International Schools in China – Our Complete Guide

What is an international school in China?

International schools can be found in almost all Asian countries where mainly children of foreign expats take up education. Many private international schools are even referred to as Schools for Children of Foreign Workers (SCFW), so the purpose is clear.

The schools are popular in countries and regions where the school systems are underdeveloped, where the curriculum is taught in an Asian fashion, or where the schools don’t use English as a primary language.

If your company pays for the tuition, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t let your children enroll in an international school as the quality of education is superior. It will also increase the chances for your kids to make friends and to get accepted by foreign schools at a later stage.

What sets international schools apart from the public ones is that the students speak English, but have the option to take Chinese classes. Besides, the curriculum includes both Western and Chinese academic and cultural understanding.

So can anyone study at private international schools? It depends.

Generally, Chinese children are not allowed to enroll at the schools, unless a parent has a foreign passport or they migrate from another Asian country. Having said that, Chinese international schools have become less popular among Westerners in the past years due to the great increase of Asian expats and Chinese families who move back from overseas.

Types of international schools in China

Below I’ve listed the different types of international schools that are available in China.

Schools for Children of Foreign Workers (SCFW)

Schools for Children of Foreign Workers (SCFW) are sometimes referred to as expat schools and cater to the local expat communities. This is one of the most popular options among foreign expats. As mentioned, Chinese children and students can attend the schools if a parent has a foreign passport or if an ethnic Chinese student migrates to China from another Asian country.

Students mainly communicate in English, while they have the opportunity to learn Chinese.

Sino-Foreign Cooperative Schools

These schools are joint ventures between foreign schools or education companies and Chinese owners. Yet, the Chinese government has issued new regulations that prohibit this formation since 2019.

On the contrary to SCFWs, Chinese students are allowed to enroll in the schools. Typically, the Chinese owner secure the financial parts of the project and lease the land, while the foreign school provides the teaching.

Chinese-Owned Private Schools

Foreign ownership is not allowed in Chinese-owned private schools and these schools were established to cater to Chinese citizens. The main purpose is to provide education in both Chinese and English to make students more adaptable and attractive to the global market.

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) in the UK previously credited Chinese schools as international private schools if they had international streams in their instruction. These schools have become less common due to changes in China’s government regulations and ISC now only counts Chinese children who study in the international style of education, such as SCFWs.

How many international schools are there in China?

The number of international schools has increased much over the years and there are currently 857 schools available. 563 are international Chinese-owned private schools, established to cater to the local population.

Most of the international schools can be found in Shanghai, Beijing, and in Guangdong province.

How is the enrollment process?

The enrollment process is similar to private international schools. To give you one example, I’ve included the admission process for Britannica International School, which is one of the most popular international private schools in Shanghai.

1. First visit

At Britannica, parents and students first pay a visit to the school to:

• Get an introduction about the school
• Discuss the child’s educational needs and suitability for the school and curriculum
• Provide a school tour, showing the facilities
• Introduction to the principal
• Answer questions regarding the admissions procedure, curriculum, school routines and timetables, after school activities, transport, and more

2. Applying

To apply for the school, you need to submit the following documents:

• Copy of your child’s passport and birth certificate
• Two passport photos
• Copy of yours/guardian(s) passport(s)
• Copy of your residence permit
• Copy of yours/guardian(s) work permit
• Copy of your child’s medical insurance card
• Copies of your child’s last two school reports
• Copy of your child’s immunization record

When prepared, you can scan and send the documents directly to the school. You can also bring any missing documents in person.

3. Assessment and second visit

The school will organize a meeting with the principal after they’ve received your application form and relevant documents. Now the formal assessment starts.
The school will also assess your child’s cognitive ability, which is needed to make sure whether the school is suitable. You can call or email the school if you want to schedule an assessment.

4. Offer and acceptance

The principal sends you an offer if your child has met the admission criteria (stipulated by Shanghai Municipal Government), there’s a place available and passed the assessment.

You need to pay a refundable deposit to secure a spot and the offer will be valid for 7 days. You or the guardian must accept the offer by email and manage the payment as shown in the official reply from the school.

A deposit of 20,000 RMB and a registration fee of 2,000 RMB must be paid if your child is accepted.

How much does it cost?

China has the most expensive international schools in the world, according to recent rankings. The average fee per month in Shanghai is around USD 2,700 per month as of 2018. In Beijing, the average monthly fee is around USD 2,500.

Looking at the fees at Britannica Shanghai, the fees range from around 200,000 RMB to 280,000 RMB a year, depending on the classes. That is around USD 28,750 to USD 40,000.

Top international schools in Shanghai

Britannica International School

Britannica International School is one of the most reputable schools and is fully British-owned with British-trained teachers. The school is located in Gubei, a central area with a high density of foreigners and expats. The school offers a British National Curriculum for students aged between 2 to 18 years and where the Key Stages are defined as follows:

• Early Years: 2 to 5 years old
• Primary: 5 to 11 years old
• Secondary: 11 to 16 years old
• 6th form: 16 to 18 years old

Britannica International School works with prestigious examination boards of Cambridge University, for example, and provides the Advanced Level (AS and A2) examinations. This will give entrance to American, British, Australian, Canadian, and Asian universities.

At the same time, the school provides language programs in Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, Italian, French, and Hebrew.

