Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan vs Nord Anglia Chinese International School

	D Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan Shanghai, China	N Nord Anglia Chinese International School Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 137,000 - 192,000	Fees / year RMB 154,000 - 240,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, American Curriculum	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, IB (DP), Australian Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 2,500
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 25
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language Mandarin, English
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2016
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Dipont Huayao Collegiate is on East Jingwang (Jingwang East) Road in the Kunshan Economic & Technological Development Zone (Kunshan, Suzhou, Jiangsu). It is in the Kunshan/greater-Suzhou area, within commuting distance of Shanghai, and reachable by local road links—parents relocating should check local transit or taxi routes from Kunshan or Suzhou.	Location The school campus is at 1399 Jinhui (Jinhui) Road, Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai (Minhang). The site is in the suburban Minhang area, roughly 15 km from Shanghai city centre and close to the Hongqiao transport hub (airport and large rail interchange).
Stages	Stages The school is described as an all-through campus serving early years through upper school: a preschool (ages around 2–6), an elementary school (Grades 1–5), a middle school (Grades 6–8) and an upper school (Grades 9–12).	Stages NACIS serves primary and secondary year groups (generally listed as Grades 1–12 / ages about 6–18). Senior students follow an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (and international pathways in upper years).
School type	School type Dipont Huayao Collegiate is a co-educational, independent international/bilingual school operated by Dipont Education in partnership with the No.2 High School Affiliated to East China Normal University. The school offers both day places and boarding (boarder provision is noted in school information).	School type The school is co-educational and operates as a day school with boarding options noted in public listings (day & boarding). It is part of the Nord Anglia Education group.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Public-facing information highlights integrated academic and student‑life/pastoral programmes but does not publish a detailed special educational needs (SEN) policy online. If your child requires specific SEN or additional learning support (assessments, one‑to‑one support, therapy services, exam access arrangements), contact the admissions office for the school's current provisions and formal policy.	Additional learning support As part of the Nord Anglia network, the school is reported to provide learning-support and English/Chinese language support and in-class differentiation for students who need it; network schools typically operate inclusion or learning-support teams. NACIS's public pages do not publish a detailed SEN policy online; if your child has diagnosed or complex additional needs, contact the school's admissions or learning-support team to discuss assessments, available specialist support and any external-therapy arrangements.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school is registered and based in China and is run by Dipont Education in partnership with East China Normal University's affiliated high school; it delivers a Sino‑American/blended Chinese–American curriculum rather than being formally affiliated to another country's government.	Country affiliation The school is located in China and delivers a bilingual programme that blends the Shanghai national curriculum with international elements (Chinese and English mediums). It is not an embassy or church school and does not carry an affiliation to another country.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is listed on the school's public information; it presents as a secular bilingual/international school.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated in the school's public materials; NACIS is presented as a non-denominational, secular bilingual school.
School day structure	School day structure The school's public pages and published brochure do not show specific daily start/finish times or the exact timing of breaks and lunch. For the most accurate day‑time schedule (term dates, start/end time, break and lunch arrangements), contact admissions before you relocate.	School day structure Public information shows a typical school day beginning in the morning (students usually register between about 08:00–08:30) with classes running through the day and a normal finish time around 15:30 (exact times vary by year group and by term). The day includes a morning break and a lunch period; after-school activities and later bus departures are commonly offered on select days.
