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Beijing City International School

China, Beijing

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· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees RMB 244,000 - 343,500
Ages 2 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1275
Type Co-educational
Opened 2005
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum
Taught languages Mandarin, English
Typical class size 20
Strengths STEM, Service and Sustainability, Languages
Clubs Community and Service, Academic and Intellectual, Cultural and Language
Stages Early Years, Kindergarten, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Beijing City International School (BCIS) is located in Beijing's Central Business District; the main campus address is No. 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road (contact page). Founded in 2005, BCIS operates an Early Childhood Center nearby (Toddler–Kindergarten) and a main campus serving Grades 1–12. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes and also runs its own IDEATE (personalized/high-school) pathway for Grades 11–12. English is the language of instruction; Chinese (Mandarin) is taught across grade levels and many graduates take bilingual IB options. The school publishes a detailed tuition & fees schedule on its “Tuition & Fees” page and lists a school bus service. BCIS highlights technology/STEM initiatives, green/sustainability projects and student-led programs such as the Avenir business competition and Service Learning activities. (All points sourced from the BCIS website.)

www.bcis.cn

77 Baiziwan South 2 Rd, Shuangjing, Chaoyang, Beijing, China, 100022

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

Beijing City International School has 1,275 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English.

Location
Main campus: No. 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022. The Early Childhood Center is nearby at No. 11 Dongbai Street (both in the Shuangjing / Baiziwan area close to the CBD). The site is inside Chaoyang District with good road links to central Chaoyang residential compounds and public transport; the school's contact page lists both campus addresses and phone numbers.

Stages
BCIS is divided into an Early Childhood Center/Courtyard Kindergarten (Toddler–Kindergarten), an Elementary School (Grade 1–5) and a Secondary School (Grade 6–12). The admissions page and school sections show age/grade guidance and entry cut-off dates by academic year.

Type
BCIS is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school (no boarding provision is listed). The school's materials describe it as an international school that admits both foreign and Chinese national students who reside in Beijing.

Additional learning support
BCIS runs a Student Support Services program that includes counselling, Learning Support (for learners across the ability range) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) support; specialists work with classroom teachers to provide targeted interventions. The school also publishes child-protection and wellbeing policies and describes coordinated support for social–emotional needs.

Country affiliation
BCIS is an international school with no single-country affiliation; it admits students of all nationalities and is registered with the Chaoyang District education authorities. The school's site and admissions material state its international intake and local registration.

Religious affiliation
The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public materials; its mission and programs are presented secularly on the official site.

School day structure
School hours vary slightly by campus but the school day typically runs in the morning to mid/late afternoon (most published timetables show starts around 08:10–08:30 and regular finishes in the 15:30–15:45 range). BCIS also operates an earlier finish on Wednesdays (afternoon departure times are earlier on that day) and offers after-school enrichment sessions.

Bus service
BCIS operates an in-house school bus service; parents request places via a transport application form and the school lists dedicated bus coordinators and contact details. A free shuttle runs between the Main Campus and the ECC during school days; regular and late buses operate in the afternoons. The school names its contracted provider (Hu Hang (Beijing) School Bus Operation Management Co. Ltd.), and notes safety features such as GPS tracking, professional drivers/attendants and vehicle air-purification systems.
Diving Deeper
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Fees

Annual tuition at Beijing City International School ranges from RMB 244,000 to RMB 343,500 for 2026/27.

Application fee

- A non‑refundable application fee applies. For applications to the 2025–2026 school year the published application fee is RMB 3,000.

Tuition fees — annual (by year group)

The school's published fee schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year lists annual tuition by age/grade. The following figures are the school-year (annual) tuition amounts quoted in RMB:

- Toddler (Nursery 2): RMB 244,000 per year.
- Kindergarten (younger kindergarten levels shown by some sources as Kindg 1 / Kindg 2): RMB 265,000 – RMB 285,000 per year (depending on kindergarten level).
- Grades 1–5 (Elementary): RMB 298,000 per year.
- Grades 6–8 (Lower/Middle secondary): RMB 321,500 per year.
- Grades 9–10 (Upper secondary / IGCSE‑equivalent years): RMB 332,000 per year.
- Grades 11–12 (IB Diploma / senior years): RMB 343,500 per year.

