Shanghai High School International Division vs The SMIC Private School Shanghai

	S Shanghai High School International Division Shanghai, China	T The SMIC Private School Shanghai Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 140,000 - 156,000	Fees / year RMB 140,000 - 166,000
Age range	Age range 6 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), IB (DP), Australian Curriculum, Australian Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Chinese National Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils	Pupils 3,500	Pupils 3,000
Typical class size	Typical class size 25	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1993	Opened 2001
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location The Xuhui (Puxi) campus is located beside Shanghai Botanical Garden at No. 989 Baise Road / 400 Shangzhong Road in the southwest of central Shanghai; the site address is listed on the school website. SHSID operates three additional campuses in Pudong (Zhangjiang, Lingang, Hongkou) and is developing a Fengxian campus; each campus sits in a different neighbourhood with its own local transport links. The main Xuhui/Puxi campus is described as park-like and forested and is the largest high-school campus in Shanghai.	Location SMIC Private School is located at No.169 Qingtong (Qing-Tong) Road in the Zhangjiang High‑Tech Park area of Pudong New Area, Shanghai (postal code 201203). The campus sits in a technology-park / suburban part of Pudong that serves many international families and is reachable by road and by the school's shuttle services; local landmark references list the site near Guanglan Road. For exact directions and public‑transport options, the school's address and contact details are on its website.
Stages	Stages SHSID runs a continuous Grades 1–12 international programme across its campus network (primary, middle and high school). Individual campuses serve different year ranges (for example Xuhui/Puxi offers G1–12 while Zhangjiang, Lingang and Hongkou serve primarily primary and lower-middle grades). Grade allocations and new campus openings are listed on the school's admissions pages.	Stages The school runs a full K–12 structure: Early Childhood (kindergarten), Elementary, Middle School and High School within both an International Division and a Chinese Track. The website lists separate pages and curricula for EC, ES, MS and HS (including options such as a Chinese Concentration Class at elementary level).
School type	School type SHSID is a co-educational international division of Shanghai High School that delivers international curricula (IB, AP, A‑Level) for Grades 1–12. It is primarily a day school, although the school's materials and campus pages note boarding/accommodation arrangements for certain campuses or grade levels (for example the Fengxian campus will include dormitory housing and school rules reference boarding students). For precise boarding availability by year and campus, contact Admissions.	School type SMIC is a private, co‑educational K–12 day school that integrates kindergarten through high school on a single campus; it was founded by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) in 2001. The school does not provide student boarding — there is no dormitory on site.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school provides medical, counseling and psychological services through its Health & Wellness and clinic services, and describes a ‘smart campus' approach that supports individualized learning. The website highlights counseling/psychological services, on-site clinic facilities and systems for student support, but does not present a publicly detailed special‑education (SEN) policy on the site; parents with students who have identified additional learning needs should contact Admissions or the Student Affairs/Counseling office for current, specific arrangements.	Additional learning support The school provides counselling services, small‑group and individual support, and an Academic Recovery Program for students who are struggling academically; it also offers different Chinese language streams (regular Chinese and Chinese as a Second Language) and a Chinese Concentration Class (CCC) in elementary. The website notes meal or other special arrangements can be made with documentation, but it does not describe a separate dedicated Special Educational Needs department — parents with specific SEN needs are advised to contact Admissions to discuss individual arrangements.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation SHSID is the international division of Shanghai High School (a longstanding Shanghai/China school) and operates under that school structure; it is an international programme serving expatriate and other qualified students. The admissions information describes the school as enrolling qualified children of foreign personnel while remaining part of Shanghai High School.	Country affiliation The school was established and is supported by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (a Chinese company) and is based in Shanghai's Zhangjiang High‑Tech Park. It therefore has a direct organizational link to SMIC.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school materials and mission statements do not identify any religious affiliation; SHSID presents itself as a non‑religious, secular international school.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school website; SMIC presents itself as a secular private school integrating Chinese and international curricula.
School day structure	School day structure For the Xuhui (main) campus the published school hours are 08:15–15:50 Monday–Thursday and 08:15–14:10 on Friday, with a lunch break typically 12:10–13:10; shuttle buses depart after school (times published by campus). The academic year is organised in two semesters (first semester ~ Sept–Feb; second semester ~ Feb–Aug) and detailed daily times can vary slightly by campus.	School day structure According to the school FAQ, elementary hours run from 7:50 a.m. to 3:25 p.m., and middle/high school hours from 7:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.; students are expected to arrive between about 7:45–8:00 a.m. The published school calendar also shows regular half‑day events and occasional schedule variations (e.g., study weeks and exam‑related half days).
