Guangzhou Huamei International School vs Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake

	G Guangzhou Huamei International School Guangzhou, China	M Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 61,000 - 130,000	Fees / year RMB 40,000 - 178,000
Age range	Age range 2½ - 18 years	Age range 14 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum Advanced Placement (AP), Bespoke Curriculum, Cambridge A Levels	Curriculum British Curriculum, BTEC Qualification, Cambridge A Levels, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1993	Opened 2021
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Huamei International School is located at No. 23 Huamei Road in the Tianhe education core area of Guangzhou (Longdong, Tianhe District). The school occupies a large campus (about 160,000 m²) at the foot of Phoenix Mountain and gives the address and contact details on its website. For exact directions and transit options contact the admissions office; the site lists a service hotline and email.	Location Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake is located in the Songshan Lake industrial park, Dongguan, Guangdong — the campus sits next to Huawei European Village and Songshan Lake Park. Address given on the school site is C4 CIMC Yi-Ning-Xi-Lu Road, Dongguan City, Guangdong, China. The site notes the campus is tranquil and has easy access to local transport links.
Stages	Stages The school runs a full sequence from kindergarten through primary and middle school to an international/high‑school division and an International Students Division — effectively K–12 with an international high‑school program. The website has separate sections for Huamei Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School and International High School.	Stages The school offers IGCSE and A‑level programmes and international preparatory (pre‑A level) options, with two‑year IGCSE and two‑year A‑level patterns and a one‑year pre‑A route described on the curriculum pages. The programmes are aimed at secondary / senior‑school students preparing for university.
School type	School type Huamei is a co‑educational private school that operates as a full‑time day and boarding school; the website describes full‑time boarding international education from kindergarten to high school and also lists day‑school options. Third‑party school listings also describe it as co‑educational.	School type MAS is a co‑educational school and operates boarding provision; students are placed in age‑appropriate boarding houses with houseparents and resident tutors on site. The Songshan Lake campus is part of the wider Merchiston group (links with Merchiston Castle School and other Merchiston campuses) and shares resources across those campuses.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The kindergarten materials describe attention to individual development, individual development plans and a personal growth portfolio for each child; the campus also reports on‑site medical staff and 24‑hour health services. The school website does not publish a detailed, school‑wide SEN/ALN policy page, so prospective parents with specific support needs should contact admissions to discuss assessments and provision.	Additional learning support The website describes a three‑teacher guidance model that includes academic mentors, pastoral care and a psychological counsellor as part of student support. The school does not publish a detailed Special Educational Needs (SEN) or specific learning‑support list on its public pages; parents are advised to contact admissions for case‑specific information.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school is a Chinese private school in Guangzhou and was founded by returned overseas students; it is not presented on the website as officially affiliated with a foreign government.	Country affiliation MAS presents itself as part of the Merchiston family and cites an affiliation with Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, Scotland (UK).
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is specified on the school's public pages; the school presents itself as a non‑religious, international educational institution.	Religious affiliation The school website does not state any religious affiliation.
School day structure	School day structure The website does not publish a single, detailed daily timetable for all year groups. Kindergarten pages note a structured daily programme (including six meals for boarders/young children) and the school offers both boarding and day options; for exact start/end times and break/lunch arrangements you should contact admissions or request the current timetable.	School day structure The site publishes an Academic Calendar and a timetable page (作息表) where the school timetable is made available; exact start and finish times are shown on that calendar/timetable rather than in prominent text. The boarding page notes that boarders follow the same working day as day students and have a structured evening homework period and supervised weekend activities.
Bus service details	Bus service details The school advertises weekly city‑wide and daily district‑wide school bus pick‑up and drop‑off services, indicating organised transport for students across the city and district. The website does not list specific routes or providers on the public pages, so ask the admissions office for current routes, stops, costs and enrolment procedures.	Bus service details The school refers to school buses in its uniform guidance (students must wear uniform on school buses), which indicates a bus service is used, but the website does not publish detailed route, provider or booking information. For pickup/drop‑off routes, costs and registration, the site directs parents to contact Admissions (admissions@merchistonacademy.cn / 400 999 0978).
