Eight schools,
seven questions each.

Eight international schools, each answered against the same seven questions — curriculum, fees, location, nationality mix, who it suits, what the drawbacks are, and how you would actually get there. Where a school does not publish something, this page says so rather than filling the gap.

How to actually choose

Three things decide this, and rankings are none of them.

Curriculum continuity. If there is any chance you move country again, the curriculum matters more than the campus. A child mid-way through the IB Diploma does not transfer neatly into A-Levels, and vice versa. Pick the system your family is most likely to still be inside in five years.

The commute you will actually do. Twice a day, in Shenzhen traffic, in August humidity. Drive or ride the route at 07:30 before you commit to anything. School choice quietly decides which district you live in — most families here choose the school and then find a flat near it, not the other way round.

The total cost, not the tuition. Tuition is the headline. Application fees, a capital levy at many schools, refundable deposits, the bus, lunches, uniform and trips add roughly ¥20,000–50,000 a year on top, and the bus alone can run to ¥12,000–18,000 depending on your zone.

On the fee figures below

Where a school publishes its own schedule, I have used it and said which year it is from. Where it does not, I have said so and given an indicative range rather than inventing precision. Every school revises fees annually — treat any figure here, mine included, as a starting point for a conversation with admissions rather than a quote.

On nationality mix, and why most of this section says “not published”

Parents ask about the nationality balance more than almost anything else, and it is the hardest thing on this page to answer honestly. Of the eight schools here, one — QSI — publishes a figure: more than 1,000 students across 35+ nationalities. The rest do not publish a breakdown at all.

There are stale numbers floating around for some of them, in undated government listings and in school profiles from 2018 and 2019. I have not reproduced those, because a six-year-old figure presented as current is worse than no figure. If the mix matters to you — and for a child’s social life it reasonably might — ask admissions directly during your visit. They will usually tell you even where they do not publish it.

One thing that is a rule rather than a mix: pure international schools in mainland China enrol foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. That shapes who is in the room, but it is not the same as a nationality breakdown.

Nanshan · IB PYP + DP; MYP candidate

Shekou International School

The longest-established international school in Shekou, and the one whose description on this site was wrong until recently. SIS is an IB continuum school — Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma — not the American-curriculum school older listings still call it. It also runs a French International Programme accredited by LabelFrancÉducation, which is unusual in Shenzhen and worth knowing about if French schooling matters to you.

The seven questions

Curriculum

The official curriculum page lists the IB Primary Years Programme in primary and the IB Diploma Programme in high school. SIS’s middle-school page describes MYP candidate status; candidate status is not authorisation.

Approximate fees

Early Years ¥190,000, Kindergarten ¥288,500, Grades 1–8 ¥319,500, Grades 9–12 ¥329,900. Official 2026–27 annual tuition. Application, capital, bus, meal and other charges may be separate; confirm the complete written schedule before paying.

Location

Shekou, Nanshan District. Three campuses, all within Shekou, the main one at Jingshan Villas off Nanhai Boulevard.

Student nationality mix

Not published. SIS does not publish a student passport or nationality breakdown. The school says only that its faculty come from more than a dozen nations. A Shenzhen Government listing mentions “more than 40 countries” but is undated, and an older school profile giving 40 countries dates from 2018–19 — both too stale to quote as current fact.

Best for

Families who want IB continuity from nursery to Diploma without changing school, and francophone families, who have few other options in the city.

Potential drawbacks

The most expensive option here for Grades 1–12 — roughly ¥65,000–75,000 a year above QSI at equivalent ages — and the sibling discount only begins after three years. It is also firmly a Shekou school: excellent if you live there, a long commute if you do not.

Transport considerations

A school bus runs, priced by zone in the published fee schedule — around ¥12,400 a year within Shekou, more from further out. That zone pricing is the clearest public statement of the catchment it actually serves.

Nanshan · Mastery Learning + AP / IB DP

QSI International School of Shenzhen

QSI teaches by mastery rather than by calendar — a child moves on when a unit is genuinely mastered. What makes it unusual in Shenzhen is that the secondary school feeds two exit routes rather than one: a wide slate of AP courses, and the full IB Diploma. A family can choose the pathway instead of the school choosing it for them.

The seven questions

Curriculum

QSI organises learning by age and mastery rather than conventional letter grades. Secondary students can access Advanced Placement and the IB Diploma Programme.

Approximate fees

Ages 2–4 ¥140,400, Ages 5–10 ¥234,000, Ages 11–13 ¥248,400, Ages 14–17 ¥255,600. Official 2026–27 general tuition. Registration, deposit, lunch, bus and other charges are separate.

Location

Shekou, Nanshan District, established 2001. Three campuses on Taizi Road and Gongyuan Road.

