Beijing Royal School vs Tsinghua International School

	B Beijing Royal School Beijing, China	T Tsinghua International School Beijing, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 66,000 - 240,000	Fees / year RMB 186,000 - 218,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Canadian Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), Chinese National Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 2,500	Pupils 560
Typical class size	Typical class size 25	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1996	Opened 2009
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Beijing Royal School (BRS) is on a large campus in Changping District at No.11 Wangfu Street (postcode 102209). The school is north of the Olympic Village and reachable by Beijing Metro Line 5 (Tiantongyuan North) with a transfer to the rapid bus line 3; the school provides driving directions from the North Fifth Ring and the G6 expressway.	Location Tsinghua International School (THIS) is on the Tsinghua University High School campus in Haidian District, Beijing, opposite the Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace), with a strong academic neighbourhood and university links. The school is reachable using local roads and public transport serving the Zhongguancun/Tsinghua area; the school's address and office phone are listed on its website.
Stages	Stages BRS is a K–12 school with four divisions: kindergarten, primary (including an IB PYP stream), middle/junior high and senior/high school; each division runs its own programmes and admissions. The school offers multiple international pathways at the upper levels (A-Level, IB Diploma, AP/OSSD and similar options).	Stages THIS operates a Primary, Middle and High School program (grades 1–12) with separate curriculum pages for the middle and high school divisions. The curriculum is based on U.S. Common Core standards combined with required Chinese language and culture courses.
School type	School type BRS is a co-educational private school that operates as a boarding school while also accommodating day students. Lower grades can be day students (with boarding available if needed) and senior grades are generally expected or encouraged to board; the school publishes dormitory facilities and boarding routines.	School type THIS is a co-educational international school attached to Tsinghua University High School (清华附中) and serves international and returning Chinese students. The school has undergone WASC accreditation processes and has reported receiving WASC accreditation in its published materials.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school publishes an inclusion (融合/‘Inclusion') department for primary years and an Inclusion Policy, and describes differentiated and layered teaching, bilingual support and personalised learning pathways; parents are advised to contact Student Services/Admissions for specifics and assessment arrangements.	Additional learning support THIS provides English-language support for students still mastering English: Structured English Immersion (SEI) classes are offered in middle school and eligibility is determined using the WIDA test. The school website does not publish a detailed, separate Special Educational Needs (SEN) department description; if your child has diagnosed learning needs, contact the admissions office to discuss specific accommodations and assessments.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation BRS is a Beijing-based (China) private school; it is part of the Fazheng Group and delivers international curricula rather than being formally affiliated to a foreign government or embassy.	Country affiliation The international school is part of (operates on the campus of) Tsinghua University High School and is run within Beijing, China; admissions information notes it enrolls foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan for grades 1–12.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public information pages; its materials present a secular, international curriculum focus.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school's official materials; THIS presents itself as a secular international school.
School day structure	School day structure Daily schedules vary by division; the primary division reports an 8:20 start for lessons (adjusted under recent national ‘double reduction' guidance), with a one-hour lunch/nap period and structured boarding routines (boarding students commonly wake around 07:00 and have a lights-out time around 21:00). Exact start/end times and after-school services differ by year group and are provided in division-specific timetables.	School day structure Published and parent-facing summaries report a typical school day beginning around 08:00 and ending around 15:15, with extracurricular activities and after-school clubs running later in the afternoon (for example, many activities are reported around 15:30–17:30). Exact daily schedules, start/end times and break/lunch arrangements vary by division and year level—confirm current times with admissions.
Bus service details	Bus service details BRS operates organised student bus services and partners with certified school-transport providers; the primary division publishes multiple dedicated routes, safety specifications for the vehicles, and an assigned staff member on each bus. The school also runs scheduled boarding-student shuttle lines (detailed pick-up/drop-off times and routes are listed on the primary/boarding pages). Parents should contact the primary office for current route maps, daily times and registration.	Bus service details THIS offers a daily school-bus service with designated pick-up and drop-off points for elementary, middle and high school students; external summaries report multiple routes across Beijing (commonly reported as around eleven routes). Parents should contact the admissions or transport office for current route maps, pick-up points, fees and registration procedures. }
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application / registration fees - The school's published admissions pages do not list a universal application or registration fee amount for general applicants; no formal application fee is published on the school's online application or admissions Q&A pages. Tuition fees by year group (breakdown available from the school) - High School (Senior High): RMB 232,000 per year to RMB 252,000 per year (range varies by curriculum stream). Annual amounts are published; a per-term (semester) breakdown is not published on the school pages. - Middle School (Junior High): RMB 203,000 per year. A per-term breakdown is not published on the school pages. - Primary School (Elementary): RMB 119,000 per year to RMB 155,000 per year (varies by class/type). Per-term amounts are not listed on the school pages. - Kindergarten: RMB 6,800 per month to RMB 11,000 per month (some Montessori/international classes listed at higher monthly rates). Tuition is presented on a monthly basis for kindergarten; no official per-term kindergarten schedule is published on the admissions pages. Boarding fees and boarding arrangements - The school operates as a boarding-capable campus and recommends boarding for senior grades. The school's public pages describe boarding practice (weekend leave arrangements and that lower grades may commute) but do not publish a standard boarding-fee figure on the admissions or fee pages. Any specific boarding-rate schedule (weekly/monthly/annual boarding fee) is not shown on the publicly available admissions materials. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's published materials present tuition as annual (or monthly for kindergarten) figures but do not publish a full billing schedule or standard payment-term table (for example: number of instalments, due dates, or late-payment penalties) on the admissions or online-application pages. Families should note that only annual/monthly fee amounts are listed publicly. Other costs and typical additional fees (from published school-directory summaries and admissions notes) - Uniforms and school materials: third-party school-directory summaries list typical uniform costs in ranges (examples published externally indicate roughly RMB 880–2,500 for uniforms), but a specific official uniform-price list is not provided on the school's public admissions pages. - Transport (school bus): third-party listings show annual or termly bus fees as an additional cost (examples published externally include ranges such as RMB 1,400–8,500 depending on route/type). The school's public admissions pages note campus transport options but do not publish a standard transport-fee schedule. - Examination, testing and external exam fees: the school is a test centre for many external exams (AP, A‑Level, IB, TOEFL/IELTS, etc.). Candidates should expect exam-registration and external marking fees for these qualifications in addition to tuition. Specific exam fees are set by the exam bodies and are not shown as part of the tuition figures on the school's admissions pages. Refunds and deposits - The school's publicly available admissions pages and online application form do not publish a standard refund policy, deposit amounts, or how refunds are processed (for example deposit refund terms or prorated refunds on withdrawal). No formal refund schedule is shown in the public admissions materials. Accepted payment methods and practical payment information - The school's public admissions pages and the online application form provide contact details for admissions and finance enquiries but do not list specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit card, or other channels) or bank details on the public pages. Notes on what is and is not published - Published, load-bearing fee figures available from the school are the annual (or kindergarten monthly) tuition rates listed above. The school's public admissions and brochure pages do not publish a full itemised fee schedule covering application/registration fees, per-term billing tables, boarding fee amounts, deposit/refund rules, uniform price lists, or explicit payment-method instructions. Third-party school directories reproduce the tuition figures and list additional typical costs (uniforms, bus) in ranges; those third-party figures are summarized above where available. Summary (practical points for a parent) - Tuition is published by division as annual amounts (high school, middle school, primary) or monthly for kindergarten; use RMB figures shown above for budgeting. - The school does not publish per-term billing breakdowns, a standard application fee, boarding-price schedule, refund policy, or payment methods in its publicly available admissions materials; these items are therefore to be confirmed directly with the school's admissions/finance office.	Fee details Application fees - The school's public admissions pages do not list a specific, published application or registration fee amount. Applications are submitted through the school's OpenApply portal; OpenApply supports collecting application fees and records payments, but THIS does not publish an application-fee figure on its public pages. Tuition fees by year group (published annual rates) - Primary (Elementary): RMB 186,000 per academic year. - Lower secondary (Middle/Junior high): RMB 208,000 per academic year. - Upper secondary (High school): RMB 218,000 per academic year. (Note: the school's published fee page gives these amounts as annual fees for the 2024–25 academic year; no per-term breakdown is published on the school's fee page.) Per-term amounts and billing frequency - The school's public fee page states annual tuition only; it does not publish a per-term fee or an explicit billing frequency (for example, whether tuition is invoiced annually, by semester, or by term). Therefore no official per-term figures or invoicing schedule can be provided from the public pages. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's public pages do not set out a published billing calendar, invoice due dates, late-payment penalties, or detailed payment terms. The admissions pages explain the application and assessment timeline (including two common intake cutoff dates), but the site does not publish the school's invoicing or refund deadlines. Boarding / accommodation fees - The school's published fees page does not list boarding or accommodation fees and does not describe boarding as a standard, published offering on the international‑department fee page. No official boarding fee is published on the school's public fee page. Other costs and typical ancillary charges - School lunches: the school confirms lunch is charged separately and gives a general range of about RMB 15–25 per meal for cafeteria lunches. - Other ancillary costs: the school's fee page states that “other fees will be charged according to actual circumstances” but does not itemize school-uniform costs, transportation (school bus), exam fees (AP/IB), extracurricular trip costs, learning‑materials or device charges. These items are therefore not published in detail on the school's public fee page. Refund information - The school's publicly available fee page does not publish a general refund policy (for example, pro‑rata refunds, deadlines for withdrawal refunds, or conditions for refunding deposits). No specific refund terms are shown on the publicly available admissions or fee pages. Fee payment options (methods commonly used / platform noted) - The school uses the OpenApply online admissions platform for applications; OpenApply supports recording payments made by credit card and by bank transfer, and can issue invoices and receipts through the portal. The school's public pages do not, however, publish an explicit list of all accepted payment methods (for example, which card networks are accepted or local bank details). Parents completing payment through OpenApply would normally see available payment methods in their applicant invoice. Summary of what is and is not published (brief) - Published clearly on the school site: annual tuition for Primary (RMB 186,000), Middle (RMB 208,000) and High School (RMB 218,000) (shown as the school's 2024–25 annual rates) and an approximate cafeteria lunch cost (RMB 15–25 per meal). - Not published on the school's public pages: a specific application fee amount, per-term tuition amounts or confirmed billing frequency, detailed billing/payment terms and deadlines, boarding fees or a boarding policy, uniform costs, exam or activity fees itemized, and a formal refund policy. The admissions portal (OpenApply) is used for applications and supports payment collection, but the school's public pages do not list exact payment-method acceptances or invoicing schedules. If you require these specific items (application fee amount, per-term invoices, boarding costs, refund rules, or accepted payment instruments) the school's admissions office provides applicant invoices via the OpenApply portal and can supply official invoicing and payment-term documentation directly to enrolled or admitted families.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options The campus has a Grade-A hygienic standard dining hall with a 3,000-person capacity.	Food options School Lunch: Students have access to the dining hall of Tsinghua University High School. The dining hall is a two-story building with multiple food options. Primary school students have an independent canteen, and primary students also receive a mid-morning snack. Lunch is charged separately, typically around CNY 15-25 per meal.
