Let the school know you're thinking of applying — they can share their prerequisites and help you through the process.
It's best to ask — circumstances can change at any time.
· Reviewed by Aziza Francienne · B2C Marketing Manager
St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) is a historic, single‑sex Catholic DSS secondary school for girls located at 140 Leighton Road in Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island. It was founded in 1854 and moved to its current site in 1914; the present building was completed in 1981. The campus includes separate buildings for Secondary, Primary and Pre‑school sections, and facilities such as an indoor heated swimming pool, a library, a Studio/Media Lab, and the Smart Oasis green building. The school offers HKDSE and GCE A‑Levels, and supports a broad programme of arts, languages and STEM through specialist facilities and programmes. Fee remission and scholarships are available, with policies in place to provide financial assistance and academic/non‑academic awards to qualifying students. Open days and anniversary events continue to celebrate the school's long history and community.
140 Leighton Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) has 1,141 pupils, typical class sizes of 32, instruction in English.
The school is located at 140 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. This places it on Hong Kong Island in the Wan Chai District. The campus sits in an urban Causeway Bay area that hosts a range of amenities and transport options.
The Secondary Section serves Form 1 to Form 6 for girls aged about 11 to 18. It operates as the secondary arm of St. Paul's Convent School, which also includes a Primary Section (P1–P6) and other early years divisions. Students in the secondary program follow the HKDSE pathway.
St. Paul's Convent School is a Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) school. It is a single-sex, girls-only Catholic school run by the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres.
Additional Learning Needs (SEN) support is provided. A dedicated SEN team works with form teachers, subject teachers, parents, and social workers to support students.
No formal country affiliation is stated beyond its Catholic identity.
Catholic, administered by the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres in Hong Kong.
The secondary school day runs from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays.
The school does not operate a dedicated school bus service.
Annual tuition at St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) ranges from HKD 30,000 to HKD 32,000 for 2026/27.
St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) teaches Bespoke Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE for students aged 11 to 18.
St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) offers a two-stage curriculum: Junior Secondary (S1–S3) with a school-based program and Ming Yi, Learning to Learn, and Project Learning, and Senior Secondary (S4–S6) with a broad set of electives and multiple qualification pathways. In S1–S3, core English-medium courses include English Language, Literature in English, Mathematics, Citizenship and Social Development, and Integrated Science, with a wide range of electives and language options such as French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Korean. In S4–S6, core offerings include Chinese Language, Chinese History, Chinese Literature, and Chinese Culture & Heritage (for Chinese-medium tracks) alongside English Language, Literature in English, Mathematics (Further/ Pure), Economics, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, ICT, Business, Accounting & Financial Studies, and related electives. The school provides a diversified elective program (17 options) including ApL and BTEC qualifications in areas like Art & Design, Business, Home Cooking Skills, Information Technology, and Sports. Assessment pathways include DSE, IGCSE, GCE, IAL, and BTEC, with a six-class-per-year structure for S4–S6 to accommodate core and elective subjects.
The school supports Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through the School Social Work Service. Two school social workers, Ms Sheh and Miss Leung, provide individual counselling and deliver diversified programmes. They collaborate with teachers and parents to support students facing academic, social or emotional challenges and to foster personal growth. Students are encouraged to chat with the social workers if they feel troubled, and topics related to personal growth are explored. The social workers' offices are on 2/F Room 213 and 5/F Room 512A, with contact via the Caritas Office on 2523 0060 on scheduled days. This arrangement reflects the school's commitment to SEL and student wellbeing.
St. Paul's Convent School provides Special Education Needs (SEN) support. The Education Bureau profile lists Special Education Needs Support as Yes and notes that the SEN team works closely with form teachers, subject teachers, parents, and the school's social workers to support students adequately and holistically. For incoming students, the school provides Orientation Programme, Individualized Support via school-based e-learning platforms, the Big Sister Scheme where senior students mentor newcomers, and Parental Support to connect families with the school community. The Education Bureau profile does not describe the school as a specialist SEN institution, indicating SEN support is provided within a Direct Subsidy Scheme secondary school.
