Shanghai United International School vs YK Pao School

	S Shanghai United International School Shanghai, China	Y YK Pao School Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 215,000 - 303,000	Fees / year RMB 168,000 - 216,000
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Chinese Curriculum	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 3,500	Pupils 1,600
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 7
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Chinese	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2007
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Do you mean SUIS as a whole (the Shanghai United International School system) or a specific SUIS campus? Details such as exact address, transport links and bus arrangements vary by campus—if you confirm the campus I'll pull campus-specific facts from the school website.	Location YK Pao School has three separate campuses in Shanghai: the Primary (20, Lane 1251 West Wuding Road, Changning District), the Middle (2206 Hongqiao Road, Changning District) and the High School (Thames Town, 1800, Lane 900 North Sanxin Road, Songjiang District). The Primary is in central Changning, the Middle campus is in the Hongqiao area (near Xijiao), and the High School sits in Thames Town (a residential area of Songjiang). Each campus has its own address and facilities — see the school site for maps and directions.
Stages	Stages If you want a campus-level response I will summarise the age ranges and how that campus is split (for example Early Years/Primary/Secondary). System-level descriptions vary between campuses, so please confirm which campus.	Stages The school runs a Year 1–12 programme split across the three campuses: Primary (Years 1–5), Middle (Years 6–8) and High School (Years 9–12). Age range is approximately 5 to 18 and the High School offers IGCSE (Year 10) and the IB Diploma (Years 11–12).
School type	School type Confirm the campus and I will note whether that campus is co‑educational and whether it offers any boarding or other notable arrangements. SUIS is an international school system; some campuses serve only day students while arrangements differ by site.	School type YK Pao is a co-educational, non-profit private international school founded by the YK Pao Education Foundation. The High School campus operates a boarding programme (the High School provides UK/US-style boarding for students), while the Primary and Middle campuses are day campuses.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Tell me which campus you want and I will describe the Additional Learning Needs (SEN) support offered there, including on-site learning support teams, specialist staff, or referral processes where available.	Additional learning support The school's public pages describe pastoral and counselling activity (for example, counsellor–parent coffee mornings) but do not publish a detailed Special Educational Needs / Additional Learning Needs policy on the public site. Prospective parents with specific SEN or additional‑needs questions are advised to contact Admissions directly so the school can explain available provisions and any assessment or placement arrangements.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation If you'd like, I will check the SUIS site for any stated national affiliations or partnerships and report back—please confirm campus or whether you want system-wide information.	Country affiliation YK Pao School is based in the People's Republic of China and its bilingual programme integrates elements of the Chinese National Curriculum alongside international curricula (IGCSE/IB). It is a Chinese-founded international school rather than being formally affiliated to another country's education system.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation I can confirm from the school's official information whether the campus has any religious affiliation; most SUIS campuses are non‑religious but I will verify once you confirm the campus.	Religious affiliation The school does not state any religious affiliation on its public materials; it presents itself as a secular, non‑religious bilingual international school.
School day structure	School day structure Once you pick a campus I will list typical start/end times, break/lunch arrangements and any before/after school provision as given on the school's official pages.	School day structure The school's website and admissions pages describe the curriculum and campus life but do not publish a single, campus‑wide daily start/finish timetable for public viewing. Timings (start, breaks and lunch) can vary by campus and year group, so the Admissions office can provide the exact daily timetable for the campus and year you are considering.
