American International School of Guangzhou vs ISA Science City International School

	A American International School of Guangzhou Guangzhou, China	I ISA Science City International School Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 229,280 - 303,900	Fees / year RMB 220,000 - 328,000
Age range	Age range 3 - 17 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 1,079	Pupils 2,200
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1981	Opened 2020
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location AISG operates two campuses: the Ersha Island campus (Early Years and Lower Elementary, in central Guangzhou's Ersha Island / Yuexiu area) and the Science Park campus (Upper Elementary through Grade 12 in Guangzhou's Science City, Huangpu District). Public transit options and ferry/metro stops serve the Ersha area and the Science Park area is within Guangzhou's technology/Science City district—ask Admissions for typical commute times from your neighbourhood.	Location ISA Science City is in Guangzhou's Huangpu District at 66 Yushu South Road, inside the Guangzhou Science City development. The campus sits near the boundary with Tianhe District and is described as roughly a 20–30 minute drive from Guangzhou's Pearl River New Town/CBD depending on traffic.
Stages	Stages AISG covers Pre‑Kindergarten through Grade 12: Early Years (Pre‑K and Kindergarten) and Lower Elementary (Grades 1–3) are at Ersha; Upper Elementary (Grades 4–5), Lower Secondary (Grades 6–8) and Upper Secondary (Grades 9–12) are at Science Park. The school follows the IB continuum across these divisions.	Stages The school is a K–12 (Early Years through Grade 12) international school, accepting children from about age 2 up to 18. The website and group listings show Early Years, Primary, Middle and High School divisions.
School type	School type AISG is a co‑educational, not‑for‑profit international school operating as an independent institution; tuition is reinvested into the school. The school does not offer boarding — students are expected to live with a parent or guardian in Guangzhou.	School type ISA Science City is a co‑educational international day and boarding school. The school states it operates as a mixed (male/female) day and boarding K–12 campus and advertises a boarding house capacity (around 500 boarders).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support AISG provides a Student Support structure that includes Counseling (available to all students), an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program (Grades 1–10) and a limited Learning Support (LS) program for students with mild learning differences, using individualized plans and a Student Support Team (SST). The handbooks describe RTI/MTSS frameworks, weekly SST meetings and individualized Student Learning Plans.	Additional learning support The school website does not publish a detailed SEN policy on its main pages; the ISA group schools operate a formal access/inclusion and learning‑support approach (tiered support, EAL and individualized plans) and the group's member schools commonly offer learning‑support and EAL services — prospective parents should contact admissions with specific queries about individual needs and available resources.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation AISG is an independent international school (American in name and offering American/IB pathways) but is not an official representative or arm of any national government; it admits foreign‑passport holders per Chinese regulations.	Country affiliation The school is based in China (Guangzhou) and is an international school operating within that context; it does not advertise affiliation to a foreign national school system.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation AISG does not have a religious affiliation; its community and policies emphasize inclusivity and prohibit harassment on the basis of religious belief.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school website or in its public profile; the school presents itself as a secular international IB school.
School day structure	School day structure Typical start time across divisions is 7:55am (students are generally asked to arrive 7:40–7:50am). Pre‑K runs roughly 7:55–3:00pm while Grades 1–5 are 7:55–3:10pm (Wednesdays are early‑release, ending about 2:00pm); Secondary also follows the same morning start with the regular day ending around 15:10. Recesses, lunch and staggered dismissals for youngest students are described in the divisional handbooks.	School day structure The school does not publish a full daily timetable (start/end times and all break times) on the main website; a third‑party school listing notes a short secondary pastoral/tutor time (PTT) at about 15:00–15:30, but parents should confirm exact daily hours and division‑by‑division schedules directly with admissions. Boarding students follow an established residential routine.