(Third‑party compilations of BCIS fees for recent previous years show similar annual ranges and list the same fee categories; these are consistent with the 2025–2026 figures above. )

Per‑term figures (inference from annual amounts)

- The school states that “school fees are payable in advance.” The publicly posted fee schedule gives annual fees; a per‑term amount is not published on the public fee page. If a family is invoiced on a two‑term / two‑semester basis, a simple division of the annual fee by two produces the following illustrative per‑term amounts (this is an arithmetical division of the published annual fee and not an official BCIS semester invoice):
- Toddler: approx. RMB 122,000 per term (annual ÷ 2).
- Grades 1–5: approx. RMB 149,000 per term (annual ÷ 2).
- Grades 11–12: approx. RMB 171,750 per term (annual ÷ 2).

- Note: this per‑term split is an inferred calculation based on the published annual fees because the public fees page states only that fees are payable in advance and does not display an official semester billing table. Families should expect invoices that reflect the school's chosen billing arrangement for the year.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- The school's published statement indicates that school fees are payable in advance; fees include tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and any bus service fees. Parents are advised that fees are reviewed regularly and to anticipate annual increases.
- The application fee is explicitly described as non‑refundable.

Boarding fees

- BCIS operates as a day school; boarding facilities are not part of the school's provision. There is no published boarding fee because BCIS is a day school.

Other costs and typical additional fees

- New‑student / admission administration fee: several independent local school listings and parent guides cite a one‑time new‑student (enrolment) fee around RMB 15,000 for BCIS; this has been listed in recent school‑profile compilations.
- Transportation (school bus): independent compilations show typical annual bus fees in the range of approximately RMB 17,600 to RMB 24,200 (actual amount depends on route/zone).
- Uniforms: the school provides the first full school uniform set free to students in Toddler through Grade 10; families may order additional uniform items at cost through the school's uniform ordering system.
- MacBook / device costs: BCIS requires students in Grades 4–12 to have a MacBook that meets the school's specified minimums; the school works with an authorized reseller to offer discounted education pricing and recommends AppleCare. Device purchase and any recommended extended warranty are additional family costs.
- Lunch / meal charges: arrangements differ by campus; ECC lunch/snacks are included in the ECC tuition, while Main Campus students often use a pre‑paid pass for on‑campus meals—expect separate meal charges where noted. (School publications and school‑profile listings describe differing arrangements by campus.)
- Extracurricular, trips, external examination fees and some optional activities (e.g., individual music tuition, certain overseas trips) are typically charged in addition to tuition where applicable. Independent school guides list these as common additional costs.

Refund information

- The application fee is non‑refundable. BCIS's public tuition page gives the high‑level statement that fees are payable in advance, but a detailed public refund schedule or a detailed withdrawal/tuition‑refund table is not shown on the publicly visible tuition page. Families should expect that some one‑time fees (application, administration) are treated as non‑refundable; specific refund percentages and notice periods for tuition withdrawals are not publicly itemized on the BCIS tuition page.

Fee payment options

- The school's public materials indicate fees are payable in advance and are invoiced by the school; typical payment methods used by international K‑12 schools in Beijing include local bank transfer (RMB), and international bank transfer (USD/RMB) as invoiced, and card payments where accepted by the school's billing platform. Parents frequently receive specific bank details and accepted payment methods on the invoice. The BCIS published pages do not display a single public list of accepted payment methods on the tuition summary page; families receive precise payment instructions on their invoice.

