Compare American Curriculum International Schools in Shenzhen, China

Ages 3 - 18 years

Fees RMB 264,160 - 326,760

Pupils 1000

Type Co-educational

Location

BASIS International School Shenzhen (BISZ) is located in Shekou Net Valley, Nanshan District — Tower C (Wanlian Building), Yanshan Road, Shenzhen. The campus is in the Shekou/Net Valley area with access to local roads and nearby metro stations (Huaguoshan/Line 12 is the closest metro reference); Shekou and Nanshan residential and expat neighbourhoods are within a short drive.

Stages

The school serves early years through secondary: Pre‑K/early years through Grade 12 (a through‑train international school model). Admissions are for overseas passport holders and residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Type

BISZ is a co‑educational international day school operating as part of the BASIS International Schools group; it does not advertise boarding facilities. Places are generally offered to students holding foreign passports or residents of Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan in line with local international‑school regulations.

Additional learning support

There is no detailed, publicly posted Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy available on the school summary pages found during this search; BASIS schools commonly run targeted Learning Support and English‑language support and consider individual needs on a case‑by‑case basis. Parents should contact BISZ admissions directly for the school's specific SEN/learning‑support provisions, screening process and any available external specialist access.

Country affiliation

BISZ is part of the BASIS International Schools network (a U.S.-headquartered education group) rather than being affiliated to a particular national government or national curriculum authority.

Religious affiliation

The school does not present a religious affiliation in publicly available descriptions; BISZ is described as a secular international school.

School day structure

The school's publicly available summaries do not publish a fixed daily bell schedule; timings typically differ by division (early years, primary, secondary). For exact start/end times, break and lunch arrangements by grade, contact BISZ admissions or request the current parent handbook.

Application fee
- One-time, non-refundable application processing fee: RMB 2,000.

Tuition fees (annual and per term)
- Pre-K / Kindergarten 1 (age 3): Annual RMB 264,160 — Per term RMB 132,080.
- Kindergarten 2 (age 4): Annual RMB 264,160 — Per term RMB 132,080.
- Kindergarten 3 (age 5): Annual RMB 282,200 — Per term RMB 141,100.
- Grade 1 – Grade 5: Annual RMB 305,540 — Per term RMB 152,770.
- Grade 6 – Grade 8: Annual RMB 312,970 — Per term RMB 156,485.
- Grade 9 – Grade 12: Annual RMB 326,760 — Per term RMB 163,380.
(Per-term figures shown on the basis of a two‑semester billing model; annual figures are the published yearly tuition).

Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school requires a seat reservation / placement deposit (commonly reported as RMB 50,000) at offer acceptance; balance invoiced by the school. Tuition and ancillary fees are typically collected on the school's invoicing schedule and are paid by parents by the due date on the invoice. Payments and deposits are generally required by bank transfer.

Boarding fees
- BASIS International School Shenzhen operates as a day school; no boarding program or boarding fees are applicable at this campus.

Other costs and typical additional charges
- Uniforms: approximately RMB 2,800 (one‑off purchase estimate).
- School bus: approximately RMB 9,600 per year (often charged across two terms).
- Meals: sample reported prices — breakfast RMB 13, lunch RMB 50 (meal plans and pay-as-you-go options may apply).
- Deposits, exam fees, textbooks, extracurricular activities and optional services (tutoring, trips) are additional and charged as applicable.

Refunds and withdrawal (summary of applicable rules)
- Refund handling follows the standard provincial rules for private schools in Guangdong: where a new student registers but does not attend, partial refunds are required (for example, specified percentages for unutilized fees), and prorated refunds for mid‑year withdrawals are calculated by the school according to the published formulae for semester or annual billing. Specific refund amounts depend on timing of withdrawal and the school's invoice cycle.

Fee payment options
- Reported and commonly used payment method: bank transfer for deposits and tuition payments. The school's processes commonly require transfer reference details and proof of payment; card payments are not typically accepted for tuition at this campus. Parents are responsible for any bank or transfer charges.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

BASIS International School Shenzhen references a broad programme of student-led clubs, extracurricular activities and competitive sports that the school highlights as part of its student experience, which contribute to pupils' social and emotional development. The school is organised into Early Childhood, Primary, Middle and High School divisions and the Head of School has described the community focus on well-rounded learning. The school's public materials do not, however, publish a specific SEL curriculum, named SEL programme, or a dedicated SEL-team on its website or official pages.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

BISZ has advertised ELL/English Language Learning teacher roles for its Shenzhen campus, indicating the school employs staff for English-language support. However, the school does not publish a detailed, publicly available EAL programme description or policy on its official pages. For precise programme details (levels supported, class models, withdrawal or in-class support), contact the school's admissions or human-resources teams.

Mental Wellbeing

Public‑facing BASIS materials describe network-level health and wellness commitments and BISZ staff posts reference college‑counselling and student support roles, which indicate counselling and student‑support functions within the school. BASIS's network blog has discussed health and wellbeing measures and the Shenzhen campus has named college‑counseling staff in school communications. The school does not publish a detailed, standalone mental‑health programme or the full structure of its counselling team on its public pages, so for specifics you should contact the school directly.

Safeguarding

The school does not publicly disclose a standalone child‑protection or safeguarding policy on its publicly accessible pages that I could locate. BASIS International Schools publish network statements about health and safety, but a separate, published BISZ safeguarding / child‑protection policy or named Designated Safeguarding Lead for the Shenzhen campus was not found in the materials reviewed; please request the school's safeguarding policy directly for full details.

Admissions

1. Initial enquiry & online application. Expect an application fee and that the school will not process incomplete applications; third‑party directories list a small one‑time application/registration fee in the school's published fee schedule.

2. Gather and submit required documents. Typical documents requested include the student's passport (or ID), recent academic transcripts or school reports (usually the last two years), a copy of the birth certificate, up‑to‑date immunisation/health records, and one or two teacher/ school recommendations when applicable; some specialised scholarships or places also request a portfolio or test scores. Make sure official transcripts are translated and stamped if required by your child's current school because schools commonly require verifiable copies for grade‑placement decisions.

3. Age‑appropriate assessment and interview. BASIS schools typically run entrance assessments and an interview/observation as part of the selection process—early years applicants often have play‑based assessments or classroom observations, while older applicants take academic/English assessments and a face‑to‑face or virtual interview. For the school's scholarship rounds there is a clear two‑round process (document screening followed by student interview and multi‑disciplinary assessments), so expect formal testing for competitive places. Prepare your child by ensuring recent school work and any standardised test results (when requested) are available.

4. Offer, acceptance and seat deposit. If the school issues an offer you will be sent an Offer Letter or Acceptance that sets a deadline to accept and to pay a seat deposit or first‑year invoice; this payment secures the place and is frequently non‑refundable or refundable only under specified conditions. Read the offer package carefully for exact payment deadlines, refund conditions and whether the deposit is applied toward tuition; directories that aggregate BASIS Shenzhen's fees show a first‑year total that includes one‑time fees plus annual tuition, so budget for both.

5. Complete enrolment paperwork and final documentation. After deposit/payment the school will ask for originals (or certified copies) of key documents for verification — typically passport, original transcripts and health records — and will issue the final invoice and student ID/class assignment. If you are an expatriate family, confirm with admissions early about any additional certification or notarisation requirements (some schools require documents translated and notarised prior to acceptance). This step also includes selecting services such as school bus, lunch plans and extracurricular options which often carry separate charges.

6. Grade placement and programme orientation. The school will confirm the student's grade/stream after reviewing assessments and transcripts; BASIS schools often place emphasis on academic readiness and English proficiency when assigning the final class and any additional support classes. The school typically provides orientation materials or an orientation day in late August/early September so families know start dates, timetables and the uniform/kit lists — ask admissions for the exact dates for the intake year you are applying to.

7. If you are applying for a scholarship or selective award. Scholarship applications (when offered) commonly require a separate submission cycle: a scholarship application form, standardised test scores or English proficiency results, a short video or portfolio, two teacher recommendations and formal transcripts; shortlisted students are then assessed in a second round of interviews and tests. If you plan to apply for BASIS global or school scholarships, check the specific scholarship deadline and the list of required test scores (some scholarship rounds list TOEFL/Duolingo or SSAT score expectations).

8. Final confirmation and ongoing communication. After you accept an offer and pay the deposit, keep copies of all receipts and the signed enrolment agreement. If your family's arrival to Shenzhen is subject to visa timing or other logistics, keep admissions informed — schools commonly maintain waiting lists or reassign seats if deposits are not paid by the stated deadline, so confirm any deferral or late‑arrival policies with admissions in writing.

Scholarships

BASIS International School Shenzhen participates in merit‑based scholarship programmes (often branded as Global Excellence or school‑level awards) that are explicitly published in local school announcements and education portals. These scholarship rounds typically follow a two‑stage process: an initial materials submission (application form, official transcripts, standardised/English test scores where required, teacher recommendations, a short video and a portfolio of work) and a second‑round interview plus multi‑disciplinary assessment for shortlisted candidates. Award amounts published in local announcements have varied by year and by campus; examples from recent school announcements show multi‑year upper‑school scholarship packages calculated as the yearly tuition multiplied across the covered years (figures published for previous cycles include total scholarship values in the high‑hundreds of thousands to over one million CNY depending on year and campus). Parents should note that scholarship announcements also specify that recipients are normally responsible for additional charges (school meals, bus, exam fees, and other miscellaneous fees) unless the scholarship statement explicitly includes those items. If you want to pursue scholarship consideration, check the specific scholarship application deadline and required test scores (some rounds request TOEFL or Duolingo thresholds and optional SSAT results), collect the required documents listed above, and submit them to the admissions/scholarship contact by the stated deadline; the local announcements and portals list the exact submission requirements and deadlines for each cycle.

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Korea International School Shenzhen

Instructs in English

Ages 4 - 18 years

Fees RMB 107,600 - 145,800

Type Co-educational

Korea International School (KIS) in Shenzhen was founded in 2005 and is located in Nanshan District on Dongbin Road. The school website notes easy public-transport access — it gives walking directions from Lilin (subway) Station Exit A — and lists the full postal address and contact numbers on its Campus/Contact pages. KIS offers early years through Grade 12, runs AP courses and SAT services, and lists semester tuition bands and school-bus routes on its Admissions/Tuition page. The website does not publish a campus latitude/longitude or the total student enrolment; I can look those up on maps or ask the school if you want.

Location

KIS in Shenzhen is located in Nanshan District; the English site lists the address as No. 4357 Dongbin Road, Nanshan Street, Shenzhen. The About page gives simple public-transport directions (walk from Lilin Station Exit A) and a taxi instruction for the address. Office hours for the school office are published as Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00.

Stages

The school operates a full PreK–Grade 12 programme: Preschool (Pre-K and KG), Elementary (Grade 1–6), Middle (Grade 7–9) and High School (Grade 10–12). Each division has its own curriculum page (Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High) on the school website. The public pages include a grade/age listing used for admissions.