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - The school does not publish a single, standard one‑time application or registration fee amount on its public English pages. No fixed application fee was available from the school's public enrolment pages during the search. Tuition fees (by year group; per term and per year where published) - Primary (普通小学): RMB 50,000 per semester (this figure expressly includes boarding); annual equivalent RMB 100,000 per year. - Junior secondary / Middle (初中): RMB 48,900 per semester (includes boarding); annual equivalent RMB 97,800 per year. - International / programed tracks (annual rates reported by enrollment/education program pages): - Kindergarten (international/whole‑day): RMB 88,000 per year. - Elementary (ordinary international track): RMB 61,000 per year; elementary international‑student class listed at RMB 86,000 per year. - Junior secondary (ordinary international track): RMB 68,000 per year; international‑student middle class listed at RMB 98,000 per year. - Senior secondary (varies by program): Phoenix/regular/HK‑Macao classes ~RMB 68,000/year; Canada DCP / aviation classes ~RMB 98,000/year for early grades and ~RMB 108,000/year for final year; AP / CIS / some AP‑track figures reported up to ~RMB 130,000/year. These published program fees are reported by multiple enrollment/education information sources. Billing schedule and payment terms - For the municipal‑approved ordinary primary and junior‑secondary rates the school bills by semester (per the municipal fee approval). - International program fees are reported as annual tuition amounts on program pages; billing cadence and installment options vary by program and are set at admission. Boarding fees - For the municipal primary and junior‑secondary fee approvals, boarding is explicitly included in the semester fees. International program listings also describe “学杂宿费” / “学杂食宿费” (tuition + boarding + related items) as included in some program totals. Other costs and extras - Items commonly identified as additional costs: school uniform, Chinese textbooks, insurance and medical cover, extracurricular activities/trips, and incidental service fees. A published note for weekend/holiday residential stays appears as RMB 100/day in third‑party listings. Refunds - Refunds for private/民办 schools in Guangzhou follow regulated rules: new students who register and pay but do not enroll are eligible for substantial partial refunds (examples in local rules: ~90% refund when not enrolled; ~95% if fees were charged by year), and schools must process refunds and pro‑rata returns according to municipal/provincial refund formulas and timelines. Schools must handle refund processing promptly per local regulation. Fee payment options - Payments are required to the school's designated bank account and/or through the school's enrolled payment portal used for admissions and in‑school billing; the school uses an enrolment system platform and provides school contact channels for payment queries. Local regulatory documents require school receipts and payment into designated school accounts. Search coverage note - Municipal fee approvals were used for ordinary primary and junior‑secondary semester rates; international‑program annual figures come from published program/enrolment pages and education portals. A single, consolidated public fee schedule (including an explicit one‑time application fee amount) was not located on the school's publicly accessible English pages during the search.	Fee details Application / Seat‑reservation fees - Seat reservation (placement) deposit: RMB 18,000 (payable on offer/booking; treated as a seat deposit). Tuition fees (current academic year — listed as annual amounts by programme) - QingTeng programme (national curriculum + AP): RMB 178,000 per year. - Songshan Lake programme (national curriculum + A‑Level): RMB 158,000 per year. - ZiJing programme (national curriculum + DSE): RMB 98,000 per year. - DeQin (domestic curriculum + Xingzhi特色): RMB 40,000 per year. Per‑term / billing equivalents - The school has previously published semester figures (two semesters per academic year) for international and domestic directions; older published semester examples include RMB 75,000 per semester for international direction and RMB 30,000 per semester for domestic direction. Where an annual fee is published, treat it as the full academic‑year charge unless a semester breakdown is specified. Boarding (annual) - Boarding (6‑person room): RMB 18,000 per year. - Boarding (3‑person room): RMB 30,000 per year. Other charges (paid separately) - Insurance, optional paid CCAs, school bus, bedding/room setup, meals, uniforms, textbooks, international examination registration fees and occasional field‑trip or practical course fees. These items are charged in addition to tuition/boarding. Billing schedule and payment terms / refunds - Tuition is charged according to the published fee schedule for the relevant programme/year. If a student enrolls after a term begins, fees may be charged on a pro‑rata basis. Students are required to settle outstanding fees to receive school reports. If a registered student pays but does not commence, 90% of fees may be refundable; mid‑term withdrawals are calculated pro‑rata by actual days in attendance (school example formula: refund = paid/184 * (184 − days attended), with a minimum month unit). One‑term written notice of withdrawal is normally required; failure to give notice can result in charges for remaining fees. Fee payment options - Publicly available materials do not list a definitive set of accepted payment channels for MAS Songshan Lake. Common channels for campuses in this group include bank transfer and electronic payments; for admissions or payment instructions, use the school admissions contact (admissions@merchistonacademy.cn).
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements The school provides full-time boarding for international education from kindergarten through high school. Student dormitories are on campus with 24-hour supervision and night shifts; the dorms are surrounded by trees, and students are provided with more than 30 daily necessities at check-in to support a home-like environment.	Boarding arrangements Three age-appropriate boarding houses accommodate MAS Songshan Lake students, cared for by a Houseparent who lives on site alongside resident Tutors, promoting a family atmosphere. Boarding students follow the same school day pattern; after their evening meal they have structured homework time overseen by a staff member on duty, followed by social time and bedtime. A fully staffed medical centre supports boarders, and at weekends they may participate in a range of activities or undertake independent study.
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement The school has seven uniform sets for four seasons: two winter, two summer, and three spring/autumn. Uniforms are designed by top fashion designers and produced by a leading manufacturer using high-quality fabrics; they are a symbol of campus culture and student values. Life teachers sort the uniforms and arrange laundry, with around-the-clock service to wash, disinfect, and dry clothing, bed linens, and daily necessities.	Uniform requirement All MAS students wear the school uniform on school days, on school buses, on school property and on school trips; exceptions may be allowed in special circumstances. Full dress is required from October to April and during the rally.
Food options	Food options The Huamei Student Canteen is a Grade A canteen in Guangdong Province. It covers over 8000 square meters with more than 3500 dining seats; more than 30% of the chefs are of the highest grade. Nutritionists from Zhongshan Medical University guide meals, offering six meals per day with main dishes providing more than ten options; the menu alternates between Chinese and Western styles and includes snacks, afternoon refreshments, and late-night meals.	Food options Boarding includes meals; boarders have evening meals as part of the daily routine.
House system	House system —	House system There are three age-appropriate boarding houses for MAS Songshan Lake students.