Bus service details	Bus service details There is no detailed, publicly posted information about a school bus provider or routes on the school's website pages reviewed. Many international schools in the region run parent‑arranged or school‑organised shuttle services, but Dipont Huayao Collegiate does not publish routes or a provider on its public pages—please contact admissions to request current bus/transport options, route maps and costs. Admissions contact shown on public pages: admissions@huayaocollegiate.com and the school phone numbers listed online. }	Bus service details The school operates a student bus service; public listings indicate school-provided buses and set routes (details, stops and fees are managed by the school). For exact route maps, pickup/drop-off points, fees and registration procedures contact NACIS Admissions directly — these arrangements are updated each academic year.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - No separate, publicly published application or registration fee was found for Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan in the official school material and major school-directory summaries reviewed. Tuition fees (by term and by year group) - Early years / Kindergarten (Nursery / K1–K3): RMB 68,500 per semester — equivalent to RMB 137,000 per year. - Primary (Grades 1–6): RMB 75,000 per semester — equivalent to RMB 150,000 per year. - Junior middle (Grades 7–9): RMB 85,000 per semester — equivalent to RMB 170,000 per year. - Senior / International high school (Grades 10–12): RMB 96,000 per semester — equivalent to RMB 192,000 per year. Billing schedule and payment terms - Published tuition figures are quoted on a per-semester basis; annual totals above are the sum of two semesters. Parents are required to complete payment as part of the enrolment/registration process for each semester. Evidence from school admissions material for Dipont-group schools shows tuition and other fees are normally collected when new students complete admission/registration formalities. - Specific deadlines for semester payments and late‑payment penalties were not publicly detailed in the school pages and directories reviewed. Boarding fees (if applicable) - The school does offer boarding; published notices indicate boarding availability begins in the lower grades (sources state boarding is offered from around Grade 3 in some notices and from Grade 5 in others). No separate, consistent boarding‑fee amount was published in the material reviewed. If boarding is required, expect an additional charge beyond the tuition figures above. Other costs and typical additional charges - Uniforms: A school uniform is part of student requirements at most comparable schools; no fixed uniform cost was publicly listed for this school in the documents and directories checked. - Meals, textbooks, consumables and exam fees (AP/standardised tests): These items are commonly billed separately at comparable international schools; no consolidated line items for these costs were published alongside the tuition figures for this school. - School transport: the school operates school‑bus routes serving Kunshan and nearby areas according to admissions notices; specific bus fares were not published. - Optional / one‑off charges (enrolment deposits, activity trips, learning‑support fees, insurance): no firm amounts for such one‑off or optional charges were publicly listed for Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan in the sources reviewed. Refund information - No school‑level refund policy or detailed refund schedule (for tuition, deposits or other fees) was publicly available in the admissions/fee notices and directories consulted. Where a school does publish refund terms they are usually included with the enrollment paperwork; no such terms were located in the public listings reviewed. Fee payment options - The school's public pages did not list a definitive menu of payment channels for Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan. For other Dipont‑group campuses and similar international schools in the region, common payment channels include corporate bank transfer for institutional payments and on‑site/QR payments for parent payments; electronic invoicing via the school finance/Engage system is used by related Dipont schools. Specific payment methods for this Kunshan campus were not published in the material reviewed. Notes and summary - The tuition values above are those published in public school-directory notices and school admissions summaries and are given per semester with the corresponding annual totals shown. Where a single term figure was reported, I have listed the semester figure and the two‑semester annual equivalent. - Several admissions and school‑information pages for the school repeat the same per‑semester tuition bands (Kindergarten RMB 68,500; Primary RMB 75,000; Junior middle RMB 85,000; Senior high RMB 96,000). Boarding and many ancillary fees are not presented as fixed public line items in the documents reviewed. If you would like this presented in a different currency or formatted for a database field, I have provided the figures here in Chinese renminbi (RMB) per your request.	Fee details Application fees - No school-specific application, enrolment or resourcing fees for Nord Anglia Chinese International School (Minhang) are published in the public sources consulted. The school's publicly listed fee pages examined include only tuition figures. Tuition fees (by year group) - Grade 1 to Grade 5: RMB 154,000 per year. - Grade 6 to Grade 9: RMB 180,000 per year. - Grade 10 to Grade 12: RMB 230,000 per year. (These figures are presented as the school's published annual tuition amounts by year group.) Billing schedule and payment terms - Nord Anglia schools operate a three-term academic year (Term 1 late August/early September to December; Term 2 January to March; Term 3 April to June). School fees are generally payable in advance on or before the first day of each term. Where advance payments cover multiple terms, income is recognised across those terms. A full term's notice of withdrawal is commonly required for refund of prepaid tuition at a majority of group schools. Boarding fees (if applicable) - Boarding is indicated as available at the Minhang campus; however, no specific boarding-fee amounts for Nord Anglia Chinese International School (Minhang) were published in the public fee pages reviewed. Other costs (uniform, transport, meals, trips, exams) - The school's published public fee details reviewed list only tuition by year group and do not include itemised charges for uniform, bus, lunch or trip fees for Minhang. Note that other Nord Anglia campuses commonly publish optional/compulsory additional charges (e.g., school bus, uniforms, residential trip or lunch provider charges) as separate line items; those examples are illustrative of the group but are not specific Minhang figures. Refund information - The Nord Anglia group's published terms indicate that, at the majority of group schools, a full term's notice of withdrawal is required for refund of prepaid tuition; this is the group-level practice identified in the materials reviewed. No Minhang-specific refund schedule or refundable deposit amounts were published in the sources consulted. Fee payment options - No Minhang-specific payment method instructions were published in the public fee pages located. Nord Anglia schools commonly accept bank transfers and provide bank details on campus fee pages; for example, other Nord Anglia China campuses publish bank account details for RMB and USD payments. Parents should note that payment timing (advance, termly) follows the term schedule above.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements The school provides a full boarding programme with a house system to enhance students' social engagement and self-management. Each dormitory accommodates four students. For safety, dorm access is via a card for students and staff. Boarding facilities are well-equipped and provide a home-like environment with holistic pastoral care. Boarding students have access to a range of activities and courses, including rowing, CAS, and cooking. The school provides 24-hour on-campus medical support and nutritious meals.
