Principles and Criteria for New UWC Schools and Colleges available below. As a crucial condition, schools are required to provide scholarships to 50% or 75% of their students, depending on their operating model. The approval process comprises three stages that typically take between two and five years to complete.

If you wish to initiate a school project to join UWC please contact Philine Nau, Head of Programme Development at UWC International.