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership Huamei is a Model School Governed by Law, recognized by the Ministry of Education, with a Safe and Civilized Campus designation; security guards operate 24 hours a day and a health service operates on site.	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Guangzhou Huamei International School is a full-time boarding Chinese–English school that provides a continuous pathway from kindergarten through high school on a single campus. Kindergarten follows IB PYP principles and runs full‑day English IB integrated classes (ages ~2.5–6) with bilingual immersion and inquiry‑based activities. The primary division uses the school's “Rongchuang” curriculum which blends the Chinese national curriculum with Western approaches, offering immersive English lessons, city‑themed PBL, SEL and science/STEAM courses; the primary program is also linked to Cambridge English initiatives. The middle school implements the national curriculum with expanded English instruction and specialist talent/innovation pathways while preparing students for both domestic senior high and international routes. The international high school provides multiple external qualifications and pathways — AP and A‑Level courses, a Canadian stream (CIS/OSSD) and a Double Curriculum Program awarding Chinese and Canadian diplomas, plus aviation and bilingual Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan tracks — to support university applications abroad.	Curriculum details Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake delivers UK‑style 14–19 provision with IGCSE, a Pre‑A‑level year where applicable, two‑year A‑levels and vocational BTEC pathways in partnership with Edexcel. Programmes run on three entry models — 0+2 (two‑year A‑level for G11–G13), 1+2 (one year Pre‑A‑level then two years A‑level for G10–G11 entrants) and 2+2 (two years IGCSE then two years A‑level) — with staged academic targets for each cohort. Core and elective subjects include Mathematics and Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Economics (students typically choose three at A‑level), with IGCSE equivalents and wider options such as Biology, Geography, Accounting, Computer Science, ICT, Drama and Art & Design. Language provision includes IGCSE English plus A‑level and Chinese pathways (including Chinese A‑level and HSK for international students), and the school offers extension and admissions‑test preparation (STEP/MAT/PAT) and competition training. The wider scope comprises vocational/internship modules (BTEC, finance, e‑commerce, data analysis), phase‑assessed general education credits (software, media, Mandarin, arts, performance) and a broad co‑curricular activities programme.
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 The school publishes a named Huamei “characteristic SEL Social Emotion Course” as part of its primary curriculum. Huamei runs a campus Psychology Festival that includes psychology lectures, interactive booths (e.g., an intelligent “confession” booth), art-based self-exploration activities and psychology teacher–led sessions, showing one channel the school uses to deliver social–emotional learning. The school also lists a Student Development Centre with a director and deputy, indicating an institutional pastoral team responsible for student development. School timetables for younger students show regular mental-health education and biweekly group psychological counselling sessions during evening study. Together these items indicate SEL is delivered through curriculum‑linked courses, schoolwide events and an internal student development team.	Social & emotional learning Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake states that pastoral care is a central part of its approach and places pastoral care “on a paramount position” within its holistic education model. The school describes boarding tutors and houseparents as important role models who live and work with students, which the school says supports students' social development and sense of community. Co-curricular activities (CCAs) such as Debate Club, Cultural Societies and team sports are listed as regular provision that supports teamwork, communication and wider social skills. The Boarding overview explicitly links boarding routines and house structures to encouraging interpersonal skills and a supportive community.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) The school's English-language website does not publish a dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy or a clear list of specialist SEN provisions. There is no public description of the types of SEN the school can support or of a specialist SEN department. For families needing confirmed SEN provision or formal learning‑support arrangements, the school's published materials direct enquiries to its contact channels.	Special educational needs (SEN) The school's public website does not set out a dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) or inclusion policy. The site does describe targeted academic clinics (for example, Chinese Clinic and Science Clinic) that provide extra academic support, but these pages do not identify specialist SEN provision or list specific categories of special needs supported. There is no page on the website that describes a named SEN coordinator, specialist learning support team, or a formal SEN policy. Based on the website material I reviewed, Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake does not publicly disclose specific SEN provision or whether it is a specialist SEN institution.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language Huamei describes explicit English‑language provision across age groups: an English IB integrated kindergarten class led full‑day by native English homeroom teachers with TEFL/TESOL qualifications. The primary curriculum advertises immersive English lessons (for example, weekly immersive English lessons and bilingual classroom use). The junior‑high and senior‑high materials list ESL/bridge courses and foreign‑teacher oral English classes (ESL bridge and ESL courses are named in curriculum overviews). The International Students Division also states it educates pupils from many countries, which supports the presence of English‑language support within that division.	English as an additional language The school's co‑curricular listings describe an English Clinic and an English Clinic/IELTS Preparation offering targeted English support; the site states that targeted EAL/IELTS provision is available, including an EAL provision note for Years 12–13. The English Clinic is described as focused lessons to improve English language proficiency and the IELTS preparation CCA is explicitly for students identified as needing exam support. These references indicate targeted English-language support primarily through CCA-style clinics rather than a separate full-time EAL department. The school does not publish a separate detailed EAL policy or an all‑school EAL programme on the public website.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing The school runs an annual Psychology Festival that includes psychology lectures for students and external experts (for example, a public lecture by Professor You Jia Ning was advertised). School schedules note regular mental‑health education and biweekly group psychological counselling for younger boarders. The Student Development Centre is listed in the school's leadership structure and appears to provide pastoral oversight. The campus also reports on‑site medical provision and a staffed clinic which the school presents as part of its around‑the‑clock health services.	