Alcanta International College vs Guangdong Country Garden School

	A Alcanta International College Guangzhou, China	G Guangdong Country Garden School Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 158,000 - 182,000	Fees / year RMB 173,920 - 176,350
Age range	Age range 12 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (DP), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Chinese National Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Advanced Placement (AP), Chinese National Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 4,800
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 2011	Opened 1994
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Alcanta International College is in Nansha District, Guangzhou — listed at No. 14 Guangsheng Road (Nansha), in the southern part of the city's Greater Bay Area. The Nansha area is served by Guangzhou Metro Line 4 and other regional links, so public-transport connections to central Guangzhou and neighbouring cities are available; confirm exact travel times from your location.	Location Guangdong Country Garden School (广东碧桂园学校) is in Beijiao Town, Shunde District, Foshan City — in the Pearl River Delta just south of Guangzhou. The campus sits inside the Country Garden residential area and is accessible to major transport links in the region; it is commonly referenced as being within easy reach of Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area transport network.
Stages	Stages The school offers a Pre‑Diploma pathway and Cambridge IGCSE courses for junior students, followed by the two‑year International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for senior students (typical ages mid‑teens to 18). AIC describes a four‑year Pre‑Diploma plus the IB Diploma for graduation preparation.	Stages The school is a continuous K–12 (kindergarten through senior high) provision covering roughly ages 2–18 and describes itself as a 15-year one-stream school. It runs international routes (IB PYP, MYP, DP) alongside other international programmes (IGCSE/A-level/AP) and a bilingual Chinese stream.
School type	School type AIC is a private, co‑educational international school; it is an IB World School and also lists Cambridge IGCSE and external accreditation (MSA‑CESS). The school operates boarding provision alongside day places.	School type Guangdong Country Garden School is a private, co-educational school with a long-standing boarding programme (whole‑school boarding is reported in public profiles). Campus size and student numbers are large for the region (several thousand students on site).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support AIC's publicly available pages and directory listings do not publish a detailed Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Additional Learning Needs policy online. Prospective parents should contact admissions directly to ask about specific learning‑support services, EAL support, diagnostic assessment or individual learning plans available for their child.	Additional learning support Public information highlights on‑campus student services such as a dedicated international-student unit (留学生部) and counselling/psychological support; the school also reports 24‑hour dorm staff for boarding life. There is limited publicly available detail online about formal SEN (special educational needs) pathways, so families with specific additional‑learning needs should contact admissions to discuss individual provision and assessments.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school is based in the People's Republic of China (Guangzhou) and is not presented as being affiliated to another country's school system.	Country affiliation The school is a Chinese private school (广东) and is not presented as being affiliated to another country; it is associated with the Country Garden education initiative and is referenced in relation to Bright Scholar / Country Garden group coverage.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is listed in the school's public profiles; AIC is presented as a secular international school in its directory entries.	Religious affiliation There is no public indication that the school has a religious affiliation; it is described in official and third‑party profiles as a non‑religious private boarding school.
School day structure	School day structure Public listings note the school year runs on a roughly August–June cycle, but AIC does not publish a detailed daily start/end timetable or break schedule on its public pages. If you need exact school‑day hours, class period lengths or boarding daily routines (for example supervised evening study), request the current daily timetable from admissions.	School day structure The school operates as a full boarding campus with on‑site supervision and organised student routines; public profiles note 24‑hour dorm staff and closed‑campus management for boarders. Exact daily start/end times, break and meal schedules are not published in detail on third‑party sites, so expect times to vary by age group and contact the school directly for current timetables.