Bus service details	Bus service details The school operates an organised school‑bus service with fixed stops and published route lists for each campus; the current year bus‑stop PDFs and route lists are posted on the School Bus Stops page. Admission guidance includes the straight‑line distance limits used for service eligibility (for example Xuhui within ~13 km, other campuses have shorter ranges) and the site directs parents to the published bus‑stop lists for details. For route, cost and pickup/dropoff questions, contact the School Bus Office or Admissions.	Bus service details SMIC operates a fleet of more than 20 shuttle buses serving routes in both Pudong and Puxi; morning pick‑up times depend on the student's home location. Typical afternoon departure times listed by the school are 15:30 for elementary students and 15:30 (or 16:30 for some Pudong high‑school students) for middle/high students; each bus has a chaperone and the General Affairs office arranges routes and seat applications. The school does not provide bus service beyond the outer ring or to very remote areas; contact details for the bus office are published in the admissions/FAQ section.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Non-refundable application fee: RMB 1,000 (payable at the school after documentation is approved). Tuition fees (per semester and per academic year) - Primary School (Grades 1–5): RMB 70,000 per semester (RMB 140,000 per year). - Middle School (Grades 6–8): RMB 75,000 per semester (RMB 150,000 per year). - High School (Grades 9–12): RMB 78,000 per semester (RMB 156,000 per year). Other recurring fees - Shuttle bus (where provided): RMB 5,500 per semester for Xuhui, Zhangjiang and Hongkou campuses; Lingang currently not charged; Fengxian currently does not provide school buses. - Miscellaneous fee: RMB 600 per semester. Billing schedule and payment terms - The academic year is divided into two semesters; tuition and semester fees are charged on a per-semester basis. All fees must be paid in one lump sum by the due date stated on the school's invoice. The school requires that fees or a copy of the bank voucher be received before the student reports to school and receives textbooks; unpaid fees may jeopardize the student's place. The tuition fee is explicitly non-refundable. Boarding fees - The International Division operates as a day school; boarding facilities/boarding fees are not applicable. Any other costs - The school's published fee page lists the items above. No separate uniform, textbook or exam fee line-items appear on the school's official fee page; parents should anticipate additional optional costs (uniforms, lunches, optional activities, external exam fees) although these are not itemised in the published semester fee schedule. The published miscellaneous fee is RMB 600 per semester. Refund information - Application fee (RMB 1,000) is non-refundable. The school's fee policy states the tuition fee is non-refundable. Fee payment options - Online payment via ICBC web portal or ICBC mobile app; UnionPay cards accepted for online payment. - Bank transfer (RMB and USD accepted) to the school's ICBC accounts (RMB and USD deposit account numbers and SWIFT code provided by the school). - RMB cash accepted at the appointed ICBC branch (receipt forwarding required for invoice issuance). - When paying by bank transfer, forward a copy of the bank receipt with the student's name to the Finance/Accounting Office for confirmation (email address provided by the school).	Fee details Application fees - SMIC-I charges a non‑refundable application fee of RMB 1,000 payable as part of the application process. Complete applications include submitting required documents in person and payment of the application fee. Tuition fees (per semester — amounts in RMB) - Early Childhood (EP–EK2): ¥70,000 per semester. - Grade 1–5: ¥75,000 per semester. - Grade 6–8: ¥80,000 per semester. - Grade 9–12: ¥83,000 per semester. These tuition figures are stated on SMIC‑I's tuition page and presented as semester amounts. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is quoted and billed on a per‑semester basis (two semesters per academic year). The school's tuition page lists fees as RMB per semester. - The application fee must be paid to complete the application. Parents are instructed to sign an authorization form and provide a copy of their ID to the Finance Office for payment processing; the site advises not to send the authorization form directly to the bank and provides a Finance contact for arrangements. Specific payment channels (for example, credit card acceptance) are not listed on the tuition page. Boarding / accommodation - SMIC Private School does not provide student housing (no boarding). Other compulsory or additional costs - Book deposit: a RMB 2,000 book deposit is required for every new elementary student (deposit terms are not specified on the tuition page). - Meal fees: charged per meal; listed rates are RMB 23.00 (EP–EK2), RMB 22.00 (G1–2), and RMB 24.00 (G3–12). Enrollment in the lunch plan is required. - School bus: bus service is available for an additional fee; parents must contact the school for routes and fees. - Uniforms: Grade 1–5 formal set ¥455 and summer sport set ¥225; Grade 6–12 formal set ¥470 and summer sport set ¥225. Refund information - The application fee is explicitly stated as non‑refundable. The tuition page requires a book deposit for new elementary students but does not specify refund conditions for that deposit on the published tuition page. Fee payment contact and administration - The Finance Office handles fee authorizations. The tuition page instructs parents to sign the authorization form, provide ID, and contact the Finance Office (contact details and an authorization form link are provided on the school's tuition page). For school bus fees and routes the site provides a separate contact.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements Dormitory housing two students per room at the Fengxian Campus; accommodation is available for certain grade levels.	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement The school uses a uniform policy; uniforms are worn by students. An exhibition of the school uniforms has been held.	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options Cafeteria services include multiple cafeterias and restaurants offering a wide variety of meals, including Chinese, Western, and specialty dishes; monthly hygiene inspections are conducted.	Food options The school has an on-campus cafeteria. The cafeteria area is about 1,900 square meters, including a student cafeteria of about 1,000 square meters, and it serves 840 students at the same time.