Bus service details	Bus service details Bus services and providers are arranged at campus level and may include school-run routes or contracted transport; if you indicate which campus I will summarise the exact bus availability, pickup areas and booking/contact details from the official site.	Bus service details According to the school's FAQs, YK Pao provides a daily school‑bus service for the Primary and Middle School campuses with pick‑up locations across Shanghai and a professional bus management team (drivers and bus monitors). The High School does not run a daily shuttle; it operates weekly buses to/from the city instead. For routes, stops, costs and safety arrangements contact the school's transport office or Admissions.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Non‑refundable application fee: RMB 500 (payable with the application). Tuition fees — annual amounts and per‑term breakdown (by year group) - Preschool / Pre‑K: RMB 215,000 per year. Per term (annual ÷ 3, shown for billing reference only): RMB 71,667 per term. - Primary (Reception / Year 1–Year 4): RMB 276,000 per year. Per term (annual ÷ 3): RMB 92,000 per term. - Upper primary / Lower secondary (approx. Years 5–8): RMB 282,000–296,000 per year depending on programme/campus. Per term (annual ÷ 3): RMB 94,000–98,667 per term. - Secondary / High School (Years 9–12): RMB 289,000–303,000 per year depending on programme (IGCSE, IBDP, A‑level options). Per term (annual ÷ 3): RMB 96,333–101,000 per term. (Note: per‑term figures above are the annual fee divided by three to show a term-level amount where schools use three-term billing; actual billing periods and term counts may vary by campus.) Billing schedule and payment terms - Typical sequence: application fee at submission; seat/acceptance deposit on offer; remainder payable according to the school's invoice (annual, semester or term billing options are used at different times/campuses). Seat/placement deposits are normally credited against tuition once enrolment is confirmed. Boarding fees - SUIS operates as a day school; boarding is not provided. Other costs and incidental fees - Miscellaneous / materials / activities fees and lunch: examples reported include RMB 3,000–3,300 (periodic) and lunch charges around RMB 23–38 per day. Uniforms typically cost around RMB 1,000–2,300 depending on year group and items required. Optional school bus costs reported in the range RMB 600–20,000 per year depending on distance and routing. Book or refundable deposits (e.g., RMB 500) have been reported. Refund information - Application fees are reported as non‑refundable. Seat/placement deposits are often non‑refundable but are usually credited to prepaid tuition if the student enrols. Small deposits (for books) may be refundable on return or at withdrawal. Fee payment options - Common practice is payment by bank transfer in RMB; some campuses and agents also accept other arrangements. Specific accepted payment methods (credit card, online payment portals, currency options) were not clearly published in the sources reviewed. Summary of source coverage and limitations: the school's official site was not accessible during this review. The figures above are compiled from current third‑party and local school‑information reports; where only annual figures were published, a three‑term division was used to show per‑term amounts for billing reference. The school may apply campus‑ or programme‑specific rates, deposits and billing cycles; confirm exact billing wording in the formal offer and invoice.	Fee details Application / registration fees - There is no registration or application fee to apply to YK Pao School. Enrollment requires submission of materials but no one‑time application charge is listed. Tuition (per semester) and equivalent annual amount - Year 1–5 (Primary): Tuition RMB 84,000 per semester (annual equivalent if enrolled for two semesters: RMB 168,000). - Year 6–8 (Middle): Tuition RMB 95,000 per semester (annual equivalent: RMB 190,000). - Year 9 (High School - Year 9): Tuition RMB 95,000 per semester (annual equivalent: RMB 190,000). - Year 10–12 (High School): Tuition RMB 108,000 per semester (annual equivalent: RMB 216,000). Boarding fees - Boarding is offered for students in Years 9–12. Boarding fees are published per semester and differ by year group: RMB 9,800 per semester (applies to Year 9 boarding) and RMB 13,800 per semester (applies to Years 10–12 boarding). Primary and lower‑middle year boarding is not offered. Other required costs - Meals and school uniform fees are required in addition to tuition; specific amounts are not published on the public admissions pages. Additional costs (activity fees, trips, exam fees, optional programme charges or personal supplies) may be charged as required. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are presented on a per‑semester basis; the school states fees are reviewed annually. Detailed invoice dates, payment deadlines, late‑payment penalties, and instalment plan options are not published on the public tuition/FAQ pages. Refund information - No public, detailed refund or withdrawal refund schedule is posted on the school's tuition or admissions FAQ pages. Specific refund/cancellation terms are not available on the public site. Fee payment options - The school's public admissions pages do not list accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit card, Alipay or WeChat Pay). Payment mechanisms and instructions are not published on the publicly accessible tuition/FAQ pages. Note: several fee elements requested (detailed meal/uniform charges, exact invoicing dates and deadlines, refund/withdrawal schedule, and accepted payment methods) are not published on the school's public tuition or admissions FAQ pages; these items are handled administratively by the school and are not available in the publicly posted material.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements Boarding is available for Middle School and High School students. The Middle School campus and the High School campus offer UK/US style boarding education, in addition to day-student options. The Primary School operates as a day school.
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement A school uniform is worn at the Primary School. On Unity Day, Primary School students wore white instead of their school uniform to show unity.
Food options	Food options —	Food options The canteen offers three meal choices: Chinese, Western, or a noodle dish. The dining environment is lit by natural light, creating a pleasant dining atmosphere.