Bus service details	Bus service details AISG offers an optional contracted bus service (PK–12); the school arranges and invoices the service on behalf of the bus company and parents pay per semester. Costs are published as a guideline (approximately RMB 9,600–19,200 per school year) and specific routes are not publicly posted for child‑protection reasons—contact Admissions to confirm whether your area is served.	Bus service details ISA Science City runs a professional school‑bus service in partnership with an external provider; third‑party reports say the school operates multiple routes (reported as nine–ten routes) covering several Guangzhou districts (Tianhe, Huangpu, Haizhu, Baiyun and Zengcheng), with a driver plus on‑bus supervisor, face‑recognition check‑in and WeChat push notifications for parents. The school's team pages and group admissions pages also reference school‑bus arrangements — contact admissions for route stops, costs and current route maps (routes can be adjusted each semester).
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application and Enrollment Fees - Non‑refundable application fee: RMB 2,000. - Non‑refundable enrollment (new student) fee: RMB 10,000. - Non‑refundable annual program fee for Grades 11–12: RMB 10,000. Tuition (full detail by year group) - Pre‑Kindergarten: RMB 222,600 per year (approx. RMB 111,300 per semester when semester billing applies). - Elementary School (Kindergarten, Grades 1–5): RMB 247,800 per year (approx. RMB 123,900 per semester). - Lower Secondary (Grades 6–8): RMB 257,250 per year (approx. RMB 128,625 per semester). - Upper Secondary (Grades 9–12): RMB 295,050 per year (approx. RMB 147,525 per semester). Billing schedule and payment terms - Returning students: a non‑refundable deposit of RMB 30,000 per student is required to secure re‑enrolment; the deposit is applied against tuition and has a set due date. Full payment deadlines are specified on the school invoice (full payment examples: May 18 noted as a standard deadline). For new students, full invoice payment is due within 15 calendar days of the invoice date. In case of overdue fees the school may issue a Disenrollment Notice and release the student's place. A fapiao (official receipt) will be issued in the payer's name; fapiao requests are handled via the invoice email. Boarding - Boarding is not offered; AISG operates as a day school across its Ersha and Science Park campuses. Other costs and typical additional fees - Bus transportation (optional, billed per school year or per semester depending on route): RMB 9,600–RMB 19,200 per year. - Extra‑curricular events and trips: RMB 0–RMB 6,500 (varies by event; average cited). - Laptop (Grades 6–12 expected to meet MacBook requirements): RMB 7,000–RMB 8,500 (family cost, not school‑collected). - School lunch (per day): RMB 26–RMB 37. PE uniform pieces: RMB 110–RMB 170. Refund information (fees/refund rules) - Tuition refunds follow the school's published policy: refunds (less the RMB 30,000 re‑enrolment deposit where applicable) are processed if the online Withdrawal Form is received by prescribed cut‑off dates (examples given in the policy for pre‑term and semester withdrawal deadlines). First‑semester tuition is not refundable after the first cut‑off; second‑semester tuition may be refundable if withdrawal is received by the stated November cut‑off. Approved refunds are returned to the original payer. Fee payment options and invoicing - The school issues formal invoices and fapiao; payment instructions and accepted payment methods are provided on each invoice. Parents should follow the invoice details for exact payment channels and remittance information.	Fee details Application and admission fees - Application fee: RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable). - Admissions / enrolment deposit: RMB 30,000 (taken to confirm a place; listed as refundable on the school's admissions page). Tuition fees by year group (annual; per‑term amounts shown as an arithmetic division by three and noted as derived) The school publishes annual tuition by year group. The annual figures below are taken from publicly available school listings; the per‑term amounts are derived by dividing the published annual fee by three (per‑term figures are an inference based on a three‑term academic year). Annual tuition (RMB) and derived per‑term amount (RMB): - FS1: Annual RMB 220,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 73,333. - KG1 / FS2: Annual RMB 220,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 73,333. - KG2 / Y1: Annual RMB 250,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 83,333. - Grade 1 / Y2: Annual RMB 270,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 90,000. - Grade 2 / Y3: Annual RMB 270,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 90,000. - Grade 3 / Y4: Annual RMB 270,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 90,000. - Grade 4 / Y5: Annual RMB 280,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 93,333. - Grade 5 / Y6: Annual RMB 280,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 93,333. - Grade 6 / Y7: Annual RMB 310,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 103,333. - Grade 7 / Y8: Annual RMB 310,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 103,333. - Grade 8 / Y9: Annual RMB 310,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 103,333. - Grade 9 / Y10: Annual RMB 320,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 106,667. - Grade 10 / Y11: Annual RMB 320,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 106,667. - Grade 11 / Y12: Annual RMB 328,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 109,333. - Grade 12 / Y13: Annual RMB 328,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 109,333. (The school's published annual fee range for the referenced academic year runs approximately RMB 220,000 to RMB 328,000.) Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's public admissions pages state the application fee and the admissions deposit required to secure a place; the site provides a dedicated ‘School Fee' page but does not publish a detailed public schedule of term‑by‑term invoicing or standard installment options on the pages indexed. Parents should note that the application and enrolment deposit requirements are explicitly published. Boarding fees (where applicable) - Boarding is offered (boarding house for up to 500 students; boarding is available for secondary grades). No separate boarding fee schedule or published boarding price was found on the school's publicly listed pages. Other costs and incidental fees - The school's publicly available fee summaries list annual tuition and the admissions/application fees but do not publish specific line items for uniforms, school meals, transport, textbooks, examination fees, activity charges or other ancillary charges in the pages indexed by public directories. Specific amounts for uniforms, meal plans, bus service, exam fees and similar extras were not available on the school's public fee summary pages. Refund information - Application fee: published as non‑refundable (RMB 3,000). Admissions/enrolment deposit: the school's admissions page lists the RMB 30,000 admissions deposit as refundable. The school's publicly indexed pages do not show a complete tuition refund schedule or the full terms and conditions for refunds (for example, pro‑rata refunds for mid‑year withdrawal or cooling‑off periods were not published on the pages located). Fee payment options - The school's publicly indexed pages do not list a full set of accepted payment methods (for example, bank transfer, credit card, local e‑wallets). No explicit, published list of accepted payment channels or bank details was found on the school fee pages available in public listings. Summary of what is published versus what was not found - Published and verifiable: application fee RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable); admissions deposit RMB 30,000 (listed as refundable); annual tuition by year group (as listed above). - Not published on publicly accessible fee pages (no amounts found in public listings): a separate published boarding fee schedule; line‑item charges for uniforms, meals, transport, textbooks, exams; a full billing timetable or standard installment options; a detailed tuition refund schedule. Where per‑term amounts are shown above, they are derived from the school's published annual tuition figures by dividing by three (not directly published by the school). If you require this set of published figures presented in a different format, the figures above are drawn from the school's admissions and public fee listings. The key published references used are the school's admissions/application pages and public fee listings for ISA Science City International School.
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 AISG delivers an inquiry-based program across its divisions and is an IB World Continuum school authorized to offer the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. The Early Years (Pre‑K and K) programme is play‑based and framed by the IB PYP and the Creative Curriculum, while Elementary (K–5) follows the IB PYP and is mapped to AERO, Common Core and NGSS standards. Lower Secondary (Grades 6–8) uses AERO and Common Core standards and its academic classes follow the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). Upper Secondary (Grades 9–12) uses AERO/Common Core in Grades 9–10 and moves to the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; students may pursue the full IBDP and/or the AISG Upper Secondary Diploma and may mix IBDP and AISG course pathways. Across all stages the curriculum is complemented by arts, athletics, co‑curricular activities, English‑as‑an‑Additional‑Language support and in‑school learning support services.	Curriculum details ISA Science City International School (Guangzhou) is a K–12 IB World School serving students aged 2–18 and delivering the full IB continuum. Its Early Childhood Learning Centre and Primary phases follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). Middle school is organised around the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), and senior students (Years 11–12) study the IB Diploma Programme (DP) to complete university‑entry qualifications. The taught curriculum covers English and Chinese instruction plus additional world languages, mathematics, sciences, humanities, design and computing, and a formal arts programme (visual arts, drama and music), alongside extensive co‑curricular activities. Academic enrichment and research pathways are provided through the Student Enrichment Centre, and the campus includes boarding and purpose‑built facilities to support experiential learning and university preparation.