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership SHSID is the international division of Shanghai High School.	Governance and ownership The school was founded by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) in 2001.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details SHSID delivers an American‑based curriculum across Grades 1–12 with roughly 800 compulsory and optional courses and multiple course levels (standard through honors plus) to match student ability. Primary School (Grades 1–5) follows a US‑based programme covering English, mathematics, Chinese, science, social studies, PE, music, art and IT; each class has a Chinese and a native English homeroom teacher and levelled language instruction. Middle School (Grades 6–8) continues the American programme with more specialized subjects (history, geography, physical and life sciences), creative/innovation courses and a Grade‑8 Service Learning graduation requirement. In High School students choose senior pathways: the IB Diploma Programme (open to Grades 11–12), an AP programme (about 20+ AP courses; open to Grades 10–12 with application windows), and AS/A‑Level options (AQA), alongside the US high‑school curriculum. Students have individualized timetables and access to core, elective, interdisciplinary innovation/practice courses and year‑long projects (PBL/Academy/Senior Projects) across STEM, humanities, arts and languages.	Curriculum details SMIC Private School's International Division delivers a US‑based K–12 curriculum aligned to research‑based standards (Common Core, AERO, NGSS, ISTE) across its Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle and High School programs. Early Childhood (K1–K2) covers language arts and math in K1, expands to five core subjects in K2, includes Chinese instruction, weekly art/music/PE/computers, and begins MAP assessment in K2. Elementary (Grades 1–5) offers daily math, science, English language arts, Chinese and social studies with weekly music, art, technology and PE; Grades 1–3 are self‑contained and Grades 4–5 transition to subject rotations. Middle School (Grades 6–8) continues the US standards with a balanced core of English, math, science, social studies and Chinese plus electives, physical education and extracurricular options. High School (Grades 9–12) operates on a semester credit system requiring 23.5 credits for graduation (specific credit totals in English, foreign language, social studies, math, science, PE, arts, technology and life skills), requires 100 community‑service hours, and offers 25+ Advanced Placement courses across a wide range of disciplines.
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 SHSID runs a range of school-wide programmes and student-led initiatives that support social and emotional learning, including a Character and Moral Education (CME) curriculum and an active Peer Advisor (PA) programme which provides peer lectures, tutorials and wellbeing-focused activities. The Primary School uses two homeroom teachers (one Chinese and one native English speaker) and teaches language courses at multiple levels, which the school frames as part of pastoral and personal growth provision. Student clubs and service-learning groups (for example PA, clubs offering lunchtime activities and stress‑relief events) are regularly used to build students' interpersonal and self-management skills. These provisions and programmes are described in the school's news and curriculum pages.	Social & emotional learning SMIC's Counseling Office states that it provides school-wide social-emotional learning through Life Skills classes, weekly character/“Character Counts” assemblies, small-group and individual counselling, and an Advisory programme in middle school. The counselling team is named on the site (Head of Counseling Office Phil Chu and grade-level counselors) and works with students, families, and faculty to deliver these services. Elementary–middle–high highlights on the Counseling page describe specific initiatives such as a Big Brother/Big Sister mentoring program, character classes, and an Academic Recovery Program for students who need extra academic support. The school describes counseling as aligned with its Expected School-Wide Learning Results (Healthy Individuals, Motivated Learners, Persons of Character, Global Citizens).