House system	House system —	House system The Songjiang campus uses a house system with House Prefects and a Housemaster or House Mistress. In each residential building, two to three students serve as House Prefects, supporting the Housemaster or House Mistress in boarding life. Houses hold events such as monthly meetings and house dinners, and the Common Room serves as an activity hub.
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership The school is a private non-profit institution founded in 2007, in memory of Yue-Kong Pao. It operates three campuses: Primary School, Middle School, and High School.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Shanghai United International School (SUIS) is a multi‑campus group in Shanghai organised into primary, middle and high school stages across several campuses. Primary provision (Early Years and Grades 1–5) at different SUIS sites uses internationally framed curricula—some campuses run the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) while others deliver the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) or the International Curriculum of England (ICE)—and Chinese‑language/local‑stream courses are also offered. Middle school (roughly Grades 6–9/10) is typically structured around Cambridge/IGCSE courses or an IB‑style middle programme at certain campuses, with continued language and Chinese studies. Upper secondary (Grades 11–12) across the SUIS network leads to externally examined, university‑entry qualifications including the IB Diploma Programme (DP), A Levels, Advanced Placement (AP) and the British Columbia (Canada) curriculum, with IGCSE commonly used as a feeder pathway. Program availability and the exact year‑by‑year qualification routes vary by campus, so families should check the specific SUIS campus for its published pathway and authorized programmes.	Curriculum details YK Pao operates a Year 1–12 bilingual programme based on the Chinese National Curriculum (CNC) and supplemented where needed by international syllabuses; Primary (Years 1–5) and Middle (Years 6–8) blend CNC with selected international standards, while High School follows an “International Plus” model. Primary (Years 1–5) delivers core subjects (Chinese, mathematics, English, Exploratory Units) plus specialist classes in music, visual arts, PE and ICT, with lessons deliberately allocated in both Chinese and English. Middle School (Years 6–8) builds on Shanghai/CNC standards in Chinese and maths and expands to four science areas, humanities (history, geography), computer science/programming, arts, drama, music and PHE, all taught bilingually. High School (Years 9–12) uses a Year 9 “Zhihui” bridge (mixing Shanghai curriculum and IGCSE preparation), leads to Cambridge IGCSE examinations (students complete a minimum set of IGCSEs) and then to the two‑year IB Diploma Programme with external IB examinations at the end of Year 12. The High School also maintains core Chinese studies (Chinese language & literature, Chinese history, geography and politics) and requires a school Zhong Kao assessment in Year 9 to confirm readiness for the International+ pathway.
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 SUIS reports whole‑school programmes and regular year‑group activities that emphasise character and social development; campus news mentions student assemblies and a published list of school qualities such as resilience, collaboration and reflection. SUIS also runs community‑service and charity activities across campuses that involve students in social responsibility projects. Several SUIS campuses are authorised for IB and PYP programmes, which operate alongside school assemblies and student leadership initiatives. These campus communications and programme listings indicate explicit, school‑level emphasis on social and emotional learning.	Social & emotional learning YK Pao School describes pastoral care and character education as core to its whole‑person approach; the Primary School's pastoral framework is reported to include character education, behaviour management, safeguarding and health. The school runs Anti‑Bullying Week and Social‑Emotional Learning lessons and uses character‑education initiatives (including school mascots and student representatives) to promote values such as compassion, integrity and balance. The school has described a “positive discipline” approach and a designated Positive Discipline Facilitator to support teacher practice. Parent-facing events and curriculum briefings have included presentations about pastoral care and mental‑health counselling.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) YK Pao School's published materials state that special education and inclusive activities form part of its pastoral work; the school has partnered with local special‑education schools and hosted inclusive events such as Special Olympics programmes with external SPED partners. News items note student volunteering with Special Olympics athletes and school involvement in inclusive community projects. The school has previously described counselling and special‑education experience within its counselling team (for example, a counsellor who previously worked in special education). The website does not provide a definitive list of specific categories of special educational needs the school can support, nor does it present itself as a specialist SEN institution.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language SUIS has publicly described bilingual provision and the use of English‑as‑an‑Additional‑Language (EAL) and Chinese‑as‑an‑Additional‑Language courses in press coverage and school descriptions; a feature article explicitly states SUIS runs EAL and CAL courses to support students joining with one dominant language. The school's IB and curriculum listings also show offerings in English B and Chinese B at appropriate campuses. I did not find a single, detailed, school‑wide EAL policy listing entry/exit criteria on the public site; for placement or programme detail you should request the campus EAL policy directly.	English as an additional language YK Pao School operates an explicit Chinese–English immersion bilingual model and states that lessons and specialist subjects are delivered in both languages. The school publicises a Department of Language Development and a Writing Centre; visiting fellows and language‑support staff have been reported providing small‑group English classes and one‑to‑one writing support. Admissions documentation refers to students' ability to use Chinese or English as a second language, and transfer support (reading packets and preparatory courses) is mentioned for newcomers. The school does not publish a standalone “EAL policy” labelled as such on its public site, but shows multiple published programmes and staff activities for language development.