Type

KIS is a private international day school serving children from preschool through Grade 12; the school describes itself as a school for students studying abroad and is an AP-authorized school and SAT test centre. The website lists paid school-bus services but does not describe any boarding provision.

Additional learning support

The website describes an English Language Learning (ELL) programme in Elementary and Middle School (ELL runs through Grade 8 in middle school) and says teachers cater to mixed-ability classes and tailor activities to reach all students. The school uses MAP Growth testing for ongoing assessment and notes counselling rooms are available in middle school.

Country affiliation

The school was founded as Korea International School and was established in 2005; it was originally set up to serve Korean expatriate children and the site also notes the student body now includes many nationalities. The Chinese-language site name likewise identifies it as the Korean expatriate children's school in Shenzhen.

Religious affiliation

The school website does not state any religious affiliation; material on the About and Academics pages focuses on academic programmes, language support and school mission rather than religious instruction.

School day structure

The school website publishes office hours (Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00) but does not give a detailed daily timetable (start/end times for lessons, break and lunch times) for each division. For exact start/end times and break/lunch arrangements, the admissions office or the school calendar/PDFs available from the school should be contacted.

Bus service

KIS operates a paid school-bus service with published per‑semester fees for different catchment areas (for example, Shekou/Houhai/Nanyou listed at RMB 5,100 per semester; other zones have different rates). The admissions information notes designated stops must be used, that routes may change slightly each semester depending on demand, and gives a per-area fee table. The website does not name an external bus provider; for route maps, stop locations and current provider details contact Admissions.

Application fees
- No separate application or admissions-test fee is listed on the school's published admissions/tuition page. The page lists required documents and an application form but does not show a standalone application fee amount.

Tuition fees (per semester and per year)
- Preschool (Pre‑K to K): RMB 53,800 per semester — Annual estimate (2 semesters): RMB 107,600.
- Grades 1–6: RMB 63,800 per semester — Annual estimate: RMB 127,600.
- Grades 7–9: RMB 69,800 per semester — Annual estimate: RMB 139,600.
- Grades 10–12: RMB 72,900 per semester — Annual estimate: RMB 145,800.

Entrance / admission fees
- Entrance Fee (one‑time for new students): RMB 18,000.

School bus / transport fees
- Bus fees are charged per semester and vary by route:
- Shekou / Houhai / Nanyou: RMB 5,100 per semester.
- Kejiyuan / Qianhai / Nantou / Huaqiaocheng: RMB 5,300 per semester.
- Baoan / Qiaoxiang / Chegongmiao: RMB 5,700 per semester.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition is published on a per‑semester basis; annual tuition equals two semesters (per‑semester amount × 2). The site states payments must be made “by the specified deadline” but does not publish specific payment dates or installment deadlines on the public tuition page. Additional activity or after‑school charges may be billed separately.

Boarding fees
- No boarding or dormitory fees are listed; the published materials do not indicate a boarding option.

Other costs
- School uniform: charged only when an individual elects to purchase extra uniform items (no fixed uniform price listed on the tuition page).
- Additional fees may be charged for outdoor school activities, after‑school programs and similar items (details noted as attached to the application form). Sibling discounts are published: second child 5% off tuition; third child — 50% discount on entrance fee and tuition (when siblings are concurrently enrolled).

Refund information
- The public tuition/ admissions page does not specify refund rules or a refund policy for entrance, tuition or other fees.

Fee payment options
- The school's public admissions/tuition page does not list accepted payment methods (bank transfer, credit card, etc.).

Summary of missing details: The published admissions/tuition page provides per‑semester tuition, entrance fee, bus fees, sibling discounts and notes on additional charges and uniforms, but it does not publish a distinct application/test fee, specific billing deadlines, refund policy language, or the accepted payment methods. The school's application form or admissions office holds further billing and payment‑term details.

Boarding Arrangements

The school provides a school bus service with multiple routes. Bus fees are charged per location per semester (5,100 RMB for Shekou / Houhai / Nanyou; 5,300 RMB for Kejiyuan / Qianhai / Nantou / Huaqiaocheng; 5,700 RMB for Baoan / Qiaoxiang / Chegongmiao). Routes may be adjusted slightly each semester based on boarding applications, and boarding/disembarking at locations not designated by the school bus stops you applied for is not permitted.

Uniform Requirement

The school requires a uniform. PreK–Grade 6 wear a Green Polo; PreK–Grade 12 wear a Grey Polo; Grade 7–12 wear a Navy Polo. PE uniforms are available for summer and autumn; Cadigan; Short/Long Shirt; Short/Long Pants; Skirt; Hoodie; TKD. An extra uniform can be purchased for a fee, and there are no exchanges or refunds after receiving.

Governance and Ownership

The school is led by Chairman JongJin Park. KIS is an AP authorized school and an SAT authorized center.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

KIS describes a programme of student leadership, clubs and regular school events that contribute to students' social and emotional development; middle and high school students take part in student council activities and school-wide events. The middle-school page also says the curriculum explicitly aims to foster "social maturity," and that counseling rooms are available to assist students. Weekly electives and after-school clubs (sports, music, debate, etc.) are listed as part of school life and opportunities for social development. The school website does not set out a separate, detailed SEL curriculum document or a named SEL team.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The school states that teachers cater to mixed-ability classes and that staff tailor activities and learning environments to reach all students. Beyond this statement about mixed-ability teaching, KIS's public pages do not describe specific Special Educational Needs provision, the types of needs supported, specialist staff, or whether the school is a specialist SEN institution. Therefore the school does not publicly disclose detailed information about SEN provision or specialist status.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

KIS operates English Language Learning (ELL) programmes: ELL is described for elementary students and the middle-school page states an ELL programme runs up to Grade 8, with restricted participation in some regular subjects for ELL students. The school uses MAP Growth testing (twice per semester) to assess English and maths achievement and to inform ELL placement. The website therefore documents an organised ELL/ELL assessment approach but does not publish a separate, detailed EAL policy or staffing list.

Mental Wellbeing

The site notes the availability of counseling rooms in middle school and lists a range of extracurricular activities, physical education and taekwondo aimed at physical and social development. These facilities and activities are presented as part of the school's pastoral and co-curricular provision rather than as a named mental-health programme. The dedicated "Consultation" page is a contact form for enquiries but does not describe a formal mental-health team or clinical services on the public site. KIS does not publicly publish details of any dedicated mental-health staff, external counselling providers or a mental-health programme.

Safeguarding

KIS lists contact details and an address on its public pages and, in its Chinese "About" chronology, records a 2024 partnership with Shekou People's Hospital, indicating a formal medical partnership. However, the website does not publish a standalone child-protection or safeguarding policy, nor does it publicly detail safeguarding procedures or named child-protection officers. Therefore the school does not publicly disclose a full child-protection/safeguarding policy on its site.

Admissions

1. Parents should confirm which academic year the form covers (the site lists details for 2025/26) and ask whether any deadlines or intake windows apply for that year. Note that the school posts notices and calendar items on its website, so check those before you apply.

2. Submit application and required documents — Complete and submit the Admission Application Form together with the required documents: the applicant's passport and visa, parent passports and visas, vaccination records, transcripts from the past year, a certificate of enrollment, and a recommendation letter if available. The school states that submitted documents become the property of KIS Shenzhen and will not be returned, so provide copies and keep originals safe. Parents should ensure document dates and translations (if needed) meet the school's expectations before submission.

3. Schedule a visit and meet school leadership — After applying, schedule a school visit and a meeting with the principal or head of the relevant school section (Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High). During this meeting you can confirm curriculum fit, ask about class size, and discuss any special educational or medical needs your child has; bring originals of key documents to the meeting if requested. Visiting also helps families confirm bus routes and campus logistics listed by the school.

4. Admission assessment — Applicants are required to take an admission test; the school's admissions sequence lists “take the admission test” as a formal step. Ask the admissions office what subjects and formats are used for your child's grade (e.g., English literacy, math, or age-appropriate assessments) and whether there is an interview component. If your child needs accommodations for testing, request them in advance from the admissions office.

5. Receive confirmation of admission — If a seat is available and the child meets the admissions requirements, the school will issue an admission confirmation. If no seat is available at the time of application, the website states the student will be added to the waiting list (see waitlist section below). Parents should confirm the timeline for receiving the written confirmation and what information (start date, class assignment) it will include.

6. Payment and enrolment finalisation — Once admitted, make payments by the specified deadline to secure the place. The site lists an entrance fee (RMB 18,000) and per-semester tuition rates for 2025/26 (Preschool RMB 53,800; G1–G6 RMB 63,800; G7–G9 RMB 69,800; G10–G12 RMB 72,900) and notes additional charges may apply for outdoor activities and after-school programmes. Ask the school for an itemised invoice, the accepted payment methods, the deadline for each fee, and whether bus fees (vary by route) or uniform purchases are billed separately.

Scholarships

The Korea International School Shenzhen admissions and tuition pages do not list any scholarships or a financial-aid programme; the site instead notes sibling discounts (second child: 5% off tuition; third child: 50% off admission fee and tuition) and itemises tuition, entrance fee, and bus fees for 2025/26. If you are specifically looking for need- or merit-based scholarships, the Shenzhen site gives no details, so contact the school's admissions office (WeChat: szkis2005 or info@kis.org.cn) to ask whether any discretionary awards, donor-funded scholarships, or external sponsorships are available. For context, other KIS campuses (for example, the Korean International School in Hong Kong) publish scholarship programmes on their own sites, but those programmes apply to their respective campuses and do not imply a scholarship programme in Shenzhen.

Waitlist

The school webpage explicitly states that students who apply for grades where no seats are available will be added to a waiting list. The site does not provide a public, detailed description of the waiting-list order, typical wait times, or whether offers from the waitlist are communicated by date of application, assessment results, or other criteria. Because the site's published information is limited, parents should confirm directly with the admissions office how the waitlist is managed (priority rules, whether deposits are required to hold a waitlist place, and how often the school offers places from the list).

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Merchiston International School Shenzhen

Instructs in English

Ages 4 - 18 years

Fees RMB 138,000 - 148,000

Type Co-educational (boarding)

Merchiston International School (MIS) Shenzhen opened in August 2018 as an overseas branch of Merchiston Castle School (Edinburgh) and serves students aged 4–18 (Early Years to Year 13). The Longhua campus lists facilities that include a library, multimedia classrooms, science laboratories, theatre and recording studio, an indoor swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts, an indoor virtual golf hall, gymnasium and landscaped gardens. MIS delivers a British-based programme (Early Years Foundation Stage and the British National Curriculum), with IGCSE and IAL/GCE AS & A Level pathways and an American AP pathway available for Years 10–13; the school also operates a separate Qianhai campus in Shekou. MIS operates a boarding programme alongside day provision and publishes class-size maxima (Early Years 16; Years 1–11 typically up to 22; Years 12–13 up to 16). Co-curricular offerings include sports, drama, music, debate and outreach/community projects.