Mental wellbeing The school lists staff with psychology and mental health-related roles: an individual profile identifies Richard Yu as a Psychology & University Guidance Teacher with a mental health teacher qualification and experience in school psychology and counselling. The Guidance Team page describes a university counselling team and named counsellors involved in student guidance. Boarding information states that houseparents and resident tutors are expected to provide responsive care and that staff receive ongoing in‑service training related to student welfare. The site also mentions a fully staffed medical centre on campus for student healthcare. These items on the website indicate the school provides pastoral, counselling and on‑site medical resources for student wellbeing, though the site does not publish a full mental‑health policy document.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding The school's English pages do not publish a formal, standalone child‑protection or safeguarding policy for public download. The site does, however, describe practical safety and welfare arrangements for boarders including life‑care teachers who supervise daily life and escorted weekend shuttle services with school guards. The school also states health professionals from an affiliated hospital are stationed on campus to provide 24‑hour medical services. A campus service hotline and main contact details are published for enquiries. If you need the school's formal safeguarding policy or named child‑protection contacts, the website suggests contacting the school directly via the published phone or email.	Safeguarding The website emphasises pastoral care, boarding house structures with houseparents and resident tutors, ongoing in‑service staff training, and a fully staffed medical centre as parts of student care and supervision. Boarding pages describe principles such as dignity, inclusion and access to responsive care, and note that tutors and houseparents are important role models who live on site to support students' welfare. The public site does not appear to publish a standalone child protection or safeguarding policy, nor does it name a designated safeguarding lead on the pages reviewed. Therefore, while the site describes practical safeguarding-related provisions (boarding supervision, staff training and medical support), it does not publicly disclose a formal safeguarding/child‑protection policy document.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview The Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake campus sits in Songshan Lake Industrial Park in Dongguan, adjacent to Huawei Europe Town, in a quiet, accessible setting. The campus covers 35,000 square metres and is equipped with world‑class teaching facilities and equipment, supported by a professional staff and on‑site sports spaces. The school is part of a four‑campus network and resources are shared with Merchiston Castle School (UK), MIS Shenzhen and MIS Shekou. Boarding is available with three age‑appropriate houses and a fully staffed medical centre on site. The campus environment supports a holistic international education for students aged roughly 14–19.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities Cricket is one of the three main sports offered. Golf is available with access to local practice facilities and a partner club for some sessions. Hockey sessions are available through Merchiston Hockey Club, including time at the Astro Stadium. Rugby provides a defined pathway and regular team activity. Tennis is part of the curricular and co‑curricular programs, with a structured development pathway.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake offers IGCSE, A‑Level and BTEC courses delivered by a mix of local and international teaching staff. The campus size is 35,000 square metres and includes world‑class teaching facilities and equipment, along with sports facilities. Resources are shared across MAS's four campuses, including MAS Songshan Lake, MIS Shenzhen, MIS Shekou and Merchiston Castle School in the UK.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities The co‑curricular program includes a broad range of sports and arts/creative activities. Sports CCAs include Cricket, Golf, Hockey, Tennis and Rugby, with some activities held at dedicated facilities (e.g., Astro Stadium and partner golf courses). Arts and culture CCAs cover Still Life Academic Drawing, Mural Club, Paper Craft, Ceramics, Photo Realistic Portraits, Illuminated Manuscripts & Ink Drawing, Documentary, Chinese Embroidery, Cultural Societies‑Film Club and Calligraphy. Additional lanes include English Clinic/IELTS Preparation, Economics Clinic, Seniors Choir, Street Dance, Pipa and K‑pop Group, among others; some CCAs carry fees.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History Huamei International School was founded on June 19, 1993. It was established by a group of returned overseas scholars — founders named on the school site include Xiong Jia, Zhang Keqiang, Liu Sha and Chen Jinlong — and initially opened classes in a rented building with 89 students. Over the following decades the campus expanded into a full-time boarding school that integrates kindergarten through high school and developed an international division. The school is operated within the Huamei education group structure and has received multiple municipal and provincial recognitions during its development.	History Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake (MAS) opened in September 2021. MAS is affiliated with Dongguan Xingzhi Vocational School and is presented on its website as linked to Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, with shared branding and curriculum collaboration. The school's web material states it works with UK partners such as Edexcel to offer internationally recognised courses. MAS is described as one campus within a group that shares resources with other Merchiston campuses (for example Shenzhen and Qianhai).
Community	Community The school community comprises several thousand current students on a campus of about 160,000 square metres and a broad alumni network. Huamei runs regular cultural and international exchange activities — recent examples include Cantonese-culture summer camps for overseas youth, visits and collaborative programs with partner schools, and annual festivals such as a Creation Festival and a Psychology Festival. These events commonly involve students, visiting delegations, alumni and local partners, reflecting an emphasis on cross‑cultural programmes and extracurricular engagement.	Community The school describes a community shaped around full boarding, pastoral care and a “family-feel” college model, with emphasis on student wellbeing and discipline. A wide range of co-curricular activities is listed on the school site—examples include choir, band, theatrical productions, traditional Chinese music (including pipa), sports and outreach/volunteer projects. The campus is located in Songshan Lake and the school highlights connections with local technology and industry partners as part of its community and practical learning opportunities.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association At the group level Huamei maintains a formal school–family cooperation committee that coordinates parent–school interaction across its campuses. Individual school divisions also operate parent committees (家长委员会); for example, the kindergarten held a parent‑committee meeting in October 2016 to elect class parent representatives. Parent bodies participate in planning and staffing school events such as the Christmas Open Day, bilingual classroom showcases and themed seminars, and they provide organised feedback to school administrators. Parents are regularly invited to take part in sports days, open classes and volunteer activities, and parent representatives may be included in consultative meetings with school leaders. The school presents these structures as formal channels for home–school collaboration and community involvement rather than ad‑hoc parent groups.	