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options Nutritious meals are provided on-site as part of the boarding provision.
House system	House system —	House system The school uses a house system to promote social engagement and self-management among students. Dormitories are separated by gender floors and allocated by age group so that students in the same year group live together. Each dormitory houses four students.
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership The NACIS Shanghai Minhang is part of Nord Anglia Education.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan runs a Preschool through Grade 12 programme (Preschool, Elementary, Middle and Upper School). Preschool uses an integrated bilingual early‑years approach, while Elementary and Middle combine the Chinese national curriculum with international standards such as the American Common Core/NGSS and include a layered English‑medium pathway (middle grades levels CP, CP‑A, ECP and ECP‑I). The Upper School delivers a Sino‑American high‑school curriculum developed with U.S. partners (e.g., Shattuck‑St. Mary's), offers honors/ECP/AP track options, and is an authorized College Board AP school (AP code 694680) with students prepared to sit AP exams. Across all stages the school emphasises bilingual instruction, STEAM, arts and co‑curricular learning with personalised learning plans and advisory support; students may be placed or move between instructional levels based on assessment. The school issues standard Chinese full‑time elementary/middle/upper school graduation certificates and prepares students for AP qualifications and international university entry.	Curriculum details Nord Anglia Chinese International School (NACIS) Minhang is a bilingual school for ages 6–18 (Grades 1–12) that combines the Shanghai National (Chinese) Curriculum with international programmes. For Primary and Lower Secondary (Grades 1–9) NACIS delivers the Shanghai National Curriculum integrated with international approaches, taught bilingually in Mandarin and English across core areas such as Chinese, English, mathematics, science, arts, physical education and STEAM. In Upper Secondary (Grades 10–12) students follow internationally recognised qualifications: the school runs Cambridge/IGCSE-style courses in the 14–16 phase and then offers choices between Cambridge A‑Level and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) for the final two years (the school also references its own NACIS High School Diploma pathway). The IBDP is taught in the standard six‑subject configuration with the DP core (Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS), while A‑Level is provided as the two‑year, subject‑specialist route; NACIS supports external exam entry and university preparation. The formal curriculum is complemented by extensive co‑curricular and partnership programmes (for example collaborations with The Juilliard School, MIT, UNICEF and IMG Academy) and differentiated, level‑based assessment to support bilingual progression.