Location

Longhua campus: No.12 Shilongzai Road, Dalang Sub-district, Longhua District, Shenzhen; Qianhai/Shekou campus: No.1009 Nanhai Blvd, Shekou, Nanshan, Shenzhen. Both campuses are in Shenzhen city; Longhua is inland (Dalang) while the Qianhai/Shekou site is in the Nanshan/Shekou area near the coast. The website lists full contact numbers and postcodes for each campus.

Stages

MIS is an all-through school serving Early Years through Year 13 (ages 4–18). The Longhua campus is the main all-through site; the Qianhai/Shekou campus is noted for Early Years and Junior provision.

Type

Merchiston International School is a co-educational British international school and an overseas branch of Merchiston Castle School (UK). The school operates boarding provision across age-appropriate houses (boarders are organised in houses covering junior through senior year groups).

Additional learning support

Parents are asked to declare any additional support needs at application; all students are screened for additional support needs at entry and the school says it will make reasonable adjustments where appropriate. The site also refers to a Student Success Centre / support team for helping students with learning needs.

Country affiliation

MIS is the authorised overseas branch of Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, Scotland; the school follows British-style provision and offers British pathways (IGCSE/A Level) alongside other options for senior years.

Religious affiliation

The school website does not list a religious affiliation for MIS; the founding school in Edinburgh (Merchiston Castle School) is described in public sources as non‑denominational.

School day structure

Typical school routines shown on the site indicate a morning registration/form time around 07:45–08:00, lessons during the day, a school finish in the mid‑afternoon (~15:30) followed by co‑curricular activities/CCAs (often 15:45–17:00) and supervised study/evening programmes for boarders (evening study/homework and set bedtimes vary by year group). Exact start/end times differ slightly by phase and boarding house.

Bus service

The school runs an optional bus/shuttle service for day students; parents are asked to book routes in advance and the service carries an additional fee (the school notes optional bus fees and that fees are non‑refundable once a term begins). Routes are organised to meet local requirements and parent demand. For specifics on routes, stops and fees you should contact Admissions.

Application fees and deposits
- Application fee: RMB 2,000 (non‑refundable, non‑transferable; payable at time of application).
- Security / enrolment deposit: RMB 18,000 (refundable as stated by the school's fee policy).

Tuition fees by year group (annual and per‑term amounts)
- Early Years / K2 (age 4): Annual tuition RMB 200,000 — Per term (calculated as annual ÷ 3) RMB 66,667 (rounded). (Per‑term value is derived by dividing the published annual fee by three; the school's fee policy uses the term as the billing period.)
- Kindergarten 3 and Years 1–5 (age 5–10): Annual tuition RMB 235,000 — Per term RMB 78,333 (rounded).
- Years 6–11 (age 11–15): Annual tuition RMB 335,000 — Per term RMB 111,667 (rounded).
- Years 12–13 (age 16–17): Annual tuition RMB 370,000 — Per term RMB 123,333 (rounded).

Boarding fees
- Boarding arrangements and costs vary by year group. For younger junior years boarding is offered as an optional extra (reported example: RMB 70,000 per year where boarding is optional); in higher secondary years boarding is included in the published senior tuition totals. Parents should note the published annual figures above reflect whether boarding is included for that year group.

Other costs and recurring extras
- Additional fees that may apply include: school lunch (for day students), exam fees for IGCSE/A‑Level, textbooks, fee‑paying co‑curricular activities (CCAs), individual music lessons, optional bus service and uniform shop purchases. Bus fees and other term‑based services have the school's stated no‑refund rule once a term commences.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Fees are billed in RMB. The school issues invoices and requires payment by the due date stated on each invoice. The school refers to fees and adjustments on a term basis and calculates pro‑rata charges for students joining after a term starts. Late payments incur a monthly penalty (1.5% as stated).

Refund and withdrawal information
- If a registered student fails to enrol, 90% of the tuition will be refunded. For withdrawals after starting, the school's refund formula is: Actual tuition fee ÷ 184 (instruction days) × (184 − days actually attended). Refunds will be processed within 15 working days after the academic year end; the original tax receipt (Fapiao) must be returned as part of the refund process.

Fee payment options and surcharges
- Primary payment method: the school's online portal (School Pal). The school accepts in‑person credit card payments at the Finance Office (surcharges apply: 1% for domestic cards; 3% for foreign‑issued cards). Employer payments are accepted by bank transfer; all bank charges are the payer's responsibility.

Discounts and sibling policy
- A sibling discount is applied to tuition and boarding fees for second and subsequent children (commonly reported as 5%).

Note: The school's published fee chart and the school's fee policy set the formal terms, billing dates and any grade‑specific boarding inclusions; the payment, refund and surcharge rules above are taken from the school's fee policy.

Boarding Arrangements

Boarding at MIS Shenzhen follows the traditional British boarding system with an extended day that integrates academics, co-curricular activities and personal development. Boarding students receive additional academic tutoring and supervised homework every evening, and a wide range of after-hours co-curricular activities is offered. Students are placed in one of three age-appropriate boarding houses (Pringle, Chalmers, Rogerson) and are supported by a large boarding team; there is a fully staffed on-site medical centre.

Uniform Requirement

The school has a uniform system with a Uniform Shop and a Uniform Guide available for families.

Food Options

School meals are provided in the Dining Hall with attendance at all meals compulsory for all years. On Sundays, breakfast is served in the boarding house common rooms; Sunday lunch is offsite; dinner is served at 18:00–18:45 on Saturdays and Sundays.

House System

The school uses three boarding houses: Pringle, Chalmers and Rogerson.

Governance and Ownership

The MIS Shenzhen campus is the overseas branch of Merchiston Castle School. Governance is provided by the MIS Board of Governors, which makes policy and strategic decisions in collaboration with the leadership team. The school is operated by China-Europe Yishang Culture Development (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Merchiston describes pastoral care and boarding provision as central to students' social and emotional development, stating that its boarding practice aims to “encourage physical, social and emotional development” and to develop a sense of identity within a community. The school cites tutors, houseparents and a boarding team who live on site and work alongside teachers to provide day-to-day pastoral support. The Leadership Team page identifies senior staff with pastoral responsibilities (for example a Deputy Head with pastoral duties), indicating leadership oversight of pastoral provision. The school also emphasises home–school partnerships as part of its approach to student wellbeing.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The school's Admissions and Application Information states that children with certain learning needs may be considered for learning support only after submission of an educational psychologist's report and that such applicants are assessed on an individual basis. The website also refers to a “Learning Support Center” as part of the school's student‑centred framework and lists vacancies for Learning Support Teachers, indicating in‑school provision for differentiated learning. The admissions page explains the school seeks information on additional support needs at application to determine reasonable adjustments. The school does not state on its website that it is a specialist SEN institution; admissions decisions for applicants with SEN are handled case‑by‑case.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Merchiston lists staff with specific EAL roles (for example named English & EAL teachers on the staff pages) and advertises EAL teaching posts, indicating dedicated EAL staffing. The Admissions information notes that, where applicable, the Head of Section can require a student to enter an intensive English programme, showing an established pathway for additional English support. Job listings for Juniors EAL and school staff profiles further confirm EAL provision is part of the school's staffing and admissions arrangements. The school therefore documents EAL support but does not publish a detailed EAL curriculum on the pages cited.

Mental Wellbeing

The school runs a published “Mental Health Week” and reports activities led by a named school counsellor (Jenny Jiang) including sessions on resilience, mindfulness and communication, indicating organised whole‑school mental wellbeing initiatives. Boarding and pastoral pages also emphasise promoting health and welfare and note a fully staffed medical centre for students in boarding, showing operational health and welfare support. The school's wider materials reference a Student Growth Centre focused on learning and wellbeing as part of its educational framework. These pages together show both scheduled wellbeing events and structural pastoral/medical provisions rather than a single counselling policy document.

Safeguarding

Merchiston publishes a dedicated “Child Protection and Safeguarding Principles” page that describes measures such as trained site security, visitor challenge procedures and alignment of site security with the school's pastoral systems. The page sets out operational expectations for security staff and links safeguarding to everyday site management. Leadership and governance pages further state that pastoral care and safeguarding are priorities for the Leadership Team and Board. The website therefore provides an explicit safeguarding statement and describes specific on‑site practices to support child protection.

Admissions

1. Enquiry and initial application — Contact Admissions, complete the school's application form and submit it with the required supporting documents and proof of payment of the non‑refundable application fee. Parents should include current passport/ID details, recent school reports, any assessments or Individual Education Plans, and a completed medical declaration so the school can identify support needs early. The school provides downloadable application material and specific contact emails for Longhua and Shekou admissions.

2. Admissions checks and entry assessment — After the application is accepted, the Admissions Department schedules the appropriate assessments. All applicants from Year 3 (age 7) and above take an online entrance assessment; Juniors (Years 1–2) are normally assessed by a meeting with the Head of Juniors and often by a morning or day in class, while Senior applicants sit CAT4 (cognitive) plus an English test and an interview. Parents should ask which specific test their child will sit, whether the assessment can be arranged at the current school (for overseas candidates), and whether EAL or SEN screening applies.

3. Interviews and trial visits — For many junior applicants the school recommends, and sometimes requires, a classroom trial or in‑person meeting; for senior applicants an interview with the Head of Seniors (and Head of Sixth Form for Years 12–13) forms part of the decision. Parents should prepare recent school reports and be ready to discuss any English‑as‑an‑additional‑language (EAL) needs or learning support so the school can assess whether it can provide appropriate support. The Head of Section has discretion to request additional evidence or a Student Support review if additional learning support is suspected.

4. Decision and acceptance — The Head of the admitting section (supported by Admissions and the Head of School) informs parents whether an offer is approved. To secure an offered place parents must confirm acceptance and pay the placement/security deposit (stated on the school invoice as RMB 18,000); the offer may be withdrawn if the deposit is not paid by the invoice deadline. Parents should note the school's invoicing currency (RMB), payment channels, and the credit‑card surcharges and deadlines set out in the fee policy.

5. Waiting list, refusal and re‑application — If places are full the school will place an approved applicant on a waiting list (placement is generally by date application + fee received, with some priority categories). If an application is denied, parents may reapply after six months and should follow any remedial recommendations given in the decline letter. Parents are advised to apply early and to keep their application documentation and contact details up to date while on the waiting list.

6. Pre‑entry requirements and ongoing obligations — Before attendance begins the school typically requests up‑to‑date medical checks and may take a confidential report from the applicant's current school; all students are screened for additional support needs on entry. Parents should understand the school's withdrawal and refund rules (for example, one‑term notice for withdrawal and the stated refund calculations) and the expectation that fees are paid by the due date to avoid late penalties or withheld reports. The school places students in year groups by age as of 1 September and will consider out‑of‑year placements case‑by‑case.