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing SUIS campus reports describe a student‑led Well‑Being Ambassadors group that works with a professional school counsellor (named in the campus write‑up) to run mental‑health awareness activities, stress‑management talks and peer support initiatives such as an anonymous submission ‘tree hole'. These campus communications show active student and staff collaboration on emotional‑health programming and awareness events. The school also runs wider community and charity activities that staff and campus reports present as supporting student wellbeing and social connection. For clinical or specialist mental‑health services and crisis procedures, parents should request the school's published counselling or wellbeing policy.	Mental wellbeing The school's public materials describe a counselling programme and mental‑health provision as part of its pastoral care; the Primary School has presented its mental‑health counselling programme to parents and named a lead counsellor in published articles. YK Pao runs parent events (Counsellor‑Parent Coffee Mornings) and reports regular pastoral support and counselling progress reporting to parents. Job listings and public notices also reference roles for social‑emotional health counselling, indicating dedicated staff capacity. The school's community and events coverage (e.g., transition support and boarding pastoral routines) further reference ongoing pastoral and wellbeing activities.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding YK Pao School's published recruitment and school‑information pages state the school is committed to safeguarding and child welfare and that all posts are subject to appropriate background checks in line with international child‑protection recommendations. Safeguarding and child‑protection are listed as components of the school's pastoral care framework, and the school reports staff training and student/parent communications on child‑protection practice. Anti‑bullying programmes and behavioural policies (for example, positive discipline) are described in public materials as part of the school's approach to a safe environment. The school does not publish a single downloadable, detailed child‑protection policy page in the visible sections referenced here; specific policy documents or statutory child‑protection policy texts are not clearly linked from the publicly available pages cited.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview Shanghai United International School operates as an IB World School. The Hongqiao Campus hosts the Diploma Programme and the Primary Years Programme. The Diploma Programme is taught in English. The Primary Years Programme is offered at the Hongqiao Campus in English and Chinese. The Hongqiao Campus address is 248 Hong Song Road (E), Shanghai 201103.	Facilities overview YK Pao School operates three campuses in Shanghai: Primary School Campus in the city centre, Middle School Campus on Hongqiao Road, and High School Campus in Songjiang District. The Primary School is a day school, while the Middle School and High School offer boarding education in addition to day programmes. The school provides a Year 1-12 education that integrates elements of the Chinese National Curriculum with international curricula, culminating in IGCSE and IB Diploma programmes. The Chinese-English immersion bilingual programme supports the development of the whole person and aims to prepare students as engaged global citizens. The school has around 1,600 students from China and overseas.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities The High School Campus includes a running track, all-weather pitch, indoor gymnasium, fencing area, underground sports arena and an indoor swimming pool. It also houses arts facilities such as a Black Box Theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre and an auditorium. The campus comprises four buildings dedicated to academics, athletics, performances and residential life. The Residential Centre contains dormitories, music practice rooms, activity rooms, kitchens, game rooms, TV lounges and the Day Student Centre.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities The school offers IB Primary Years Programme and Diploma Programme at the Hongqiao Campus. The Primary Years Programme coordinator is Jayanthi Nayak. The Diploma Programme coordinator is Ben Griffiths. The school has been an IB World School since 2010. The Hongqiao Campus serves as a site for these IB programmes.	Academic facilities The Primary School Campus is 7,108 square metres and features art classrooms and a ceramics studio with a kiln; the Music Department includes upright pianos, four piano practice rooms, a percussion room and a multi-purpose ensemble room, with world instruments available for teaching. The Primary School Library contains nearly 20,000 Chinese, English and bilingual books, and provides internet access, an interactive white board and visualisers for teaching. The Primary School auditorium can host concerts for up to 600 people, and there is a rooftop garden and a playground area for student activities. The Middle School Campus spans 10,000 square metres and offers art classrooms and a ceramics studio with a kiln; the master plan anticipates a library, STEM centre, performing arts centre and indoor stadium in the future. The High School Campus (57,000 square metres) comprises four buildings for academics, athletics, performances and residential life; the Yang Chen Ning Learning Centre houses three libraries (Great Room, Reading Room, Learning Commons) and eight laboratories, plus a Senior Study Centre and a Student Centre; the Residential Centre contains dormitories and related facilities. The Oxygen Bar (self-study and refreshments) is part of the Senior Study Centre, and a running track, indoor pool and other facilities support a broad range of learning and co-curricular activities.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities The Co-Curricular Programme is a compulsory part of the school day for all students and is divided into four sections: Chinese cultural activities, sports, performing & visual arts and enrichment activities. In Middle School, students explore new interests across four seasons, may switch activities each season, and must take at least one sport per season. In High School, students can specialise in specific areas while completing CAS requirements for the IB Diploma Programme.