Bus service details	Bus service details Directory information indicates the school provides transport (school bus) options, but public pages do not specify the provider, routes, stops or fees. For route maps, pickup/dropoff times, and costs you should request the school's transport brochure or speak with the admissions office.	Bus service details The school publishes a large school‑bus network covering many pickup points across the Pearl River Delta; one profile notes 103 pickup points that extend across the region (including routes serving Hong Kong). For families relocating from overseas, this indicates established regional transport links, but specific pickup locations, costs and eligibility should be confirmed with the school's admissions or transport office.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - One-time application/registration fee: RMB 300. Tuition fees (by year group) - Grade 7: RMB 158,000 per year (day student). - Grade 8: RMB 158,000 per year (day student). - Grade 9: RMB 182,000 per year (day student). - Grade 10: RMB 182,000 per year (day student). - Grade 11: RMB 182,000 per year (day student). - Grade 12: RMB 182,000 per year (day student). Tuition per term (billing note and calculation) - Public information lists tuition as an annual amount. The school's published practice is to collect tuition/meal/accommodation in advance prior to each semester; using that practice, a simple per-semester figure can be calculated by dividing the annual tuition by two (example: Grade 7/8 ≈ RMB 79,000 per semester; Grade 9–12 ≈ RMB 91,000 per semester). This per‑semester amount is a derived value (annual ÷ 2) based on the school's semester-advance billing practice. Boarding, meals and ancillary fees - Seven‑day boarding (typical option): RMB 10,300 per year (example reported). - Five‑day (weekly) boarding option: RMB 8,800 per year (where offered). - Student meal plan (boarding/non‑boarding catering charge examples): RMB 13,860 per year (reported meal fee). - Textbooks/learning materials: example published estimate RMB 3,000 per year. - Activity/programme fee example: RMB 3,500 per year. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees (tuition, meals, accommodation) are collected in advance prior to the start of the relevant semester/study period; annual invoicing is used for published tuition amounts and schools typically require payment by the commencement date or specified deadline. Parents are expected to settle billed amounts before the semester begins. Refund information - The school's publicly available materials and corporate filings indicate that partial refunds may be offered if a student withdraws during a semester; a formal School Fees Refund Policy is referenced in offer documentation. Specific refund percentages and conditions are established in the school's fee/refund policy. Fee payment options (published example) - Bank transfer / international wire: published offer documents show payment instructions for payments to a China Merchants Bank account (domestic RMB account and SWIFT details for USD wire transfers) and request that payment receipts be emailed to the admissions contact. This is the payment method explicitly shown in the school's offer materials. Other notes on costs - Some published school materials and third‑party listings show refundable deposits, printing/ICT fees, insurance and occasional one‑off charges (these vary by intake). Parents should treat the listed items above as the principal recurring charges (application, tuition, boarding/meals, textbooks, activities).	Fee details Application fee - No separate application or admission fee amount is published in the school's publicly available admissions pages or standard fee summaries; the school's admissions portal and public pages do not list a standalone “application fee.” Tuition fees (per term and per year) - Kindergarten: RMB 60,000 per term — equals RMB 120,000 per academic year (two terms). - Primary (elementary): RMB 78,000 per term — equals RMB 156,000 per academic year. - Junior high (grades 7–9): RMB 80,000 per term — equals RMB 160,000 per academic year. - Senior high, international curriculum (IB/IGCSE/A‑Level/AP): RMB 90,000–RMB 110,000 per term — equals RMB 180,000–RMB 220,000 per academic year. - Senior high, general/regular (普高) pathway: RMB 37,500 per term — equals RMB 75,000 per academic year. These per‑term figures are reported in the school's current fee summaries and reputable international-school listings; different public sources show the same amounts as per‑term charges. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is billed on a per‑term (学期) basis in the school's public fee notices and associated school fee summaries; the school follows per‑term charging for K–12 grade bands. Provincial rules allow charges by term or by year and set timing and refund calculation rules. Boarding / accommodation fees - Typical boarding fees reported: RMB 1,500 per term for Chinese students and RMB 3,500 per term for overseas/overseas‑status students (amounts for rooms and services vary by room type). Annual boarding totals will be per‑term multiplied by the number of terms paid. Alternative listings show smaller annual accommodation entries for particular grades in aggregate fee tables. Other costs - Meals, uniforms, textbooks, exam/registration fees and certain activity/service charges are additional and charged separately. Example: meal charges appear in some published breakdowns at roughly RMB 5,000 per year (varies by grade and plan). Specific extras (uniforms, instrument hire, international exam fees) are billed as incurred. Refund information - Refunds and fee clearing follow Guangdong provincial rules for private/municipal schools: schools must refund unused fees within the regulatory timeframes; new registrants who pay but do not enrol are eligible for major refunds (rules specify scaled refund percentages and formulae for term/year‑based charges). These provincial rules apply to fee return calculations and timelines. Fee payment options - The school's higher‑education/continuing‑education notices require online payment through the school's payment portal and permit bank transfer; K–12 public listings do not publish a definitive list of accepted consumer payment methods. In practice for Guangdong schools this commonly includes bank transfer and school online payment platforms (WeChat/Alipay integration is commonly used by peer institutions), while explicit credit‑card acceptance is not publicly specified.