Scholarships

Merchiston publishes a formal Scholarship Policy and runs a scholarship programme that applies to tuition fees only; other costs (boarding, application fees, lunches, extracurricular fees, uniforms, textbooks, etc.) remain payable by the family. Scholarship awards are tiered (examples published include full, 75%, 50%, 25% and smaller discounts) and are normally time‑limited and subject to renewal criteria (academic standards, conduct, attendance and participation), with specific durations varying by year group. The school runs multiple scholarship categories (academic, music, sport, leadership/service/global citizenship, and specific programmes such as a golf scholarship) and evaluates candidates using a mix of tests (e.g., standardised tests/CEM), interviews, written statements, references, and evidence of achievement; sporting scholarships use performance evidence and may require tournament rankings. Application windows and exact eligibility/award levels are published on the school site for specific cycles (for example the school has recent public scholarship campaigns and separate calls for particular programmes), so parents should check the current Scholarship Criteria page and contact Admissions for the latest timelines and the documents required.

Waitlist

Merchiston operates a formal waiting list. Placement on the waiting list is generally determined by the date the application and application fee are received, though priority is explicitly given to (1) children of full‑time faculty, (2) qualified siblings of current students who have completed the application process, and (3) children transferring from another Merchiston Castle school. Positions on the waiting list are not disclosed to parents; if an applicant does not obtain a place for the term applied for they are automatically carried forward to the waiting list for the following term and, at the end of the academic year, to the appropriate year level for the new school year. The school advises early application because waiting‑list position and available spaces can change; for operational details parents should contact Admissions.

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QSI International School of Shenzhen

Instructs in English

Ages 2 - 18 years

Fees RMB 138,300 - 226,800

Type Co-educational

QSI International School of Shenzhen was established in 2001 as a non-profit, English-medium day school and serves expatriate families in Shenzhen across three nearby campuses. The school operates a Preschool & Lower Elementary campus (ages 2–7), a Main campus for middle grades (ages 8–13), and a Secondary campus for ages 14–18; AP courses and the IB Diploma are offered at the secondary level. QSI uses a Mastery Learning approach and explicitly teaches its Success Orientations (e.g., Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Kindness) across grades. Preschool and lower-elementary class sizes are given as 16 for 2-year-olds and about 18–20 for 3–7 year-old classes. Facilities described on campus pages include libraries, science labs, music and art spaces, indoor gym space and outdoor play areas. An optional, local school-bus service (with English-speaking bus monitors) is available; routes and fees are handled separately by the school.

Location

QSI Shenzhen is located in the Shekou area of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, with campuses clustered near Tai Zi Road / Bitao Center and the Fenghua Theatre (Shekou). The campuses are accessible from nearby metro stations serving the Sea World / Shekou area and are in a mixed residential and commercial neighbourhood popular with expatriate families.

Stages

The school operates three campuses divided by age: Preschool & Lower Elementary (ages 2–7), Main Campus / Middle School (ages 8–13), and Secondary Campus (ages 14–18). Each campus has its own facilities and administration.

Type

QSI Shenzhen is a non-profit, co-educational day school that serves expatriate families; it does not offer boarding. The school follows the QSI / American-based approach and is part of the Quality Schools International group.

Additional learning support

The school provides dedicated learning-support staff (including two learning support teachers and paraprofessionals in younger classes), a full‑time counselor on each campus, and an Intensive English (IE) programme for early learners who need extra English instruction. QSI's network also works with regional learning‑support coordinators when additional assessment or planning is required.

Country affiliation

The school is an independent international school and part of the QSI group (an international network); it is not affiliated with a particular national government. QSI schools hold international accreditations (QSI Shenzhen is accredited by the Middle States Association).

Religious affiliation

QSI Shenzhen is secular and has no religious affiliation; its programme and materials present a non‑religious, international curriculum.

School day structure

Classes generally begin at 8:30 AM. At the Secondary Campus the school follows an alternating block schedule with classes starting at 8:30 AM and ending at about 4:00 PM, with a morning break, an afternoon break and a 45‑minute lunch; younger divisions typically finish earlier (check admissions for exact division times).

Bus service

QSI Shenzhen offers an optional school bus service run in partnership with a local transport company; bus service is not included in tuition and routes are arranged based on demand. Each bus has an English‑speaking QSI bus monitor, seat belts are required, and some routes include a late bus for after‑school activities. Families can contact the school's transportation office for route details and costs.

Application fees and deposits
- One-time, non-refundable registration/application fee: RMB 2,100 per child.
- Non-refundable tuition deposit (placement fee) due within 10 working days of an acceptance offer: RMB 25,200; this amount is applied to school fees but is forfeited if the student does not enroll.

Tuition fees by year group (published third-party figures)
- The school's public pages do not publish a full numeric tuition table. A third‑party fee listing for the 2025/2026 academic year shows example annual tuition totals by grade (given in RMB): Nursery/Kindergarten ages 2–4: RMB 138,300; Kindergarten 3 and Grades 1–12: RMB 226,800 (variations by specific grade noted in the source). These figures are from an independent fees aggregator and are provided here as published by that third party.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Discounts are offered for full-term payments made on or before the term due dates, with an additional discount available if the full annual payment is completed on or before 1 October. If first-term payment is missed but the full year is paid by 1 October, a maximum discount may still apply.
- Payments must be made on or before the published due dates; students with outstanding fees may be withheld from classes, evaluations, official records, or communications until accounts are settled.

Boarding fees
- QSI Shenzhen is a non-profit day school (no boarding program); therefore no boarding fees apply.

Other costs and recurring charges
- Capital Fund Fee: a separate fee to support facilities and school development is charged (purpose described by the school).
- Bus/transportation and school lunch programs are optional and billed separately (bus routes/costs managed via the school's transport arrangements).
- Uniforms: the school does not require full daily uniforms; a P.E. uniform is provided/required where applicable (uniform policy noted by third-party listings).

Refund information
- The registration/application fee and the placement deposit are explicitly non-refundable; the deposit is forfeited if the student does not enroll. No other public refund policy for tuition or other fees is published on the school's public pages.

Fee payment options
- The school lists payment methods as RMB bank transfer or cash. Credit-card payment is not listed on the publicly posted payment instructions. For invoicing, fapiao, and accounting matters the school provides finance office contacts.

Note: the school's public pages provide policy and procedural details but do not publish a full, grade-by-grade numeric fee schedule; the numeric tuition figures above are taken from a third‑party aggregator that cites the school's fees for 2025/2026. Where the school states specific fee items or policies, the school's pages are cited.

Boarding Arrangements

The school is a day school with no boarding facilities.

Food Options

Lunch is provided by a licensed canteen with an FDA Grade A central kitchen; students may bring lunch from home or participate in the hot lunch program. Meals include two proteins, two side dishes, one carbohydrate, one soup, and fruit or a dessert, with Western and local options; Korean, Chinese and vegetarian boxed lunches are available, and drinking water is provided and tested monthly.

Governance and Ownership

The school is a nonprofit, independently owned and operated institution. It is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges.

Curriculum

QSI Shenzhen delivers an American‑based, mastery‑learning program in English with core classes in reading, writing, mathematics, cultural studies and science, supplemented by specialist courses (art, music, PE, technology, foreign languages) and character “Success Orientations.” Preschool and Lower Elementary (ages 2–7) use research‑based early‑years materials (Splash into Pre‑K for preschool) and a play‑based integrated 5‑year‑old program; 6–7‑year‑olds follow a full program including math, reading/language arts, science, cultural studies, art, music, computers and PE. The Main Campus (ages 8–13) aligns many courses with U.S. Common Core standards, provides an Intensive English program for learners of English, and offers technology, PE, art/music and foreign language instruction (Chinese and introductory Spanish). The Secondary Campus (ages 14–18) is a college‑preparatory program offering a QSI Academic Diploma, an Academic Diploma with Honors (which requires at least two AP courses), and the option to pursue the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in Sec III–IV; students can earn the IB Diploma in addition to the QSI diploma. Advanced study options include year‑long, a‑la‑carte Advanced Placement (AP) courses across humanities, math, science, languages and arts (with external exams in May), which are offered for qualified students (encouraged in Secondary I–II) and can complement IB preparation.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

QSI Shenzhen teaches character education through its Success Orientations (e.g., Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Concern for Others) and states this is introduced throughout classrooms and the school. The school also says it has a full-time school counselor at each campus who provides character education, friendship groups, and social & emotional support. These elements are presented as part of the school's whole-child approach to learning. Specific curricula, lesson plans, or measurable SEL outcomes are not published on the school website.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The school's website states it employs two learning support teachers, a regional learning support coordinator, and paraprofessionals in early years classes to support individual student needs. QSI Shenzhen presents these staff as providing additional support to students but does not list a catalogue of specific diagnoses or types of special educational needs it can support. The website does not describe the school as a specialist SEN institution; it presents these roles within a mainstream international school model. Detailed policies, formal referral pathways, or scope/limits of SEN provision are not published on the site.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

QSI Shenzhen publishes an Intensive English (IE) Program for students beginning in the 6-year-old class, with students in the IE Program attending IE classes during daily Reading/Writing time. The school also states many teachers hold additional certifications to teach English Language Learners and that the overall program is an English-immersion, American-based curriculum. The website does not provide detailed EAL entry-level criteria, individual withdrawal or push-in/pull-out models, or numbers of EAL staff.

Mental Wellbeing

The school states that each campus has a full-time counselor who provides social and emotional support, friendship groups, and character education, and secondary counselors also provide college counselling. QSI Shenzhen's materials present these counseling services as part of student support but do not publish a detailed mental-health policy, clinical referral procedures, or descriptions of in-school therapy services. The site also highlights community and parent involvement (e.g., Parent Support Group) as part of student well‑being activities.

Safeguarding

QSI Shenzhen publishes a Safeguarding and Child Protection statement that names child protection as a school priority and says the school implements school-based safeguarding policies, regular onsite training, and safe recruitment practices. The statement also says the school educates students and adults on safeguarding and works with international agencies to review and apply best-practice standards. The website provides this formal commitment but does not publish a full safeguarding policy document or detailed reporting procedures on the public pages linked.

Admissions

1. Start the online application. Begin by completing the school's online application through the parent portal (portal.qsishenzhen.cn). After you submit the online form the Admissions Office will contact you to schedule an in-person Admissions appointment for document drop-off and testing; parents should book any campus tours in advance to ensure staff availability.

2. Prepare and bring required documents to the Admissions appointment. The school requires proof of the child's and parents' passports/visas, two years of school records (if applicable), immunization records, and two passport photos for each parent and the child; school records not in English must be officially translated. Failure to bring all items on the application checklist will delay processing, so download and follow the Application Checklist before your appointment.

3. Pay the application/registration fee at the appointment. A non-refundable application/registration fee (stated on the site as RMB 2,100) is due at the time of the Admissions appointment and is typically required in cash; keep the receipt as it is part of your application record. The Admissions Office will not proceed with document processing or testing until this fee is paid.

