Beijing City International School vs Canadian International School of Beijing

	B Beijing City International School Beijing, China	C Canadian International School of Beijing Beijing, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 244,000 - 343,500	Fees / year RMB 135,500 - 336,800
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 6 months - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum	Curriculum Canadian Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Montessori Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 1,275	Pupils 1,400
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2005	Opened 2005
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Main campus: No. 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022. The Early Childhood Center is nearby at No. 11 Dongbai Street (both in the Shuangjing / Baiziwan area close to the CBD). The site is inside Chaoyang District with good road links to central Chaoyang residential compounds and public transport; the school's contact page lists both campus addresses and phone numbers.	Location CIS Beijing is on a single downtown campus at 38 Liangmaqiao Road in Chaoyang District (the Liangmaqiao/3rd Embassy area of central Beijing), within easy reach of the embassy and Sanlitun neighbourhoods. The school describes itself as a downtown campus and gives the full address and admissions contact on its website.
Stages	Stages BCIS is divided into an Early Childhood Center/Courtyard Kindergarten (Toddler–Kindergarten), an Elementary School (Grade 1–5) and a Secondary School (Grade 6–12). The admissions page and school sections show age/grade guidance and entry cut-off dates by academic year.	Stages CISB covers Early Years through Grade 12: Early Years (from around 6 months to 5 years), Elementary (Grades 1–5), Middle School (Grades 6–8) and High School (Grades 9–12). The site also notes the school delivers the IB PYP, MYP and DP within a Canadian (New Brunswick) curriculum framework.
School type	School type BCIS is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school (no boarding provision is listed). The school's materials describe it as an international school that admits both foreign and Chinese national students who reside in Beijing.	School type CISB is a co‑educational, private day school; the school's public materials describe a single downtown day campus. External summaries list it as a private day school; the official site does not describe on‑site boarding.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support BCIS runs a Student Support Services program that includes counselling, Learning Support (for learners across the ability range) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) support; specialists work with classroom teachers to provide targeted interventions. The school also publishes child-protection and wellbeing policies and describes coordinated support for social–emotional needs.	Additional learning support The school operates a Student Support/Student Support Services structure and states in its admissions information that it accepts students with mild learning disabilities and certain physical disabilities, with placements considered case‑by‑case. Elementary facilities listed on the site (for example a sensory room) indicate specific resources used in support and inclusion.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation BCIS is an international school with no single-country affiliation; it admits students of all nationalities and is registered with the Chaoyang District education authorities. The school's site and admissions material state its international intake and local registration.	Country affiliation CISB follows a Canadian curriculum in partnership with the New Brunswick provincial system and presents itself as a Canadian international school on its website. The school combines that Canadian curriculum with the IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP).
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public materials; its mission and programs are presented secularly on the official site.	Religious affiliation The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public materials and presents itself as a secular international school. No faith or religious denomination is indicated on the official site.
School day structure	School day structure School hours vary slightly by campus but the school day typically runs in the morning to mid/late afternoon (most published timetables show starts around 08:10–08:30 and regular finishes in the 15:30–15:45 range). BCIS also operates an earlier finish on Wednesdays (afternoon departure times are earlier on that day) and offers after-school enrichment sessions.	School day structure Division‑specific schedules are published for families (for example through the Parent Portal and the Student/Parent handbooks), and the school calendar shows regular school days plus occasional early dismissals. School transport timings on the site indicate buses arrive around 8:00–8:10 a.m. and regular dismissal is mid/late afternoon (see bus times below); for exact start/end times by division check the school's Student Handbook or contact Admissions.