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History Shanghai United International School (SUIS) is part of the Xiehe Education Group, a local education organisation that operates a network of bilingual and international campuses. SUIS opened its first campus in the early 2000s; English-language directories and IB listings report the initial campus opening around 2003 (some sources list 2003 while others state 2004). Over the following years the SUIS network expanded to multiple campuses across Shanghai (and later to a small number of other cities), operating a mix of bilingual and international programmes at different sites. Public descriptions of the group emphasise that different campuses offer different programme pathways and configurations as part of the wider Xiehe organisation.	History YK Pao School was founded in 2007 by Anna Sohmen Pao, Madam Tan Fuyun and Philip Pao Sohmen as a non‑profit private school established in memory of Sir Yue‑Kong Pao. Early years saw a primary programme opened in a temporary building, followed by the permanent Wuding Primary campus (2010) and the inauguration of the Songjiang secondary campus (2011). The YK Pao School Foundation was created in 2010 to support the school's long‑term development, and over the following decade the school added a Hongqiao middle campus, a residential high school programme and formal accreditation from bodies including Cambridge, CIS and the IB/WASC processes. This historical outline is drawn from the school's published timeline and about pages.
Community	Community SUIS serves a multinational student population; campus-level listings note representation from many nationalities across SUIS campuses. The network includes multiple Shanghai campuses (nine campuses are listed in recent Shanghai municipal material), and the schools run regular open days, parent-facing events and campus calendars with scheduled cultural activities. Campus calendars and event postings show a mix of academic, cultural and community events—examples include grade-level parent open days, college fairs and campus cultural festivals.	Community Pao School describes a mixed community of students and families from mainland China and overseas, with over 1,600 students across three campuses. Regular school events and programmes that engage families include counsellor‑parent coffee mornings, seasonal concerts and the school's Global Education Forum, and the school publishes reports of partnerships and outreach such as a connection with Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden for high‑school science work. Parent‑led groups and volunteer activities—including story teams, character parent groups and sports teams—are an active part of campus life.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association Publicly available information indicates parent-focused activity is organised at the campus level rather than via a single, clearly signposted SUIS-wide PTA page; event calendars and open-day listings are the main sources showing parent involvement. Campus materials and calendars list concrete parent events such as Parents' Lecture/Ceremony, Parents' Open Days, college fairs for families and parent participation in cultural openings (for example, a Wanyuan campus calendar records an “African Carnival” opening with parent sessions). These items suggest active parent volunteer participation and campus-level parent committees or groups that coordinate events, information sessions and occasional fundraising or volunteer activities, with specific roles and schedules varying by campus. If you want, I can look up a particular SUIS campus (for example Hongqiao, Gubei, Wanyuan or Pudong-Sanlin) and pull the latest parent-association contacts, meeting schedules or recent event pages for that campus.	Parent teacher association All parents, educators and staff are general members of the Pao School PTA, which states objectives to bridge families and the school, provide feedback on teaching and help develop festival and special programmes. The PTA operates through volunteer‑led committees (each with a chairperson), grade‑year meetings and monthly general meetings (generally held on the second Monday of each month); the Executive Committee includes the PTA officers, school principals and a grade representative from each year. Communication is managed through the PTA email (pta@ykpaoschool.cn) and committee chairs are the normal channel for committee business. Parent‑run clubs that operate under the school's parent involvement framework include the Run‑A‑Way hiking and cycling club (founded 2009 and reported to have several hundred members) and Football Dads (founded 2014), both of which run regular activities and participate in school events. The PTA page on the school website sets out the formal meeting structure, roles and contact details for parents wanting to join committees or volunteer.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual YK Pao School is a private non-profit international Chinese school founded in 2007. It serves around 1,600 students from China and overseas and offers a Year 1–12 educational programme that integrates elements of the Chinese National Curriculum with international curricula, culminating in IGCSE and IB Diploma programmes. The school runs a Chinese-English immersion bilingual programme designed to nurture the whole person and develop engaged, globally-minded citizens. The school comprises Primary, Middle, and High School divisions.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision The languages taught are Chinese and English. The curriculum blends the Chinese National Curriculum with international curricula in Primary and Middle School, and in High School offers IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme alongside CNC core courses. The program emphasizes a bilingual and bicultural perspective in its approach.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching The school offers a Chinese-English immersion bilingual programme for Year 1 through Year 12, with instruction delivered in both Chinese and English. The programme fosters bilingual and bicultural competence across core and specialist subjects. English is integrated across the curriculum, with five hours of English instruction per week in the primary years. The school serves around 1,600 students.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs The dual-language learning environment features lessons delivered in Chinese and English. Students are immersed in both languages in core subjects and in specialist subjects such as Art, Music, Physical Education and ICT. This immersion supports bilingual literacy and intercultural collaboration.