4. Admissions testing and initial placement. Students age 5+ will take the NWEA MAP computerized adaptive tests in Reading, Math, and Language Usage (all in English); students age 8+ also complete a written essay. MAP results are used for placement but are not the sole determinant—previous records and the Director of Instruction's evaluation also factor into final grade placement.

5. Interview with the Director of Instruction. After testing and document review you will be scheduled for an interview with the campus Director of Instruction; the Director makes the admission decision and places students (age and previously completed grade are primary considerations). Expect the school to place students according to age first, with some exceptions decided by the Director; secondary (high‑school) applicants must demonstrate the English level needed for success in the secondary program.

6. Decision timeline and deposit to hold a space. The Admissions Office aims to return a decision (accepted, denied, or waiting list) by email within one to two days after the interview if all documents were submitted. If accepted, parents must pay a non‑refundable tuition deposit (listed on the site as RMB 25,200) within 10 working days to secure the place; this deposit is applied to fees but forfeited if the student does not enroll.

7. Final invoicing, payments and start. Tuition invoices are issued after the child begins school; the school publishes a Capital Fund Fee and describes a discount policy for timely full‑term/annual payments. Payments are accepted by RMB bank transfer or cash; students may be restricted from class, and records withheld, if fees are not current—so confirm payment deadlines and invoicing procedures with the Finance Office.

Waitlist

QSI Shenzhen states that the Admissions outcome may be “accepted,” “denied,” or “waiting list,” and families are informed by email shortly after the Director of Instruction's interview. The website does not publish detailed rules for how the waiting list is ordered (for example, whether it is strictly by application date, placement testing results, or other criteria), so parents should ask Admissions directly about their child's position and expected timeline if a waiting‑list offer is issued. For up‑to‑date information about availability at a specific campus or age level, contact admissions@shenzhen.qsi.org or the Admissions Office phone numbers listed on the site.

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Shenzhen American International School

Instructs in English

Ages 3 - 18 years

Fees RMB 138,000 - 298,000

Pupils 300

Type Co-educational (boarding)

Shenzhen American International School (SAIS) — Bao'an Campus serves students from preschool through Grade 12 and was established with approval in May 2005. The Bao'an campus is located in the Hangcheng area of Bao'an District and occupies over 20,000 square metres with three main buildings: an academic block, dormitories and a dining hall. The campus offers multiple upper‑secondary pathways (IB DP, AP, Cambridge A‑Level and HKDSE) and preschool programs (including IB‑PYP and Montessori approaches on SAIS pages). The school provides an on‑site boarding programme for students, campus dining (meals for boarders included in boarding fee), SEN support, ESL/EAL support, college counselling, after‑school activities and school bus services for day students. Annual tuition (2025–26 fee policy) ranges from RMB 138,000 to RMB 298,000; other published fees include an application fee, an enrollment deposit and boarding/meals charges. (All items above are taken from SAIS Bao'an pages and the SAIS Bao'an 2025–26 fee policy published on the school site.)

Location

The Bao'an campus is in Hangcheng (Hangcheng Street), Bao'an District, Shenzhen — address: No.2, Beiqi Road. The campus is a short drive from central Bao'an and is part of a newly opened SAIS campus complex that includes academic buildings, dormitories and a dining hall. Public metro and bus links serve Bao'an generally, but exact route/times for daily commutes will depend on your neighbourhood and are best checked locally.

Stages

SAIS operates as a K–12 international school overall (preschool through Grade 12), while the Bao'an campus focuses on middle and high school provision. The Bao'an campus offers middle-school foundation (Grades 6–8) and multiple high-school pathways (IBDP, AP, A‑Level, HKDSE).

Type

The school is co-educational and provides both day and boarding options; the Bao'an campus includes an on-site boarding programme for Grade 6 and above. There is no indication that the school is operated by a religious organisation.

Additional learning support

SAIS Bao'an states it provides Special Educational Needs (SEN) support and places emphasis on inclusive admissions procedures and counselling. School counsellors run both group and individual sessions and the school asks parents to work collaboratively with staff on support plans; admissions and the Student Development Center are listed contacts for further detail.

Country affiliation

The school is an independent international school operating in Shenzhen; it offers multiple international curricula (including American-style AP, A‑Level, IB and HKDSE pathways) and is not presented as formally affiliated to a single foreign government. The school was established with approval from the Chinese education authorities and the Bao'an campus is run in partnership with Tianli Educational Group.

Religious affiliation

The school website does not list any religious affiliation and presents SAIS as a secular international school.

School day structure

The school office hours for the Bao'an campus are Monday–Friday, 08:00–17:00; specific daily timetables (start/end times by grade, lesson blocks, and lunch/break schedules) are not detailed on the public pages and can be confirmed with admissions. Boarding students follow a campus boarding schedule with after‑school activities, enrichment and supervised self-study in the evenings.

Bus service

The Bao'an campus website does not publish a dedicated school-bus schedule; SAIS's Shekou main campus operates a paid school-bus service covering Nanshan, Futian and parts of Bao'an, with fees and routes set by service area — for Bao'an-specific transport you should confirm directly with admissions.

Application / Enrolment fees
- One‑time application/registration fee: RMB 2,000 (approx.).
- One‑time capital levy / building fee for new students: RMB 20,000 (approx.).

Tuition fees by year group (annual and approximate per‑semester)
- Early education / Pre‑K: Annual RMB 168,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 84,000.
- Kindergarten: Annual RMB 188,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 94,000.
- Grades 1–3: Annual RMB 208,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 104,000.
- Grades 4–5: Annual RMB 228,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 114,000.
- Grades 6–8: Annual RMB 258,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 129,000.
- Grade 9: Annual RMB 278,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 139,000.
- Grades 10–12 (A‑Level / AP / IB pathways): Annual RMB 278,000 — per semester ≈ RMB 139,000. (There are alternate DSE fee levels for DSE stream students — see next line.)
- Grades 10–12 (DSE pathway): Annual RMB 138,000 (non‑Hong Kong ID) / RMB 98,000 (Hong Kong ID) — per semester ≈ RMB 69,000 / RMB 49,000 respectively.

Boarding / boarding fees
- Full‑year boarding fee (where available): RMB 80,000 per year (covers supervised boarding, three daily meals and dormitory services during normal teaching days).

Other recurring or one‑off costs
- School bus: Annual zone rates (examples) — RMB 12,000 (Shekou within 3 km), RMB 13,500 (Nanshan 3–10 km), RMB 15,000 (other 10+ km). Bus fees are charged by semester or year and are non‑refundable.
- Lunch and catering: Paid separately through the school lunch program (menu and pricing set by the provider).
- Uniforms: Parents order uniform sets via the school's online uniform store; costs vary by size/season.
- Technology / device charges, exam fees (AP/IB/Cambridge), optional ASA and field trip costs may apply depending on grade and programme; these are additional to tuition.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Enrollment and invoicing: the school requires payment of applicable application/one‑time fees before assessment and requires full payment by the published due date to secure a place after acceptance. Specific invoice due dates and accepted instalment options are set in the school's tuition schedule and enrolment documents.

Refunds and withdrawal
- The school has a formal Withdrawal & Refund Policy that parents must read and sign as part of admission; some one‑time fees and selected service fees (e.g., certain deposits, bus fees) are non‑refundable as stated in school documents. See the school's Withdrawal & Refund Policy for precise conditions.

Fee payment options (typical for Shenzhen international schools / practice noted at similar schools)
- Common accepted methods for international schools in Shenzhen include RMB bank transfer (wire), in‑person cash or over‑the‑counter payments; some schools also offer card/online payment channels with processing surcharges. Parents are required to follow the payment instructions shown on invoices.

Notes: amounts above reflect published fee schedules and widely reported school fee summaries; one‑time entry charges and optional programme fees should be expected in addition to the annual tuition figures cited.

Boarding Arrangements

The Bao'an Campus offers a boarding program for Grade 6 and above. Boarding provides dormitory living spaces with comfortable accommodations and nutritious meals, with 24/7 supervision by boarding parents. The program includes student-led after-school activities, enrichment classes, and self-study support to promote holistic development.

Food Options

The culinary team includes chefs from star-rated hotels to offer a diverse range of Chinese and Western dishes for students and staff. Meals are nutritionally balanced and reflect an international palate. Staff and students dine in the same canteen to enable interaction and timely feedback on dining needs.

Governance and Ownership

The Bao'an campus is governed through a strategic partnership between Shenzhen American International School and Tianli Educational Group (01773.HK). It operates independently from the Shekou campus, with governance strengthened by this partnership to support sustainable educational growth. Tianli Group aims to explore multiple opportunities within the educational sector.

Curriculum

Shenzhen American International School offers a K–12 international programme: IB‑PYP in early years/elementary, a Middle Years/Foundation bridge in middle school, and multiple Grade 10–12 pathways (IBDP, AP, A‑Level (Edexcel/AQA) and HKDSE).
Grades 6–8 follow a Middle Year Foundation Program (MYFP) with core subjects in English, Chinese, mathematics, science, individuals & societies, arts, music, ICT, physical health education, Service as Action (SAS) and after‑school activities.
Grade 9 is a High School Foundation Year (Pre‑DP) that prepares students for pathway selection (Pre‑DP into IBDP, AP, A‑Levels or HKDSE) and includes TOK and PHE in the programme.
The American Placement (AP) pathway (Grades 10–12) lets students choose AP subjects across languages, humanities, sciences and maths and sit external AP exams (students typically take 2–3 exams and may earn university credits).
The A‑Level route includes a Grade 10 Pre‑DP year and Pearson Edexcel IAL / AQA Oxford International qualifications in Grades 11–12 (students usually select three specialist subjects alongside mandatory English/Chinese, PHE and ASAs); the HKDSE pathway (Grades 10–12) follows Hong Kong Diploma requirements with compulsory Chinese, English, mathematics and liberal studies plus elective sciences, humanities, Applied Learning options and mathematics extension modules.
The IBDP option comprises a Grade 10 Pre‑DP transition and the two‑year Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12) with the six subject groups, Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS; students can follow HL/SL subject choices across languages, individuals & societies, sciences, mathematics and the arts.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

SAIS describes a range of student-led after‑school activities (ASA) that the school says develop teamwork, leadership, resilience and confidence through clubs and sports. The SEN/Student Development information also states school counselors run general, age‑group sessions on mental‑health topics as well as individual counselling. The Student Development Center is led by a named director (Ms Aleezer Li), who is presented as a life mentor involved in student support. The school website frames these elements as part of a broader “holistic education” approach on the main site.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The school's SEN page states SAIS offers Special Educational Needs support and says inclusivity and gathering information through the admissions process are part of that provision. The page describes dedicated school counselors providing general and individual counselling tailored to students' needs. The site invites parents to cooperate with the school's SEN work and provides contact emails for further enquiries. The school does not publicly specify on its website which specific categories of SEN it can support, nor does it describe itself as a specialist SEN institution.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

SAIS states it offers English language support through English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) programmes and lists TOEFL and IELTS preparatory courses. The Language Programs page also notes additional instruction in Chinese, French and Japanese to enrich language learning. The school says its language teaching team includes native and experienced non‑native English teachers to support students transitioning to an English‑language environment. For more detail (levels, entry criteria or class sizes) the site directs enquiries to admissions email addresses.

