China · Country guide

Choosing an international school in China

Start with your child’s admissions eligibility and learning needs. Mainland China has several school categories, each with different arrangements. Compare the programme, support, complete fees and campus location before accepting a place.

The landscape

What every relocating family should know first

“International school” is used for several types of school in mainland China: schools for children of foreign personnel, private bilingual schools and public schools with international programmes. Their admissions and curriculum arrangements differ. Do not assume that an expat child is restricted to the first category or that a school’s name settles eligibility. ↗

Census analysis records a decline in foreign-resident counts between 2010 and 2020 of about 21.4% in Shanghai and 41.5% in Beijing. These are historical city figures, not a national enrolment trend or evidence that a particular school has places now. The city guides discuss their local context separately. ↗

Tuition is only part of the cost. For example, SAS’s schedule adds an annual enrolment charge and a new-student entry charge, while other schools include more services in tuition. Separate recurring charges, joining fees and refundable deposits when comparing offers. ↗

For a mid-year move, contact schools with the intended start date and your child’s recent reports. Assessment, available support and course placement are all decided at that stage, and short-notice capacity varies by grade and programme. ↗

The regulator

Local admissions arrangements

Local arrangements matter. Beijing’s municipal measures describe licensing for schools for children of foreign nationals and provision for Chinese language and culture. They also describe additional eligibility categories requiring district approval. Each municipality sets its own rules, so one city’s measures are not national admissions guidance. ↗

SAS’s Shanghai admissions listing describes categories involving children of foreign citizens, overseas-born children of PRC citizens, children of Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan residents, and waiver-letter cases. Admissions should review the family’s documents and identify any approvals before you commit to non-refundable application costs. ↗

The legal commentary explains how China’s 2021 private-education regulations affected bilingual schools during compulsory education. Use it as background. For a current application, ask the school about its licence, Chinese curriculum requirements, language of instruction and the qualifications available in later years. ↗

Each credential has its own scope and date. CIS, WASC and NEASC accreditation concern institutions; IB authorisation concerns a particular programme; British Schools Overseas reports cover schools participating in that inspection scheme. These are different forms of evidence and do not produce a single ranking of every school.

Curricula

Curricula and senior qualifications

Compare the programme at each stage. SAS offers an American curriculum with AP and IB Diploma options, while ISB teaches its own standards-based curriculum with senior IB and AP options. WAB offers the IB continuum. Schools with British foundations may lead to different senior qualifications, so confirm whether the intended campus offers A levels, the IB Diploma or another route. French, German, Japanese and Korean schools provide additional options in major cities.

For a future move, subject choices, language provision and graduation requirements matter more than a broad national label. Ask how the school will place your child and what records it will provide for the next application. Our curriculum guide explains the differences. Nationality mix is a weak guide to classroom language use or cultural immersion. IB vs British vs American guide

School fees

Dated fee examples across four cities

These examples combine school schedules and secondary listings. Fee years and limitations are identified below; compare the same age group and academic year.

Shanghai: Concordia’s 2026–27 tuition is RMB 250,000–330,000, before application, capital and optional transport charges. SAS’s range is RMB 246,000–311,000, plus an annual RMB 32,000 enrolment charge and other costs; its fee year was not recorded. Wellington’s RMB 292,400–391,000 range is from 2025–26. BISS Puxi’s range is RMB 278,390–388,970, corroborated by a secondary 2026–27 listing. The Shanghai guide gives the year groups and exclusions. ↗
Beijing: ISB’s 2026–27 tuition ranges from RMB 155,800 for EY2 half-day to RMB 361,800 for Grades 11–12. Application is RMB 2,800 and the entry fee RMB 18,000; bus transport is separate. WAB’s 2026–27 range is RMB 148,000–380,500, with transport within its bus network included. Dulwich’s RMB 251,000–385,000 range is a secondary 2026–27 listing. YCIS’s RMB 137,000–334,000 range is from 2025–26. See the Beijing guide for details. ↗
Guangzhou: AISG’s 2026–27 tuition is RMB 229,280 for Pre-K, RMB 255,230 for Kindergarten–Grade 5, RMB 264,970 for Grades 6–8 and RMB 303,900 for Grades 9–12, including the schedule’s stated 3% VAT. Application is RMB 2,000, enrolment RMB 10,000 and annual bus transport RMB 9,600–19,200. Secondary 2026–27 sources give RMB 211,000–301,000 for the British School of Guangzhou and RMB 199,000–300,000 for Utahloy; complete quotations come from each school. Guangzhou secondary guide; Utahloy fee listing. ↗
Shenzhen: a secondary Greater Bay Area guide lists Harrow Qianhai’s 2026–27 tuition at RMB 291,400–372,900, with boarding adding RMB 122,600, and QSI tuition at RMB 140,400–255,600. These are secondary examples; confirm the year group, academic year, inclusions and day or boarding terms with the school. ↗