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards I searched the school's website and found the following awards (2021–2025) that are described as being awarded to the school or its teams (not individual students). Each item below is taken from the school website and dated on that site: • Virtuoso Music Teaching Centre Award (New Talent Festival) — YK Pao School was awarded the Virtuoso Music Teaching Centre Award by the New Talent Festival (reported in the school's 13 Oct 2023 highlights); this recognises the school as a centre for music teaching in that festival's awards. • Shanghai International Schools Sports Association (SSSA) swimming league — Pao School reported winning the overall SSSA swimming championship (combined team score) in the SSSA event reported on 21 July 2023; this is a school-level team championship. • Shanghai Sports League Championship — the school's Girls Basketball Varsity team is reported as having won the Shanghai Sports League Championship (reported in Pao Highlights, 2023); this is a team trophy won by the school's team. • Girls U15 Shanghai Schools Sports Association Volleyball League — Pao Middle School's Girls U15 team won the U15 championship (reported 20 Jan 2025); this is recorded on the school website as the team (school) bringing home the trophy. Notes and limitations: - I only used information that appears on YK Pao School's public website (as you requested). The site primarily lists student and team results; many items are student awards (which you asked me to exclude). The four items above are the school- or school-team-level awards I could identify on the school site between Jan 1, 2021 and Dec 31, 2025. If you'd like, I can (a) search external sources for other institutional awards or rankings mentioned elsewhere, or (b) expand the time window to include earlier institutional recognitions listed on the school site (e.g., CIS/WASC authorisations in 2017, Cambridge in 2013, IB in 2015) — though those are already covered under accreditations.
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations • Cambridge International (IGCSE authorisation) — YK Pao School is authorised to offer Cambridge IGCSE qualifications; this authorisation indicates the school meets Cambridge International's requirements to deliver their secondary curriculum and examinations. • International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme authorisation) — the school is authorised as an IB World School to offer the IB Diploma Programme (DP); IB authorisation confirms the school has met the IB Organisation's standards for curriculum, assessment and school support for the Diploma. • Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation/membership — YK Pao School completed CIS accreditation (and is recorded as a CIS member); CIS accreditation is an external school-evaluation process that reviews governance, teaching, student support and continuous improvement against internationally agreed standards. • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC / ACS WASC) accreditation — the school holds accreditation from WASC; WASC accreditation recognises that an institution has the policies, resources and practices to support student learning and continuous school improvement, and it can facilitate recognition of the school's secondary diploma internationally.