Bus service details	Bus service details BCIS operates an in-house school bus service; parents request places via a transport application form and the school lists dedicated bus coordinators and contact details. A free shuttle runs between the Main Campus and the ECC during school days; regular and late buses operate in the afternoons. The school names its contracted provider (Hu Hang (Beijing) School Bus Operation Management Co. Ltd.), and notes safety features such as GPS tracking, professional drivers/attendants and vehicle air-purification systems.	Bus service details CISB operates an on‑site school bus service; the school says its fleet typically arrives at campus each morning around 8:00–8:10 a.m. and departs after school at about 3:45 p.m. (Mon–Thurs) and 2:45 p.m. (Friday). A later bus for after‑school activities is available (about 4:45 p.m. Mon–Thurs and 3:45 p.m. Friday); most stops serve north‑east Beijing and the school will consider new stops when there is sufficient demand. The school lists a dedicated bus email and phone extension for enquiries and publishes a bus policy and stop/fee details.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - A non‑refundable application fee applies. For applications to the 2025–2026 school year the published application fee is RMB 3,000. Tuition fees — annual (by year group) The school's published fee schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year lists annual tuition by age/grade. The following figures are the school-year (annual) tuition amounts quoted in RMB: - Toddler (Nursery 2): RMB 244,000 per year. - Kindergarten (younger kindergarten levels shown by some sources as Kindg 1 / Kindg 2): RMB 265,000 – RMB 285,000 per year (depending on kindergarten level). - Grades 1–5 (Elementary): RMB 298,000 per year. - Grades 6–8 (Lower/Middle secondary): RMB 321,500 per year. - Grades 9–10 (Upper secondary / IGCSE‑equivalent years): RMB 332,000 per year. - Grades 11–12 (IB Diploma / senior years): RMB 343,500 per year. (Third‑party compilations of BCIS fees for recent previous years show similar annual ranges and list the same fee categories; these are consistent with the 2025–2026 figures above. ) Per‑term figures (inference from annual amounts) - The school states that “school fees are payable in advance.” The publicly posted fee schedule gives annual fees; a per‑term amount is not published on the public fee page. If a family is invoiced on a two‑term / two‑semester basis, a simple division of the annual fee by two produces the following illustrative per‑term amounts (this is an arithmetical division of the published annual fee and not an official BCIS semester invoice): - Toddler: approx. RMB 122,000 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Grades 1–5: approx. RMB 149,000 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Grades 11–12: approx. RMB 171,750 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Note: this per‑term split is an inferred calculation based on the published annual fees because the public fees page states only that fees are payable in advance and does not display an official semester billing table. Families should expect invoices that reflect the school's chosen billing arrangement for the year. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's published statement indicates that school fees are payable in advance; fees include tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and any bus service fees. Parents are advised that fees are reviewed regularly and to anticipate annual increases. - The application fee is explicitly described as non‑refundable. Boarding fees - BCIS operates as a day school; boarding facilities are not part of the school's provision. There is no published boarding fee because BCIS is a day school. Other costs and typical additional fees - New‑student / admission administration fee: several independent local school listings and parent guides cite a one‑time new‑student (enrolment) fee around RMB 15,000 for BCIS; this has been listed in recent school‑profile compilations. - Transportation (school bus): independent compilations show typical annual bus fees in the range of approximately RMB 17,600 to RMB 24,200 (actual amount depends on route/zone). - Uniforms: the school provides the first full school uniform set free to students in Toddler through Grade 10; families may order additional uniform items at cost through the school's uniform ordering system. - MacBook / device costs: BCIS requires students in Grades 4–12 to have a MacBook that meets the school's specified minimums; the school works with an authorized reseller to offer discounted education pricing and recommends AppleCare. Device purchase and any recommended extended warranty are additional family costs. - Lunch / meal charges: arrangements differ by campus; ECC lunch/snacks are included in the ECC tuition, while Main Campus students often use a pre‑paid pass for on‑campus meals—expect separate meal charges where noted. (School publications and school‑profile listings describe differing arrangements by campus.) - Extracurricular, trips, external examination fees and some optional activities (e.g., individual music tuition, certain overseas trips) are typically charged in addition to tuition where applicable. Independent school guides list these as common additional costs. Refund information - The application fee is non‑refundable. BCIS's public tuition page gives the high‑level statement that fees are payable in advance, but a detailed public refund schedule or a detailed withdrawal/tuition‑refund table is not shown on the publicly visible tuition page. Families should expect that some one‑time fees (application, administration) are treated as non‑refundable; specific refund percentages and notice periods for tuition withdrawals are not publicly itemized on the BCIS tuition page. Fee payment options - The school's public materials indicate fees are payable in advance and are invoiced by the school; typical payment methods used by international K‑12 schools in Beijing include local bank transfer (RMB), and international bank transfer (USD/RMB) as invoiced, and card payments where accepted by the school's billing platform. Parents frequently receive specific bank details and accepted payment methods on the invoice. The BCIS published pages do not display a single public list of accepted payment methods on the tuition summary page; families receive precise payment instructions on their invoice. Key practical notes for parents (factual