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership The school is a Sino-foreign joint venture and the first Sino-foreign joint venture school established in Beijing. In October 2023 it achieved dual accreditation from WASC and NEASC/CIPSH.	Governance and ownership The school is affiliated with Tsinghua University and Tsinghua University High School. It is located on the grounds of THUHS, and it benefits from the resources of Tsinghua University and THUHS.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Beijing Royal School operates several international pathways by school stage: the primary section uses the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) delivered in a bilingual immersion model. The middle school follows the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and also prepares students for Cambridge IGCSE within the school's Cambridge K‑12 framework. Upper secondary students have multiple qualification routes: the school is authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) and also runs Cambridge AS/A‑Level and a large AP programme, so students may follow IBDP, A‑Level or AP tracks. The BRS AP page lists many specific AP subjects (for example Calculus AB/BC, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, English, economics and Chinese) and states the school is an early AP adopter and an AP teaching demonstration school. Across all stages the school describes a blend of national curriculum content with international programmes (IB, Cambridge, AP and AQA), publishes subject‑level lists and assessment policies, and emphasises bilingual delivery and age‑appropriate assessment.	Curriculum details Tsinghua International School (THIS) operates an international K–12 programme (Grades 1–12) that integrates Western curricula with sustained Chinese language and cultural study. The elementary programme (Grades 1–5) follows a US-style curriculum aligned with the Common Core and AERO standards, uses Singapore Math and Beijing Normal/PRC-aligned materials for Chinese, and emphasizes project- and inquiry-based learning. The middle school (Grades 6–8) continues this inquiry-based US standards approach with bilingual English/Chinese tracks, world language options (including French and Spanish) and STEAM offerings. The high school is credit-based (minimum 25 credits for graduation; the school recommends ~28 for competitive university preparation), follows US Common Core frameworks through Grade 11, and provides a wide range of required and elective courses across sciences, mathematics, humanities, arts and technology. For external qualifications and assessments, THIS is an authorized AP provider and on‑campus test centre (offers roughly 16 AP courses and administers AP, SAT, ACT and PSAT exams), so students typically prepare for AP exams and standardised admissions tests rather than IB/IGCSE pathways.
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 Beijing Royal School (BRES) integrates social and emotional learning into its curriculum: the IB PYP primary programme explicitly includes “Personal, Social and Emotional” learning and the school describes whole‑child, socio‑emotional aims in its PYP materials. The kindergarten programme lists an SEL (社会情感实践课程) strand as part of its teaching. Class organisation in the PYP/fusion primary department uses dual homeroom teachers (a native-speaking foreign teacher plus a bilingual Chinese teacher), which the school presents as part of supporting students' social and emotional development. BRES also runs parent workshops and reflective/cooperative learning activities tied to the PYP approach.	Social & emotional learning THIS describes a formal school counselling service that explicitly supports students' social and emotional development; the counselling team lists programmes such as individual and group counselling, teaching self‑help skills, assisting transitions and creating positive behaviour plans. The counselling pages say the team works closely with teachers, parents and school leadership to support students' social/personal growth and to teach interpersonal skills and self‑esteem. The school names two counsellors on its site: Gerald Anthony (Primary School Counselor) and Laura Zhang (Secondary School Counselor). These services are described as part of the personalised support offered under Social & Emotional, Academic and Career domains. The description and staff names are published on THIS's School Counseling page.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) The school's primary (PYP) pages list an Inclusion Policy (全纳政策) and operate a ‘fusion' primary department (小学融合部), indicating an inclusion approach and personalised learning within the PYP framework. The website presents the Inclusion Policy as one of the PYP's six formal policies but does not publish, on public pages reviewed, a detailed list of specific categories of special educational needs it will support. Likewise, BRES does not describe itself on the public site as a specialist SEN institution; its materials emphasise inclusive PYP practice rather than specialist SEN provision. For specifics about assessment, provision levels, or formal SEN placement, families are directed to contact the school directly.	Special educational needs (SEN) THIS's public faculty listing includes staff roles titled “Learning Specialist” (e.g. Vicky Zhao) and the counselling overview refers to helping to “remove learning barriers,” indicating the school provides in‑school learning support. The site also describes whole‑staff training on differentiated instruction, which the school says is intended to help meet diverse learner needs. The school does not, however, publish a detailed list of specific special educational needs (for example, dyslexia, ADHD, sensory or physical needs) that it can or cannot support, nor does it present itself as a specialist SEN institution in its public materials. For precise limits of provision and formal SEN policy the school asks families to contact admissions or the support team directly.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language BRES publishes a Language Policy as one of its formal PYP policies and operates bilingual/immersion provision in the primary and kindergarten programmes. The primary (融合部) states it uses a dual‑teacher model in each class (a native‑speaking foreign teacher plus a bilingual Chinese teacher) and describes immersion and language support as part of daily teaching. The school's exam and testing centre also lists support for a wide range of language tests (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge suite, HSK etc.), indicating institutional capacity for language assessment and preparation. The website therefore documents structured bilingual instruction and language testing support rather than a separate labeled “EAL only” programme.	English as an additional language THIS publishes multiple English Language Support (ELS) roles on its faculty page, including a Head of Primary ELS (Caroline Williamson) and named Primary and Secondary ELS teachers, showing an organisational provision for English language support. The school's Primary section states that English is the main language of instruction and that students are taught by native English teachers alongside Chinese teachers. The admissions process also includes an academic English test as part of entry requirements, indicating English placement is assessed on entry. The site does not present a separate public EAL policy document, but the named ELS staff and admissions testing are described on the school site.