Ask for an itemised quotation covering application, enrolment, capital charges, transport, meals, devices, examinations and support. Show refundable deposits separately as cash needed up front. For boarding, find out which meals, trips and weekend arrangements are included. A fixed citywide allowance for extras can overstate some budgets and miss important costs in others.

Beyond the big two

Schools in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and nearby cities

Shenzhen options include Shekou International School, Harrow Qianhai, BASIS and QSI. Guangzhou has AISG, founded in 1981, the British School of Guangzhou and Utahloy, among others. Compare curriculum, admissions eligibility and the journey from home; teaching and support provision differ even between similarly accredited schools. ↗

Regional boarding options described include Harrow Qianhai, LEH Foshan, Merchiston, Bromsgrove Mission Hills and Utahloy Zengcheng. Age eligibility, weekly or full boarding, weekend supervision and travel arrangements differ by school. A guide lists International School of Dongguan tuition at RMB 126,000–233,600 for 2026–27; one school’s range is not a basis for comparing costs across nearby cities. ↗

Families considering Hong Kong need to assess its separate admissions and residence arrangements, as well as transport or boarding. Do not assume that a mainland posting settles those requirements. The Hong Kong guide and debentures explainer cover school options and charges. Hong Kong guide debentures explainer

Sources

Where the numbers on this page come from

The country guide combines Shanghai and Beijing research with school schedules and secondary Greater Bay Area reporting. School-issued and secondary fee figures are distinguished above. The linked legal commentary explains historical changes; municipal measures and individual admissions checks provide different kinds of information. Background sources: Beijing municipal measures for schools of children of foreign nationals Farrer & Co on the three school categories

Fee years are identified where recorded. See our research standard for how we assess sources, and send a correction if information has changed. our research standard corrections

Common questions

What families ask about China

Can Chinese nationals attend international schools in China?

The answer depends on the school’s category, local admissions arrangements and the family’s documents. Bilingual schools and public-school international programmes differ from schools for children of foreign nationals. Some municipal eligibility categories also cover particular overseas or approval-based circumstances. The word “international” in a school’s name says nothing about which category it falls into.

How do we establish eligibility?

Ask each shortlisted school which category applies to your child, what evidence it requires and whether separate approval is needed. Shanghai and Beijing have their own arrangements. Birthplace, nationality and residence documents can all matter, not just the passport.

How much are international school fees in China?

The 2026–27 examples include ISB tuition of RMB 155,800–361,800 and WAB tuition of RMB 148,000–380,500 in Beijing, with the lowest figures covering half-day early years. AISG in Guangzhou lists RMB 229,280–303,900 including the tax stated in its schedule. Other examples below use different years or secondary sources. Compare the same age group and include joining charges, transport and other applicable costs.

Do schools still have waiting lists?

Some schools operate waiting lists, and availability is set grade by grade and campus by campus. Historical population changes are background only; current places and support capacity come from the school’s admissions office.

What options are there in the Greater Bay Area?

Examples include Harrow Qianhai, QSI and Shekou International School in Shenzhen, and AISG, the British School of Guangzhou and Utahloy in Guangzhou. Other regional options include LEH Foshan, Merchiston, Bromsgrove Mission Hills and Utahloy Zengcheng. Programmes, eligibility rules, day or boarding arrangements, fees and qualifications all differ, even between schools with the same accreditation.

Can children join mid-year?

SAS’s admissions listing describes entry after the school year begins, while WAB’s fee terms include qualifying mid-year proration. Places still depend on the grade and start date. Older pupils also need their subjects and completed coursework to fit the new school’s programme.