summary) - Application fee: RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable). - Annual tuition: ranges by year group from about RMB 244,000 (Toddler) up to about RMB 343,500 (Grades 11–12) for the 2025–2026 school year, per published fee compilations. - First full uniform set is provided at no charge for Toddler–Grade 10; additional uniform items are payable by families. - Students in Grades 4–12 must meet the school's MacBook specification and typically purchase the device (discounted reseller option available). - BCIS is a day school; no boarding fees apply. (Where the public page gives only annual totals, per‑term amounts shown above were calculated by halving the published annual fee to illustrate how an equal two‑term split would look; that split is an arithmetic inference and not an official BCIS semester invoice. For billing‑cycle details, invoice breakdowns and precise additional fees for items such as buses, AppleCare or optional trips, consult the invoice you receive from the school.)	Fee details Application fees - The school operates an online application process; the publicly available pages do not list a fixed application fee amount for new applicants. Parents will be required to submit an application through the school's admissions system. Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year) - A detailed grade-by-grade tuition table for the current academic year is not published on the public School Fees page. CISB publishes a formal Tuition Fee Schedule and individual invoices to families (the public site indicates fee schedules are issued as part of re-enrolment/package information). Exact per-term and per-year tuition figures are provided to enrolled families and on official fee documents. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school uses an invoicing and re-enrolment timetable; historical re-enrolment notices show an early-bird deadline and fixed withdrawal deadlines by term (examples cited for 2023–24: early-bird deadline and term withdrawal cut-off dates). Formal payment dates, discounts and the term-by-term billing schedule are issued on the school's fee/invoice documents to families. Boarding fees (if applicable) - CISB's public programme listings (Early Years through High School, plus student life pages) do not include a boarding/residential programme; no boarding fees are published because boarding is not presented as an offered option. Other costs and typical additional fees - Uniforms and sports wear are sold via the CISB School Shop (online purchases via the school's Yoopay link); uniform costs are charged to families through that shop. Summer-camp, after‑school activities, enrichment courses and special programmes carry separate fees (examples and rates for summer programmes are published on the site). Additional common charges include student bus service, meals and trip/excursion fees; amounts are detailed in the school's fee documents. Refund information - The school's re‑enrolment materials reference withdrawal deadlines and a formal refund/withdrawal policy included with invoices and re-enrolment packages; refund rules and any applicable penalties are set out in those official documents provided to families. A sample set of term withdrawal dates and early-bird arrangements are shown in re-enrolment notices. Fee payment options - The website and school shop reference online payment through Yoopay and the Parent Portal; the school issues invoices to families and uses its payment platforms for transactions. Bank transfer or local electronic payment methods are commonly used via those systems (Yoopay/Parent Portal are referenced).
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement The school provides one full school uniform set to students from Toddler to Grade 10. The uniform can be ordered online. For the 2025-2026 school year, the uniform order period begins August 10, 2025; new users register an account, log in with their Student or Staff ID, and follow the steps to place the order. The first full uniform set is free.	Uniform requirement All students wear CISB school uniforms while on campus. Uniforms and CISB merchandise are available through the CISB Online Uniform Shop, which stocks all uniform articles including athletic wear.
Food options	Food options The school provides healthy, balanced, high-quality meals and snacks. ECC campus catering times include breakfast 8:00-8:30, morning snack 10:00-11:00, lunch 12:00-12:50, and afternoon snack 14:00-15:00. Main Campus snack and lunch times are ES 10:30 and 12:30; SS 11:15. Contact emails are BCIS.ECC@zhongrongyx.com (ECC), BCIS.Maincampus@zhongrongyx.com (Main Campus), and foodservice@bcis.cn.	Food options The CISB cafeteria is operated by Sodexo, providing healthy, balanced meals prepared onsite. A diverse menu includes Western and Chinese-inspired dishes. Students use a smart card for food services, with balances managed via WeChat or in person.
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership BCIS is a non-profit private school. It is governed by a Board of Trustees under a Head of School responsible system, with two committees: the Education & Development Committee and the Finance & Operations Committee. The Board Chair is Mr. He Lantian. Board Members include Mr. Tan Wee Seng, Ms. Liu Peng, Mr. Gou Yiqun, and Mr. Yang Jinfang.	Governance and ownership CISB was founded in 2005 as a State Level Project. It is a not-for-profit, co-educational international school governed by a Board of Directors. It is fully licensed and accredited by the New Brunswick Department of Education and is undergoing accreditation with the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details BCIS delivers the International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme in Elementary (Grades 1–5), Middle Years Programme in Grades 6–10, and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; the school is authorised for PYP, MYP and DP. The Early Childhood Center (toddlers to kindergarten) uses a play‑based, inquiry‑led pedagogy aligned with the PYP transdisciplinary framework to prepare children for Grade 1. In Elementary the PYP drives learning across mathematics, language, personal/social/emotional development, science, social studies, visual arts, music and physical education, with EAL and Chinese language support. The MYP (Grades 6–10) continues inquiry‑based learning and includes arts (drama, music, visual art), individuals & societies, language & literature (English/Chinese), language acquisition (English/Chinese/Spanish), mathematics, physical & health education, sciences and design. In Grades 11–12 students may follow the IB Diploma (six DP subject groups plus Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) or a personalised IDEATE pathway/BCIS Diploma that can combine IB courses, in‑person IDEATE courses and online dual‑enrolment/university‑credit options.	