Key information:

• Location: Gubei, Changning District
• Established: 2013
• Age of students: 2 to 18
• Number of students: 750
• School levels: Early Childhood / Primary / Secondary
• Curriculum: A Levels / English National Curriculum / IGCSE
• Languages taught: English, Korean, Mandarin, French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese
• Extracurricular activities: Music, sports, dancing, cooking classes and homework clubs

The British International School Shanghai

The British International School Shanghai is part of the Nord Anglia Education and located in Pudong and Minhang. The same as it goes with Britannica, the school offers education in the English National Curriculum for children aged between 18 months to 18 years. The school works with prestigious examination boards, such as Edexcel and the University of Cambridge, allowing students to enroll in top universities worldwide.

The school offers top-notch education and have entered into partnerships with MIT and Juilliard, for example.

Key information:

• Location: Pudong and Minhang
• Established: 2002 and 2004
• Age of students: 1.5 to 18
• Number of students: 2,000
• School levels: Early Childhood to Secondary level
• Curriculum: English National Curriculum, IGCSE, International Baccalaureate, International
• Primary Curriculum
• Languages taught: English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Dutch, French, Spanish, German
• Extracurricular activities: Sports, debate, photography, newspaper editing, gardening, drama and science club

Concordia International School

Concordia International School was founded in 1998 and is a private Christian international school situated in Pudong. On the contrary to the above-mentioned schools, Concordia is an American school.

The school has grown much since its inception and currently has around 1,200 students, enrolling in classes from Early Childhood Education to High School. The school has a strong reputation and one of the biggest communities in Shanghai.

Key information:

• Location: Pudong
• Established: 1998
• Age of students: 3 to 18
• Number of students: 1,200
• School levels: Early Childhood to High School
• Curriculum: Advanced Placement / Applied Learning
• Languages taught: English, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish
• Extracurricular activities: Sports, academic clubs, fine arts, and more

Top international schools in Beijing

Dulwich College Beijing

Dulwich College Beijing is ranked as one of the best international schools in Beijing. The school was founded in 2013 and has more than 1,500 students, enrolling in different programs from the age of 2 to 18. The curriculum follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales.

The Guardian has previously listed Dulwich College as one of the best international schools in the world, the only school in China to be included in the list. The school claims to practice English and Mathematics in small classes, to make the students more confident and able to concentrate.

Key information:

• Location: Shunyi District
• Established: 2005
• Age of students: 1 to 18
• Number of students: 1,500+
• School levels: Early Childhood to High School
• Curriculum: National Curriculum of England and Wales
• Languages taught: English and Mandarin
• Extracurricular activities: Sports, Visual & Performing Arts, Community Programs, Charity, and more

International School of Beijing (ISB)

The International School of Beijing established as early as 1981 and is one of the oldest private international schools in China. With 1,750 students from 50 countries, the school has become one of the most desirable to attend in Beijing.

What makes ISB different from other schools is that they choose their learning standards from different education systems worldwide. The curriculum is not restrained by the expectations of one national education system.

Key information:

• Location: Shunyi District
• Established: 2005
• Age of students: 3 to 18
• Number of students: 1,770
• School levels: Pre Kindergarten to 12th Grade
• Curriculum: Mixed
• Languages taught: English and Mandarin
• Extracurricular activities: Athletics, Performing Arts, STEAM, and more

Top international schools in Guangzhou

American International School of Guangzhou (ISA)

The American International School of Guangzhou is a highly accredited institution, founded in 1981. It is a non-profit and co-educational day school for foreign children from preschool to highschool. Over the years, the school has got accreditation from many organizations, such as the International Baccalaureate program, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and WIDA.

Key information:

• Location: Ersha Island and Science Park Guangzhou
• Established: 1981
• Age of students: 3 to 18
• Number of students: 1,000+
• School levels: Preschool to highschool
• Curriculum: American (CCSS & AERO), International Baccalaureate
• Languages taught: English and Mandarin
• Extracurricular activities: Arts, Athletics, Outdoor activities, and more

The British School of Guangzhou

The British School of Guangzhou is part of Nord Anglia and established in 2005. The school follows the English National Curriculum and is one of the most prominent schools in the city. With more than 1,000 students from 50 different countries, students have shown exemplary results, with 59% of exams taken awarded either grade ‘A*’ or ‘A ‘- the highest possible grades.

Key information:

• Location: Baiyun District
• Established: 2005
• Age of students: 1 to 18
• Number of students: 1,000+
• School levels: Prekindergarten to highschool
• Curriculum: English National Curriculum
• Languages taught: English, Spanish, French, Chinese
• Extracurricular activities: Arts, Music, Dance, Sports, and more

Top international schools in Shenzhen

Shenzhen American International School

The Shenzhen American International School established in 2005 that serves foreign students as well as students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The school uses American standards and helps children and students from preschool through eighth grade.

Key information:

• Location: Shekou, Nanshan District
• Established: 2005
• Age of students: 3 to 18
• Number of students: Unknown
• School levels: Preschool through eighth grade
• Curriculum: American standard
• Languages taught: English and Chinese
• Extracurricular activities: Presentations, Literacy games, maker faire, and more

International School of Nanshan Shenzhen

The International School of Nanshan Shenzhen was previously called the International School of Sino-Canada and is located in Taoyuan Sub-district. The school was established in 2002 in collaboration with the government of Canada, it’s the only IB World School for the International Baccalaureate (IB) in Shenzhen, offering programs for primary and secondary students.

Key information:

• Location: Taoyuan Sub-district
• Established: 2002
• Age of students: 3 to 18
• Number of students: Unknown
• School levels: Preschool through 12th grade
• Curriculum: Internationally recognized Canadian curriculum
• Languages taught: English and Chinese
• Extracurricular activities: Athletics, Arts & Design, summer camps, and more

Photo Credits: New Classroom by Bart Everson