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) SHSID's website references a published SEN policy (file titled Shanghai_High_School_International_Division_SEN_Policy (2019–2021)) linked from the IBDP/documents area, indicating the school has a formal SEN policy. The downloadable policy appears on the site but requires a download verification step and the school does not publish the full policy text inline on the public pages. The website does not explicitly list, in publicly viewable pages, which specific categories of special educational needs it can support nor the day‑to‑day staffing structure for learning‑support pupils. Because the policy PDF is not readable directly from the site without the download step, the school does not publicly disclose detailed, itemised SEN provision on its web pages.	Special educational needs (SEN) The school's published Admissions Criteria states that SMIC does not have the personnel and equipment resources to work with students who have specialized schooling requirements and that it does not offer programs for students with special needs. This indicates SMIC is not a specialist SEN institution and does not provide dedicated special-education programmes on its site. The Admissions page gives this directly as the school's position rather than listing categories of SEN it can support. Parents of students with identified or complex special educational needs should therefore treat the school as not offering in-house specialist SEN provision.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language In the Primary School SHSID states that language courses are taught at different levels according to students' language abilities and that each class has two homeroom teachers (one native English speaker), which indicates structured language-level provision for younger learners. The school also links a formal Language Policy (Language_Policy 2020–2021) from its curriculum/IBDP documents area. Beyond these references, the public site does not set out a separate, detailed EAL/ESL programme for middle and high school (for example specific pull‑out EAL classes or named EAL staff are not described on the publicly available pages). Therefore, while primary-level differentiated language teaching and a language policy are published, the site does not publicly disclose full details of any dedicated EAL programme for older students.	English as an additional language SMIC's Admissions Criteria requires that all International Division applicants be proficient in speaking, listening, reading and writing in English and describes specific English assessments for entry by grade. The school's public material does not describe a dedicated EAL/ESL programme for students who need staged English-language support; therefore the school does not publicly disclose specific EAL provision. For applicants and families this means applicants are expected to demonstrate English proficiency at entry and there is no detailed, published EAL pathway on the school website.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing SHSID operates a Mental Health Service Center (Counseling and Psychological Services) that was established in 2005; the centre's description lists a counselling room, activity room, stress‑relief room, and equipment (biofeedback and cognitive training devices) and says the team includes one full‑time psychology teacher and four part‑time certified counsellors. The counselling page gives opening hours for consultations and describes the range of issues covered (adaptation, exam stress, study and relationship issues). School initiatives and professional development (for example the SMART‑H homework/PD activities) and student peer programmes are also described on the site as contributing to students' psychological support. These items are described on the school's Health & Wellness and news pages.	Mental wellbeing The school describes mental health and wellbeing as a school priority and identifies mental health, nutrition, functional fitness, and healthy relationships as major focuses of its holistic health provision. Counseling services include personal one-on-one counselling, small-group work, Life Skills courses, and academic recovery supports; the site also states counselors ensure mental, emotional and physical safety in individual counselling. The Counseling page lists staff roles and describes collaborative work with families and faculty to address students' wellbeing needs. These statements and programmes are presented on the school's published Counseling and main pages.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding The school's Campus Safety pages set out practical safeguarding measures such as controlled campus entry (ID/face recognition), visitor registration, rules for students leaving campus, prohibited items, and behaviour standards including a prohibition on violence. SHSID also publishes details of its on‑site clinic (locations across campuses, departments, student accident/medical insurance and AED placements) and identifies the clinic as an A‑level internal medical institution, which the site presents as part of health and safety provision. The site's publicly available pages describe these operational safety measures, but there is no separate child‑protection policy text visible in the public content other than the Campus Safety and Medical Services material.	Safeguarding SMIC's Counseling pages include a Child Protection section stating the school embraces responsibility for child protection, lists types of abuse (neglect, emotional, sexual, physical), and specifies that staff must be vigilant and report concerns immediately to the Child Protection Office (a designated member of the Counseling Office). The page also states students are encouraged to report bullying or abuse and that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where safety is compromised. These child-protection arrangements and reporting expectations are described on the school's published Counseling information.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview SHSID offers first-class facilities for daily teaching and extracurricular activities, including a School Information System, modern innovative laboratories, a Media Center and libraries, and athletic and art facilities. It maintains a Digital Learning Environment, with a campus network and the School Information System supporting online learning and self-management, and it actively integrates technologies such as the Cloud, the Internet of Things, tablets and AI to enhance learning. The libraries comprise five sections across campuses and hold about 200,000 books to support study and reading. The on-site facilities enable personal development across academic, artistic and athletic programs.	Facilities overview The Shanghai SMIC Private School International Division operates across four campuses: Private Kindergarten, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Secondary. Classrooms are air‑conditioned and equipped with ceiling‑mounted LCD projectors and air purifiers, with Upper Elementary classrooms also offering interactive whiteboard projectors. The campus features four auditoriums, multiple science labs, and art and music rooms, along with outdoor basketball and tennis courts, a soccer field, and a running track. The cafeteria covers about 1,900 square meters (including around 1,000 square meters for student dining) and serves 840 students at the same time; there are two libraries with about 45,000 volumes and a fleet of 20 school buses to support student life.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities SHSID has athletic facilities including a 400-meter standard track and a standard soccer field, seven indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and three five-a-side soccer fields. The campus features a standard indoor swimming pool and an outdoor pool, a multi-functional gymnasium, a badminton center, a laser shooting center, a table tennis hall, a squash court, a basketball gym, and an ice rink. Gymnasiums, gymnastics rooms, and a fitness center support student training and fitness activities. These facilities provide students with diverse options to participate in team and individual sports.	