Curriculum details Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) delivers a New Brunswick (Canadian) curriculum taught within the International Baccalaureate framework and is authorized to offer the PYP, MYP and DP. Early Years (6 months–5 years) includes a Montessori nursery and early-years programming that prepares children for the Primary Years Programme. Elementary School (Grades 1–5) follows the IB Primary Years Programme. Middle School (Grades 6–8) comprises the first three years of the five-year MYP (MYP covers Grades 6–10) and teaches the eight MYP subject groups, including Language & Literature, Language Acquisition (Mandarin or French), Mathematics, Sciences, Individuals & Societies, Design, The Arts and Physical & Health Education. High School (Grades 9–12) provides senior secondary courses with the two-year IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12, and students who complete the IB Diploma at CISB also qualify for the New Brunswick High School Diploma.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning BCIS describes social and emotional learning as part of its Student Support and school learning models: counsellors deliver guidance lessons (social skills, mindfulness, conflict resolution, digital citizenship), participate in homeroom/advisory programmes, and collaborate with teachers and families to support students' wellbeing. The Secondary School page explicitly states the school “prioritiz[es] social and emotional learning” within its learning model. The counselling team also runs whole‑school and year‑level wellbeing initiatives and parent workshops to support transitions and resilience. These provisions are described on the school's Student Support Services and counselling pages.	Social & emotional learning CISB states that Social-Emotional Learning is integrated across its IB programmes and is supported through a daily Advisory programme with extended Advisory sessions on Wednesday afternoons for deeper SEL work. Elementary structures include daily morning meetings, classroom agreements and a response-to-intervention model for tiered support. Teachers receive training in responsive classroom approaches and work with the school counsellor when students need individual or small-group interventions. The school names specific leaders involved in SEL delivery, including the Middle/High vice-principal and school counsellors who contribute to programme design and delivery.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) BCIS states that its Learning Support (LS) programme is core to Student Support and combines guidance counsellors and LS teachers to support a wide range of student needs, including students with learning difficulties and students who are highly capable. The website explains LS works collaboratively with classroom teachers to create personalised interventions across the learning continuum. The school does not publish a detailed list of specific medical or diagnosable SEN categories it will or will not support, nor does it present itself as a specialist SEN institution on its public pages. For details or eligibility for particular needs families are directed to contact admissions or Student Support.	Special educational needs (SEN) CISB's admissions information states the school accepts students with mild learning disabilities and certain physical disabilities but notes it cannot accept students whose needs it cannot effectively meet. The school has a Learning Support role on staff (for example, Paul Amos is listed as Learning Support) and an Inclusion Policy describing differentiated instruction and support. Where needs exceed school capacity the admissions process and support planning involve observations, external assessments and collaboration with parents and external professionals. CISB is not presented as a specialist SEN institution; support is provided within its mainstream programmes.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language BCIS states it operates a comprehensive English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme: specialist EAL teachers work alongside homeroom and subject teachers to provide structured, personalised EAL support across the curriculum. The Admissions pages also note English is the language of instruction and applicants may need to provide standard English test reports as part of admissions screening. The school therefore documents both in‑class EAL provision and expectations about English proficiency for admission.	English as an additional language CISB is an English-medium school and explains that non-native speakers complete WIDA assessments during admission; the school runs an English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme for students who need extra support. The EAL department describes a co-teaching model in which EAL teachers co-teach content classes (especially Individuals & Societies and some Sciences, Maths and Design) and collaborate with content teachers on scaffolding and sheltered instruction. The website also lists EAL staff and sets WIDA-based proficiency requirements by grade for progression.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing BCIS describes a professional counselling team that provides confidential one‑to‑one and small‑group counselling, supports homeroom/advisory programmes, runs parent workshops, and designs interventions in collaboration with teachers and families. The school's counselling communications note specific wellbeing activities (e.g., Wellness Wednesdays, screen‑free wellness days) and ongoing contact with families during periods of remote learning. These services are presented as part of the Student Support/Counselling provision on the school site.	Mental wellbeing CISB publishes that it employs school counsellors and psychologists who provide one-to-one and group counselling, workshops and wellbeing programmes (for example, stress-management and meditation sessions) across Early Years through High School. The school's counselling team is named in staff pages and news items, with counsellors trained in approaches such as CBT and with external training like ASIST noted for some staff. Counsellors work with teachers, parents and external specialists (occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and clinical psychologists) when needed to create support plans. The school describes advisory and counselling as central elements of student wellbeing provision.