Mental Wellbeing

The school's SEN and Student Development pages state that school counselors provide both group sessions on age‑appropriate mental‑health topics and one‑to‑one counselling for individual needs. The Student Development Center is presented as a focal point for student support and college counselling, led by a named director. The campus description also refers to a “Home Parent” programme and dormitory living spaces intended to create a supportive, home‑like environment for boarders. If you need specifics about counselling qualifications, referral processes or external mental‑health partnerships, the website provides contact emails but does not publish those operational details.

Safeguarding

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding safeguarding and child‑protection policies on its website.

Admissions

1. Initial inquiry and information-gathering (Contact & tour). The school's contact page provides a form to request tours and lists school hours and phone/email contacts; families should confirm which campus/program (Bao'an vs. Shekou) they are applying to before proceeding. Visiting or a phone call is useful because the school offers both day and boarding options and bus/meal arrangements differ by campus.

2. Create an OpenApply account and complete the online application.
- SAIS uses OpenApply for admissions; parents should register a family account and complete every required section of the online application (personal details, family, previous schools, health/SEN information and fees section) before submitting. The OpenApply form also asks whether you want boarding or day place and which academic year and curriculum stream (IB/AP/A‑Level/DSE) you are applying to; fill those carefully because they affect placement and fee schedules. You can preview the full checklist on the OpenApply portal so you can gather translations, transcripts, and medical records before submission.

3. Prepare and submit required documents and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- The application will not be processed until the non-refundable application fee (¥2,000 RMB) is paid and the required documents are received. The school's published application checklist requires a completed application form plus copies of the student's passport, birth certificate (English translation), residence permit or visa (if available), immunization record, two passport photos, the last two years' official school reports (English translation), and any specialist SEN reports. If you do not yet have a Chinese visa/residence permit you may submit passport copies now and email visa/permit copies later.

4. Admission review and any follow-up (selection process).
- Once the application fee and documents are received the school's selection/review process begins; the school may request additional information, clarification of records, or follow-up communications with the sending school. The website and application form do not publish a single fixed interview/exam sequence for all applicants, so the school may contact you to arrange placement testing, an interview, or a meeting with staff as appropriate for the student's age and programme; for high‑school entry the school also runs entrance examinations and scholarship-related assessments. Parents should be ready to supply original documents on request and to schedule in-person or online meetings for placement discussions.

5. Offer, acceptance, and payment of the enrollment deposit.
- If the school issues an offer, new families must pay the non-refundable enrollment deposit (published as ¥60,000 RMB) within five working days of receiving the admission letter to secure the place; continuing students must meet the seat-reservation deadline (published as March 31). The enrollment deposit is applied toward total fees but is non-refundable; if the deposit is not paid by the deadline the school explicitly reserves the right to offer the place to other applicants. Parents should check the offer letter for exact dates and the finance contact for bank details.

6. Tuition payment schedule, early-bird and payment options.
- The school publishes grade-group tuition bands and offers an early-bird rate for payments by March 31; full tuition deadlines and the standard payment schedule show an annual (due by August 10) or semester option (due by August 10 and January 10). For example (published in the SAIS fee policy for 2025–26) annual tuition figures differ by grade and programme (primary, middle, AP/IB high school, A‑Level, HKDSE) and boarding and meal fees are additional. Parents should review the current Fee Policy PDF carefully for the grade-specific tuition amount that applies to their child and confirm whether their employer will pay directly or whether they will pay as family.

7. Additional fees and optional services (boarding, meals, transport, school fund).
- The Fee Policy lists boarding fees (annual boarding fee and meal and dormitory amounts), a School Fund / uniform & BYOD one-time fee for new students (published as ¥20,000 RMB), and bus fee zones (published zone rates); meal and transport fees can be optional and non-refundable depending on your selections. Sibling discounts apply to tuition only (with the structure published in the fee document) but do not apply to boarding, meals or uniform/school-fund charges. If you are considering boarding, note the fee structure for dormitory configurations and that meal arrangements differ between the Bao'an and Shekou campuses.

8. Withdrawal, refunds, and arrival preparations.
- The school publishes a withdrawal and refund policy with proportional refunds depending on the withdrawal date (e.g., 100% refund before school year begins, scaled refunds through the year) and specific rules for temporary leave, late payments, and documentation release. Parents should also prepare immunization records and any medical documentation in advance; the application form requires immunization and health history and indicates the school will follow emergency procedures if necessary. If a visa/residence permit is required for enrollment, start that process early (the application form asks for residence/visa details).

Scholarships

SAIS publishes a school scholarship programme and a scholarship application form for the Bao'an campus. The school's scholarships page and the SAIS Scholarship Application Form list several categories in the 2025 plan, including a High School Entrance Examination Scholarship, Top University Scholarship, Outstanding Student Scholarship, and Talent Scholarship (for arts or sports); the application form describes required items such as a 200–500 word personal statement, two recommendation letters, certified transcripts, and supporting evidence (competition results, portfolios) for talent awards. Deadlines and timelines are published in the scholarship form (examples: application deadlines of December 20 for spring-entry and June 30 for fall-entry; selected applicants notified by January 10 or July 31; successful applicants required to confirm by January 20 or August 5). The scholarship form identifies a Scholarship Coordinator (Ms. Aleezer Li) and gives a contact email and phone number for questions and submission instructions. The scholarships page also includes student testimonial material (example: a 12th‑grade recipient reporting a half scholarship) indicating the school has awarded partial scholarships in practice. If you are considering a scholarship, submit the scholarship form and all supporting documents by the published deadline and follow up with the scholarship coordinator for any programme-specific steps.

Waitlist

The school website and published admissions documents do not present a separate, public ‘waitlist' policy or named ‘admissions pool' for general applicants. However, the Fee Policy states that if a new student's enrollment deposit is not paid by the required deadline the school reserves the right to offer the place to other applicants, which indicates places may be reallocated promptly when deposits are not received. Because the site does not describe a formal waitlist process (priority rules, how long students remain on a list, or how waitlisted families are notified), parents who want to know the practical handling of oversubscribed grades should contact admissions directly (admissions@szsaisba.org) to ask whether a waitlist will be created for their child and how offers from that list are managed.

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Shenzhen College of International Education

Instructs in English

Ages 14 - 18 years

Fees RMB 273,000 - 303,000

Pupils 1800

Type Co-educational (boarding)

Shenzhen College of International Education (SCIE) is an international four‑year high school founded in 2003 and now located at a purpose‑built Antuoshan (Antuo Hill) campus in Futian. SCIE delivers Cambridge IGCSE in the first two years (G1–G2) and A‑level (with an AP pathway option) in the final two years (A1–A2). The Antuoshan campus (opened in 2020) includes teaching blocks, science laboratories, an arts theatre and dedicated arts spaces, sports facilities and boarding houses; the school also publishes extensive university admissions results for graduating cohorts. Admissions and course information, subject lists (including Chinese, English, French, Japanese and Spanish), and current tuition figures are published on the school website.

Location

SCIE is on a purpose-built campus at No. 3 Antuoshan 6th Road, Futian District, Shenzhen (postcode shown on the school site). The campus moved to Antuo Hill in 2020 and sits in central Futian, close to the city's business district; local public transport options include Shenzhen's metro (Longhua Line to Fumin Station) and several city bus routes near Huanggang Park.

Stages

SCIE is a four‑year international high school: G1 and G2 follow the IGCSE programme, and A1 and A2 are the final two years when students study A‑Levels or AP.

Type

Co‑educational; SCIE operates as a day school with boarding facilities on campus (the website describes dormitories and residential support).

Additional learning support

The school describes a pastoral and wellbeing structure (form tutors, Heads of Year, a wellbeing centre with counsellors and on‑site nurses) and mandatory safeguarding procedures. The website does not publish a detailed public 'SEN/Additional Learning Needs' policy; parents with specific ALN/SEN questions should contact admissions or the pastoral team for case‑by‑case detail.

Country affiliation

SCIE teaches a UK curriculum (IGCSE and A‑Level pathways) but is an international college rather than formally affiliated to a national church or foreign government.

Religious affiliation

The school does not state any religious affiliation on its public pages; its materials present SCIE as a secular international college.

School day structure

Published staff timetables indicate a typical weekday start around 07:50 (with some earlier Monday starts) and lessons finishing mid‑ to late‑afternoon, followed by a one‑hour after‑school ECA slot (commonly 16:30–17:30). The campus provides a canteen for lunch.

Bus service

The school website does not publish a dedicated school‑bus/provider timetable. For daily travel many families use public buses and the metro (nearby Fumin Station and Huanggang Park area are the closest public links cited by local guides). If you need a school‑run service, contact SCIE Admissions (info@scie.com.cn or the telephone number on the site) to confirm whether the college currently operates routes or recommends external providers.

Application / registration fee
- Registration (application) fee: RMB 600 (paid at time of registration). This registration fee is non‑refundable. Payment for registration is accepted online via WeChat Pay or Alipay.

Tuition — annual amounts and scope
- Standard academic stream (annual tuition): RMB 273,000 per academic year. This amount is stated as an annual fee and is described as covering the physical examination fee, campus insurance fee, and extracurricular activity fees; it does not include international examination fees, off‑campus trips or internships, or summer camps/programmes.
- Arts/Music Academy (annual tuition): RMB 303,000 per academic year (scope noted as above).

Per‑term / year‑group detail
- The school publishes the annual tuition figures above. A public per‑term breakdown or different published rates by specific year group (G1, G2, A1, etc.) is not provided in the school's public admissions material; the published figures above are the stated annual charges.

Boarding / accommodation fees
- Room and board (annual): RMB 16,800 per academic year for boarding that excludes weekend stays, or RMB 19,800 per academic year for boarding that includes weekend stays. These are presented as the annual accommodation fees.

Other costs and typical exclusions
- International examination fees (e.g., Cambridge/A‑level/AP/other external exam fees) are not included in the annual tuition and are charged separately. Off‑campus trips, internships, and summer programmes are also excluded and billed separately. The school's published fee notes list these exclusions.
- Specific line items such as uniform cost, daily meal top‑ups, transport (school bus) fees, and textbook charges are not published in the school's publicly posted admissions fee summary.

Billing schedule, payment terms, refunds
- The school's public admissions information specifies the registration fee payment at registration and annual tuition/accommodation amounts but does not publish a detailed public billing schedule or full payment‑term policy in the admissions summary. The registration/entrance exam fee is described as non‑refundable. No other specific refund terms are published in the same public admissions content.

Fee payment options for items shown
- Registration payment method: WeChat Pay or Alipay for the registration fee. The school's public admissions notices do not list a comprehensive set of payment methods for annual tuition in the posted admissions summary.