Sports facilities The gym occupies about 1,900 square meters on the second floor and includes a standard-size basketball court with movable volleyball and badminton equipment, serving as a multi‑functional sports venue. Outdoor facilities include a soccer field, a 400‑meter track, basketball courts, and volleyball courts. A dedicated practice room supports athletic training and activities.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities Modern innovative laboratories include the Molecular and Cell Biology Lab, Environment and Sustainable Development Lab, Super Auto Lab, FabLab, Financial Investments Research Lab, Creative Design Lab, and Social Science Lab used for teaching and research. The Media Center supports education in television production with a studio and control room and digital recording capabilities. The libraries are divided into five sections: middle and primary school, high school, Pudong campus, Lingang campus and Hongkou campus, and total about 200,000 books in English and Chinese. A Digital Learning Environment utilizes the campus network and School Information System to support online learning and self-management, with ongoing introduction of new technologies to enhance development.	Academic facilities There are seven computer labs, each with 30 PCs, a laser printer, and an LCD projector; color printers and scanners are shared among labs, and two server rooms support IT systems. The science program includes one biology lab, one physics lab, and one chemistry lab, all capable of standard or customized configurations for project-based work; labs are equipped with DIS probes, portable power, and handwashing sinks. There are two libraries located in ES and MHS with about 45,000 volumes, and classrooms are complemented by broadcast and design spaces to support academic learning.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities Art facilities include the Arts Center and Art Gallery, equipped with advanced gear to develop artistic talents. The Music and Theatre Center offers nine music classrooms, four dance studios, a professional digital music lab, 22 piano rooms, a band rehearsal hall, a professional drama rehearsal hall, an auditorium and a range of specialized instruments. Athletic facilities support a wide range of sports with a 400-meter track, fields, seven tennis courts, pools, a gymnasium, a badminton center, a table tennis hall, a squash court, a basketball gym, an ice rink, gymnastics rooms and a fitness center. The Media Center and libraries support student projects and performances outside regular class time. On-campus spaces host clubs, exhibitions and performances to enrich extracurricular learning.	Extra curricular facilities The Broadcast Room supports distance education, course recordings, and school video productions, with space for special effects to aid student projects. After‑school clubs and activities are offered across divisions, including arts, music, and sports, with student performances such as the ES/EC Winter Concert and poetry projects. Public facilities include an observatory and reading corners, providing spaces for exploration and recreational learning, while AI‑focused design spaces and multi‑purpose rooms support project-based and creative learning outside regular class time.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History Shanghai High School International Division (SHSID) was founded in 1993 as the international division of Shanghai High School. Shanghai High School itself dates to 1865; SHSID began with 18 students and has grown into a Grades 1–12 division enrolling roughly 3,500 students from over 60 countries and operating multiple campuses. Over time SHSID has taken on international authorizations and accreditations — it became an IB World School in 1995, introduced AP courses from 2008, added A‑Level authorization in 2014, and has held Cognia accreditation and other memberships. The school is organized as the international division of Shanghai High School and the site describes an expansion plan summarized as “One Body (Xuhui Campus), Four Wings” to include Zhangjiang, Lingang, Hongkou (and future Fengxian) campuses.	History SMIC Private School was established by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) in 2001; SMIC Group invested in the school to serve the families of its Zhangjiang technical campus and the surrounding community. The school expanded quickly and opened enrollment to the public in 2004, graduating its first senior class in 2006. It operates as a privately funded school backed by SMIC and has developed both Chinese-track and international-track programs over time. The school's published materials note ongoing support from SMIC as the founding investor and sponsor.
Community	Community SHSID runs a regular program of campus-wide events that bring together students, staff and families, including a Multicultural International Expo (MIX Day) that highlights student performances, cultural stalls and exhibitions. The school also stages arts and cultural programs such as campus art festivals and Chinese Culture Week, and it has recently run larger community occasions like an Energy Day paired with an Alumni Reunion. Ongoing club exhibitions and student-led groups (for example the Cultural Moments group and many subject and arts clubs) provide frequent opportunities for intercultural exchange and community service.	Community The school presents a mixed Chinese and international community: its site and news feed highlight students and faculty from many countries and frequent campus events that bring those communities together. School pages and news items show regular performances, grade-level projects and concerts (for example, a Winter Concert and grade-level poetry project featured in the school's “What's Happening” posts). The official overview also emphasizes combining Chinese and Western cultural activities as part of the school's programming. Overall, the community is described in school materials as diverse and active, with parents, teachers and students participating in curricular and extracurricular events.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association The Parent Teacher Student Association (SHSID PTSA) is a voluntary organization set up to strengthen communication between parents and the school and to support social, athletic, arts and academic activities. The PTSA's stated duties include organizing and supervising student activities and events, conveying the school's educational requirements to parents, reporting its work to the school, and holding one or two PTSA meetings each semester. The PTSA page links to a constitution and describes the group as initiative‑driven and ready to contribute to school life as needed. The PTSA members page lists parent representatives by grade and notes that the current (rotating) president is Ms. Qian Chen, serving as the Grade 12 president. In practice the PTSA supports events across the school (lectures, exhibitions, sports and social activities) and coordinates parent involvement through school‑level representatives.	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual SHSID offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) for students in Grades 11–12. The DP is an assessed program for ages 16 to 19, organized around six subject groups and a DP core consisting of Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service). SHSID states that students in the DP develop breadth and depth of knowledge, study at least two languages, and aim to prepare for leading universities; the program uses about 40 courses across the six groups. The school has been an IB World School since 1995.	Academic & intellectual Shanghai SMIC Private School International Division provides access to SAT and AP testing and hosts an authorized ACT testing center. AP courses total about 21–23 offerings each year. SMIC graduates have a 100% acceptance rate to top-tier colleges worldwide, and high school graduation requires 100 hours of community service, supported by a full-service college and career counseling program.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative Extracurricular activities include International Day, Sports Day, field trips, Model United Nations (MUN), proms, dances, art exhibitions, student plays, and music concerts.