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding BCIS publishes a formal Child Protection Policy (approved December 2016, reviewed May 2023) that sets out aims, reporting procedures, staff training requirements, student keeping‑safe lessons, and responsibilities for preventing and responding to abuse and neglect. The Student Support Services page links to the Child Protection/Safeguarding documents and to related policies (Code of Conduct; Positive Relationships and Wellbeing; Digital Citizenship). The Child Protection Policy explicitly requires mandatory staff training, age‑appropriate student safety lessons, and established communication/flow‑chart procedures for disclosures.	Safeguarding CISB publishes a detailed Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy (effective February 2025, revised May 2025) that sets out roles, reporting procedures, definitions of abuse, staff responsibilities and links to Chinese law and international best practice. The policy names the Designated Safeguarding Lead (David Bremner) and a Deputy DSL (Hisham Farghaly) and states that all staff must be trained and required to report concerns. The school's Policies page links explicitly to the full child protection policy and to related policies (Inclusion, Health & Safety, Complaints). The document therefore provides the formal procedures and contact points for safeguarding and child-protection matters.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview BCIS operates across multiple Beijing campuses: the Early Childhood Center, Courtyard Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Secondary School. The Main Campus is located at 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The Early Childhood Center notes that the school has state-of-the-art facilities. There are libraries at the ECC, Elementary School, and Secondary School campuses designed to provide a safe, welcoming environment for reading, research and lifelong learning. The libraries and other on-site spaces support learning across age groups.	Facilities overview The school is located at 38 Liangmaqiao Rd., Chaoyang District, Beijing 100125, China. The campus spans about 38,000 m2 and is air-quality controlled. It is situated in the embassy district, within walking distance to multiple embassies and Chaoyang Park's north gate. The facilities support learning both inside and outside the classroom.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities BCIS provides a gym, a soccer field, a swimming pool, and a fitness room as on-site facilities. These spaces are available to the BCIS community, with opening hours posted and access subject to school events.	Sports facilities Two gymnasiums support fitness and physical education, along with a dedicated nursery gym. The campus includes a 25-meter swimming pool with a wading pool. An athletics field, a dance studio, and science and design technology labs support sports and STEM learning. An onsite cafeteria, a 500-seat auditorium, and a lecture theatre provide spaces for gatherings and performances.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities Three BCIS libraries—one at the Early Childhood Center, one at the Elementary School, and one at the Secondary School—are designed to create a pleasant and safe environment for teaching and learning. The libraries support reading, research and lifelong learning, with teacher librarians collaborating with teachers to integrate information literacy into the curriculum. Parents are welcome to check out books from the libraries; resources support personal, social, and emotional development. The libraries function as flexible resource centers for staff, students, parents and the wider BCIS community.	Academic facilities The campus houses libraries for Elementary and Middle/High students. It includes Science and Design Technology labs and makerspaces to support hands-on learning. Specialized Visual Arts and Music classrooms are on site. An auditorium and a lecture theatre support assemblies, presentations, and performances.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities BCIS offers Enrichment Activities across Athletic, Arts & Culture and Academic categories, including Swimming, Aeromodelling, Start Up, Model United Nations, Robot Maker, Orchestra, Brain Bee and many others. Week Without Walls provides off-campus learning experiences each year for Elementary and Secondary students. BCIS supports Athletics through a dedicated program, including the BCIS Water Warriors Swim Team for Grades 2–12.	Extra curricular facilities After-School Activities (ASA) are offered, and there are regular field trips. Outdoor Education programs include Week Without Walls and field trips. The Duke of Edinburgh program is part of the student life program. Students participate in performing arts and competitions, such as StageCats performances and mathematics competitions.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History BCIS opened in 2005, initially enrolling fewer than 60 students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 and expanding its secondary provision in the years that followed. The school is operated as a non-profit and is a member institution of YueCheng Education. In August 2014 BCIS opened a purpose-built Early Childhood Center, and that facility later received LEED recognition. As the school has grown it has undertaken multi-year strategic planning processes to guide its development.	History The Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) was founded in the fall of 2005 as a state-level project established in partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Education, the Government of Canada, and the New Brunswick (Canada) Department of Education. It operates as a not-for-profit, co-educational international school governed by a Board of Directors and is licensed and registered with the Beijing education authorities. CISB holds recognition from the New Brunswick Department of Education and has engaged in external accreditation processes with organizations such as the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC). Over the years the school has developed a larger downtown campus and a range of programmes to serve Beijing's diplomatic and expatriate communities.