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Initial enquiry and campus selection — Contact the admissions office for the campus you prefer and confirm which curriculum and year levels that campus offers. SUIS operates multiple campuses (Hongqiao, Gubei, Pudong, Wanyuan, Shangyin, Jiaoke, Qingpu and others) and different campuses offer different pathways (e.g., UK National Curriculum, IGCSE, IBDP, AP/BC options), so confirm program availability and age ranges before you apply. Use the campus phone/email listed on SUIS directory pages to request the current admissions pack and key dates. 2. Complete and submit the application form and required documents — Fill the school's application form (online or PDF) and submit the standard documents: the student's passport, birth certificate, recent school reports/transcripts (usually the last 1–2 years), vaccination/health records, passport-sized photos, and any guardianship or visa/residence documents if required. Expect to pay a non‑refundable application fee at this stage; some campus guides list a small application fee and a separate non‑refundable seat/placement deposit if a place is offered. Keep certified translations ready for any non‑English/Chinese documents. 3. Admissions assessments and testing — Many applicants sit age‑appropriate placement assessments. For entry beyond Reception/Year 1 these commonly include English and mathematics; some campuses also test Chinese language for bilingual or Mandarin‑track placement. Prepare your child by ensuring recent school records and, where possible, practicing short reading or math assessments — the school uses results to determine the correct class and any required support. 4. Interviews and meetings — After assessments, the school usually schedules an interview with the family and/or a short interview or sample lesson for the student. Parents should be ready to discuss the child's prior schooling, language exposure, medical or learning‑support needs, and relocation timeline; bring originals of any credentials referenced in the application. Ask during the interview about pastoral care, English‑as‑an‑additional‑language (EAL) support, and special‑needs arrangements if relevant. 5. Offer letter and seat reservation — If a place is offered, SUIS campuses typically issue a formal offer/acceptance letter that lists the fees due to reserve the place (often a seat deposit) and the deadline for accepting the offer. Many school listings note the seat deposit is non‑refundable but is usually credited against first‑term or first‑year tuition once the student enrolls; confirm the exact refund/transfer policy with the campus. Pay attention to the deadline in the offer — late payment can result in the place being released. 6. Final enrolment and fee schedule — After accepting the offer and paying the deposit you will complete enrollment paperwork, select optional services (school bus, meals), and be given the full fee schedule and payment deadlines (annual/termly options vary by campus). Published fee summaries and local school directories indicate annual tuition bands rather than a single citywide figure, so ask the campus for the current, grade‑specific tuition and one‑time fees (capital levy, resource fees, uniforms, insurance, exam fees). Keep receipts and check refund conditions for any refundable deposits. 7. Orientation and first term — The school will provide an orientation plan and start‑of‑term information (uniforms, timetables, transport routes). Note that popular grades and some pathways have limited places and campuses may only open a small number of transfer or mid‑year seats; if you have a hard deadline for arrival, tell admissions early so they can advise on availability or waiting options. If any element of the offer (fees, start date, required documents) is unclear, request written confirmation before travel.	Admissions 1. Learn about the school and create an account. Start by reading the admissions pages and attending one of the school's information sessions or open-house events so you understand the bilingual curriculum and campus differences (Primary, Middle, High). Create an online account on the school portal — you must do this to schedule visits and to submit an application — and watch for the confirmation email and subsequent instructions. 2. Check eligibility and required documents. YK Pao follows Shanghai Municipal Education Commission categories (Shanghai hukou, non-Shanghai hukou, Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan residents, and international passport holders); you must select the correct category and upload the matching identity and residency documents. Prepare school reports (current year and two previous full years where applicable), passport/visa or residence permits, recent photos, and any standardised test scores or recommendation letters required for mainland applicants. The Admissions Checklist on the school site lists which documents are required by year group — follow it exactly to avoid delays. 3. Submit the online application and upload materials. After creating an account, complete the online application form and upload the documents listed for your child's year group; the school will send an email confirmation when the application is received. There is no application/registration fee, but note that if admitted you will be asked to pay enrolment-related fees (meals, uniform and later tuition) as outlined by the school. Keep copies of every uploaded file and check your email (including spam) because the school uses email to notify you of the next steps. 4. Academic assessment (tests and records review). The school evaluates applicants' English, Chinese and Mathematics ability using its own assessment criteria and by reviewing report cards and other evidence of achievement; for some year groups standardised test scores are requested. Be prepared for written assessments (especially for entry into middle and high school) and for the school to use grades and work samples to judge readiness for a bilingual programme. If your child's school reports or test results require translation or explanation, provide clear translations and context in the application. 5. Interview / family meeting and selection. Depending on the year level, shortlisted applicants and their parents may be invited for an interview or family meeting (the High School admissions process explicitly includes written exams and interviews). The school will assess fit with the bilingual, boarding (where relevant) and community expectations, so be ready to discuss your family's plans for at least a two-year stay and support for the school's programmes. After assessment and interviews the school will notify families by email about pre-acceptance, conditional offers, or next steps. 