Boarding Arrangements

Boarding houses provide modern, well-equipped dormitories with personal study areas and shared common rooms, supported by attentive dorm teachers and psychological counselors.

Uniform Requirement

The school uses a four-house system: Water, Metal, Wood, and Fire. Students wear house uniforms in color-coded designs.

Food Options

A wide choice of meals and refreshments is available in the canteen and café.

House System

There are four houses (Water, Metal, Wood, Fire). House events include sports and non-sport activities, with weekly gatherings on Wednesday afternoons. A Student Leadership Body oversees the House division and related events.

Governance and Ownership

SCIE is affiliated with the Council of International Schools (CIS), FOBISIA, and ACT, and offers College Board–audited AP courses since 2016. SCIE has undergone accreditation with CIS and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

SCIE describes a structured pastoral programme in which most teachers act as Form Teachers who deliver a weekly PSHE lesson and mentor a cohort of roughly 14 students. Each year group is overseen by a Head of Year and the Pastoral Deputy Principal has overall responsibility for the pastoral team. The college says it takes a preventative approach to student welfare and identifies the form teacher as the first point of contact for students and parents. SCIE also runs a student-led Peer Support Division that provides peer tutoring, mentoring and a decompression space used during events such as Mental Health Week. Job and recruitment pages further describe mandatory pastoral/safeguarding CPD for staff and the form-tutor role.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

SCIE's staff listings include a named SENCO coordinator (Adam Romano), indicating a designated staff role for special educational needs coordination. The site also records that the school has previously had staff in Learning Support coordinator roles, showing historic learning-support provision in some faculties. The public website describes pastoral, counselling and medical services but does not set out a detailed list of the specific categories of SEN the college can support (for example specific learning difficulties, autism spectrum conditions, or physical disabilities). SCIE's website presents the college as a mainstream international sixth-form college and does not describe itself as a specialist SEN institution.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding EAL provision on its website. Individual staff CVs note experience teaching EAL or holding EAL-coordinator roles elsewhere, but SCIE's public pages do not present a dedicated EAL programme or a named EAL coordinator. For specific details about English-language support the school's published contact information is available on its website.

Mental Wellbeing

SCIE operates a Wellbeing Centre and the Wellbeing Center page names two wellbeing counsellors (Maria Acosta and Joel Wang) and a school medic/health-and-safety officer. The Pastoral Care page states the wellbeing centre is staffed by two counsellors and supported by a medical team of nurses for day and residential students. The counsellors' profiles on the Wellbeing Centre page list relevant counselling and crisis-intervention qualifications. The school also describes peer-based programmes (peer mentoring and peer tutoring) and student-run wellbeing initiatives used in Mental Health Week. The website provides staff and programme descriptions rather than a standalone, detailed mental-health policy for public download.

Safeguarding

SCIE's Safeguarding page sets out child-protection requirements for applicants (including an ICPC or equivalent and phone contact with the applicant's current or most recent Head of School) as part of background checks. The page lists a Statement of Principles that references compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and international best practice while also noting the college will abide by PRC law. The college names specific safeguarding roles (Child Protection Officer and Designated Safeguarding Lead) and states that all staff, including non-teaching staff, receive child-safeguarding training. The safeguarding statement emphasises staff have a mandatory duty to report suspicions of abuse and that student well‑being is the paramount concern in decision-making. Contact details for the college are published on the site for reporting or enquiries.

Admissions

1. Check eligibility and timelines. Before you apply, confirm which Grade Group you are targeting (G1/IGCSE Year 1 or A1/AS Level) and check SCIE's published quotas and age limits (for example, G1 applicants must be born after January 1, 2009; A1 applicants must be born after January 1, 2007). Parents should note registration opening dates (registration for 2025 opened Jan 6, 2025) and that places are limited; the school states registration runs “until full.”

2. Prepare documents and digital materials for registration. SCIE requires a government-issued ID (mainland ID card, Mainland Travel Permit for HK/Macau/Taiwan residents, or passport for foreign students) and a passport-style electronic photo for upload; parents should have scanned copies ready before starting the online application. The admissions pages also point to specialist streams (Arts/Music) that require additional materials (portfolios or performance recordings) if applying to the Arts Academy.

3. Register online and pay the registration fee. Registration is completed through the SCIE application platform or by following the school's official WeChat account; the published registration fee for 2025 was RMB 600 (non‑refundable) and payment is made online (WeChat/Alipay). Parents should double-check the exact fee and accepted payment methods at the time they apply because the school notes registrations close when seats are full.

4. Prepare for the written entrance examination (subjects and format). For the regular stream the written test in 2025 included English and Mathematics (example dates listed: March 16 and June 1, 2025); the school runs two rounds and candidates unsuccessful in the first round can reapply for the second. Parents should check the published test format (offline/online), bring the ID used at registration on test day, and follow any test‑day instructions released by the school (the school posts software/monitoring requirements and a candidate instruction page when online testing applies).

5. Specialist (Arts/Music) application steps, if relevant. Applicants to the Arts Academy follow an additional specialist process: there is a prescreening of submitted portfolios/recordings, a specialist audition or practical test (music performance or art drawing/painting tasks), and then the standard English written test; prescreening and audition dates are published separately. Parents of specialist applicants should confirm the portfolio/video formatting instructions, any minimum competency requirements (for example, music applicants are asked to demonstrate certain grade/level equivalence), and whether a prescreen outcome automatically transfers candidates into the regular stream if they do not meet specialist requirements.

6. Shortlist and interview scheduling. Candidates who are shortlisted after the written examination are assigned an interview appointment; SCIE typically schedules interviews within 1–2 weeks after the written exam and will notify candidates via the applicant portal, official WeChat, or the website. Parents should monitor the school's communication channels closely (the site and WeChat are used to announce results and interview times) and ensure contact details in the application are current.

7. Results, offers and next steps. Admission results are posted on SCIE's official WeChat account and the school website; the admissions notices specify exact release dates for each round and for specialist streams. If an offer is made, families should read the offer letter carefully for any stated deadlines and fee/registration instructions, and be prepared that tuition does not include some costs (for example, international exam fees and off‑campus trips).

8. Fees, accommodation and other costs to plan for. Published 2025–2026 figures list annual tuition (regular stream) at RMB 273,000, Arts Academy tuition at RMB 303,000, and boarding costs of RMB 16,800 (excluding weekends) or RMB 19,800 (including weekends); these published figures also note they exclude international examination fees, field trips, internships and some summer programs. Parents should budget for examination fees (e.g., CAIE/Edexcel/AP/IB/ACT/SAT where applicable), school trips, uniforms, and any additional services (guardianship, airport transfers), and confirm the current year's fees with the Admissions or Finance Office before accepting an offer.

9. If you don't get a place right away. Because SCIE runs multiple rounds of exams and registration is stated to run until full, unsuccessful candidates may register for a later round if one is offered; check the admissions calendar and registration closing notes for each year. If you are considering other options, keep copies of transcripts and test scores ready to speed new applications elsewhere and contact SCIE's Admissions Office for clarification about future recruitment rounds.

Scholarships

SCIE's official admissions and programme pages (as published in the school's 2025 admissions materials) do not advertise a general scholarship or means‑tested financial aid programme for incoming students on the public site. The published pages focus on application steps, exam schedules, and fee schedules (tuition and boarding) without describing entrance scholarships or ongoing bursaries. Because some schools operate internal or case‑by‑case support (or may offer occasional merit awards), if you are seeking fee assistance or scholarship possibilities you should contact SCIE's Admissions or Finance Office directly to ask whether any scholarships, fee reductions, or limited awards are available in the year you intend to apply; the Admissions contact information and instructions are provided on the school's admissions page.

Waitlist

SCIE's publicly posted admissions materials do not describe a formal, named waitlist or “holding‑pool” process; instead, the school runs at least two rounds of entrance examinations each intake year and states that registration is open until capacity is reached. The admissions notices advise that test seats are limited and that registration may close when full, which suggests the school manages demand by additional exam rounds or re‑opening registration rather than by publishing a standing waitlist for offered places. If you need a definitive answer about whether the school keeps a waiting list for a particular year or grade, contact the Admissions Office directly (the school publishes contact details on its Admissions page).

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Shenzhen International Foundation College

Instructs in English, English, English

Ages 14 - 18 years

Fees RMB 268,000 - 308,000

Pupils 300

Type Co-educational

Shenzhen International Foundation College (SIFC / 深圳国际预科书院) is located in Bao'an District at the Shenzhen International Art Exhibition Centre (艺展中心). The school website describes SIFC as an international senior/high-school–level institution founded in 2004 that operates American-style, British-style and art/music programmes (including AP and A‑Level/IGCSE pathways) and a range of specialist centres (STEM/MIT FabLab, music, sports training centres). Boarding is provided in hotel-style student apartments and the campus is presented as an "open art campus" connected to the International Art Exhibition Centre, emphasising art and cross-disciplinary learning spaces.

Location

SIFC (also known as Shenzhen International Foundation College / 深国预) is located in Shenzhen's Bao'an district at the International Arts Exhibition Center / IADC (listed on some directories as No. 8, Yizhan 4th Road or at the International Art Exhibition Centre complex). The campus is in the Songgang/松岗 area of Bao'an and is served by local buses and the nearby Shenzhen Metro lines (access typically requires a short bus or taxi transfer from the nearest metro station). Parents relocating from overseas will usually travel to the campus from Shenzhen Bao'an Airport or major metro interchange stations; confirm exact campus address and directions with the school before you travel.

Stages

SIFC is primarily a secondary/college-preparatory school (the school operates international high‑school programs and directories list intake roughly around middle-to-high school grades, e.g. Grade 7 or Grade 9 through Grade 12). The school is organised into two main divisions: an International High School and an Art High School, offering AP, A‑Level and international foundation/"3+1" programmes.

Type

A private, co‑educational international school. Publicly available school profiles and international‑school directories indicate SIFC operates both day and boarding provision (boarding available for some year groups), though exact boarding arrangements and eligibility should be confirmed with admissions.

Additional learning support

There is no detailed public description found in the school's published admissions summaries about a dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) department or specific learning‑support facilities. If your child has diagnosed additional learning needs, contact the school's admissions or student‑support office directly to discuss available accommodations and assessment procedures.

Country affiliation

SIFC is a Chinese private international school approved by the Shenzhen Education Bureau and registered with provincial education authorities and the China Scholarship Council; it is not listed as being affiliated to a foreign government or national school system.

Religious affiliation

No religious affiliation is indicated in the school's public materials or directory profiles; SIFC is presented as a secular international college.

School day structure

A specific published daily timetable (start/end times, exact break and lunch periods) was not found on public admissions or school‑profile pages. For precise school‑day times, term dates and weekend/boarding routines, ask admissions or request the school's current parent information pack.