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 Dipont Huayao Collegiate names a school‑wide Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Coordinator: Ms Lijuan is described as the Secondary School counsellor and the school's SEL coordinator, indicating a named staff role with responsibility for SEL across the school. The school's published interview describes the coordinator working with students individually and in small groups and acting as a liaison among students, parents, teachers and administrators. That article also states students may seek support from their tutors and psychological staff, showing SEL work is integrated with the school's pastoral contacts.	Social & emotional learning NACIS describes a house-based boarding programme and “holistic pastoral care” that supports students' social development, and its website highlights extensive co‑curricular provision (the Nord Anglia network cites more than 270 activities) that the school says help develop teamwork and resilience. A 2021 school article about boarding notes student-led initiatives such as a student “wellbeing hub” and regular one‑to‑one check‑ins by boarding staff, indicating structured peer and staff support in residential life. These sources show the school uses boarding, house structures and wide extracurricular involvement as part of its SEL approach.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) The school does not publicly disclose information regarding Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision or the types of SEN it can support on its official website or in its main public profiles. No dedicated SEN policy, list of supported conditions, or a named SENCo/learning‑support team was found in the school's public materials during this review. If you need definitive details about individual learning‑support arrangements or whether the school can support a particular need, I can search for contact details so you can request formal documentation from the school.	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language The school does not publicly disclose information regarding an established EAL (English as an Additional Language) programme on its official website. Public staff/employee comments note that some students have limited English and that the school provides "TF support" (teaching support) in practice, but there is no formal, detailed EAL programme description available in the school's public pages. If you would like, I can try to contact the school or locate admissions materials that might list any EAL screening or language‑support services.	English as an additional language The NACIS website emphasises a bilingual programme and tailored language learning within its curriculum, but it does not publish a specific English‑as‑an‑Additional‑Language (EAL/ESL) programme, EAL staffing structure, or EAL entry/assessment processes on its public pages. Because the school's public materials do not provide further detail, the school does not publicly disclose information regarding specific EAL provision.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing The school publishes information about on‑site mental‑health support: it names two counsellors (a Secondary counsellor/SEL coordinator and an Elementary counsellor), describes their qualifications, and explains that the school has a dedicated counselling room with relaxation and one‑to‑one areas and sandplay equipment. The article notes the counsellors provide individual and small‑group counselling, emotional support activities and act as liaisons with families and teachers. These published items indicate the school operates an in‑school counselling service rather than outsourcing all mental‑health work.	Mental wellbeing The school's site and news articles show activity supporting wellbeing: staff wellbeing workshops (for example yoga and art sessions) are described in teacher‑training posts, and the boarding article records student initiatives such as a student wellbeing hub and routine pastoral contact in boarding life. The homepage also refers to holistic pastoral care within the boarding programme, indicating the school includes structured welfare routines for residential students. There is no publicly available standalone mental‑health policy or a named counselling team described on the public site.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding The school does not publish a standalone child‑protection or safeguarding policy on its publicly accessible website pages that were reviewed for this request. Public materials do, however, describe pastoral contacts and counselling access—students are invited to seek help from tutors and the school counsellors and a counselling room is available for one‑to‑one support. If you need the school's formal safeguarding/child‑protection policy or reporting procedures, I can look for a published policy document or contact the school to request it.	Safeguarding NACIS is part of the Nord Anglia Education group, which publishes a comprehensive Safeguarding Policy and states that safeguarding is a core organisational priority; Nord Anglia also recently announced senior safeguarding appointments to strengthen group practice. Job postings and school communications for NACIS reference standard vetting and background checks for staff, reflecting the group‑level safeguarding commitments applied to the school.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview The school operates a campus in Kunshan Economic & Technological Development Zone, Suzhou, Jiangsu. It serves students from preschool through Grade 12 and provides a blended Chinese and American curriculum.	Facilities overview The school is a day and boarding campus in Minhang District, Shanghai, affiliated with Nord Anglia Education. It provides a safe, spacious environment with international teaching facilities and advanced technology to support learning. The Phase I campus features a 400-seat hall, and Phase II adds a 550-seat theatre and a dedicated performing arts center. The campus includes a 25‑meter indoor pool, a standard football pitch, an indoor athletics area, a basketball court, a tennis court, and a rock climbing wall. All classrooms have interactive whiteboards, and science labs include laser cutters, 3D printers and a makerspace. The learning resource centers and two libraries support study and research.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities Phase II includes a sports building with a 25‑meter indoor pool, a standard football field, an indoor athletics area, a basketball court, a tennis court, a professional training pool and a rock climbing wall.