Parent teacher association The school's published materials refer to a boarding parents' group (寄宿家长会) that provides practical support for students' residential life and liaises with the school's pastoral team; psychological services and campus residential staff are noted as part of that support structure. The website does not publish a separate, detailed PTA constitution or regular public calendar of parent-led events; publicly available pages focus more on the boarding-parents structure and pastoral arrangements. For information about current parent committees, regular meetings, volunteer roles or fundraising activities the school directs readers to its contact channels (admissions email/phone) for up-to-date details. If you'd like, I can contact the admissions address on the school site and request the latest PTA or parent‑engagement information and report back.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual Huamei operates a Whole Curriculum Framework that integrates Eastern and Western educational philosophies to support holistic development from kindergarten through high school. It applies a Three Whole All-Attention Education System and a Whole Person Nurturing and Education System to develop students academically, emotionally, socially, and morally. The school uses a One Student, One Plan approach to customize career planning and provides ongoing counseling and guidance to prepare students for their futures. The international and Chinese high schools together report a 100% college admission rate in recent years.	Academic & intellectual Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake offers Year 11–13 programs with IGCSE and A-level pathways, including 0+2, 1+2, and 2+2 routes. The A-level program is delivered in partnership with Edexcel, and the curriculum includes a Pre-A-level year as a preparatory stage. Core subject options cover Mathematics (and Further Mathematics), Physics, Chemistry, Economics, and other subjects; elective options include additional languages and STEAM-related subjects, with opportunities to pursue examinations and university-admissions pathways. The curriculum is designed to foster independent study, analytical thinking, and global readiness to support admission to world-renowned universities. Accreditations and pathways also emphasize global perspectives and real-world applicability.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative CIS programs emphasize arts and creative disciplines, with offerings in digital design, photography, film, visual arts, drama, and music. Students participate in a wide range of clubs and activities, including drama, photography, movie productions, public speaking, Model UN, design, and 3D printing, among nearly 100 student clubs. These activities foster creativity and interdisciplinary learning.	Arts & creative The program supports arts and creative development through a range of co-curricular activities, including Band and dramatic productions, as well as visual and performing arts projects. The school runs practical arts experiences and production opportunities integrated with its broader curriculum. Students can engage in visual and performing arts through clubs and productions, with a focus on collaboration and creativity. CCAs and production work are part of the extracurricular framework.
Cultural & language	Cultural & language The Bilingual Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan program blends national curricula with OSSD and joint-admission preparation for HK, Macao, and Taiwan universities, including ESL English courses taught by foreign teachers. The school is a Cambridge English School, an Ontario overseas high school, an IB World School, and offers Canadian-based CIS programs, facilitating international exposure and bilingual/multilingual learning. The Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan pathway allows students to pursue domestic and international options simultaneously.	Cultural & language Language offerings include compulsory language study and elective options that include English and Chinese language tracks, with pathways such as IGCSE English and Chinese-language options at A-level; there are provisions for Chinese language study at A-level and for non-native speakers, including HSK-focused Chinese coursework. The curriculum emphasizes global citizenship and cross-cultural awareness as part of a broad educational aim.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies Student life features hundreds of clubs and activities, including digital design, photography, film, public speaking, Model UN, robotics, dance, debate, and golf. CIS also highlights VEX robotics and a broad slate of arts and design offerings, enabling robust peer learning and collaboration.	Social & hobbies A range of CCAs supports social and hobby development, including Mindful Meditation, an Economics Clinic, a Detective Novel Club, and Digital Products & Car Reviews. The CCAs are designed to complement academic study and help students explore personal interests and collaborative skills. The Band and production elements also provide music and theatre opportunities as part of student life.
Community & service	Community & service AP program students engage in background-enhancement activities such as summer schools, international internships, and volunteering, supporting well-rounded profiles for university applications. The school emphasizes global engagement and service-oriented opportunities as part of its college preparation framework.	Community & service The curriculum includes general education components and elective activities that cover design software, video production, digital literacy, and cultural arts, alongside modules with public welfare and community-related aims. Internship-style experiences in finance, computing, data analysis, and e-commerce are listed as part of the elective offering, contributing to broader social engagement and real-world experience.
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional The school implements a One Student, One Plan policy to customize career planning for each student, paired with ongoing psychological counseling and professional guidance to support future pathways. Leadership development is embedded in various programs, clubs, and project-based experiences across the HBIC framework.	Leadership & professional Guidance and preparation for higher education are supported by a dedicated university counselling team that helps students gain admission to universities worldwide. The guidance program includes structured activities and ongoing support to develop leadership, study skills, and professional awareness.
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing Huamei operates as a full-time boarding school with a focus on holistic well-being. It emphasizes character education, personal development, and 24-hour health and welfare considerations, alongside psychological counseling and career planning to support students' well-being and transition to adulthood.	Lifestyle & wellbeing Boarding is available at Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake, with a focus on health, welfare, independent living, and community integration. There is a fully staffed medical centre on site, and boarding life emphasizes personal development, responsibility, and balanced routines alongside academic study.