English is the Primary Medium of Instruction; Cantonese is listed as an additional language. ESL/EAL provisions are evidenced by IGCSE ESL (English as a Second Language) offerings within the curriculum. Form One Bridging Course provides targeted English language support for new entrants to ease transition to secondary schooling. These provisions demonstrate structured language-support measures as part of the school's curriculum and transition processes.
The School Social Work Service provides mental wellbeing support through individual counselling and diversified programmes. The service aims to facilitate students' growth and development via counselling and personal-growth activities, and it works in collaboration with teachers and parents to support students facing challenges. Students are encouraged to seek guidance from the social workers for coping strategies and personal development. The social workers' offices (2/F Room 213 and 5/F Room 512A) offer accessible support on regular days, with contact through the Caritas Office at 2523 0060. This framework underpins the school's emphasis on mental wellbeing within its broader SEL approach.
Safeguarding and child protection are supported through the School Social Work Service, with two social workers providing counselling and welfare programmes and working with teachers and parents to safeguard student welfare. The school also engages in safeguarding-oriented education, including National Security Education Day 2025 to promote safeguarding of national security. Orientation programmes for incoming students and the Big Sister Scheme provide additional safeguarding-related support by helping students adjust and connect with mentors. Public information shows these safeguarding-related activities and services are in place as part of the school's welfare and protection framework.
1. The school operates as a Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) school and does not participate in the Education Bureau's Central Allocation Scheme. Applications for Form One are invited from across Hong Kong and beyond, rather than being limited to a central queue. The school also makes clear that fee remission is available to all enrolled students, with the remission level determined by a Reckoner-based scoring system and by a Self-Assessment Platform that applicants can use to gauge eligibility.
2. The Form One admission process is conducted via online applications for Form One Places. The school details a merit-based selection path that includes multiple interview stages; in recent cycles, short-listed candidates proceed to a second interview after the first interview. When the 2025–2026 cycle was active, the page indicated that the application for Form One Places had closed and provided a route to the second-interview process for shortlisted candidates.
3. First-round interviews are part of the process. Shortlisted applicants are invited to attend the first interview, and successful candidates are then moved to the second-interview stage. In the published materials, candidates were instructed to bring the First Interview Form and to collect the Second Interview Form at the school reception before proceeding to the second interview.
4. The second interview is scheduled for a specific date (for example, March 15, 2025 in one cycle). Shortlisted candidates' numbers appear on a published list, and those not on the list may be considered unsuccessful. If a candidate's number is on the second-interview list, the family proceeds with the interview at the school at the arranged time.
5. Outcome notification follows the second interview. The published materials show a named list of applicants for the second interview and indicate that those not listed may be deemed unsuccessful. Successful candidates typically move toward the final offer and related enrollment steps, which are coordinated by the school's admissions team and can involve campus tours or informational sessions.
6. Fees and financial support are an explicit part of admissions. All students are eligible to apply for fee remission, with remission levels expressed as a percentage of the school fee based on a Reckoner scoring system. There is a dedicated Self-Assessment Platform to determine eligibility, and the principal can adjust remission levels in consultation with the Fee Remission / Scholarship Team.
Scholarships and financial assistance are an established part of the school's admissions ecosystem. Academic scholarships are available to all enrolled students and do not require a separate application; the school's scholarship team reviews academic performance to determine allocations. Non-academic scholarships require nominations from teachers-in-charge of extracurricular activities or functional groups and the nominees submit a portfolio for assessment. The school also notes that scholarship payments can be disbursed in two equal installments and that the policy is updated periodically, with the latest documented revision in mid-2025. The school also maintains a Fee Remission Scheme, with eligibility determined via a self-assessment platform and a Reckoner-based scoring system; maintenance allowances may be provided in hardship cases. In 2024–2025 the school reported that it allocates a portion of tuition revenue to both fee remission and scholarship programs, with the aim of supporting up to a substantial share of students.