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards. Primary classrooms accommodate 24–26 students and include dedicated music, science and information technology spaces. In the secondary division, classrooms are complemented by multi‑purpose rooms including advanced music facilities, a design studio, dedicated computer labs, science labs, art studios, a photography darkroom and two drama studios. Senior students have independent learning spaces. The school operates learning resource centers in both phases, offering open study spaces, books, computers and staff support. The performing arts facilities include a 400‑seat hall and a 550‑seat theatre, with advanced sound and lighting. The campus also houses two libraries to support study and research.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities Extracurricular activities include a broad range of offerings such as sports teams and community service, along with global collaboration projects. The social education goals describe providing diverse learning opportunities to develop social responsibility, teamwork and global citizenship, and to support student‑led CAS projects. The Nord Anglia Global Campus connects NACIS students with peers in 31 countries and enables participation in STEAM competitions and sports, fostering collaboration and international networks.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan opened to its first students in 2020 (originally launched as Shanghai Huaer Collegiate School Kunshan) as part of Dipont Education's independent-school development program. The campus was developed in collaboration with local partners, drawing on a relationship with East China Normal University (East China Normal University Affiliated Second Middle School is cited in local listings) and Dipont's curriculum and school‑building experience. Recruitment for senior leadership began in 2019 and the school grew through staged year‑group intakes as the campus facilities were completed. The school's name was updated to Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan in early 2022 as it became fully integrated into Dipont's network of schools.	History Nord Anglia Chinese International School (NACIS Shanghai) was founded in September 2016 and has since expanded into a K–12 bilingual campus serving a large student body (the school's site states a roll of around 2,500 students). It is operated as part of the Nord Anglia Education group, a UK-based owner and operator of international schools. NACIS's public materials note the development of purpose-built facilities, a boarding programme and partnerships with external organisations for curricular enrichment.
Community	Community The school describes a blended Chinese–Western approach and began with several hundred students at opening, building a mixed community of local and international families that engages around academics, co‑curricular programmes and college guidance. The campus and Dipont group materials show regular, school‑run family and recruitment events (open/experience days) as well as curriculum‑linked activities such as career exploration projects and university exhibitions that bring students, parents and external speakers together. The school's college‑counselling programme publishes parent‑facing sessions (small talks, group briefings and one‑to‑one meetings) and the school has advertised semester experience/open days for families to visit and participate.	Community NACIS describes a bilingual, multinational school community that runs regular cultural and extracurricular programmes — including performing-arts, STEAM and global-service activities — and participates in Nord Anglia's regional events and global initiatives. The school's public news and partner reports show NACIS both taking part in and hosting multi-school events (for example, a Nord Anglia performing-arts festival held in Shanghai in 2025).
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual The school partners with MIT to deliver STEAM cross-disciplinary education. The program integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to foster inquiry and problem-solving. Students engage in interdisciplinary challenges, including projects related to space exploration such as the MOXIE initiative. Teachers participate in MIT-based professional development to keep instruction at the cutting edge.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative The school collaborates with Juilliard School to provide world-class performing arts education across dance, drama, and music. Students access expert instruction from Juilliard-affiliated teachers and participate in immersive arts learning, including performing arts camps in Switzerland, China, and the United States. The program builds confidence, self-expression, and appreciation for the arts.
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language All students receive high-quality bilingual instruction and access the IB program. The Nord Anglia global campus connects 31 countries, enabling cross-cultural collaboration and participation in international projects and competitions, including STEAM challenges and sports events. The collaboration develops cross-cultural communication skills and global-mindedness.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies Nord Anglia works with IMG Academy to provide high-level sports training and personal development programs, with access to expert coaches and health resources. The collaboration supports participation in international competitions and joint projects across Nord Anglia schools.
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service The school partners with UNICEF to support social impact programs aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students undertake recycling and other community projects, participate in World Children's Day activities, and may join UNICEF-led initiatives such as high-level forums for student ambassadors.
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional Student ambassadors engage with UNICEF HLPF opportunities, and the school supports student-led CAS projects and leadership development through its global campus platform. These experiences foster leadership and professional skills across a globally connected student body.
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing The campus includes a professional theatre with a 550-seat capacity and two water-sports centers, set in a spacious and safe environment. The school partners with IMG Academy to provide high-level sports training and wellbeing resources to support physical and mental health.