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision English and Chinese are the primary instructional languages across international programs. ESL support is provided, and AP, A Level, CIS, and DCP instruction are conducted in English or bilingually depending on the program. The HK/Macau/Taiwan bilingual program includes ESL and foreign-teacher English instruction. There is a French language activity within the CIS program (French club).	Language provision The school offers IGCSE, A-levels and international preparatory courses. Compulsory languages include IGCSE English (as Second Language) and Chinese (A-level Chinese) with HSK Chinese for foreign students. Optional languages include A-level Chinese, A-level English, English Literature, General Paper, and Second Language. The curriculum framework includes a 1-year Pre-A level, 2-year IGCSE, and 2-year A-level courses.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching The school offers a Bilingual Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan program. It integrates the HK/Macau/Taiwan joint-admission curriculum with the Canadian OSSD curriculum, in a three-track structure: the National Curriculum (Chinese), OSSD courses, and HK/Macau/Taiwan joint-admission preparation courses. ESL courses are provided and English language instruction is delivered by foreign teachers.	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs AP Program offers courses that are mostly taught in English, with foreign teachers delivering non-English subjects; the program supports direct admission to world-class universities and includes standardized test preparation (TOEFL, SAT/ACT). A Level Program uses an English-language framework designed to prepare students for global universities. CIS Program (Canadian International Stream) runs from Grade 10 with a heavy Canadian curriculum delivered in English in a Western-style classroom and broad arts and culture courses. DCP Program (Double Curriculum Program) blends Chinese and Canadian Ontario curricula; in the first three terms, students study Chinese courses while also completing ESL and Grade 10 English taught by Canadian teachers, followed by Canadian university-prep courses, with graduates earning both Chinese and Canadian diplomas and eligibility to apply to universities in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and other English-speaking countries.	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards Awards and formal recognitions given to the school (only items shown on the school website) in the last five years (from 2021 onward), with a one‑line note of significance and site citation: - "Forbes China Outstanding International School Award" (reported 12 Oct 2024): the school's newsfeed states it won this Forbes China award/recognition in 2024. - Forbes China rankings (2021, 2022, 2023): the site reports the school ranked 9th nationally and 1st in South China in the 2021 Forbes China international‑school list, was noted in Forbes selections in 2022 (local first place in Guangzhou), and ranked 8th nationally in the 2023 Forbes China international‑school list; these are public ranking recognitions the school cites. - British Council "five‑star IELTS Beacon School" recognition (reported 26 Mar 2024): the school reports receiving the British Council's five‑star IELTS Beacon School recognition in March 2024, an institutional recognition tied to IELTS partnership and English‑teaching standards. - Cambridge test‑centre authorisation (KET/PET/CX185) (reported 9 Oct 2024): the site reports becoming an officially authorised Cambridge English General tests centre (KET/PET) and CX185 test centre, a formal authorisation recorded on the school news pages. - "2023 RAISE Outstanding Contribution Award / 30 Years of Asian International Schools" (reported on the school site for 2023): the site records HMIS receiving a RAISE award in 2023 for outstanding contribution in the context of Asian international schools. - "Featured School for Campus Golf Development Program" (Guangzhou / China Golf Association, reported Nov 2023): the school's 2023 timeline states it was rated the first featured school in Guangzhou under the campus golf development programme. - "Demonstration Point for Party Building Work in Private Education" / "Advanced Party Organization" (June 2023): the site records municipal recognitions in 2023 for party‑building and related organisational work, awards given to the school as an institution. - Jingling ranking: 17th in Jingling's national top‑100 international‑school brands (reported Jan 2023): the site records this 2023 brand‑ranking recognition. Notes and caveats: - All items above are drawn from the school's English website and its news/timeline pages; where the school links to external coverage (Forbes, British Council, Cambridge, WeChat items), the school's site entry was used as the source for this summary. - I included institutional awards and official recognitions (rankings, government‑issued designations, and external‑organisation recognitions) that are explicitly stated on the school site and that were awarded to the school itself (not to individual students). If you want, I can: - extract the original source links the school references (Forbes, British Council, Cambridge) and list them for verification, or - produce a timeline (year → award) with the exact phrasing used on the school site. Would you like those follow‑ups?	Awards No school-level awards listed on the school website (past five years): I did not find any entries on the Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake website that present awards given to the school itself in the last five years. The site includes pages for achievements and news and lists various student achievements and the accreditations above, but it does not present a section of awards won by the institution as an organisation. Summary of what I checked and what's missing: I reviewed the school's English and Chinese site pages (including the Accreditation page, About/Major Attributes, Campus/Our Campuses and the site's Achievements/News sections) and found the accreditations above but no items labelled as school awards or institutional honours from the last five years. If you would like, I can (a) check again for any press releases or archived news on the site that might be phrased differently (for example, "honours", "recognition", or local awards in Chinese), or (b) expand the search to authoritative external sources (news sites, local education bureau announcements) if you want confirmation beyond the school's own site.