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Alcanta International College runs a four‑year pre‑IB/preparatory programme (Grades 7–10) followed by the two‑year IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12. The school is an authorised IB World School offering the full IB Diploma as its senior qualification. Diploma students at AIC complete the DP core—Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service—alongside six subject‑group courses required for the diploma. The IB registry for AIC lists available DP subjects including English A (Language & Literature), English B, Mandarin (ab initio), Chinese A/B, Mathematics (Analysis & Approaches and Applications & Interpretation), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Business Management, Psychology, Computer Science, Environmental Systems & Societies and Visual Arts (May examinations). The preparatory years are structured to ready students for DP subject choices and assessments and instruction is delivered in English.	Curriculum details Guangdong Country Garden School operates a 15‑year integrated curriculum that combines the Chinese national syllabus with major international programmes (IB PYP/MYP/DP, Cambridge IGCSE/A‑Level and AP), providing flexible pathways from kindergarten through Grade 12. Early years and primary education use the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) alongside the national primary curriculum (PYP typically through primary Year 5). The middle‑school phase implements the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) while meeting national junior‑middle requirements (generally Grades 6–10). In senior secondary, the school runs Cambridge IGCSE in Years 9–10 and offers multiple Year 11–12 options including the IB Diploma Programme (DP), A‑Level, AP or the national senior high track. The whole‑school curriculum is organised into integrated strands—融通课程 (academic integration), 行知课程 (inquiry/leadership), STEAM, arts, physical education and life education—framed around core competencies of cultural foundation, self‑development and social participation.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Initial enquiry and information-gathering. Parents should confirm which academic year/term they are applying for (AIC lists a first application deadline of 30 April on directory pages) and whether the student is applying as day or boarding, since fees and deadlines can differ. 2. Complete and submit the application form and pay the application fee. AIC's published application charge is shown as roughly RMB 300 (around USD 43) on school directories; make sure you submit the signed form plus payment by the stated deadline and retain the payment receipt. Parents should check whether the application is submitted via the school website, the school's own application portal, or a third‑party system (some directories link AIC to OpenApply) and upload required documents in the requested format. 3. Prepare and send required supporting documents. Typically this will include the student's current academic transcripts/grade reports, passport copy (for international students), recent school reports, teacher recommendation(s) and any previous exam records; confirm the exact document list with admissions. If English is not the student's first language, expect to provide evidence of English proficiency or to arrange an English assessment—directories note that AIC teaches in English and provides ELL support. Parents should arrange official translations where required and allow time for notarisation if the documents are needed for visas or scholarship applications. 4. Entrance assessment and interview. Public information about AIC indicates scholarships and admissions decisions are linked to an entrance examination and review of academic records, so expect a written/online assessment (academic and/or English) and an interview with admissions or a senior teacher. Parents should verify the format (onsite, online, timed test) and, if travelling from overseas, ask whether remote assessment options are available and whether any preparatory materials are provided. Keep copies of past schoolwork or samples the school requests for the assessment. 5. Scholarship consideration (if applying). AIC directories state that applicants who perform strongly in the entrance exam and have strong academic records may be considered for scholarships; for international students AIC has historically offered full-tuition awards to selected applicants. If you want to be considered, follow the school's specific scholarship application instructions and submit any additional documents or essays by the scholarship deadline; note that directories indicate scholarships typically cover tuition only, not living costs. Parents should ask whether the scholarship decision is made at offer stage or separately and whether scholarship recipients must meet ongoing academic or behavioural conditions. 6. Offer, acceptance and deposit. Successful applicants will receive a formal offer (conditional or unconditional). The offer will set out any conditions (e.g., final transcripts, visa paperwork, English standard) and the deadline for accepting the place and paying any tuition deposit or enrolment fee; check the offer letter carefully for exact amounts and payment instructions. Parents should confirm refund and withdrawal policies for deposits, and whether the deposit counts toward the first year's fees. 7. Final paperwork: contracts, visas and boarding arrangements. After acceptance, complete the school contract and provide final documentation the school requires for registration; international families should start the visa process promptly because visa timelines vary. If the student will board, confirm the boarding contract, boarding fees and the school's published meal/room charge schedule (boarding and meal fees are listed separately in directory fee summaries). Parents should check arrival dates, orientation schedules, health insurance/medical forms and any immunisation requirements. 8. Fee payment schedule and orientation. AIC directories list annual tuition ranges (day tuition figures published between approximately RMB 158,000 and RMB 182,000 depending on grade) and additional boarding/meal charges for boarders; confirm the exact fee schedule and whether the school accepts instalments, bank transfer instructions and the currency required. Parents should also check for one‑time enrolment charges (directories reference a first‑year one‑time fee such as an application or administration charge) and request an itemised fee breakdown (tuition, boarding, meals, activity fees, textbooks). Finally, attend the school's orientation and keep a copy of the signed enrolment agreement and the school's contact details for ongoing questions.	