Community	Community The BCIS community brings together international and local families, faculty, staff and alumni who participate in campus-wide events such as International Day, the Winter Bazaar and the Roundabout Book Fair. Student-led projects and extracurricular programs — including entrepreneurial challenges and sustainability activities run by student groups (for example, Eco Warriors) — involve family volunteers and local partners. The school posts regular news and calendar items and encourages parent participation through workshops, community events and school-hosted social gatherings.	Community CISB's student body includes learners from more than 60 nationalities, creating a multicultural school community. The school schedules a variety of whole-school and division-level events that bring families together, including an International Festival, a recently introduced CISB Sports Day, and student-led activities such as TEDx Youth and CANMUN (CISB's Model UN). Regular elements of school life also include arts weeks, service-learning projects and experiential learning trips like Week Without Walls, which are used to build connections across the community.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association Membership in the BCIS PTA is automatic for parents, teachers and members of the school community; the PTA is organized as a non-profit body that aims to support the school's international character and community cohesion. The PTA helps plan and run specific events such as International Day, the Roundabout Book Fair, Spring in the City and the Winter Carnival/Bazaar. Fundraising is managed by the PTA and it operates a Grant Program through which Student Council, classes, individual students, teachers or management can apply for project support. The PTA also runs weekly language classes for members and hosts clubs and activities such as arts & crafts sessions and book clubs; many PTA activities rely on volunteers from the parent body. The PTA constitution (2010) and contact details for the PTA president and secretary are published on the school site.	Parent teacher association CISB's Parent's Association (PA) is an active family group with listed representatives for the 2024–25 year (for example, a Middle School representative, a High School representative, and a Treasurer) and communicates its initiatives through the school's news channels. The PA played a central role in organizing the revitalized Terry Fox Marathon of Hope at Chaoyang Park, an event that involved students, families and staff and combined community-building with charitable fundraising. The association describes its focus as bringing families together around events and initiatives across the year and invites parent collaboration and support for those activities. Information about current PA officers and the PA's recent activities is published on the school website and in school news posts.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual The school teaches in English. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). IDEATE is BCIS's high school pathway for Grades 9–12, with in‑person courses in IB (MYP or DP), optional IDEATE courses for Grades 11–12, online dual enrollment with Arizona State University and Savannah College of Art and Design, and online options via Global Online Academy and Virtual High School; university guidance supports the pathway.	Academic & intellectual The school offers an internationally recognized Canadian (New Brunswick) curriculum taught within the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, providing the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) as an IB World School.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision The school teaches in English. It is an International Baccalaureate World School that implements the Chinese national curriculum as part of its program.	Language provision The language of instruction is English. Mandarin is taught as a second language, with a daily 40-minute period in Preschool and Elementary, and Mandarin as one of eight subject groups in Middle and High. French is offered starting in Grade 9 and is supported through after-school language programs. Mother tongue languages are supported through library resources and Mother Tongue Self-Taught courses in the IB Diploma Programme, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) supports non-native speakers.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching The school teaches all subjects in English. Mandarin is taught as a second language, with daily Mandarin instruction in Preschool and Elementary. In Grades 6–12, Mandarin Language and Literature is available for native Chinese speakers. From Grade 9, students may study French, and mother tongue language classes are available from Grade 11.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards Between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2026, the BCIS website explicitly records one school-level award won by the school itself: - China School Awards — "Enterprise and Employability" (winner, March 10, 2023). The BCIS news item describes that BCIS was selected as the winner of the Enterprise & Employability award in the China School Awards (organized by the British Chambers of Commerce); the prize recognises a school's work to develop students' employability and enterprise skills and was presented to the school. Note: I searched the school website for other items described as awards given to the school in the same five‑year window; other recognitions on the site (for example, project prizes or competition awards) refer to student teams or individual students and so were not included because you asked only for awards granted to the school as an institution.	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations 1) International Baccalaureate (IB) — BCIS is a fully authorized IB World School delivering the PYP, MYP and DP. This means the school has completed the IB authorization process and is approved to teach IB programmes, which involves regular review of curriculum and teaching against IB standards and practices. 2) Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) — BCIS states it is accredited by WASC. WASC accreditation indicates the school has met an external set of quality standards for governance, teaching and learning, and undergoes periodic review by WASC teams. 3) Council of International Schools (CIS) — BCIS states it is accredited by CIS. CIS accreditation is an international school-quality process that assesses the school's programme, leadership, resources and student support and is renewed through cyclical evaluation. 4) Approval by the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing — the school's website notes BCIS is approved/registered with the local education authority, which is the basis for its ability to enroll both international and Chinese-national students and indicates local regulatory recognition. 5) Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC) membership — BCIS's news item and admissions announcement list the school as a member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium, a membership that supports alternative, competency‑based transcript practices and signals the school's participation in that network. (Listed on the school website as a membership/recognition rather than a traditional accreditation.) 6) LEED Gold (Early Childhood Center facilities) — BCIS notes its Early Childhood Center holds LEED Gold certification for the building. This is a third‑party, industry certification of the ECC campus' environmental and building‑performance standards rather than an academic accreditation.	Accreditations • Licensed / registered with the Beijing municipal Bureau of Education — the school's official local registration that authorizes it to operate as an international school in Beijing. • Accredited by the New Brunswick (Canada) Department of Education to deliver New Brunswick programmes — this allows CISB to offer the New Brunswick pathway/credentials and aligns the school with that Canadian provincial curriculum. • Authorized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School (PYP, MYP and DP) — IB authorisation means CISB is approved to deliver the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, a recognised international continuum of inquiry-based curricula. • Currently engaged in the Council of International Schools (CIS) and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation processes — the school's website states it is undergoing these external accreditation processes, which are independent international reviews of governance, teaching & learning, safeguarding and whole-school practice (note: the site describes these as ongoing processes rather than completed accreditations).