Key practical notes for parents (factual summary)

- Application fee: RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable).
- Annual tuition: ranges by year group from about RMB 244,000 (Toddler) up to about RMB 343,500 (Grades 11–12) for the 2025–2026 school year, per published fee compilations.
- First full uniform set is provided at no charge for Toddler–Grade 10; additional uniform items are payable by families.
- Students in Grades 4–12 must meet the school's MacBook specification and typically purchase the device (discounted reseller option available).
- BCIS is a day school; no boarding fees apply.

(Where the public page gives only annual totals, per‑term amounts shown above were calculated by halving the published annual fee to illustrate how an equal two‑term split would look; that split is an arithmetic inference and not an official BCIS semester invoice. For billing‑cycle details, invoice breakdowns and precise additional fees for items such as buses, AppleCare or optional trips, consult the invoice you receive from the school.)
Academics

Beijing City International School teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum for students aged 2 to 18.

Curriculum
BCIS delivers the International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme in Elementary (Grades 1–5), Middle Years Programme in Grades 6–10, and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; the school is authorised for PYP, MYP and DP. The Early Childhood Center (toddlers to kindergarten) uses a play‑based, inquiry‑led pedagogy aligned with the PYP transdisciplinary framework to prepare children for Grade 1. In Elementary the PYP drives learning across mathematics, language, personal/social/emotional development, science, social studies, visual arts, music and physical education, with EAL and Chinese language support. The MYP (Grades 6–10) continues inquiry‑based learning and includes arts (drama, music, visual art), individuals & societies, language & literature (English/Chinese), language acquisition (English/Chinese/Spanish), mathematics, physical & health education, sciences and design. In Grades 11–12 students may follow the IB Diploma (six DP subject groups plus Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) or a personalised IDEATE pathway/BCIS Diploma that can combine IB courses, in‑person IDEATE courses and online dual‑enrolment/university‑credit options.
Wellbeing
The school has not added this information
Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
1. Familiarize yourself with BCIS and schedule a campus tour. The school's Admissions Policy encourages families to tour the campus before applying so you can assess fit with BCIS's mission and educational approach; the school will not consider an application complete until a campus tour has been completed. Parents should plan the tour well ahead of key application windows and bring questions about curriculum, language support and campus logistics.

2. Check age and grade eligibility before applying. BCIS publishes age-by-August-31 cutoffs for each incoming school year (for example, the policy lists the dates used to determine appropriate grades for 2025–2026 and 2026–2027), so confirm your child's placement against those dates before you submit an application. If a child's previous school calendar differs from BCIS, expect BCIS to place the child in the grade they are currently studying or have just completed unless exceptional circumstances are agreed by principals.

3. Begin the online application (OpenApply) and pay the application fee. BCIS requires an online application via the link on its Admissions pages; for the 2025–2026 intake the non-refundable application fee is stated as RMB 3,000. Parents should complete the online form carefully, keep a record of the submission, and be prepared to follow up with admissions by phone or email to confirm seat availability if applying late or relocating to Beijing.

4. Prepare and upload required supporting documents specific to the child's level. For Early Childhood and Elementary: passports or hukou (depending on nationality), recent school/assessment reports (if available), one BCIS recommendation form (if the child is currently in a program or school), the completed Student Medical Form and vaccination records, and — for kindergarten entrants — a recent health check-up form. For Secondary (Grades 6–11): passports or hukou, school reports for the past two academic years, two BCIS recommendation forms (homeroom & English recommended), a student essay in the online application, medical and vaccination records, and, if applicable, standard English test reports (TOEFL, IELTS, SSAT, Duolingo, MAP, etc.). Make sure teacher recommendation forms are completed in English and have the referee email them directly to admissions as instructed.

5. Expect assessment and interview stages once your application is complete. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews (BCIS interviews students and often parents separately); for Secondary applicants BCIS assesses English language skills and may request formal English test results before or during this stage. If parents do not speak English they may bring an interpreter to the parental interview; bring copies of transcripts, examples of student work, and any other evidence that supports your child's academic and extracurricular profile.