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing BRES publishes evidence of organised mental‑health activity: the school runs psychology/mental‑health talks and workshops (for example puberty mental‑health lectures) and reports student psychology activities led by named staff. The site describes a psychological counselling office and public events where the counselling lead (identified by name in activity reports) delivers community mental‑health education and interventions. The school also carries out routine health checks and reports follow‑up/feedback to parents as part of its health and wellbeing work. For details on day‑to‑day counselling access, referral procedures or crisis support, the website points families to the school counselling team and student services.	Mental wellbeing THIS's counselling programme explicitly includes crisis intervention, individual and group counselling, referrals to external services and creating individual positive behaviour plans as part of student mental‑health support. The school has also run staff training on psychological crisis intervention and prevention, describing sessions for faculty on identifying crisis signals and response procedures. The school's stated core values include wellbeing and the counselling and crisis‑training pages frame mental‑health support as a school priority. For details about clinical or external therapeutic arrangements the school directs families to contact the counselling team.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding BRES lists a Child Protection Policy as one of its formal PYP policies and provides a downloadable Child Protection document on its site (Child Protection / 儿童保护政策 is presented among the school's six policies). The school additionally publishes routine health and safety measures such as annual student health checks and on‑site medical/health services. Public pages therefore show that safeguarding and child protection are formalised policies and operationalised through health screenings and pastoral structures; however the website's public pages do not replace the full policy document for legal/operational detail, so families should consult the school's Child Protection Policy PDF or contact the school for the complete safeguarding procedures.	Safeguarding THIS publishes evidence of safeguarding‑related activity: the counselling service lists crisis intervention and creation of behaviour plans, and the school has public reports of staff training in psychological crisis intervention and response procedures. The school's core values list Wellbeing and refer to protecting student health and safety as a priority. However, THIS does not appear to publish a standalone child‑protection or safeguarding policy document on its public website; a formal written safeguarding/child‑protection policy is not linked from the public pages. Families seeking the school's formal safeguarding policy or detailed reporting procedures should contact the school directly.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview Beijing Royal School sits on a 150‑acre campus with about 120,000 square meters of state‑of‑the‑art facilities, including a 1080‑seat auditorium with a six‑language interpretation system and a 400‑seat international conference hall. The campus is strategically located along Beijing's historic central axis north of the Olympic Village. The school operates four integrated divisions—Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, and High School—providing a continuous K–12 education. Facilities cover academic, athletic, residential, and cultural spaces and emphasize a digitally enabled learning environment with smart classrooms and laboratories. The campus includes a TOEFL/IELTS testing center and a 100‑seat Model UN‑style Council Chamber, among other specialized spaces.	Facilities overview The school provides high-speed wireless networks for students and teachers, and every classroom has an interactive smart board and a projector. Advanced Apple computer labs, a PC lab, and a mobile Apple cart support computing education. Several iPads are available for teaching use, and the STEAM lab offers a technology-rich environment for hands-on learning. The library is the center for literature and research, supporting project work and reading development. The school provides extensive online resources through a web-based LMS, Power School for attendance and grading, and subscriptions to online tools such as Noodle Tools and Discovery Education, which teachers integrate into instruction.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities The school features an international standard sports field with a 400m track, a Champions League‑regulation football field, and an NBA‑standard indoor basketball arena. It has a multi‑functional indoor gymnasium and an Olympic‑standard indoor swimming pool, plus a professional fitness training center. A table tennis and badminton center with Olympic‑caliber trampoline/rock climbing facilities is available, as is an Arts District with piano rooms, art studios, and dance studios.	Sports facilities The school is a member of the International School Athletic Association (ISAC). As a member, students have opportunities to participate in inter-school competitions in Beijing and Tianjin with other international schools. The elementary division participates in the Junior International Schools Athletic Conference (JISAC) events in Beijing and surrounding international schools. The sports program includes basketball, soccer, and volleyball and runs boys and girls teams at elementary, middle, and high school levels. Sign-ups occur before each sport season, and teams emphasize sportsmanship, leadership, and healthy competition.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities Academic facilities include fully digitized smart classrooms and A‑Level standard digital laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The modern e‑library houses 300,000 volumes. A 400‑seat TOEFL/IELTS testing center operates on campus with satellite distance‑learning classrooms. The 1080‑seat auditorium has a six‑language simultaneous interpretation system, and there is a 400‑seat international conference hall. A 100‑seat Council Chamber supports Model United Nations activities, and a distance learning recording studio enables remote instruction. Curricula include AP, A Level, IB, and the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) program.	Academic facilities The school provides high-speed wireless networks for students and teachers, and every classroom has an interactive smart board and a projector. Apple computer labs, a PC lab, and a mobile Apple cart support computing education. The STEAM lab offers a technology-rich learning environment where students move beyond textbooks to practice concepts. The library is the center for literature and research, providing resources for project work and reading development, and librarians assist students with information needs. The school offers extensive online resources, including a web-based LMS used for virtual learning, and subscriptions to resources such as Noodle Tools and Discovery Education integrated into classroom instruction.