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Familiarize yourself with BCIS and schedule a campus tour. The school's Admissions Policy encourages families to tour the campus before applying so you can assess fit with BCIS's mission and educational approach; the school will not consider an application complete until a campus tour has been completed. Parents should plan the tour well ahead of key application windows and bring questions about curriculum, language support and campus logistics. 2. Check age and grade eligibility before applying. BCIS publishes age-by-August-31 cutoffs for each incoming school year (for example, the policy lists the dates used to determine appropriate grades for 2025–2026 and 2026–2027), so confirm your child's placement against those dates before you submit an application. If a child's previous school calendar differs from BCIS, expect BCIS to place the child in the grade they are currently studying or have just completed unless exceptional circumstances are agreed by principals. 3. Begin the online application (OpenApply) and pay the application fee. BCIS requires an online application via the link on its Admissions pages; for the 2025–2026 intake the non-refundable application fee is stated as RMB 3,000. Parents should complete the online form carefully, keep a record of the submission, and be prepared to follow up with admissions by phone or email to confirm seat availability if applying late or relocating to Beijing. 4. Prepare and upload required supporting documents specific to the child's level. For Early Childhood and Elementary: passports or hukou (depending on nationality), recent school/assessment reports (if available), one BCIS recommendation form (if the child is currently in a program or school), the completed Student Medical Form and vaccination records, and — for kindergarten entrants — a recent health check-up form. For Secondary (Grades 6–11): passports or hukou, school reports for the past two academic years, two BCIS recommendation forms (homeroom & English recommended), a student essay in the online application, medical and vaccination records, and, if applicable, standard English test reports (TOEFL, IELTS, SSAT, Duolingo, MAP, etc.). Make sure teacher recommendation forms are completed in English and have the referee email them directly to admissions as instructed. 5. Expect assessment and interview stages once your application is complete. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews (BCIS interviews students and often parents separately); for Secondary applicants BCIS assesses English language skills and may request formal English test results before or during this stage. If parents do not speak English they may bring an interpreter to the parental interview; bring copies of transcripts, examples of student work, and any other evidence that supports your child's academic and extracurricular profile. 6. Understand how offers, placement and rolling admissions work. BCIS uses a rolling admissions approach: after the first round, applications continue to be considered while seats remain available in each grade. The school evaluates fit holistically (academic history, English proficiency, interests, and current cohort balance) and placement is finalized after interviews and any required testing; parents should check seat availability with Admissions before investing in travel or making firm relocation plans. 7. Be aware of key fees and payment expectations associated with admission. BCIS states that school fees (tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and bus fees) are payable in advance and that fees are reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees. The website confirms the application fee (RMB 3,000) and notes fees for the 2025–2026 school year; independent fee aggregators list annual tuition ranges (example figures published by external sources for 2025–2026: approximately RMB 244,000–343,500 depending on grade) and show common one-time items such as a new-student administration fee and transport costs — but these numbers should be confirmed directly with Admissions because the BCIS fees page provides policy and a year label while the school's detailed amounts are periodically updated. Parents should ask Admissions for the current fee schedule, deposit, payment deadlines, and refund policy before accepting an offer. 8. Complete enrollment requirements after an offer is accepted. BCIS requires completed medical forms and vaccination records before enrollment and will provide instructions on any final administrative steps (contracts, tuition payment, bus registration, uniform ordering). Keep copies of passports/visa pages or hukou for school records, confirm start date and grade placement in writing, and maintain regular contact with the Admissions office for any outstanding items. Contact details for Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary admissions are published on the BCIS site and are useful to have on hand.	Admissions 1. Once you inquire, the school assigns a dedicated Admissions Officer who will guide you through paperwork, tours, and next steps; keep that officer's contact details for follow-up. Parents should be ready to explain the child's current school placement, intended start date, and any learning-support needs during this stage. 2. Visit — The Admissions Officer will offer an on-campus visit or a virtual meeting so your family can view facilities and meet staff. During the visit you can ask specifically about how CISB integrates the IB programmes with the New Brunswick (Canada) curriculum and how the school supports transitions from other curricula. If you cannot visit in person, request a virtual tour and ask for sample timetables, examples of student work, and a description of typical class sizes (average 18–20; maximum 25). 3. Application — Complete the OpenApply application and upload all required documents listed on CISB's Application Checklist (two full years of school reports notarized and translated into English, confidential school reference for Grade 1+, passport and visa copies for student and parents, birth certificate, medical insurance proof, completed Enrollment Agreement and Health Questionnaire). A non-refundable application fee of RMB 2,000 is required when you submit the application; keep receipts and record the OpenApply application ID. Parents should ensure transcripts are full (all terms/semesters), officially notarized and translated where necessary — incomplete or non-notarized records delay review. 4. Assessment & Interview — After documents are reviewed, CISB schedules the appropriate assessment(s), observation and an interview (often a Principal interview) for the student and family. English language ability is measured with the WIDA assessment across Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (levels 1–6); there are minimum English proficiency requirements from Grade 5 upward, so check FAQs for grade-specific thresholds. Be prepared to provide recent school reports and, where relevant, samples of work or teacher references; if your child needs additional language support, discuss available EAL/learning-support options during the interview. 5. Decision & Enrollment — CISB reviews each application holistically (academic records, assessments, interview and references) and aims to notify families within 1–3 working days after assessment completion (allow 5–7 working days in peak periods). The school operates rolling admissions and class placement depends on seat availability; note that applications received in March or later for Pre‑School and Elementary may require Principal approval and could be deferred to the next academic year. Once accepted you will be asked to return the signed Enrollment Agreement and follow the school's payment and registration instructions — confirm deadlines and refund/withdrawal dates with Admissions to avoid losing a place. Note on tuition/fees: CISB's full tuition schedule is published on the School Fees / Tuition page; the application fee of RMB 2,000 is specifically listed in the application checklist. Independent fee aggregators (which mirror published school figures) list per-grade annual tuition ranges for 2025–26 (for example, total first‑year costs and annual tuition by grade). Tuition amounts can change year to year — contact admissions to request the official current fee schedule, payment options, and details about extras (bus, meals, ASA, uniform).