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language K-12 Chinese language instruction and high school Spanish and French courses provide a four-year language sequence; in high school, Spanish and French are electives with AP Language and Culture options by year three.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies Cross-age mentorship programs and after-school homework support develop social and leadership skills; vibrant extracurriculars include MUN, field trips, performances, and sports.
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service High school graduation requires 100 hours of community service.
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional Counseling and college/career advising support student leadership and post-secondary planning; SMIC is an authorized SAT/ACT/AP testing center and offers AP courses; the division employs more than 70 full-time overseas teachers and administrators. Two bilingual kindergartens (Zhangjiang main campus and Tangzhen) serve early childhood education.
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing Health and wellbeing are prioritized through athletics, mental health support, nutrition, and functional fitness; facilities include a gym, a 400m track, soccer fields, multiple labs, two libraries with about 45,000 volumes, and school buses.
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision English and Chinese are the languages taught. Language courses are taught at different levels according to students' language abilities. Aside from regular English and Chinese courses, the Chinese and English courses include reading, writing, show and tell. The program aims to improve students' multi-lingual skills.	Language provision The language program includes K-12 Chinese and high school Spanish and French courses, forming a language-instruction sequence. The Chinese Department offers two curriculums to tailor the needs of non-native versus native Chinese speakers. Spanish and French are offered as four-year sequences in the high school, with AP Language and Culture options after year three. In the International Division, instruction is conducted in English, with a daily Chinese language class.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching Two homeroom teachers, one Chinese and one native English speaker, share daily administration in each class.	Bilingual teaching Bilingual Kindergarten is offered at two campuses. The Shanghai SMIC Private School International Division conducts classes in English with a daily Chinese language class.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards (Timeframe used: calendar years 2021–2025, inclusive. I included only items posted on the school website that were explicitly awarded to the school or to an official school unit; I did not include awards given to individual students.) - Outstanding Achievement Award; Holistic Education School — United States Academic Decathlon (USAD) recognition, reported Feb 7, 2021. The school page states SHSID was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Award” and the “Holistic Education School” designation in connection with its USAD team performance; these are recognitions given to the school as an institution. - SHSID Digital Fabrication Workshop — certified member of the Global FabLab Network (MIT FabLab), April 10, 2025. The school reports that its middle/primary-school digital fabrication workshop passed MIT FabLab certification and joined the international FabLab network, a facility‑level certification recorded on the school site. - Outstanding Organization Unit — 5th Shanghai Youth “Carbon” Quest Environmental Innovation Project (Outstanding Organization Award), November 6, 2025. The school's news item records that Shanghai High School International Division was named the Outstanding Organization Unit for this city‑level environmental innovation project; the award is described as given to the school unit. - “Shanghai Brand” certification — Shanghai High School (October 9 / reported Oct 16, 2025). The school site reports that Shanghai High School (the parent institution of SHSID) earned the city's official “Shanghai Brand” certification in October 2025; this certification is presented on the SHSID site as an institutional recognition for Shanghai High School. (Note: the website item refers to Shanghai High School as the recipient; SHSID is the international division within that school system.) If you'd like, I can: (a) produce a one‑page PDF of these items with the original source excerpts, (b) check the school site for any additional institutional recognitions announced after December 31, 2025, or (c) expand each item with the full quoted text from the school news pages. Which would you prefer?	Awards Following the school's own ‘Awards & Recognitions' page, the only school-level recognition listed on the website within the five-year window from January 1, 2021 through January 1, 2026 is: • 2021 — SMIC Kindergarten became the experimental base for the research and promotion of children's literature in Shanghai: the school's site records this designation for the kindergarten; it indicates the kindergarten was selected as an experimental/pilot base for city-level research and promotion work in children's literature. Note: The school's Awards & Recognitions page lists other institutional recognitions (for example WASC accreditation in 2016 and a 2020 “Special Contribution Award”) but those fall outside the Jan 1, 2021–Jan 1, 2026 window. The items above are the only school-level awards/recognitions dated within the requested five-year period that appear on the school website as of January 1, 2026.