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities International cooperation partnerships with organizations such as UN Women, UNESCO, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Oxford Entrepreneurs Association, Harvard Medical School, and Duke University provide BR S students with access to nearly 100 academic competitions across 10 subject areas. A Model United Nations Conference Hall on campus supports MUN activities. Global graduate destinations include the United States (approximately 88.5% of graduates), Canada (4%), the United Kingdom (3%), and smaller shares in Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong/China, and Australia. Notable university placements include Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, McGill, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Hong Kong.	Extra curricular facilities THIS offers a rich range of extracurricular activities to enrich campus life. The elementary, middle, and high schools run active club programs, with some elementary clubs supported by third-party providers while middle and high school clubs are led by students or teachers. There are 56 student clubs, 8 team-building trips, and 7 Chinese culture trips planned for the 2025-2026 year. Representative clubs include a chorus, AI art, aerospace, baking, book club, chess, robotics, drama, environmental science, philosophy, and other clubs across performing arts, culture, STEM, and service. Clubs are student- or teacher-led and operate alongside annual learning-practice activities and campus events.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History Beijing Royal School (北京王府学校) was founded in 1996 and is noted as Beijing's first Sino‑foreign cooperative school. The school introduced A‑Level and AP pathways in the 2000s and later gained IB authorization in 2018. It is part of the Fazheng Group education network and has pursued international accreditations and partnerships, including WASC and NEASC/CIPASH recognitions reported in 2021–2023. The school marks milestones and public partnerships in a running timeline of events (for example, a 25th‑anniversary program in 2021).	History Tsinghua International School (THIS) was established in March 2009 as the Fuzhong campus to provide an international-style education within the Tsinghua University High School framework. It was created to serve international families, children of foreigners, and Chinese returnees by combining Western pedagogical approaches with required Chinese language and culture courses. The school is located on the grounds of Tsinghua University High School and draws on that affiliation and its resources as it developed primary, middle and high divisions. Over time THIS has continued to formalize international-facing accreditation and testing relationships as part of its development.
Community	Community The school community includes students, families, alumni and international partners and regularly convenes cultural and academic events such as an International Culture Festival, the “future diplomat” (未来外交官) program and ambassador visits. Performing‑arts groups, music ensembles and dance teams present on‑ and off‑campus, and students run community and IB‑MYP service projects that engage local and regional issues. Parents are invited frequently through grade‑level meetings, open days and alumni gatherings, which bring families onto campus and connect overseas alumni with current students.	Community THIS describes a multicultural school community and runs a regular calendar of events that bring together students, parents and staff. Annual community and cultural events include Sports Day, International Day, STEAM Day and an Arts Festival; the school also stages curriculum-based field trips and exchange programs to extend learning beyond campus. Many events invite family participation through open days, performances and curriculum workshops that connect classroom work with the wider community.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association The school operates formal parent committees (家委会) with elected roles such as a director, secretary‑general and vice‑directors; elections and a published committee charter are part of the governance process. Committee representatives meet with school leaders to discuss home–school coordination and have participated in on‑site activity reviews (for example, canteen and dormitory visits) and formal briefings. At the primary level the school describes parents as members of the school learning community and lists PTA activities including parent lectures, workshops, classroom observation and volunteer programs. School reports and interviews with parent‑committee members show parents take part in organizing open days, fundraising and educational workshops and in promoting communication between families and staff. The school also runs online and in‑person curriculum briefings and orientation sessions for parents to explain term plans, learning goals and ways families can support students.	Parent teacher association The school works with an active parent body (often referred to on school pages as a Parent Council) and operates a Parent School lecture series for families; the site notes a 26th Parent School session held on December 17. THIS and its Parent Council have jointly organized sharing sessions on key transitions (primary→middle, middle→high, and college entrance), with parents, students and staff presenting practical advice. The school also runs division-level parent–teacher meetings (PTCs) that are used to review student progress and align home and school support. Parents are regularly invited to help at community events, attend curriculum afternoons and participate in information sessions that strengthen home–school partnership. Typical parent-linked activities described on the site include hosting parent lectures, coordinating volunteer support at events, and co-hosting transition and curriculum workshops.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual Beijing Royal School offers AP, A Level, IB, and the OSSD Program. It provides 34 AP courses and 19 A Level courses and is designated by the College Board as an AP Demonstration School in China. The school was authorized as an IB World School in January 2018 and achieved dual accreditation from WASC and NEASC/CIPSH in October 2023. 100% of graduates are admitted to universities among the world's top 100 institutions.	Academic & intellectual THIS was founded in 2009 to provide an education that blends Western and Chinese learning. It operates a primary, middle, and high school on the campus of Tsinghua University High School, Haidian District, Beijing, opposite Yuanmingyuan. The student body includes international students, children of foreigners, and Chinese returning from overseas studies.