6. Understand how offers, placement and rolling admissions work. BCIS uses a rolling admissions approach: after the first round, applications continue to be considered while seats remain available in each grade. The school evaluates fit holistically (academic history, English proficiency, interests, and current cohort balance) and placement is finalized after interviews and any required testing; parents should check seat availability with Admissions before investing in travel or making firm relocation plans.

7. Be aware of key fees and payment expectations associated with admission. BCIS states that school fees (tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and bus fees) are payable in advance and that fees are reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees. The website confirms the application fee (RMB 3,000) and notes fees for the 2025–2026 school year; independent fee aggregators list annual tuition ranges (example figures published by external sources for 2025–2026: approximately RMB 244,000–343,500 depending on grade) and show common one-time items such as a new-student administration fee and transport costs — but these numbers should be confirmed directly with Admissions because the BCIS fees page provides policy and a year label while the school's detailed amounts are periodically updated. Parents should ask Admissions for the current fee schedule, deposit, payment deadlines, and refund policy before accepting an offer.

8. Complete enrollment requirements after an offer is accepted. BCIS requires completed medical forms and vaccination records before enrollment and will provide instructions on any final administrative steps (contracts, tuition payment, bus registration, uniform ordering). Keep copies of passports/visa pages or hukou for school records, confirm start date and grade placement in writing, and maintain regular contact with the Admissions office for any outstanding items. Contact details for Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary admissions are published on the BCIS site and are useful to have on hand.

Scholarships
BCIS operates an active Scholarship Program targeted at Secondary students (Grades 9–12) and offers four scholarship streams: Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarships (these are open to external and internal applicants depending on the scheme), and the Founder's Scholarship (for current BCIS students entering Grades 11–12). The school awards both 100% and 50% scholarships in these categories, and recipients must complete high school at BCIS and meet program requirements through to graduation. Scholarship aims, eligibility criteria and types are described in detail on BCIS's Scholarship Program page.

Application mechanics and requirements: Each external scholarship category requires a 600–800 word essay (topic provided at time of application), names and contact details for two teacher referees who will complete recommendation forms in English, supporting documentary evidence or a portfolio (awards, past work, exam results, certificates, media, etc.), and shortlisted candidates must complete an interview with the BCIS Scholarship Committee (including a faculty expert where relevant). BCIS publishes clear documentary and interview requirements for each scholarship type (Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarship), and scholarship awards are renewable annually subject to academic/progression and conduct criteria (annual reviews include academic reports, service, behavior and attendance).

Timelines, notification and administration: Scholarship applications typically open on 1 February and external applications close on 21 June, with interviews held during March–May and notification by 31 May; the school may accept additional external applications until 1 August for families newly moving to Beijing. Parents should submit scholarship material through the BCIS online admissions system (OpenApply) and, for current BCIS students, follow the Secondary School Principal's directions for internal applications. If you are considering a scholarship application, confirm the current year's exact dates and submission process with Admissions because timelines and intake conditions are updated annually.

Questions and next steps: For specific questions about scholarship eligibility, the application process or to request the scholarship application pack, contact BCIS Admissions (admissions@bcis.cn) or the Secondary School Principal (contacts are listed on the scholarship page). Because scholarship awards can significantly affect financial planning and place allocation, it's advisable to speak directly with Admissions before submitting both a general application and a scholarship application.

Waitlist
BCIS does not publish a separate, detailed ‘waiting-list' policy on its public Admissions pages; instead the school states it operates a rolling admissions process and reviews applications until seats are filled in each grade. The Admissions Policy and Application pages instruct parents to confirm seat availability with the Admissions Office (phone/email) before applying, which implies that when a grade is full the school manages new enquiries through the rolling process and direct communication rather than by posting a public waitlist procedure. Because BCIS does not spell out a formal waitlist or ranking procedure on the website, parents who are concerned about availability should contact Admissions to ask whether the school holds names on a waiting list or whether offers are made from a pool of shortlisted candidates (and if so, how candidates are prioritized). Third‑party school guides and community sources also report that BCIS is popular and can have limited places in some grades, so early application and direct follow-up with Admissions are recommended.
School Events
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