Frequently Asked Questions

A K-12 school in Ladakh, within the community of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL). It is built on one idea: start with the child, not the curriculum.

On the HIAL campus at Phyang Road, near Phyang Monastery, Leh, Ladakh 194101, India.

For 2026, Early Years / Kindergarten only. Primary, Middle School and Secondary are not open yet. Exact age bands are still to be confirmed.

Five commitments run through every classroom: learning rooted in Ladakh; learning by doing; thinking and feeling grown together; problems approached across subjects; and Adhyatma, protected time for reflection and self-knowledge.

Early Years / Kindergarten is open now. Primary, Middle School and Secondary / Senior Years are part of the plan and will open as the school grows. The timeline is still to be confirmed.

The usual subjects: language, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, physical education and life skills. Each starts in Ladakh and then reaches out to the wider world.

Through narrative reports, portfolios, exhibitions and parent-teacher conferences that look at the whole child, not scores alone.

The Pre-Prep class, the Playful Pikas, runs from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. See the Parent Handbook.

From November to October, in three terms, with a long winter break from 10 December to the end of February. The 2026-27 year starts on Monday 2 November 2026. Term dates are in the Parent Handbook.

Yes, for every child. Snacks and lunch are provided by the school, at ₹25,000 a year. Meals are part of the fees for every child. Please make sure your child has had breakfast at home. Food is not sent from home unless the school asks for it.

Yes. It costs ₹1,000 for up to 3 km from the school, and ₹100 for each extra kilometre.

For 2026-27: a ₹500 form fee with the application, a one-time admission fee of ₹30,000 and a one-time session fee of ₹8,000, and then ₹60,000 tuition and ₹25,000 for meals each year, paid in three terms. Meals are part of every child's fees. Transport, uniform and after-school activities are extra. The full table is on the Fees page.

It starts with a Personal, Family and Wellbeing Profile, which helps the school get to know your child as a whole person, not only her academic record. The form is online while applications are open. Applications for 2026-27 are now closed, and open again next year for 2027-28. The steps are listed on the Admissions page. Once a place is offered, the admission fee and the annual fees are paid by bank transfer: see Admission payment.

Yes. Desert Flower is an initiative of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives and shares its founding ideas, while running independently as a K-12 school.

No. HIAL is one option among many, alongside other universities in India or abroad, a trade, creative work or public service.

Full partners. Families are asked to talk directly and openly with the school, and the school promises the same in return.

A Desert Flower visit process is still to be confirmed. In the meantime, the HIAL campus offers a guided tour. See the Contact page, or contact the school directly.