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative The school has a strong visual arts program and experienced art teachers, including China's first AP Studio Art teacher and staff with study-abroad art experience and advanced degrees from leading universities. In 2017 Beijing Royal School signed a five-year partnership with MassArt to provide priority access to U.S. art education, portfolio development assistance, guidance on teaching methods, and opportunities to participate in MassArt's Summer Studios. The campus includes an arts district with piano rooms, art studios, and dance studios, and a modern library with extensive collections.	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language Language of instruction is English and Chinese. The auditorium features a six-language simultaneous interpretation system and a 400-seat international conference hall, with a TOEFL/IELTS testing center and satellite distance-learning classrooms. Graduates have gained admission to prestigious universities worldwide, including institutions such as Princeton, Yale, MIT, Oxford, and Cambridge.	Cultural & language The school offers a full-English environment with Chinese language and culture as a required core course, supporting strong bilingual development.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies Beijing Royal School hosts a 100-seat Council Chamber for Model UN events, providing a venue for student leadership and debate. The school participates in a wide range of academic competitions and activities through its international cooperation program, engaging students across multiple subject areas. Global alumni trends reflect the school's strong university placements at top universities around the world.	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional Leadership Education is a formal part of Academic Success. The school emphasizes student-centered learning, global competency, and a fusion of Chinese and Western educational approaches to foster leadership and professional skills. Model UN participation and international collaborations offer practical leadership experiences, and graduates routinely move on to leading universities and programs worldwide.	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing The 150-acre campus includes premium facilities such as a Grade-A dining hall with a 3,000-person capacity and premium student dormitories. There is a national standard school bus system, a faculty club and exchange center, and a comprehensive campus security surveillance system. The campus also features athletic facilities including an Olympic-standard indoor swimming pool, football field, indoor gym, and an arts district with dedicated spaces for music, art, and dance.	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision Beijing Royal School uses English in its international curricula and provides English-language testing for admissions and language proficiency. The campus features a 400-seat TOEFL/IELTS testing center and a 1080-seat auditorium with a six-language simultaneous interpretation system. Admissions testing includes English and an interview to assess oral English ability, and about 40% of faculty are foreign-born or hold overseas degrees, while 20% are Chinese teachers proficient in English. Cambridge Primary includes English among its core subjects.	Language provision The curriculum is based on US Common Core standards with additional Chinese language and culture courses. The full-English environment supports language development across content areas and in social language. Chinese language and culture is a required core course, ensuring a strong Chinese level while exploring Chinese traditional culture in line with the Tsinghua Spirit. Students have strong proficiency in both Chinese and English.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching THIS provides a full-English environment across the curriculum, with Chinese language and culture taught as a required core course. The program integrates US Common Core standards with Chinese culture content. Students develop strong abilities in both Chinese and English, and the school serves primary, middle, and high school levels.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards - 2025 AP Capstone — “2025 AP Capstone Project China Honor School” (award to the school, reported by the school on October 28, 2025). The school's site states the College Board formally conferred this honor on the school in recognition of its AP Capstone programme implementation and outcomes. Clarification and sources: I searched the school's official website (http://www.brs.edu.cn/) for awards and recognitions between January 1, 2021 and the present. The only item presented on the school website as an award given to the school itself within that five‑year window (2021–2025) is the AP Capstone China Honor School designation cited above. Other items on the site from 2021–2025 are institutional accreditations (WASC, NEASC/CIPASH, IB authorization) or descriptions of student competition results and individual student recognitions (which you asked to exclude). If you would like, I can: 1) export the specific pages I used as sources, or 2) check for any additional awards in a different set of pages (for example, local media reports linked from the school site).	Awards (All items below are taken from the school website and are awards received by the school or by school teams/programmes within the past five years.) 1) Top award at the UNESCO 16th ASEF ClassNet Conference (Ljubljana, Nov 2023) — the school's AI education project (presented in collaboration with a partner school) earned the highest jury score at the 16th ClassNet Conference, recorded on the school site as “winning the top award for THIS.” This award recognises the school's project work in AI education at an international education forum. 2) “Prestigious / Famous International School with Public Reputation” at the 2022 International Online Education Summit (Dec 2022) — the school's 2022 highlights on the website state that THIS received the summit's honourific award, which the school presents as external recognition of its public reputation in international education. 3) Awards at the 13th “Hope China” Youth Educational Drama & Bilingual Choir Beijing Festival (2022) — the school reports that its four entries in the Beijing final won three Grand Prizes and one First Prize (plus related production awards). These prizes were awarded to the school's drama/choral entries and are listed on the school website. 4) Team awards at the Xuanzang Road Ultra Gobi Youth Challenge 2 (May 2024) — the school's weekly report documents that the THIS team received five team awards (EEC Xuanzang Road Cultural Heritage Award, Shackleton Award, Ultra Gobi Excellence Award, Ultra Gobi Progress Award, and Team Spirit Award). These are team-level awards recorded on the school site. Notes and scope limitations: - I included only accreditations and school-level or team awards that are explicitly described on Tsinghua International School's official website (this.edu.cn). Individual student prizes and awards listed on the site were excluded where they were clearly awarded to individual students rather than to the school or a school team. Where the website gave dates or renewal details (for example WASC), I relied on those statements as published on the site.