6. Offers, acceptance and enrolment steps. If you receive an offer, the email will include instructions for acceptance, payment deadlines, and any forms to complete; follow these precisely to secure the place. Note that the school states there is no separate application registration fee, but tuition and other fees are charged for enrolment and are set per semester/academic year. Keep your admissions correspondence and receipts; if you need clarification about timing or payment methods contact the admissions office directly. 7. Boarding option and specifics (high school). Boarding is available for Years 9–12; when you apply you may indicate boarding or day school but final boarding placement is confirmed by the school. The tuition page lists 5‑day boarding fees (the 2024/25 per‑semester boarding fees shown on the site are RMB 9,800 and RMB 13,800 depending on year/campus); note that 7‑day boarding is not available to students who live in Shanghai or its suburbs unless specially approved. Factor boarding fees, weekly bus arrangements (high school provides weekly buses), and the school's residential rules into your planning. 8. Orientation and first-term requirements. The school runs a new‑student orientation so you and your child can learn about uniforms, schedules, co-curricular programmes and campus life before classes start. In addition to tuition you should budget for meals, uniforms and any optional extension/enrichment programme fees; these are listed or described in the school's admissions/FAQ pages.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships YK Pao operates a formal scholarship programme (the Pao School Scholarship Programme) run through the YK Pao School Foundation; the programme was launched with founder support and aims to support students with outstanding achievement and those with financial need. The official scholarship pages describe several named awards, the nomination timing and the scholarship benefit amounts (many awards are specified as an amount equivalent to 10% of tuition for the stated duration). The school reports that the programme has supported over 90 students. Key scholarship types and mechanics (what parents should know): - Chinese Immersion Scholarship: Intended for international students whose parents' native language is not Chinese; awarded on the basis of strong overall academic performance and commitment to Chinese learning. The site states winners receive an amount equivalent to 10% of tuition, and the award covers multiple years (the page describes an award spanning Years 6–12). Nomination and determination occur in Year 5 for this award. - Junior Secondary Boys Scholarship: Aimed at recognising all‑round excellence; recipients are nominated/determined in Year 5 and the award is described as the equivalent to 10% of tuition over three academic years (Year 6–8). Selection criteria include academics, character, extracurricular achievement and contribution to the school/community. - Senior Secondary Grade II and Grade I Scholarships: These target high‑school‑age students and are awarded on nomination in Year 8 (Grade II) and Year 10 (Grade I). The Grade II award covers multiple academic years (Year 9–12 depending on entry) and the Grade I award covers two academic years (Year 11–12); both are described on the site as reducing tuition by an amount equivalent to 10% over the stated period. Grade I is open to Year 11 students (including internal and new students). How scholarships are awarded and next steps. Scholarships are awarded by nomination (the school and foundation appear to manage nominations internally) and based on academic performance, character, extracurricular achievement and contribution to the school community, with some awards explicitly supporting non‑native Chinese speakers. The school's scholarship page gives the broad structure and eligibility; for application/nomination timelines, the exact award value in a given year and whether partial or larger awards are available you should contact the school's admissions or foundation office directly. If you would like, I can draft an email to admissions asking about waitlist procedure, current scholarship deadlines and the precise boarding fee that would apply to your child's intended year group.
Waitlist	Waitlist SUIS does not publish a single, central waitlist procedure on public listings; management of places appears to be handled at the campus level. Several campus notices and local listings indicate that some year groups have limited places and that campuses sometimes hold places for transfer or later admissions, which suggests they may keep internal waiting lists or hold back a small number of conditional places for mid‑year intake. If a grade is full you should ask the specific campus admissions office whether they run an active waitlist, how they prioritise families (date of application, assessment results, siblings, residency status), and whether a seat deposit is required to hold a place if one becomes available. For immediate clarity, contact the campus admissions email/phone shown on SUIS directory entries.	Waitlist Official YK Pao admissions pages do not publish a formal description of a waitlist or “pool” process on the admissions, checklist or FAQ pages. The school's publicly posted admissions materials focus on the online application, document checklist, assessments and interviews but do not explain how the school manages applicants when a year group is full. That said, third‑party school directories and local listings note that primary entry (Year 1) at YK Pao — like many popular Shanghai schools — can be highly competitive and that waiting lists are commonly used by schools in the city; those external listings report that Y1 waiting lists do occur. Because the official site is silent on a formal waitlist process, if you want to know whether your child will be placed on a waiting list, how long waiting lists typically run, or whether the school holds places in a “pool” for certain categories (e.g., local hukou, international students, siblings), contact admissions directly and ask whether they keep a waitlist for the target year and how they communicate waitlist status. Applying early, creating an account and attending information sessions are the best practical steps to make sure you are registered and informed.
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