Scholarships	Scholarships BCIS operates an active Scholarship Program targeted at Secondary students (Grades 9–12) and offers four scholarship streams: Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarships (these are open to external and internal applicants depending on the scheme), and the Founder's Scholarship (for current BCIS students entering Grades 11–12). The school awards both 100% and 50% scholarships in these categories, and recipients must complete high school at BCIS and meet program requirements through to graduation. Scholarship aims, eligibility criteria and types are described in detail on BCIS's Scholarship Program page. Application mechanics and requirements: Each external scholarship category requires a 600–800 word essay (topic provided at time of application), names and contact details for two teacher referees who will complete recommendation forms in English, supporting documentary evidence or a portfolio (awards, past work, exam results, certificates, media, etc.), and shortlisted candidates must complete an interview with the BCIS Scholarship Committee (including a faculty expert where relevant). BCIS publishes clear documentary and interview requirements for each scholarship type (Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarship), and scholarship awards are renewable annually subject to academic/progression and conduct criteria (annual reviews include academic reports, service, behavior and attendance). Timelines, notification and administration: Scholarship applications typically open on 1 February and external applications close on 21 June, with interviews held during March–May and notification by 31 May; the school may accept additional external applications until 1 August for families newly moving to Beijing. Parents should submit scholarship material through the BCIS online admissions system (OpenApply) and, for current BCIS students, follow the Secondary School Principal's directions for internal applications. If you are considering a scholarship application, confirm the current year's exact dates and submission process with Admissions because timelines and intake conditions are updated annually. Questions and next steps: For specific questions about scholarship eligibility, the application process or to request the scholarship application pack, contact BCIS Admissions (admissions@bcis.cn) or the Secondary School Principal (contacts are listed on the scholarship page). Because scholarship awards can significantly affect financial planning and place allocation, it's advisable to speak directly with Admissions before submitting both a general application and a scholarship application.	Scholarships CISB runs an internal Scholarship and Bobcat Grants programme that is intended primarily for current CISB students (awards are credited to tuition for the stated academic year). For 2025–2026 the school has allocated up to RMB 3,000,000 across Scholarships and Bobcat Grants; Scholarship categories include Academic Scholarships (examples published include up to RMB 200,000 for IB/NB Diploma students and RMB 100,000 for Grades 9–12), CISB Excellence Scholarships (for Leadership, STEM and the Arts) and Bobcat Grants (up to RMB 5,000 per student per trip for extracurricular team support). All awards require a formal application to the CISB Scholarship Committee with the documentation specified for each award; decisions are internal, final and applied as tuition credit for the stated year, so families should check deadlines, eligibility criteria, and whether new applicants (incoming students) may apply for particular scholarships.
Waitlist	Waitlist BCIS does not publish a separate, detailed ‘waiting-list' policy on its public Admissions pages; instead the school states it operates a rolling admissions process and reviews applications until seats are filled in each grade. The Admissions Policy and Application pages instruct parents to confirm seat availability with the Admissions Office (phone/email) before applying, which implies that when a grade is full the school manages new enquiries through the rolling process and direct communication rather than by posting a public waitlist procedure. Because BCIS does not spell out a formal waitlist or ranking procedure on the website, parents who are concerned about availability should contact Admissions to ask whether the school holds names on a waiting list or whether offers are made from a pool of shortlisted candidates (and if so, how candidates are prioritized). Third‑party school guides and community sources also report that BCIS is popular and can have limited places in some grades, so early application and direct follow-up with Admissions are recommended.	Waitlist CISB does operate a waiting‑list system when a grade level is full. Accepted students for whom no place is immediately available are placed on the waiting list in strict chronological order based on the date their application was completed. The school applies priority criteria when offering places from the waiting list; priority groups explicitly include Canadian Embassy staff, CISB alumni/returning students and siblings of current students — if you think you may fit a priority category, notify Admissions and supply supporting documentation. When a space becomes available CISB will offer it according to that order; parents should confirm with Admissions how long waitlist offers remain open and whether any deposit or re-confirmation is required.
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