Accreditations	Accreditations - Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) — Full 6‑year ACS WASC accreditation (February 2021). WASC accreditation is an external quality review from a U.S.-based regional accrediting body; it indicates the school meets standards for institutional integrity, program quality and continuous improvement. - New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) / CIPASH — NEASC/CIPASH international accreditation (October 2023). NEASC/CIPASH is an external quality review for international K‑12 programs administered by NEASC's China/international commission; the school website reports this as a separate international accreditation that complements WASC. - International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) — IBDP authorization (school reports IB authorization achieved in early 2018 and states it has since been authorized across IB programmes). IB authorization means the school is authorized by the IBO to offer IB diploma (and related IB programmes where authorized), confirming curriculum, teacher preparation and assessment meet IBO requirements. - Cambridge International (CIE) — Cambridge Professional Development Centre authorization (Cambridge PD Centre awarded June 22, 2016) and related Cambridge PDQ recognition (school reports earning Cambridge PDQ Diploma certification for its PD centre/teachers). These show an institutional relationship with Cambridge International for teacher professional development and recognized Cambridge PDQ qualifications. - AQA — Authorized as an AQA International A‑Level Courses Learning and Assessment Center (school reports this status from March 2016). This is an authorization by AQA to deliver/coordinate A‑Level course learning and assessment. - AP / College Board recognition — The school is listed on the site as an AP Teaching Demonstration School (College Board designation; cited on the school's course/admissions pages). That designation indicates recognition by the College Board for AP programme practice and outreach. - GAC / ACT — GAC‑ACT Approved Teaching Center (contract signing reported March 2017). This is a licensed centre arrangement to deliver the Global Assessment Certificate (GAC) pathway and associated services. - Examination/test‑center authorizations — the school's website reports several authorised on‑campus testing/designation items such as a fully‑licensed DELE (Spanish language) Examination Center (reported 2019) and a licensed TOEFL Junior Testing Center (reported 2017). These are official examination‑center qualifications that allow the school to administer those specific external tests on site. Notes on scope: the items above are taken from the school's own website and are presented as accreditations, authorizations or formal recognitions there. I grouped program/assessment centre authorizations (e.g., DELE, TOEFL Junior, AQA, GAC, Cambridge PD centre, AP designation) separately from the major institutional accreditations (WASC, NEASC/CIPASH, IBO) to make the difference in scope clear. All items are cited to the school website.	Accreditations 1) WASC (ACS WASC) — Tsinghua International School holds accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC); the school first received a six-year WASC accreditation in January 2016 and the website records a successful renewal visit and continued accreditation in 2023. This accreditation is a U.S. regional-style, internationally recognised school accreditation that signals the school has met a set of quality and continuous-improvement standards used by many international schools. 2) College Board membership and authorised test centre status — the school is a member of the U.S. College Board and is identified on the website as an on‑campus test centre for AP, SAT and ACT (the site also refers to PSAT/AP testing availability). College Board membership and test‑centre status allow the school to offer AP courses and to administer College Board exams on site, which supports students taking those exams as part of the school's programme.
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Inquiry & first contact — Start by submitting the school's online application or contacting the admissions office to request a campus visit, counseling session or Open Day. The school's English online application form is available on the BRS website; it also lists upcoming events (campus tours, 1:1 counselling) that parents can book. Parents should note the application form asks for current school, current grade and the grade the student is applying for, so have those details ready when you start. 2. Submit an application and request a document checklist — After the online form, the admissions office will confirm next steps and the documents required for the student's year/grade. BRS does not publish one universal printable checklist for every grade on the public pages, so parents should ask admissions for the exact document list (typical items schools request include recent school reports/transcripts, passport or ID, proof of residence, and health/immunization records). Requesting the checklist early avoids delays and lets you prepare certified translations if needed. 3. Entrance assessment and interview — BRS arranges written assessments (English and mathematics are mentioned as core tests) and an interview that evaluates oral English, independent thinking and subject-level readiness; scores are used as a reference alongside the whole-application review. The school runs its own entrance examinations and schedules interviews; for some international-program pathways there may also be oral interviews or program-specific tasks. Parents should prepare the child for short subject tests and an in-person or online interview, and confirm whether a local test centre or remote option is available. 4. Program placement, pathway options and scholarship screening — Admissions places students into the appropriate division and curriculum track (kindergarten, primary, junior high, senior high with AP/A-Level/IB/OSSD tracks). Some programs (for example the Canada pathway) advertise early admissions if a student passes the school's examinations and also list merit scholarship awards for qualifying candidates; BRS also advertises “excellent new-student” and “outstanding graduate” scholarships with separate application or selection rules. Parents should clarify which curriculum track the student is being assessed for and whether any scholarship application forms or deadlines apply to their child's cohort. 5. Offer, deposit and fee schedule — If the application is successful the school issues an offer letter that will state the tuition amount, any conditional scholarships, and the deposit or payment schedule required to secure the place. BRS publishes tuition bands by division (examples: senior high ~RMB 220,000–240,000 per year depending on curriculum; junior high ~RMB 191,000 per year; primary ~RMB 119,000–155,000 per year; kindergarten by-class monthly rates). Parents should check the offer for whether the quoted amount is tuition-only (additional items such as insurance, uniform, meals, trips, exam/registration fees and refundable deposits can apply) and confirm payment deadlines and refund rules. 6. Enrollment logistics (boarding, visa and health requirements) — The school is a boarding-capable campus and recommends boarding for senior grades; junior grades can commute. Non-Beijing-resident students are accepted, and international families should ask admissions about the school's support for visa paperwork, health checks, vaccination records and weekend boarding arrangements. Confirm arrival dates, orientation schedules and whether the school requires specific medical forms or local guardianship arrangements for overseas students. 