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Canadian International School of Guangzhou

China, Guangzhou

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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 188,000 - 258,000
Ages 2 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 500
Type Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 2012
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum Canadian Curriculum, IB (PYP), Advanced Placement (AP)
Taught languages Mandarin, English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Strengths Languages, STEM, Sport
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Early Years, Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Canadian International School Guangzhou (CIS) serves students aged 2–18 and follows the Alberta (Canada) curriculum from K–12 with an IB PYP framework used in Early Years and Elementary, plus Advanced Placement courses in High School. The school's Merchant Hill campus in Panyu was completed in 2018 and the website notes it is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Guangzhou. CIS runs a Mandarin language programme with separate native / non-native streams, and offers English language learning support for students who need it. The school operates the Grizzlies Sports Academies (football, basketball, swimming, gymnastics and dance) and hosts STEAM/“Maker” events; boarding is available for Grades 7–12. The school posts its annual fee policy on the Admissions page (some specific tuition tables are published there as images). All items above are taken from the school website.

www.cisgz.com

No.122 Dongyi Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

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

Canadian International School of Guangzhou has 500 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
The school is in Merchant Hill, Panyu District (No.122 Dongyi Road), Guangzhou — about a 20-minute drive from downtown Guangzhou and close to retail and residential areas. Public transport and highway links in Panyu connect the neighbourhood to the wider city; the school website gives the full postal address for visits and enquiries.

Stages
CIS serves ages 2–18 with divisions for Early Childhood (international kindergarten), Elementary, Junior High (Grades 6–9) and High School (Grades 10–12). The site describes pathways from Pre‑K through the Alberta high‑school program.

Type
CIS is a co‑educational international school that operates as a day school and offers boarding for secondary students. The boarding programme and dormitory facilities are available to students in Grades 7–12.

Additional learning support
The school provides English Language Learning (ELL) with graded programs (elementary pull‑out and after‑school sessions, in‑class support in junior high, and credited ESL in high school) and assesses other learning‑support needs on an individual, at‑need basis. Admissions and the ELL pages describe assessment and tailored support arrangements.

Country affiliation
CIS follows the Alberta (Canada) curriculum and is accredited by the Alberta (Canada) government; it also uses the IB PYP framework in early years/elementary and offers AP courses at senior levels.

Religious affiliation
The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public website; information and programme descriptions are secular in nature.

School day structure
The school operates full‑day programs (the site specifically notes full‑day Pre‑K and Kindergarten). Specific daily start/end times and break schedules are not published on the public pages; prospective parents are asked to contact Admissions or check the school calendar for division‑specific timetables.

Bus service
CIS offers a paid school bus service with zone pricing (examples listed on the admissions/fees page: a local 5 km zone, within‑Panyu and outside‑Panyu rates are published). Bus routes, fees and pickup areas are arranged through Admissions and are billed as optional extras. For exact routes, stops and current fees, contact the Admissions office.
Diving Deeper
The school has not added this information
Fees

Annual tuition at Canadian International School of Guangzhou ranges from RMB 188,000 to RMB 258,000 for 2026/27.

Application fees
- Application Processing Fee: RMB 2,000 (non‑refundable).
- Enrolment/registration charges reported by school materials and published admissions summaries: Enrolment Fee: RMB 10,000 (one‑time) and Enrolment Deposit (applied as credit to fees): RMB 100,000 (one‑time).

Tuition fees (by school year / per semester)
- Pre‑Kindergarten / Nursery (age 2–4): RMB 188,000 per year / RMB 97,000 per semester.
- Kindergarten to Grade 3: RMB 198,000 per year / RMB 102,000 per semester.
- Grade 4–6: RMB 218,000 per year / RMB 112,000 per semester.
- Grade 7–9: RMB 238,000 per year / RMB 122,000 per semester.
- Grade 10–12: RMB 258,000 per year / RMB 132,000 per semester.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition may be paid annually or by semester. A full semester payment is due in advance of attendance for that semester. Mid‑semester starters are billed pro‑rata (month‑by‑month); months are pro‑rated using a 10‑month division and partial months (after the 15th) are treated as half‑months. Families with two or more children or CIEO graduates may be eligible for a 5% discount on basic tuition (exclusions apply).

Boarding and transport
- Boarding (secondary students only): RMB 35,000 per year.
- School bus (annual): RMB 9,800 (within 5 km Merchant Hill); RMB 12,800 (within Panyu); RMB 17,800 (outside Panyu).

Other mandatory / optional costs
- Meal fees (annual): commonly published figures range (kindergarten/elementary and secondary differ); examples reported: RMB 9,800 per year (meal plan), breakfast/dinner charges for boarding also published separately.
- School uniform: approx. RMB 2,880 (new students required).
- Bedding (new boarding students): approx. RMB 500–600.
- Materials, insurance and experiential learning fees: approx. RMB 7,200 per year (typical itemization).
- ELL support: published amounts vary by placement (examples: RMB 10,000–20,000 per term/semester depending on assessment).

Refund information
- The Application Processing Fee is non‑refundable. The Enrolment Deposit is published as credit toward school fees; other refund details are part of the school's formal fee and refund policy.

Fee payment instructions
- The school's published policy requires payment in advance of the semester start and invoices/fee statements are issued; payment instructions are supplied with billing. (Tuition currency and specific payment channels are provided on school invoices.)
Academics

Canadian International School of Guangzhou teaches Canadian Curriculum, IB (PYP), Advanced Placement (AP) for students aged 2 to 18.

