Applicants applying through the UWC National Committee of Tunisia must meet baseline criteria. They must:

• be in high school in either 10th or 11th grades (3ème et 2ème années secondaires);
• be Tunisian citizens and current residents of Tunisia;
• be at least 16 years old by September 1st of the year they will enter UWC;
• be performing above average academically. At the shortlist stage, an evaluation of the student’s academic performance will be applied to select students that will excel in the rigorous UWC environment;
• have basic ability to communicate in English (fluency is an asset, not a requirement; support is available at UWCs); and,
• be active in their communities.

An ideal candidate meets all of the five core UWC selection criteria:

• Intellectual curiosity and motivation
• Active commitment
• Social competence
• Integrity, resilience and personal responsibility
• Motivation to apply to UWC

Here are a few things UWC students tend to have in common:

• They have the desire to live the life. We practice what we preach at UWC: sustainability, unity, peace.
• They understand that they grow through laughter–with others, at themselves.
• They are afraid to fail, but more afraid not to. Those who allow themselves to fail also have the courage to take chances.
• They are open, a prerequisite for living in close quarters with students from backgrounds and cultures radically different from their own.
• They're can-do. They like to take initiative and have the commitment to follow through.
• They have ambition, tempered by modesty.
• They are competitive–yet realize that collaboration leads to the most creative solutions.
• They are bright, and quick. The IB program is rigorous.
• They’re indefatigable and can take care of themselves. Life at UWC, both physically and emotionally, is strenuous.
• They are determined–the most important factor in predicting success, not intelligence or talent.
• They have a curiosity that compels them to research anything and everything, yet the discipline to do so with focus.