Bus service

Multiple school directories and international‑school profiles list a school bus service for SIFC (school‑operated or contracted routes are commonly provided by schools of this type), but they do not publish route maps or provider names publicly. Families should request route coverage, pick‑up/drop‑off points, cost, vehicle safety checks and any live‑tracking/GPS arrangements from the school's admissions or transport office before enrolling.

Application / Admission Fees
- Application / entrance test fee: reported as either RMB 500 (one‑time application fee) or RMB 800 (entrance/exam fee paid at registration). Both figures are reported by third‑party school listings; the exam/registration fee is frequently described as non‑refundable.

Tuition — annual and per term
- Standard academic programmes (American / British pathway, G9–G12): RMB 268,000 per academic year (charged as an annual tuition fee).
- Arts / Music specialised programmes: RMB 308,000 per academic year (charged as an annual tuition fee).
- Note on per‑term charging: the school's published figures are presented as annual tuition rates; third‑party school listings present the tuition as an annual fee (the one‑time application/entrance fee is separate). Where an annual fee is shown, it is customary for schools to issue invoices for the full academic year or for semesters/terms according to the school finance office schedule.

What these tuition figures normally include and exclude
- Typical inclusions (reported): study materials/administration fees, certain campus insurance and the school's standard one‑set uniform ("first set" of school uniform), basic campus activities and standard in‑school services.
- Typical exclusions (reported): meals, accommodation (boarding), school bus/transport, international examination fees (SAT/TOEFL/AP/IELTS/other exam fees), off‑campus field trips, external competition or portfolio costs and other third‑party charges.

Boarding / accommodation fees (where applicable)
- Boarding is not included in the standard tuition. Third‑party listings for Shenzhen international secondary schools (including listings that cover SIFC) report typical boarding/accommodation ranges of about RMB 16,800 per year (weekday only) or about RMB 19,800 per year (including weekends); actual SIFC boarding charges are reported as a separate item and are not rolled into the published tuition figure.

Other costs and one‑off charges
- Uniform: the school's standard “first set” uniform is commonly listed as covered by tuition; replacement sets and additional uniform purchases are charged separately.
- Textbooks / materials: some listings show a separate annual materials/book charge (examples across similar Shenzhen schools show around RMB 4,800 per year as a separate item).
- Transport: school bus routes and fees are charged separately.
- International exam and application costs: fees for external tests (SAT/AP/IELTS/TOEFL) and overseas university application/portfolio costs are not included and are additional.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Published tuition figures are quoted as annual amounts for the stated academic year. Third‑party school listings report the tuition as an annual charge and list the application/entrance fee as a separate one‑time charge for first‑year enrolment. Families should expect an invoice cycle tied to the academic year (annual invoice or semester/term instalments as arranged with the school finance office).

Refund information
- Entrance/registration exam fees are regularly reported as non‑refundable. For tuition and other refunds, public summaries of Shenzhen international schools point to refund handling in accordance with Guangdong provincial rules for private non‑degree education institutions; third‑party listings note that refund arrangements follow the applicable Guangdong refund management regulations for private education institutions.

Fee payment options and school finance contact
- Reported practice for the school is to handle payments through the school finance office and by school‑designated payment channels. For specific payment methods and invoicing (bank transfer details, receipts/invoices, online payment channels, or other accepted methods) contact the school finance office directly via the school contact details listed for SIFC. The school's published contact details appear with the school's fee pages and admissions notices.

Summary (key figures for the current academic year listings)
- Application / entrance test fee: reported as RMB 500 (application) or RMB 800 (exam/registration) — non‑refundable.
- Tuition (standard American / British pathways, G9–G12): RMB 268,000 per year (annual charge).
- Tuition (arts / music specialised programmes): RMB 308,000 per year (annual charge).
- Boarding (separate): typical Shenzhen school ranges reported around RMB 16,800–19,800 per year (charged separately).

If you will place these figures into a public database, use the annual tuition numbers above and record application/entrance fees and the common exclusions (meals, accommodation, transport, international exam fees) as separate line items. The citations given after each paragraph indicate the public fee listings and school‑specific fee pages summarized by independent school information sites.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

SIFC publicly describes a whole‑school, “whole‑person” education approach and cites project‑based learning and personalised student development as part of that work. Public descriptions list a PBL (project‑based learning) Innovation Education Centre and a “Student Individualised Growth Center” used to support student development and personalised pathways. The school also promotes specialised pathways and the “V‑class/拏云计划” for tailored academic and personal development. Specific staff roles (for example named pastoral leads or dedicated SEL coordinators) are not detailed in the public materials found.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding provision for students with special educational needs (SEN) or whether it is a specialist SEN institution. Publicly available school profiles and news items describe academic, artistic and personalised learning centres but do not publish a SEN policy, lists of supported needs, or dedicated learning‑support staffing. Therefore no verified, sourceable details about SEN provision could be found.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Public listings for SIFC note provision of English courses for non‑native speakers (described in some profiles as “English non‑native” or EAL‑style classes) and an English‑medium curriculum across grade levels. These sources do not, however, publish a clear EAL programme description, entry/assessment procedures, or named EAL staff on the publicly available pages located. As a result, while non‑native English instruction is referenced, detailed, sourceable information about specific EAL staffing or formal support programmes is not published.

Mental Wellbeing

SIFC's public materials emphasise personalised pastoral development and “whole‑person” education through centres and projects intended to support student growth. Items such as the Student Individualised Growth Center and regular teacher mentoring are described in school profiles and news items as part of the school's approach to student development. The school's public descriptions do not, however, provide a published counselling service structure, named mental‑health staff, or a detailed mental‑wellbeing programme that can be cited.

Safeguarding

SIFC is described in official and major public profiles as an Education Bureau‑approved full‑time international school (registered with Shenzhen authorities), which indicates formal recognition by local education authorities. Those public profiles do not, however, publish a child‑protection or safeguarding policy, a named Designated Safeguarding Lead, or detailed reporting procedures that can be cited from the school's own public materials. Therefore specific, sourceable safeguarding policy text or staff names were not found in the public sources located.

Admissions

1. Initial enquiry and school visit — Contact the admissions office (phone/email or the online enquiry form) to request current materials, ask about open‑day dates, and confirm which programmes (AP / A‑Level / Arts / Music) are accepting students for the intake you want. Parents should bring the student's most recent school report when they visit and note that some programmes (art/music) require a separate portfolio or audition—ask in advance what format the school wants. It's common for the school to schedule on‑campus tours or online information sessions before you complete a formal application; confirm the exact timeframe and available slots with admissions.

2. Submit a formal application — Complete the school's application form (online or in person) and submit the requested documents: a copy of the student's ID (passport, mainland ID or hukou), recent academic transcripts, one‑inch photos, and any specialist materials (art portfolio, music recordings). The application step typically requires payment of an application or registration fee; published amounts vary between sources so ask admissions for the current, exact figure before paying. Keep scanned copies of everything and request a receipt and an application reference number from the school for follow‑up.

3. Test registration and fees — After the application is accepted for assessment, you will be asked to register for the entrance assessment and pay the test fee (many parents report a separate exam/testing fee in addition to the application fee). Expect to be told precise test dates and whether the test is on campus, online, or computer‑based; confirm refund policies (most test fees are non‑refundable). Before you arrive, double‑check what calculator or ID to bring and whether parents are permitted to stay for the test day.

4. Entrance assessment — SIFC uses a formal academic assessment (reported as a 150‑minute MAP or MAP‑style computerised test covering math, English and science for most academic streams) and a one‑to‑one interview (often with a senior leader such as the principal). For arts and music applicants the academic test is combined with a professional exam or portfolio review; portfolios and recordings should meet the school's stated format and length. Parents should prepare the student by reviewing subject areas named by the school and by making sure portfolios are labelled and uploaded according to the school's instructions.

5. Interview and family meeting — If shortlisted, the school will normally schedule a student interview and a parent/guardian meeting (in person or by phone/video). The interview evaluates language ability, academic motivation and fit with the programme; art/music applicants often have a separate subject‑specific audition or interview. Parents should bring original identity documents and be ready to discuss learning support needs, future university plans and logistics (transport, boarding if relevant).

6. Offer, timeline and placement — After assessment the school will issue an outcome (offer, conditional offer, or non‑offer). Some sources report that initial results can be given quickly (reports of decisions within about three working days in some application rounds), but official timelines can vary by intake and cohort—confirm the expected decision date when you apply. If an offer is made, read the offer letter carefully for deadlines to accept, any conditions (e.g., submission of authenticated transcripts), the contract terms and the deadline to pay the deposit or tuition to secure the place.

7. Contract, payment and registration — To secure a place you will typically sign an enrolment agreement and pay the required deposit/full tuition by the stated deadline; the school will provide instructions for invoicing and acceptable payment methods. Be aware of what the tuition covers (some published schedules note that tuition may include core fees but exclude meals, boarding, international exam fees and school bus) and keep copies of the signed contract and payment receipts for visa or school‑record purposes. If you need an invoice for reimbursement or visa applications, ask admissions at the time of payment.

8. Pre‑arrival administrative steps — Once your place is confirmed, the school will advise on start‑of‑term requirements: immunisations or health records, uniform orders, orientation dates and any assessment to place the student in the right subject level. For non‑mainland students, check visa/entry paperwork early; for mainland transfers you may need to follow local education bureau procedures for transfer or new student registration. Keep the admissions contact details handy in case documents or travel plans change.

Scholarships

SIFC publishes a structured scholarship scheme (branded as the “拏云奖学金” in the school's own material) that includes entrance scholarships, university‑entry scholarships and targeted university fee assistance. The entrance scholarships are awarded before enrolment and may reduce tuition directly (the published categories include full‑tuition awards, and tiered awards such as ¥100,000/year, ¥50,000/year, ¥20,000/year, and ¥10,000/year levels); the programme also describes separate university‑entry awards tied to particular destination universities with larger lump sums for top offers. The school's 2025 scholarship materials state a combined potential package of awards and assistance up to a large total (the page cites the overall programme cap), and it notes that scholarship rules and the awarding process are determined by the school—parents should request the specific scholarship application form, eligibility criteria, selection timeline, whether scholarships are renewable year‑to‑year, and any scholarship conditions (e.g., minimum progress or enrolment in particular classes). For full, current details and the official application process, contact SIFC's admissions or scholarship office and ask for the scholarship policy and deadlines.

Waitlist

Publicly available admissions material and the school's published admissions summaries do not set out a formal, detailed waitlist policy on the website; I did not find an explicit statement that SIFC operates a named waiting‑list process in its public admissions pages. That said, many international schools will place qualified applicants on a waiting list if a grade or programme is full and then offer places as spaces open; because SIFC's external admissions guides do not publish a formal waitlist policy, the best practical approach is to ask the admissions office directly whether (a) they maintain a waiting list for the year/grade you need, (b) how candidates are prioritised, and (c) how long the wait typically is. If you want a fallback plan, ask admissions whether they will accept rolling documentation updates and how often you should check in to keep your application active.

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