Student nationality mix

Published. The school states more than 1,000 students from 35+ nationalities across its three campuses. It does not publish a passport-by-passport breakdown, so the balance between particular nationalities is not disclosed.

Best for

Families who want the AP-or-IB decision left open until the child is older, and anyone who values mastery progression over age-banded year groups.

Potential drawbacks

Not a campus school. Three converted city buildings mean limited grounds and sports space compared with a purpose-built campus, and siblings in different age bands can end up at different addresses.

Transport considerations

Optional school bus, not included in tuition, priced by zone — from around ¥17,640 a year for ages 3–13 from the Nanshan and Shekou area.

Nanshan · American + IB PYP + AP

Shenzhen American International School

An IB World School authorised for the Primary Years Programme, with an American/Common Core-aligned programme and AP in the upper years. Its IB authorisation does not extend to the Diploma Programme, so families who need an IB Diploma, A-Level or HKDSE route should confirm another school rather than infer one from the marketing.

The seven questions

Curriculum

SAIS describes an American, Common Core-aligned programme, the IB Primary Years Programme in primary and Advanced Placement options in secondary. It does not advertise the IB Diploma Programme.

Approximate fees

Early education ¥148,000, Kindergarten ¥158,000, Grades 1–3 ¥208,000, Grades 4–5 ¥228,000, Grades 6–8 ¥258,000, Grades 9–12 ¥278,000. Official annual tuition. A ¥2,000 application fee and ¥20,000 one-time development fee are listed separately; bus, meals and some examinations also cost extra.

Location

Shekou Youth Center, 82 Gongyuan Road, Nanshan District — beside Sihai Park and across from the Shekou Sports Center.

Student nationality mix

Not published. SAIS does not publish a nationality breakdown. Like all pure international schools in China, enrolment is limited to foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan — that is an eligibility rule, not a description of the mix.

Best for

Families seeking a smaller Shekou-based American programme, AP in the upper years and PYP foundations in the primary years.

Potential drawbacks

The IB authorisation is PYP only. If your child needs an IB Diploma or A-Level exit route, this is not the right fit; ask which AP subjects actually run in the year your child would join.

Transport considerations

In the middle of Shekou, walkable from Sea World for families already in the neighbourhood. Ask admissions about current bus routes if you are coming from Futian or further east.

Nanshan · BASIS Curriculum + AP

BASIS International School Shenzhen

The academically intense American network, in Shenzhen since 2015. BASIS runs its own curriculum culminating in a heavy AP load, and its results are the reason families choose it. That intensity is also the most common criticism levelled at it, and a parent deserves both halves of that sentence.

The seven questions

Curriculum

The school follows the proprietary BASIS Curriculum and highlights Advanced Placement outcomes in the upper years. The official Shenzhen campus page says it serves Pre-K–Grade 12.

Approximate fees

No current Shenzhen tuition schedule was found on an official accessible BASIS page. Third-party directory prices are deliberately excluded.

Location

Tower C, Wanlian Building, 28 Yanshan Road, Nanshan District. The school opened in the Shekou Net Valley area in 2015.

Student nationality mix

Not published. BASIS Shenzhen does not publish a nationality breakdown. Enrolment is limited to foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, which is an eligibility rule rather than a stated mix.

Best for

Academically driven children heading for competitive US universities, in families who actively want the pace rather than merely tolerating it.

Potential drawbacks

The workload is the point and it does not suit every child — this is the school where fit matters most, and where an honest conversation about your own child is worth more than any ranking. Admissions are competitive, so apply early. It is also a tower-building school rather than a campus, with the space limits that implies.

Transport considerations

Nanshan, in the Yanshan Road area near Shekou. Confirm current bus routes with admissions; the surrounding road network is busy at the school run.

Nanshan · Full IB: PYP + MYP + DP

Shen Wai International School

The international arm of Shenzhen Foreign Languages School, and a full IB continuum school — PYP, MYP and Diploma. Its Chinese-language teaching has a strong reputation, which matters if you want your child to leave Shenzhen genuinely bilingual rather than merely exposed.

The seven questions

Curriculum

SWIS’s official learning section lists all three International Baccalaureate stages: Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes.

Approximate fees

No current tuition schedule was found on an official accessible SWIS page. Third-party directory prices are deliberately excluded.

Location

29 Baishi 3rd Road, Nanshan District. Around 1,200 students.

Student nationality mix

Not published. SWIS does not publish a nationality breakdown. Enrolment is limited to children of foreign nationals and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Best for

Families who want the full IB route and serious Chinese, at a fee level well below the Shekou schools.

Potential drawbacks

A single curriculum route — if your child would do better on A-Levels or AP, this is not the school. It is also in Nanshan rather than Shekou, which is the wrong side of the district if your life is built around Sea World.

Transport considerations

Nanshan, on Baishi 3rd Road. A school bus service operates for day students; ask admissions for the current stops and door-to-door ride time before choosing a home.