Accreditations	Accreditations On its website Guangzhou Huamei International School lists the following formal accreditations and official designations (each line cites the school site): - IB World School / Member of the International Baccalaureate: indicates the school is recognized by the International Baccalaureate organisation to offer IB programmes or to be part of the IB community, confirming alignment with IB standards. - Cambridge-authorised centre / Cambridge English School / Cambridge test centre (CX185): the school reports official authorisation by Cambridge Assessment/Cambridge English to deliver Cambridge children's English testing (KET/PET) and related services. - British Council IELTS Beacon School (Five‑star recognition): listed as a five‑star IELTS Beacon School by the British Council, a formal recognition of the school's partnership/standing with the British Council's IELTS Beacon School programme. - Provincial / municipal government designations (first‑level / provincial‑level school; model/high‑school recognitions): the site states the school is a first‑level (provincial‑level) private school in Guangdong and has been recognised as a Model/Exemplary Senior High School in Guangzhou, which are official government school quality/designation statuses. - "Model School for Governing the School According to Law" (Ministry of Education designation): listed as a Ministry of Education designation, i.e., an official demonstration school for rule‑of‑law school management. - Guangdong Provincial Demonstrative Teacher Education Practice Base / Training base for English teachers: named on the site as a provincial demonstrative practice base and a training base for English teachers in primary and secondary schools in Guangdong Province, indicating government‑recognised teacher‑training roles. - Guangzhou Chinese Language Education Base and "Window School" for education internationalization (Guangzhou Municipal Education Bureau): the site lists the school as a designated Chinese language education base and one of the city's window schools for international education, i.e., official municipal designations related to internationalisation and language education. - Guangdong Green School and other local recognitions (e.g., National Youth Campus Football Featured School): the school lists provincial and national recognitions tied to environmental and sports programme standards. If you'd like, I can produce a shorter list of only external‑organisation accreditations (IB, Cambridge, British Council/IELTS) with links to the specific authorisation pages on the school site.	Accreditations The school's website lists the following official accreditations (items and dates quoted or paraphrased from the school's “国际认证 / Accreditation” page). 1) CEMC (University of Waterloo) certification — July 2021. One-line significance: CEMC is the University of Waterloo's Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing; being certified means the school is authorised to participate in / administer CEMC mathematics, computing and chemistry competitions and related assessments, which are widely used to benchmark mathematical and computing achievement. 2) Pearson Edexcel Centre (Centre number 94928) — July 2021. One-line significance: Pearson Edexcel is a UK examination board; centre authorisation indicates the school is registered to deliver Edexcel qualifications and to enter students for Edexcel examinations. 3) UCAS official recognition — July 2021. One-line significance: UCAS is the UK's Universities and Colleges Admissions Service; the school's recognition indicates it can support and process students' applications through the official UK university admissions system. 4) Oxford International AQA Examinations centre (Centre number 96278) — November 2021. One-line significance: OxfordAQA is an international exam board (a collaboration involving Oxford University Press and AQA); centre authorisation means the school may administer OxfordAQA international examinations (e.g., international GCSE/A‑level variants). 5) Pearson BTEC Centre (Centre number 95354) — July 2022. One-line significance: BTEC (administered by Pearson) are vocational qualifications; being an authorised BTEC centre allows the school to deliver Pearson BTEC vocational programmes and assessments on campus.
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Initial enquiry and application: Contact the school's Admissions Office to request the correct application form for the programme you want (main campus programmes, International Students Division (ISD), or the International High School/Canadian track). Parents can register online for many divisions or visit the admissions office in person; the ISD page on the school site lists phone and email contacts for enquiries. Keep a record of the exact programme name you are applying for (for example ISD, AP/CIS/DCP or the bilingual primary programme), because fees, timelines and required documents differ by programme. 2. Prepare and submit required documents: For local-entry primary pupils the school's published instructions mention bringing a photocopy of the household register (hukou) and a small portrait photo and completing the school's Student Information form; non-local or international applicants must submit passport and previous-school transcripts or study certificates. International or overseas-student applications typically require a passport copy, recent school transcripts, and sometimes a birth certificate and recommendation letter—confirm the exact checklist for your programme with admissions before you apply. Originals are commonly required for verification at enrolment, so allow time to gather certified copies or translations if needed. 3. Entrance assessment and interview: The school organises placement assessments and interviews; for the ISD online/in-person intake the school describes subject tests (Science, Math, English and HSK for Chinese) with published durations and an application/test fee (the ISD FAQ shows test structure and an application fee reference). For other streams (international high‑school tracks such as AP/CIS or Canadian programs) admission decisions are typically based on a combination of grades, municipal exam placement (where applicable), the school's own written tests and an interview or family meeting. Parents should plan for at least one in-person or virtual interview and for the possibility of additional subject testing to determine appropriate class placement. 4. Offer, deposit and registration: If the school makes an offer you will normally receive written acceptance instructions and a deadline to return a signed acceptance and pay any required deposit or first-term tuition; the timing and amount vary by programme and intake. Boarding, weekend-stay permissions and other optional services (if relevant) are typically charged separately—check the offer letter for the exact line items and payment deadlines. Keep receipts and an itemised copy of the contract; the school's official communications and brochure pages list programme contacts you should use if anything in the offer is unclear. 5. Medical/visa and arrival steps for international students: For non‑Chinese nationals there will be additional steps before term starts, including visa paperwork (for long stays) or residence-permit guidance, vaccination/health checks, and submission of authorised medical certificates where required. The ISD materials and the school's international-students pages note that online applicants must meet China's legal and school health requirements before formal enrolment. Parents should allow multiple weeks for visa processing and international-travel planning and confirm the school's arrival/boarding check-in dates. 6. Programme-specific timelines and special-admissions: For specialised streams (sports/talent classes, golf or other special-admission cohorts) the school publishes separate admissions brochures and schedules; these streams may run their own trials, interviews or selection events and have separate application windows. For the international high-school tracks the school follows municipal selection principles in addition to its own testing schedule (the school's international-high-school pages note multiple intake/test rounds across March–June for certain cohorts). If you are applying for a special programme, download that programme's brochure or ask admissions for the exact calendar and selection criteria. 