Accreditations	Accreditations - International Baccalaureate (IB). SHSID is an IB World School authorized to offer IB programmes; this indicates the school meets the IB Organization's authorization and curriculum standards. - College Board (AP/SAT/PSAT/ACT administration). SHSID is authorized to deliver College Board programmes/examinations (AP, and administer SAT/PSAT/ACT), showing it meets the College Board's requirements for offering those assessments. - AQA A‑Level (International AS & A‑Level). SHSID is approved to deliver AQA A‑Level courses (International AS & A‑Level), indicating recognition by an international A‑Level examination provider. - Cognia (formerly AdvancED). SHSID holds accreditation from Cognia (noted on the site for cycles in 2018 and 2023); Cognia is an international/US‑based accrediting body that evaluates school quality and continuous improvement processes. - Council of International Schools (CIS) membership. SHSID achieved CIS membership (listed as of 2024 on the school site); CIS membership/accreditation indicates engagement with an international school quality assurance and improvement network.	Accreditations • Accrediting Commission for Schools — Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC): The school's website states that SMIC International Division (SMIC‑I) received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. ACS WASC (often shown on K–12 school pages as ACS WASC) is a U.S.-based accrediting body that conducts a peer-review and ongoing evaluation process for elementary and secondary schools; accreditation indicates the school has met WASC standards for program quality and continuous improvement and supports the integrity of transcripts and credit transfer.
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Confirm eligibility and start an online application. SHSID's stated enrollment policy is for "qualified children of foreign personnel in Shanghai," explicitly including students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan; confirm your child's eligibility before you begin. Register in the school's online admissions system (link shown on the Admissions > Application Procedures pages) and keep the registration email/password you create — the system account and the registered email are used for all further notices. 2. Book an on-site appointment and prepare original documents plus photocopies. After online registration you must use the admissions system to choose and print an appointment letter and bring it to the Xuhui campus (parents applying to Lingang or Hongkou are asked to submit documents at Xuhui for initial checks). The school requires original and photocopied versions of identity documents, proof of Shanghai employment or employer documents, proof of Shanghai residence (ownership or lease), birth certificate, marriage certificate (as applicable), two years of previous academic records (except Grade 1), and a school certificate from the student's previous school. 3. Pay the non-refundable application fee after the document check. The admissions pages state the non‑refundable application fee is RMB 1,000 and is paid on site once the documents are approved; the receipt/confirmation from that payment is part of completing the application stage. Keep the payment proof and note that the application fee is valid only for the semester to which you applied. 4. Attend the entrance activity (assessment) on the confirmed date. The school's assessment covers written and oral components in English, Chinese and Mathematics for most grades; applicants to Grade 10 and above also sit Physics and Chemistry. The exam format and level vary by grade, so arrive prepared with the materials and arrival time specified on your appointment confirmation. 5. If offered a place, complete enrolment interview and paperwork at school. The offer/next steps include a meeting with the principal or director (to confirm course level and programme placement), completion of school forms and receipt of an Admission Letter. At that time you will be required to pay tuition, any applicable school bus and miscellaneous fees to secure the seat. 6. Understand fees and payment rules before you commit. SHSID publishes per‑semester tuition (current page dated Sep 1, 2025): Primary (Grades 1–5) RMB 70,000/semester; Middle (Grades 6–8) RMB 75,000/semester; High (Grades 9–12) RMB 78,000/semester. The school lists shuttle bus fees (most campuses RMB 5,500/semester where applicable), a miscellaneous fee (RMB 600/semester), accepted payment channels (ICBC online platform, RMB cash/cards at the Accounting Office, bank transfer — and the finance contact email), and the policy that tuition is generally non‑refundable and that all fees must be paid by the due date to guarantee a seat. 7. Practical notes and follow‑up. Recommendation letters are optional and can be sent directly to the Admissions Office email addresses shown on the website; the admissions system requires a mainland mobile number for SMS notifications, so provide a China phone number if possible. If you have special circumstances (visa timing, late arrival, sibling registration, or questions about campus assignment) contact the admissions office directly — phone and campus‑specific emails are published on the Admissions/Contact pages.	Admissions 1. Check eligibility and age rules: Before you begin, confirm that your child meets SMIC-I's nationality/residency eligibility—SMIC International Division admits students holding a valid foreign passport or legal residents of Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan. Note the age cut-offs (for example, EP2 applicants must be 3 years old by September 30 and Grade 1 applicants must be 6 years old by September 30). The school does not generally permit grade-skipping, so plan grade placement accordingly. 2. Review fees and budget for additional costs: Review the published semester tuition levels for the relevant grade band (2025–2026 example: Early Childhood ¥70,000/semester; Grades 1–5 ¥75,000/semester; Grades 6–8 ¥80,000/semester; Grades 9–12 ¥83,000/semester) and factor in additional, non-tuition charges. Additional items listed by the school include a non-refundable application fee (RMB 1,000), an elementary book deposit (RMB 2,000 for new ES students), meal fees per meal, uniform costs, and optional school bus fees — contact the finance or bus office for current amounts and payment instructions. Because some charges (meals, buses, uniforms) vary by semester or student choices, parents should download the authorization form and speak with the Finance Office before committing. 