7. Transfers, late entry and ongoing communication — BRS accepts transfer/inserted students year-round subject to available places; the admissions office schedules transfer testing and will place students according to seat availability. If you are applying mid-year, ask for current seat availability in the target grade, the expected timeline for testing and results, and whether the student's prior curriculum requires bridging support. Maintain contact with the admissions or international programs office so you receive any grade-specific instructions (timetables, exam registrations, uniform lists) before your child starts.	Admissions 1. Prepare application documents. Parents should gather photocopies and bring originals to the in-person interview: student identification (passport and, if applicable, current China visa page; for Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan residents the specific travel/ID documents listed by the school), a color passport-style photo (3.3 x 4.8 cm), immunization record (original and scanned copy), recent school transcripts and any award certificates, and parents' valid ID plus parents' undergraduate degree certificates. For specific grades, THIS requires particular documentary ranges (for example: original transcripts of the most recent one year for grade 2 applicants, two years for grades 3–8, and all transcripts since grade 9 for grade 9–11 applicants) — confirm which original documents you must bring because some documents are requested as originals at interview. 2. Complete and submit the online application. All applications are submitted through THIS's online application system (OpenApply); when you enter referee information the system will automatically send a secure link to teachers for recommendation forms, so provide accurate teacher email addresses. The school operates year‑round admissions, but applications are processed in the order received, so submit early if you need a specific start term; keep copies of every uploaded PDF and note the system checklist so you don't miss required items. 3. Testing and observation (school assessment). After the admissions office reviews materials, the student will be invited to an assessment day: a ~15-minute comprehensive potential assessment and written tests; applicants for Grade 7+ must take a mathematics test, and non‑native Chinese speakers take a Chinese placement test. Grade 1 applicants who pass the test also take a behavioral observation session; test results are valid for six months, so if you plan to defer more than six months the student will need to retake the tests. Plan travel and scheduling around the test date and bring originals of all documents requested on the day. 4. Family interview (where applicable). Students who perform well in the tests (and in the Grade 1 observation, if applicable) may be invited, together with their parents, to a family interview — typically within about a week after testing; Grade 1 students are an exception and do not have the family interview stage. Use the interview to clarify academic needs, language support, and any special educational or medical needs; bring any documents that support requests (IEPs, medical records, etc.) because the interview is used to confirm fit and logistics. 5. Admission decision and next steps. The admissions office will notify applicants by email once all steps (tests, observation, interview where applicable) are complete; responses are generally sent after the full application process finishes (the school indicates decisions are communicated by email). If offered a place, confirm deadlines for acceptance, start‑of‑term paperwork, visa/residence permit requirements and any payment deadlines — the school lists two cut‑off dates for transfer enrollments (Nov 15 for first semester and Mar 15 for second semester), so check these if you are requesting mid‑year entry. For specific payment instructions, enrollment deposits, or registration procedures, contact THIS Admissions directly (phone/email listed on the school site).
Scholarships	Scholarships BRS publishes several scholarship options and program-specific merit awards. The school's public pages refer to “excellent new-student” scholarships (noting that the new-student scholarship is specifically limited to Grade 10 applicants in some program materials) and an “outstanding graduate” scholarship that can be substantial; program pages (for example the Canada pathway) list merit scholarships ranging from RMB 10,000 up to RMB 150,000 for outstanding applicants. Scholarship awards are generally merit-based and tied to either entrance examination results, academic records (including results such as Zhongkao where applicable) or other program-specific selection criteria; parents should confirm whether scholarships are one-off tuition discounts, percentage reductions, or multi-year awards and whether there are renewal conditions (minimum GPA or conduct standards). Because the school's descriptions include program-specific language and amounts, ask admissions for the current scholarship rules, the application window, required supporting documents, and the deadline for accepting an offer once a scholarship is awarded.	Scholarships The school's official admissions and fees pages list tuition and incidental fees but do not publish a K–12 scholarship, tuition assistance, or fee‑remission program on the public site. For the 2024–25 academic year THIS lists tuition in RMB and specifies per‑year amounts by division (Primary ¥186,000; Middle ¥208,000; High ¥218,000) and notes that lunch and other incidental fees are charged separately (lunch typically ~¥15–25 per meal). If you would like to confirm whether any merit‑ or need‑based assistance, sibling discounts, payment plans, or bursaries are available in the current or coming year, contact THIS Admissions (phone: +86 10 6277‑1477 / +86 10 6279‑7000; email: this@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn) because the school's public pages do not describe such programs.
Waitlist	Waitlist BRS's public materials do not describe a formal, published waitlist or central ‘pool' process; instead the school states it accepts transfer or additional students throughout the year and that final admission depends on remaining grade capacity. In practice this means that if a grade is full parents should contact the admissions office to ask whether there is a short-notice opening or whether the school keeps inquiries on file for future vacancies. For the most reliable information, parents should ask admissions whether the school will (a) place an applicant on an internal waiting list; (b) hold completed applications pending a vacancy; or (c) recommend re-applying for the next intake — the public site asks families to contact admissions directly for placement and timing details.	Waitlist THIS states it uses rolling admissions and that places are allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis; the school's public pages describe admissions as “rolling” and encourage applicants to contact admissions early because enrollment is by available places. The website does not publish a formal waitlist policy or describe a separate ‘pool' of held applicants; if you need to know whether THIS will hold a declined place on a waitlist or how long a held offer remains active, ask the admissions office directly (telephone and admissions email are published on the site). For transfer requests or timing questions, note the two published cut‑off dates (Nov 15 and Mar 15) and confirm how the school manages late applications in the year you apply.
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