Nanshan · Full IB + New Brunswick

International School of Nanshan Shenzhen

A full IB continuum school — Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma — that also holds New Brunswick (Canada) accreditation, so a student can finish with both the IB Diploma and a New Brunswick high school diploma. A strong Mandarin programme runs alongside. The obvious first stop for Canadian families, and a sensible one for anyone who wants that dual exit.

The seven questions

Curriculum

ISNS is an IB World School offering PYP, MYP and DP, alongside a New Brunswick / Canadian framework and high-school diploma route.

Approximate fees

K2–K5 ¥219,000, Grades 1–5 ¥249,000, Grades 6–10 ¥269,000, Grades 11–12 ¥274,000. Official tuition for new students. The school separately lists a ¥2,500 application fee; transport, lunch, uniforms and some other costs can sit outside tuition.

Location

11 Longyuan Road, Taoyuan, Nanshan District.

Student nationality mix

Not published. ISNS does not publish a nationality breakdown. A Canadian-accredited school naturally attracts Canadian families, but I have no published figure to tell you how large that group actually is.

Best for

Canadian families, and anyone wanting a North American structure that still finishes on the IB Diploma.

Potential drawbacks

The published information is thinner than at the larger Shekou schools — including the fee schedule — so expect to do more of your own asking. Taoyuan is a workable but unremarkable location if your life is in Shekou or Futian.

Transport considerations

Taoyuan, Nanshan, near the Line 1 corridor. Confirm bus routes with admissions.

Nanshan · British + IGCSE + A Level

Harrow International School Shenzhen Qianhai

The British public-school brand’s Shenzhen campus, in Qianhai, running a UK-style curriculum through to A-Levels with the house system and prep-school culture that come with the name. It is the most expensive school on this page, and it does not pretend otherwise.

The seven questions

Curriculum

Harrow follows an English-curriculum route from the early years through IGCSE / GCSE and A Level in the senior school.

Approximate fees

Pre-Nursery ¥291,400, Nursery / Reception ¥301,300, Years 1–4 ¥350,700, Years 5–6 ¥355,500, Years 7–8 ¥365,700, Years 9–13 ¥372,900. Official annual tuition. Boarding, application, transport, meals and other charges may be separate; request the complete schedule for your year group.

Location

Tinghai Road, off 3 Qianwan Road, Qianhai, Nanshan District.

Student nationality mix

Not published. Harrow Shenzhen Qianhai does not publish a nationality breakdown.

Best for

Families committed to the British route through A-Levels, particularly those who may return to the UK, and families who want boarding as an option.

Potential drawbacks

The highest fees here by a clear margin once the deposit, assessment fee and extras are counted. Qianhai is also still filling in — the commute from Shekou, Futian or Luohu is real, and the area around the school is quieter than families sometimes expect.

Transport considerations

Qianhai, on the western side of the city. Bus services operate and boarding is available; if you live east of Nanshan, drive the route at school-run time before you commit.

Longhua · British + IGCSE + A Level

Merchiston International School

The first overseas campus of Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle School, open here since 2018. British curriculum through IGCSE and A-Levels, with boarding — which, given it sits in Longhua rather than the coastal districts, is more than a nice-to-have.

The seven questions

Curriculum

Merchiston’s official pages describe a British curriculum from early years through IGCSE and Cambridge / Edexcel A Levels, with boarding in Longhua.

Approximate fees

The official admissions page labels a 2026–27 fee chart but publishes the figures as an image. Ask admissions for an accessible written schedule; no third-party estimate is used here.

Location

Longhua District, on Shilongzai Road in the Dalang area. The school has referred to more than one campus; confirm which site your child would attend before you judge the commute.

Student nationality mix

Not published. Merchiston does not publish a nationality breakdown.

Best for

Families wanting a British boarding education without leaving China, and those for whom Longhua’s lower housing costs offset the distance from the coast.

Potential drawbacks

Longhua is a long way from Shekou and Nanshan, which is precisely why boarding matters here — as a day school it only works if you live in the northern districts. Published fee information is also thin.

Transport considerations

Longhua, well served by Metro Lines 4 and 6 for the northern districts but a genuine trek from the coast. Boarding removes the problem; day attendance from Shekou does not make sense.

Admissions timing

Applications for the following August generally open the winter before, and the popular year groups at the Shekou schools fill first. If you are moving mid-year, ask specifically about capacity in your child’s exact year group rather than the school overall — a school can have space and still be full where you need it.

Assessment usually means a placement test and an interview, sometimes online before you arrive. Have school reports translated in advance; it is the step that most often delays an application.

Comparing schools and reading admissions timelines is part of what I do on a relocation engagement, from about ¥1,500 a day — details here — but everything above is what I would tell you anyway.