3. Complete the online questionnaire and gather documents: Start by completing SMIC's online questionnaire so the admissions team understands your child's background and needs. The school publishes an "Eligibility Requirements and Documents List" that specifies which documents must be provided (passport/visa/residency documents, academic records, immunizations, etc.); read that list carefully so you prepare originals and copies in the format the school requests. The school requires the required documents to be submitted and verified in person at the SMIC Education Workshop Center (Qing Tong Road #173); an application is not considered complete until documents are delivered and verified. 4. Create an online application account and submit the application: Create an account and fill in the online application via the school's application portal (the Apply link on the admissions page). You can save progress and return later; use a working email or mobile number for account registration and follow the portal's instructions for uploading or declaring documents. The school's stated complete-application requirement includes (a) finishing the online form, (b) verifying required documents in person, and (c) paying the application fee — check the portal confirmation carefully for next-step instructions and local mailing/submission addresses. 5. Pay the application fee, observe deadlines, and schedule assessment(s): Pay the non-refundable application fee (RMB 1,000 as published) and note the application and assessment deadlines shown for the year you are applying—examples posted for Grade 1 (2026 Fall) show a complete-application deadline of 4:00pm on April 2, 2026 and an entrance-assessment date of Saturday, April 18, 2026. Deadlines and assessment dates differ by entry grade and intake (e.g., Early Childhood entrance events and open houses are scheduled monthly and EC assessments for 2026 were indicated for late March), so confirm the exact dates on the current admissions calendar before making travel or other arrangements. The school explicitly states that a "complete application" must include payment of the application fee, document verification, and the online form — missing any of these may disqualify the application from being processed. 6. Prepare for entrance assessments and language placement: SMIC requires English proficiency across listening, speaking, reading, and writing; assessment content varies by grade (Grade 1: English reading, writing and speaking; Grades 2–12: English reading comprehension, writing and an oral interview plus a grade-appropriate math assessment). All new students also take a Chinese assessment (late August placement) and are placed into either Yuwen (native Chinese) or CSL (Chinese as a Second Language) streams depending on ability. If your child has special educational needs, note that the school states it currently does not have resources for specialised special-needs programs — disclose any learning support needs early so the admissions team can advise whether the school can meet them. 7. Offers, enrolment steps and logistics after acceptance: If offered a place, the school will provide acceptance/enrolment instructions (these typically include signing fee/tuition agreements, completing finance authorization forms, and providing ID copies to the Finance Office). The Finance Office asks parents to sign an authorization form (do not send that form to the bank) and provides contact details for tuition enquiries; families should also confirm meal-plan enrolment (lunch plan is mandatory) and bus arrangements if needed. Because some programs (for example the Chinese Concentration Class) have additional academic or residency commitments, read any program-specific acceptance conditions carefully before paying tuition or deposits.
Scholarships	Scholarships SHSID's publicly available Admissions and School pages do not describe routine entrance scholarships or a standard financial‑aid programme for new international‑division students. The website does reference the Shanghai High School Education Development Foundation (the school's development/foundation body), but there is no published scholarship application process, eligibility criteria, or amounts on the international‑division admissions pages. If you are seeking fee support or scholarships, contact two places directly: the Admissions Office (to ask whether any school scholarships or fee concessions are available for the intake you are applying to) and the school foundation/finance office (to ask whether any bursaries, donor‑funded awards or special programmes exist). Use the finance email (finance@shsid.org) and the admissions emails listed on the site for the fastest clarification.	Scholarships SMIC's public admissions and tuition pages do not advertise scholarships or a financial-aid program for the International Division. The school's tuition and FAQ pages list tuition, application fees and other charges but do not describe need-based aid, merit scholarships, or fee waivers for SMIC-I; no scholarship program is documented on the official admissions pages. If financial assistance or scholarship options are important to your family, contact Admissions (admissions@smicschool.com) or the Finance Office (julia_sun@smicschool.com) to request the most current information and ask whether any internal or external scholarship/discount options are offered in the current school year.
Waitlist	Waitlist SHSID's public admissions pages do not publish a formal, public waitlist or “pool” policy. The website describes the application steps, the entrance activity and the documentation required, and it also cautions that admission is competitive; however, there is no public page that explains an automatic waitlist procedure or the criteria and order by which waiting applicants would be offered places. If you need current, grade‑specific seat availability or to ask whether your child can be placed on an internal waiting list, contact the Admissions Office (the school lists campus phone numbers and specific admissions emails on its Contact page) — that is the only way to get up‑to‑date information about vacancy handling or wait‑list practice.	Waitlist SMIC's official admissions pages do not publish a formal, detailed waitlist procedure. The school's FAQ and admissions information state that transfers and mid-term places are accepted "as long as there are seats available," which indicates seat availability is handled on a case-by-case basis rather than by a publicly described waitlist process. Third-party school directories list SMIC as having a waiting list, but that is not described in detail on the school site; because practices vary year to year, I recommend contacting the SMIC admissions office directly (admissions@smicschool.com or the telephone number on the admissions pages) to ask whether a formal waitlist exists for the grade and intake you seek and how the school manages offers from the wait pool.
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