Curriculum
Canadian International School of Guangzhou delivers the Alberta (Canada) K–12 curriculum, integrates the IB Primary Years Programme framework across early years and elementary levels, and offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in senior high.
Early Childhood (ages 2–5) follows a play‑based, IB‑aligned program that also uses Alberta kindergarten outcomes; Elementary (Kindergarten/age 5–Grade 6) teaches Alberta Programs of Study through Units of Inquiry in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies while also scheduling PE, art, music, Mandarin and IT.
Junior High (Grades 7–9) continues the Alberta curriculum with an inquiry approach and provides English Language Learning (ELL) support embedded in core subjects for students who need it.
High School (Grades 10–12) follows Alberta senior‑secondary courses; on completion of required credits students receive the Alberta High School Diploma, and AP courses are offered as enrichment (AP Calculus and AP Physics were introduced for 2024–25).
Mandarin instruction is provided across divisions in native and non‑native streams, and the school supplements classroom learning with after‑school activities and university‑counselling services to support language development and post‑secondary pathways.
Wellbeing
The school has not added this information
Parent Experience
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Facilities
The school has not added this information
Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
The school has not added this information
Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
1. Initial enquiry and eligibility check — Contact the Admissions Office to begin. Parents should confirm eligibility (CIS accepts students who hold foreign passports, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) before completing the online application form; if you are unsure, ask Admissions so you do not complete unnecessary paperwork. You can request a campus tour or an online information session — tours are available year-round but appointments are recommended.

2. Complete the application and gather documents — Fill in the school's Application Form (the site links to the online form) and prepare required documents: a recent photo, the student's passport information page, both parents' passport copies, and school records (current year and previous full-year reports and any standardized test results). Note the non‑refundable application processing fee (stated on the admissions page) is required when you submit — this fee covers review, one test and an interview. Keep certified/translated copies ready if your documents are not in English.

3. Arrange assessment and interview — After submission you will be scheduled for an admissions assessment and an oral interview; these are conducted in English and are used to determine grade placement and any language support needs. If you are outside Guangzhou the assessment and interview can be scheduled online; follow the instructions Admissions provides so your child is prepared (timing, platform, and materials). Expect the school to test English and, where relevant, to assess academic levels against the Alberta curriculum.

4. Learning support / ELL assessment — If the assessment indicates the student needs English Language Learning (ELL) or other additional learning support, the school will evaluate needs individually and may make ELL a condition of entry (especially above Grade 2). Parents should ask in advance about ELL costs, frequency, and how ELL lessons are scheduled relative to mainstream classes. If your child has documented learning support needs, disclose these early so CIS can confirm whether appropriate services are available.

5. Offer, acceptance and securing placement — Once assessments and document checks are complete, CIS will issue written notification of the outcome (offer or otherwise). To secure a confirmed place the FAQ states families must complete tuition payment — parents should clarify whether this means a deposit or full payment and ask for the exact invoice and payment deadlines. Ask Admissions for the written offer's conditions (start date, grade placement, any conditions such as continuing ELL).

6. Fees, payment timing and mid‑term starts — Tuition can be paid annually or by semester; fees are inclusive of experiential-learning fees, tests, materials and insurance, and the school invoices pro‑rata for students starting mid‑semester (monthly or half‑month rules apply as specified). Parents should request the full tuition table and a written copy of the school's refund and withdrawal policy before paying to make sure they understand deadlines and any penalties. Also note optional miscellaneous fees (boarding for Secondary students, bus fees) are charged separately.

7. Arrival and orientation — Arrange a campus visit or orientation before your child's first school day where possible; the Admissions Team normally arranges a meeting with a relevant head of school or teaching staff during visits. If you are relocating from overseas, inform Admissions early so they can accept documents by email and schedule an online interview if needed. For visa purposes the school can provide a “future student letter of enrolment” only after tuition fees have been paid; CIS does not provide visa‑application services.

Scholarships
CIS publishes a formal Academic Scholarship Programme (2025–2026) on its website. The programme includes several categories: (a) a high‑value “Million RMB Scholarship” tied to Grade 12 graduates who receive offers from certain elite universities (Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge — the page describes awards up to one million RMB); (b) a Tuition Scholarship that can cover full tuition for high‑performing students entering Grade 10; and (c) an Excellence Scholarship recognising new and current students for academic achievement, leadership and contribution in areas such as STEM, arts and service. The scholarship announcement asks new families to contact Admissions for details and current students to speak with their Learning Partner (LP), so application procedures, eligibility criteria, selection timelines and award amounts appear to be managed directly by the school rather than through an open online application form; parents should contact Admissions to request the official scholarship guidelines and any deadlines.

Waitlist
The school's public admissions pages (Admissions and FAQ) do not describe a formal waitlist or centralised ‘pool' system; instead CIS accepts applications year‑round and emphasises that offers are made subject to seat availability. Parents are explicitly advised to apply as early as possible because seats in each grade are limited, and the FAQ notes that placement is secured by completing tuition payment — which implies places are allocated on a first‑come/confirmed‑by‑payment basis rather than by an automatic ranked waitlist. If you need to know whether CIS will hold your application on a waiting list or maintain a priority order for late applicants, contact Admissions directly (phone, WeChat or email) to request the school's local practice for your child's grade.
School Events
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