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. Prepare: Before you start the online application, review AISG's Grade Placement Guide and the Statement of Community so you understand typical age-based placement and the school's expectations; gather the Required Documents (passports, previous school records, medical records, any IEPs or therapy reports) so the Admissions Office can process your file without delay. Note AISG accepts only foreign passports (students holding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passports are eligible; PRC passports are not), so check passport eligibility before applying. There is a non‑refundable application processing fee (RMB2,000 / ~USD300) charged per child with each application, so have payment ready when you submit. 2. Apply: Complete and submit the online application form and upload the prepared documents; the Admissions Office will keep in regular contact and update you on each step of the process. Payment of the application fee is required to trigger further steps (for example, the school will confirm assessment dates once the application and fee are received). If your child has received learning or behavioral support in the past, include all learning support plans, IEPs, therapy reports or medical evaluations so AISG can assess whether it can meet your child's needs (the Learning Support program exists but has limited resources). 3. Review (assessments and placement): Once AISG has a complete application, the Admissions Office, the relevant grade‑level principal and counselors will review the file to determine placement; non‑native English speakers are likely to have English as an Additional Language (EAL) screening as part of the review. For applicants residing in Guangzhou, the school typically invites students with complete applications to attend in‑person admissions testing; AISG publishes recommended application timelines and typical group assessment windows by grade (for example, many grade assessments and interviews are scheduled between March and April—see grade‑specific timelines). Spaces for assessments are limited and are scheduled after your application and fee are received, so apply early if you are targeting a particular intake or assessment window. 4. Response and enrollment: After review and any required testing, AISG will inform you of its decision and next steps; AISG begins offering seats (seat assignment) in early April and monitors seat availability throughout the year. For families who accept an offer, note the financial commitments required: a non‑refundable enrollment fee is charged for new students (RMB10,000 for the 2026–2027 school year) and returning students typically pay a non‑refundable deposit (RMB30,000) by the school's specified deadlines; full tuition payment dates and deposit deadlines are listed in the school's Terms and Conditions. If you accept an offered seat, be prepared to follow the invoice/payment timelines to secure enrollment.	Admissions 1. Online application and documents — Start by completing the school's online application and uploading the required documents listed on the ‘Apply Online' checklist (for example: previous school reports, passport/ID, and any medical or residency documents the school requests). Parents should check the checklist carefully before submission — missing documents slow the review and may delay assessment. If you are applying from abroad, prepare clear certified copies and allow extra lead time for document translation or notarisation. 2. Pay the application fee — After you submit the online application you must pay a non-refundable application fee of RMB 3,000 for the admissions team to review the file. Make sure you keep the payment receipt and reference number; the school will not begin a full review until payment shows against the application. Note that application fees are routinely non-refundable at many international schools, so confirm the payment method and currency before you pay. 3. Documentation review and conditional offer — The admissions team reviews submitted documents and then the appropriate Division Principal or Head of School gives final sign-off. If the paperwork meets requirements the school will issue a conditional letter of offer; if more information is needed they will contact you to request it before issuing a conditional offer. Parents should watch their email closely during this stage and be ready to supply school reports, transcripts, or clarity about previous curricula. 4. Assessment and family meeting — For Early Childhood learners the school uses an observation by an education leader; Primary and Secondary applicants typically sit screener assessments in English, Mathematics, Chinese and General Reasoning, with other components added as required. All families are invited to a meeting with a member of the education leadership team so the school can better understand the child's background, learning needs, interests and any support required. Parents should prepare to discuss learning history, any SEN (special educational needs) support, and to ask about curriculum, language support and pastoral care during this meeting. 5. Offer acceptance and enrolment payment — Once assessments and meetings are completed the school issues an unconditional offer (subject to the family returning the signed acceptance and family contract). To confirm the place families pay an admissions/enrolment deposit of RMB 30,000 (the school's published information describes this as refundable when accepted according to their terms). Before you pay this deposit, check the contract carefully for timelines, refund conditions, and any deadlines for accepting the offer. 6. Tuition, boarding and payment schedule — Published sources for recent academic years show annual tuition in the range of approximately RMB 220,000 (Early Years) up to about RMB 328,000 (senior grades), and the school operates a boarding facility for secondary students (capacity published as around 500 boarders). Parents should request the current official fee schedule from admissions because published ranges vary by year, grade and program (and may not include additional charges such as uniforms, transport, meals, exam or activity fees). If you need instalment options, sibling discounts or an exact cost breakdown (tuition vs boarding vs one-off levies), ask the admissions office and request the written fee policy for the year you plan to start. If you want, I can draft an e-mail you can send to the school's admissions office asking for the latest fee schedule, payment terms, refund policy and exact list of documents required for your child's year group.