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision The school provides a bilingual learning environment with English language development support for learners with different proficiency levels and offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching The school offers bilingual teaching for primary, middle, and high school students, with teaching arranged for ages 6 to 18.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards From the school website (past five years, 2021–2025) I found one award given to the school itself: 1) "卓越成就奖" / "Outstanding Achievement Award" — awarded to NACIS at RAISE2023 (November 2023). One-line explanation/significance: this award (presented at the RAISE2023 Asia international schools conference / China international schools 30‑year ceremony) was given to a group of relatively young but notable international schools (those established within 10 years) and is presented on the school's site as a recognition of the school's progress and standing in China's international education sector. Notes on scope and sources: I limited the awards list to items explicitly presented on the school website and excluded all items that the site attributes to individual students or student teams (for example IGCSE/IGEM/competition results and project grants) because you asked for awards given to the school itself. If you'd like, I can broaden the search to external sources (press, Nord Anglia group announcements or third‑party listings) to check whether additional school‑level awards appear outside the NACIS website.
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations Listed on the NACIS (Shanghai, Minhang) website: 1) International Baccalaureate (IB) — the school's site describes its IBDP offering and presents the Diploma Programme as part of its senior-school curriculum. One-line explanation/significance: The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is a two-year, internationally recognised pre‑university qualification for 16–19 year olds; authorization to offer the DP signals a school has met IB standards for curriculum, assessment and teacher preparation. 2) A‑Level — the school's A‑Level page describes an A‑Level pathway for Years 11–12. One-line explanation/significance: A‑Levels (Advanced Levels) are UK-style subject-based qualifications usually taken over two years and accepted by many universities worldwide; offering A‑Levels indicates the school delivers that recognised UK curriculum pathway. 3) NEASC (candidate school) — NACIS's site explicitly notes it is a NEASC candidate school. One-line explanation/significance: NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) is a U.S.-based regional accrediting association with a Commission on International Education; candidate status means the school is engaged in NEASC's multi‑year self‑study and peer‑review process toward formal accreditation.
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. First contact and school visit — Start by contacting the school to request information, book a campus tour or an open day, and confirm application windows. The school runs public recruitment notices and open‑day dates (for example, the school published open‑day dates and recruitment notices for the 2025 intake). Parents should confirm whether the open day is for a particular year group and prepare identification (parent ID and child documents) for on‑site registration. 2. Submit an application — Complete the school's application form (online or paper) and provide the required documents: the child's passport or ID, recent school reports or transcripts, birth certificate, immunisation records, and parent/guardian contact and residency documents. For some year groups the school asks applicants to register through local online enrolment systems when relevant (the school's 2025 notices referenced the local Kunshan enrolment system for certain cohorts); private applicants typically submit direct applications to the school's admissions office. Parents should check deadlines (schools often publish specific application windows in spring for autumn entry) and whether an application fee or supporting forms (eg. guardian forms, translation/notarisation) are needed. 3. Assessment and interview — Applicants usually take an age‑appropriate assessment or attend an interview: play‑based assessments for early years, English and mathematics tests for primary and middle grades, and subject/portfolio assessments or English interviews for older students. Dipont schools and the Kunshan campus have reported using entrance interviews and tests as part of admission screening; expect the school to schedule either an on‑campus assessment or an online interview if you are overseas. Parents should prepare copies of recent term reports and, for older students, any standardised test scores or sample work the school requests. 4. Offer, deposit and contract — If the school offers a place you will typically receive an offer letter with the fee schedule, deadline to accept and the required deposit or guarantee to hold the place. The school's published fee figures (see Fees) indicate a range by year group; be ready to confirm whether the quoted fee is for day‑student or includes boarding, and to ask what is refundable and the payment deadlines. Parents should read the enrolment contract carefully for billing cycles (semester vs annual), cancellation and refund terms, and any additional compulsory charges (meals, insurance, buses). 5. Registration, visa/guardianship and local formalities — After accepting an offer you will complete registration paperwork with the school and, where applicable, arrange visa/guardianship documentation for international students. The school is registered with local education authorities and issues certificates on completion; local regulations can affect which students may be admitted and what residency/visa documents are required, so confirm with the school which proofs they need (eg. passports, residence permits, parents' work or residence documentation). If your child is a Chinese national living overseas or a resident of Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan, different documents may be required—ask admissions for a checklist. 