Since its origin, UAS has sought to offer a unique educational opportunity unlike any other school in Uruguay. The school offers multiple programs of study and diplomas. There is an international curriculum taught entirely in English and an Uruguayan curriculum for students who plan to attend a university in South America.
UAS has worked towards official accreditation for its education programs from its inception. The initial push for Spanish courses came from the Comisión Nacional de Educación, while English courses received approval from the United States Embassy. In 1969, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) granted the school accreditation.
In the 1990s, the school started conversations with the Uruguayan government to get accreditation (habilitación) for the elementary and secondary divisions. The Uruguayan Ministry of Education recognized our Secondary Program in 1999; therefore, graduates could pursue higher education at Uruguayan universities. In 2000, they formally recognized the Elementary School and allowed our students to enter any secondary school in the country with no additional entrance exams.
In August 2014, UAS was approved to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. The Uruguayan Ministry of Education supports this diploma that allows students to study at any university in Uruguay, the region, the United States, or Europe. In September 2015, UAS changed its accreditation agency from AdvancED (formerly SACS) to New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). NEASC is a voluntary nonprofit membership organization that connects and serves over 2,000 schools in the New England area, including independent schools in more than 65 nations worldwide.