Admissions 1. Prepare and attend an Open Day / initial enquiry. Guangdong Country Garden School runs regular open‑day sessions and campus visits for prospective families; in recent years these were advertised in the spring (for example the 2025 spring open day schedule was published). Parents should bring the child (where possible) to sit in on a sample lesson, ask to see boarding and health facilities, and confirm whether the place they intend to apply for is part of the school's municipal (compulsory‑education) intake or the school's international/fee‑paying programme. 2. Register online / submit initial application. For compulsory‑education grades the school normally requires families to register on the local municipal admissions platform within the published city window; for international or private tracks the school publishes its own application form and timetable. Parents should be ready to upload or present identity documents (child's birth certificate, family ID/hukou or residence permit, copies of recent school reports, and parents' contact/residence evidence) and to note the registration deadlines—the municipal window is strictly timed and late online registrations are usually not accepted. 3. Assessment: written tests, interviews and language checks. After registration, applicants for initial entry (especially into junior and senior secondary international streams) are typically asked to attend a school assessment day that includes a short written test (math/Chinese/English depending on grade), a one‑to‑one or small‑group interview, and a language screening for non‑native English applicants. Parents should prepare the child for short subject tests, bring previous school reports/certificates, and expect a separate interview or meeting for parents where school expectations, boarding rules and fee schedules are explained. 4. Offer, acceptance and deposit. Successful applicants are issued a conditional or unconditional offer; schools usually require families to sign an enrolment agreement and pay a deposit or first term fees to secure the place by a stated deadline. Make sure you obtain a written offer showing the exact programme (e.g., national curriculum vs. IB/IGCSE/AP track), the amount and deadline for any deposit, what the deposit covers (tuition vs. holding fee), and the refund conditions if you later decide not to enrol. 5. Complete enrolment: paperwork, medical & boarding arrangements. Before the start of term parents must submit final documentation (originals of identity documents, recent health/medical certificates, vaccination records where required), complete fee payment as agreed, and confirm boarding, transport and meal arrangements if relevant. Expect the school to request a student health check and to confirm dormitory allocation and wardrobe/uniform lists during this stage. 6. If you are not offered a place: next steps and reapplication. If a child is not initially admitted, families can ask whether the school maintains an internal waiting list or whether they should register for the municipal “补录/征集志愿” (supplementary enrolment) process that runs after first offers are accepted. Parents should keep copies of all application materials, check deadlines for supplementary rounds, and enquire with the admissions office about chances for mid‑year entry or transfer (“插班”) into the grade if places open.
Scholarships	Scholarships Directories indicate that Alcanta International College offers scholarships and that applicants showing exceptional ability and potential may be awarded tuition scholarships; for international students, full‑tuition awards have been offered in past cycles. Scholarship awards are reported to be based on the applicant's performance in the school's entrance examination and on previous academic records; directories also note that scholarships typically cover tuition only and not living or boarding costs. Historical notes on some directory pages reference specific award numbers in particular years (for example, a past cycle listing 15 full scholarships in 2020–21), but these are examples rather than guarantees for future years—confirm current availability, selection criteria, application deadlines and whether there are scholarship renewal conditions with admissions. For authoritative, up‑to‑date details about scholarship types, amounts and application steps, contact the admissions office directly and ask for the current scholarship policy and deadlines.	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist Public directory listings and the school's available admissions summaries do not explicitly describe a formal waitlist or pool process for Alcanta International College; the school's admissions pages linked in directories focus on application, examination and offer stages rather than an online waitlist. Because many schools operate informal or formal waiting lists (and policies vary year to year), if you want to know whether a waiting list will be used for the grade you are applying to, ask admissions directly (AIC's admissions contact details appear on OpenApply's school entry). If you are placed on any waitlist, confirm whether you must re‑affirm interest periodically to keep the application active, whether siblings or other priorities are applied, and how the school notifies families when a place becomes available.	Waitlist Guangdong Country Garden School's intake process differs by programme: for municipal (compulsory) grades the citywide admissions platform handles the main offers and any subsequent ‘补录' or ‘征集志愿' (supplementary rounds) when places are vacated; families must follow the municipal timetable and rules for those rounds. For the school's international/fee‑paying tracks the school commonly operates its own screening, maintains waiting lists for oversubscribed grades, and admits students on a rolling or “插班” basis when vacancies occur. Public, year‑to‑year details about waitlist ranking, application retention period, or whether the school publishes a ranked waiting list are not routinely published on third‑party listings; parents should ask the admissions office directly for the current policy, how the school notifies waitlisted families, and any deadlines to accept/decline an offer during the supplementary rounds.
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