7. After acceptance — enrolment, uniforms and start-of-term: After you pay the required fees and complete registration paperwork the school will provide details on uniforms, textbooks, meal/boarding arrangements and the student timetable. Ask admissions for an itemised schedule of mandatory and optional charges (transport, boarding weekend fees, extra-curricular or exam centre fees) so you can budget for the full first year. If anything in the package is unclear (for instance weekly boarding vs full-term boarding rules), request the school's written policy before final payment.	Admissions 1. Follow the school's official WeChat and make initial contact. Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake (MAS) asks families to follow its official WeChat account as the first step; the Applications Process page on the school website lists this as Step 1 and this is also where open days, application links and contact details are announced. Parents should follow the account so they receive updates (assessment dates, open-day slots and application-link notices) rather than relying on third‑party summaries. 2. Pay the non‑refundable application fee (RMB 1,000). MAS requires a non‑refundable application fee of RMB 1,000 to progress an application; the Applications Process page shows this as Step 2. Keep the payment receipt and proof of payment — the school asks you to submit proof of payment with the application form and will not proceed with assessment without it. 3. Complete and submit the school application form. Parents should complete every section, including declarations about medical conditions and support needs — incomplete forms slow processing and the school uses the information to plan assessments and pastoral support. 4. Attend the interview and complete entry assessments (or arrange online if necessary). Both parents and the student are normally expected on campus for a face‑to‑face interview; an online interview is an alternative when required (for example, COVID‑related restrictions). Students take the entry assessments (the school specifically lists CAT4 and WIDA among the assessments); prepare copies of recent school reports and expect English proficiency testing (WIDA) and cognitive/ability screening (CAT4). 5. Provide required supporting documents at application or assessment. MAS lists the documents they require: mainland candidates should bring ID cards (international/HK/Macau applicants should provide passports), a recent frontal colour digital photo (two‑inch, white background), the application form, and academic transcripts for the last two years; CVs and certificates of awards are optional but recommended where relevant. The Application Information page also notes the school usually requests a confidential report from the applicant's current school and requires disclosure of any special learning needs so the Head of Section can assess reasonable adjustments. 6. Receiving an outcome, accepting an offer and next administrative steps. The school states parents will receive an offer letter by email within five working days after assessments, and offers should be accepted within five working days; if a candidate is declined they may reapply after six months once recommendations (if any) have been completed. After accepting a place, expect follow‑up steps such as fee‑payment instructions, a medical check on entry and placement decisions (year placement is determined by birth date and assessed ability); consult the school fee policy and the admissions team for payment deadlines and refund/withdrawal rules.
Scholarships	Scholarships ISD (International Students Division): The school's ISD materials explicitly state that applicants with excellent entrance-test results may apply for scholarships; the ISD FAQ and recruitment materials describe both full and half (50%) scholarships awarded on the basis of test performance. The ISD documentation also states an application/test fee and the test structure; families applying to ISD should confirm the scholarship application steps, deadlines, and whether scholarship offers require a separate application or are awarded automatically after testing. Other school-level and programme scholarships: Huamei runs targeted scholarship or special-admissions programmes from time to time (for example talent/sports cohorts and selective cohorts in the international/high‑school streams); these are handled per programme and the amounts and criteria vary by year. The school's special-admissions brochures (sports/golf and other talent programmes) describe selection and support mechanisms for successful candidates; however, the main website does not publish a single, centralised and up‑to‑date scholarship tariff covering every programme. Because scholarship availability, amounts and eligibility criteria change frequently, ask the Admissions Office for the current scholarship brochure and the exact deadlines and documentation required for any scholarship application. Practical next steps I recommend: (1) confirm which programme you are applying for (local bilingual primary, international high school / AP/CIS, or ISD) and request the specific programme brochure from admissions; (2) ask admissions for a current tuition and fees table for that programme (including boarding, weekend‑stay and meal charges); and (3) if you are interested in scholarship consideration, request the current scholarship criteria and deadline in writing. Contact details are on the school pages (Admissions/ISD).	Scholarships MAS publishes a specific scholarship page describing a range of awards and eligibility rules for 2024. The school runs targeted scholarships for different entry points and programmes: (a) A‑Level and DSE one‑year ‘crash‑course' scholarships (full or half tuition) using gaokao/DSE thresholds and interview performance — thresholds on the page show Guangdong candidates with higher listed score cutoffs (for example, A‑Level full scholarship considered at gaokao 500+ with interview; half scholarship at 470+). (b) Middle‑school/new‑student scholarships ("优才新生奖学金") tied to Dongguan Zhongkao scores (examples on the page show full award at a pure culture score of 700, half award at 650) and renewal conditions requiring the student to remain in the top percentage of the year. (c) Awards for outstanding graduates ("优秀毕业生奖学金") and academic/excellence awards (e.g., 20,000–50,000 RMB and other ranges) for students who achieve high university placements or sustained in‑school performance. Each scholarship page links to the application form and a WeChat/MikeCRM application URL; the page also sets renewal conditions (for multi‑year awards) and clarifies that scholarship value usually applies to tuition rather than extras such as boarding, uniform or activity fees — read the scholarship terms closely and contact admissions to confirm current availability and exact amounts.
Waitlist	Waitlist Publicly available information on the school's English and Chinese pages does not include a clear, school‑wide description of a formal waitlist or pool system. I searched the school's admissions and ISD pages and did not find a published, programme-level waitlist policy or a one‑page explanation of how a waitlist is operated on the school website. Because practices differ by programme (for example municipal placements, special-admissions cohorts, and ISD intakes), some programmes may maintain an internal waiting list and contact families if places become available; however, that procedure is not explicitly described in the school's public admissions materials. For certainty: if you want to know whether your child would be placed on a waiting list (and to learn the school's notification timelines and priority rules), contact the Admissions Office and ask for the programme's waitlist policy and how you will be notified; the school's admissions contacts are published on the ISD and main site pages.	Waitlist MAS's published Applications Process states that where there are more candidates than available places, applications will be placed on a waiting list. The site gives no further public detail about waiting‑list ordering, typical wait times, or whether priority is given by application date, assessment score, sibling link or other factors; parents on the waiting list should contact admissions directly (admissions@merchistonacademy.cn or phone 400 999 0978) to ask about their position and any expected timeline. If an application is declined, the school's page also notes a candidate may reapply after six months, provided any recommendations have been followed.
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