Scholarships	Scholarships AISG has offered an IB Secondary School Scholarship for the 2026–2027 cohort (announcement on the school website). That scholarship is targeted at new students entering Grade 9 or 10, requires the student to reside in Guangzhou with a caregiver or legal guardian, and is limited to families who are self‑payers or partial self‑payers; applicants must meet standard AISG admissions requirements and hold a foreign passport. The program is described as merit‑and‑need based, competitive, and limited in number (the announcement stated up to five scholarships awarded annually), with a potential up to four‑year renewal based on conditions such as maintaining good academic standing; the announcement also referenced the scholarship value (noted as ¥1.3M+ when counted across the award period) and included an application deadline (the post cited Jan 30 for that cycle). The school's public materials do not present a broad, ongoing general financial‑aid program beyond this named scholarship announcement, so for current availability, application windows, selection criteria, or any other scholarships you should contact AISG Admissions directly.	Scholarships ISA Science City publishes an internal programme called ISA Global Pioneers (run via the Student Enrichment Centre) that selects students (notably in Grades 9–11) by academic and comprehensive assessment to receive scholarships to participate in ISAIEG academic programmes and enrichment activities. The Student Enrichment Centre page describes the ISAGP selection process (academic assessment and comprehensive assessment) and notes that selected students are offered special scholarships to participate in those programmes. Separate public-facing articles and school communications for 2025 reference scholarship opportunities connected with ISAGP and promotional scholarship campaigns; however, detailed eligibility rules, the value of awards (for example partial vs full tuition), availability by year group, and application deadlines are not published in full on the school's basic admissions pages. For a clear answer about what scholarships are currently available, how they are awarded, what they cover (tuition or programme fees), and the application timetable, contact the school's admissions or the Student Enrichment Centre and request the scholarship policy and application form.
Waitlist	Waitlist AISG operates a waitlist. If your child qualifies for admission but there are no seats available in the desired grade or program, the school will place the student on its waitlist and offer seats to waitlisted students as they become available according to AISG's admissions criteria. You must submit a complete application and your child must meet admissions criteria before AISG will add them to the waitlist; if AISG cannot offer a place for the academic year applied for, families must submit a new application for the following year (with updated documents and payment of the application fee). AISG also monitors seat availability throughout the year and begins offering seats in early April, so applying earlier improves your chances of receiving an offer rather than remaining on the waitlist.	Waitlist The school's published admissions pages and public enrolment guidance do not describe a formal waitlist or wait-pool system. The application-process page sets out application, assessment and offer steps but does not explain how the school manages oversubscription or waiting lists; because many international schools use waitlists differently from year to year, the safest option is to ask the admissions office directly whether a waitlist is used for your child's year group and, if so, what (if any) deposit or timeline is required to hold a place. Contact the admissions office to confirm current practice and any priority rules (for example sibling priority or returning students).
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