6. Pre‑start arrangements and orientation — The school will publish orientation dates, transport/bus routes and boarding move‑in procedures (the school's public notices include school bus routes and a boarding option). Before term starts, check uniform lists, start‑of‑term medical checks or vaccinations the school requires, and the timetable for parent‑teacher communications. Parents should also confirm who to contact for day‑to‑day questions (admissions office phone/email) and how tuition invoices will be issued.	Admissions 1. Be prepared to say which year/grade you are applying for and your preferred start month; Shanghai regulations mean the school will also ask for parental/guardian details early in the process. The school publishes that applications are open year‑round on a rolling basis, so early contact helps clarify current availability. 2. Discover the school — Parents are invited to visit the campus (open days and one‑to‑one visits are available) to see facilities and meet staff; use the visit to confirm whether day or boarding (the school offers both) fits your family. During a visit you can also ask for a copy of the full fee schedule, transport routes, meal arrangements and any grade‑specific entry guidance. Keep notes from the visit (key contacts, deadlines, any special entry requirements) because these are used later in the application and interview stages. 3. Apply for a place — Complete and submit the online application form and upload the required supporting documents; the online form requires two parent/guardian profiles and allows you to save progress and return later. Required documents differ for mainland and non‑mainland applicants — examples include passport/ID pages, household registration or residence permits, recent school reports, birth certificate and (for certain grades) a Chinese/English personal statement — so check the grade‑specific list before you submit. Filling the form fully and attaching the correct documents speeds processing; the school's online form explicitly states incomplete parental information will delay progression. 4. Application review and interview — Once the application is complete the Admissions team will review documentation and contact you to arrange a family interview (and any age‑appropriate assessments if required). Be ready to discuss your child's academic history, language levels (the form asks about English and Chinese proficiency) and any additional educational needs so the school can assess appropriate placement and support. Ask at this stage what assessment format (subject test, interview, or classroom‑based activity) applies to your child's year level so you can prepare. 5. Offer of place — If the application and interview are successful the school will send an official offer by email; the offer letter will set out the place offered, the fee terms, and any conditions (for example final documents or medical/registration paperwork). Read the offer carefully for acceptance deadlines, payment deadlines and notice periods; some administrative steps (e.g. government registration for mainland students) must be completed separately and on time. If you need clarification about any clause in the offer (refundability of deposits, refund conditions, or start date), contact Admissions before paying. 6. Confirm enrolment and pay tuition — To secure the place you must follow the payment instructions in the offer (the school lists annual tuition rates on its site: Primary ¥154,000; Middle ¥180,000; High School ¥240,000). After payment you will receive confirmation and further joining instructions (uniforms, bus registration, lunch account setup, start‑of‑term timetables and any mandatory health/registration forms). If you expect to need a payment schedule, sibling discounts, or flexible arrangements, raise these with Admissions before you accept so they can confirm what (if any) options are available.
Scholarships	Scholarships The school has publicly advertised a scholarship programme. In 2023 the school launched an “HC Scholarship” programme that named several categories (for example: a navigation/entry scholarship, a principal's nomination, subject‑competition awards and standardised‑test excellence awards). Local school listings and admissions notices indicate scholarships are awarded based on entrance exam performance, in‑school academic results and competition/standardised test outcomes; specific award criteria, application or nomination procedures and the percentage (or amount) of tuition covered are determined by the school and should be confirmed with admissions. If you are interested in scholarship support, ask admissions for the current scholarship types, eligibility thresholds (eg. minimum test scores or prize/competition results), application deadlines and whether an award is a one‑off discount or renewable each year.	Scholarships NACIS Shanghai's public admissions pages (English and Chinese) do not publish a school scholarship or bursary programme on the pages we reviewed. The site and the online application materials focus on required documents, entry procedures and tuition information rather than on financial aid. If you want to explore scholarships, fee assistance or any special reductions (for example for exceptional circumstances or sibling arrangements), ask Admissions directly at apply@nacis.cn — they can confirm whether any internal or Nord Anglia group‑level opportunities are available and explain eligibility and the application process.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist The school's website states that applications are accepted on a rolling basis but does not publish a formal waitlist policy or pool mechanics on the public admissions pages. If a specific year group is full, the Admissions team is the best source to explain whether they operate a waiting list, how they prioritise offers, and whether any holding deposit or timed offer acceptance applies. For clarity about current availability and any waitlist practice, contact apply@nacis.cn or the Admissions phone contacts listed on the site.
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