Beanstalk International Bilingual School - Shunyi vs Tsinghua International School
Beanstalk International Bilingual School - Shunyi and Tsinghua International School are both in Beijing, about 17 km apart. Both schools offer Chinese National programmes. Beanstalk International Bilingual School - Shunyi also offers IB, and Tsinghua International School also offers American and Advanced Placement (AP). Published annual fees are RMB 209,750 - 278,000 at Beanstalk International Bilingual School - Shunyi and RMB 186,000 - 218,000 at Tsinghua International School, which puts Beanstalk International Bilingual School - Shunyi roughly 21% higher. Beanstalk International Bilingual School - Shunyi takes pupils from 2 to 18, and Tsinghua International School from 6 to 18. The two are similar in size, at around 521 and 560 pupils.
IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Chinese National Curriculum
Curriculum
American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), Chinese National Curriculum
Pupils
Pupils
521
Pupils
560
Typical class size
Typical class size
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Typical class size
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Instruction language
Instruction language
English, Mandarin
Instruction language
English, Mandarin
Opened
Opened
2009
Opened
2009
Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Beanstalk International Bilingual School — Shunyi (Tianzhu) Campus is at No. 15 Liyuan Street, Tianzhu, Shunyi District, Beijing. The campus is close to Beijing Capital International Airport and the Beijing International Exhibition Center, making it convenient for families who travel by air. The website lists the campus size and basic facilities (tennis court, indoor stadium, library, etc.).
Location
Tsinghua International School (THIS) is on the Tsinghua University High School campus in Haidian District, Beijing, opposite the Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace), with a strong academic neighbourhood and university links. The school is reachable using local roads and public transport serving the Zhongguancun/Tsinghua area; the school's address and office phone are listed on its website.
Stages
Stages
The school offers around 15 years of education from kindergarten through senior high (ages shown as 2–18) and is accredited for the IB Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and Diploma (DP) programmes. This covers Early Years/Kindergarten, Primary (PYP), Middle (MYP) and Senior/Pre‑University (DP) levels.
Stages
THIS operates a Primary, Middle and High School program (grades 1–12) with separate curriculum pages for the middle and high school divisions. The curriculum is based on U.S. Common Core standards combined with required Chinese language and culture courses.
School type
School type
The Shunyi campus is a bilingual IB day school and is part of the Beanstalk Education Group. The Shunyi site page does not advertise boarding; a different BIBS campus (Huairou) is described as developing a boarding provision.
School type
THIS is a co-educational international school attached to Tsinghua University High School (清华附中) and serves international and returning Chinese students. The school has undergone WASC accreditation processes and has reported receiving WASC accreditation in its published materials.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
The Student Welfare and Development Department includes school psychologists and learning‑support staff; homeroom teachers (elementary) and grade‑level Personal Tutors (middle/high) are the first points of contact for concerns. The school runs Social Emotional Learning programmes (noted for Years 6–10) and refers specific issues to the Student Welfare team.
Additional learning support
THIS provides English-language support for students still mastering English: Structured English Immersion (SEI) classes are offered in middle school and eligibility is determined using the WIDA test. The school website does not publish a detailed, separate Special Educational Needs (SEN) department description; if your child has diagnosed learning needs, contact the admissions office to discuss specific accommodations and assessments.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
The school is based in Beijing, China, and is operated under the Beanstalk Education Group.
Country affiliation
The international school is part of (operates on the campus of) Tsinghua University High School and is run within Beijing, China; admissions information notes it enrolls foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan for grades 1–12.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
The campus website does not indicate any religious affiliation.
Religious affiliation
No religious affiliation is stated on the school's official materials; THIS presents itself as a secular international school.
School day structure
School day structure
The school website and the public admissions FAQ do not publish a daily start/end timetable or detailed break/lunch times for the Shunyi campus. For exact school‑day hours and a sample timetable, the admissions office (bibsadmissions‑sy@bibs.com.cn) should be contacted.
School day structure
Published and parent-facing summaries report a typical school day beginning around 08:00 and ending around 15:15, with extracurricular activities and after-school clubs running later in the afternoon (for example, many activities are reported around 15:30–17:30). Exact daily schedules, start/end times and break/lunch arrangements vary by division and year level—confirm current times with admissions.
Bus service details
Bus service details
The campus website and admissions FAQ do not provide published details of a school bus service or external transport provider for the Shunyi campus. If you need transport routes, pick‑up/drop‑off locations, or provider names and costs, contact the admissions team directly — they can confirm whether a bus service is available and share routes and arrangements.
Bus service details
THIS offers a daily school-bus service with designated pick-up and drop-off points for elementary, middle and high school students; external summaries report multiple routes across Beijing (commonly reported as around eleven routes). Parents should contact the admissions or transport office for current route maps, pick-up points, fees and registration procedures. }
Tuition — Shunyi (annual and per‑term illustration) - Pre‑school / Kindergarten (学前班): RMB 209,750 per year (annual). - Primary (Grade 1–5): RMB 256,000 per year (annual). - Middle & High (Grade 6–12): RMB 278,000 per year (annual). - Note on per‑term: the figures above are published as annual tuition. If invoiced in two terms, the simple arithmetic split per term would be (annual ÷ 2) — use that only as an illustration unless you have the school invoice showing term billing.
What the tuition typically includes / excludes - Tuition figures are commonly reported as including on‑site lunch/meal provision. Additional optional services (school bus, boarding, extra‑curricular program costs, external exam fees) are usually charged separately.
Optional / Other fees - School uniform (full set): around RMB 2,500 (one‑off purchase). - School bus (optional): typical ranges reported RMB 8,000–26,000 per year depending on route; common ranges for Shunyi listings are roughly RMB 10,000–20,000 per year. - Boarding / accommodation (where offered for eligible grades): Shunyi campus reported boarding options with typical annual charges around RMB 40,000 per year (3‑person room) and RMB 45,000 per year (2‑person room). Availability is usually for higher grades and is campus/room‑type dependent.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Published summaries for the school group show tuition quoted as annual amounts; practice at comparable Beijing international schools is to issue an invoice for the full academic year with specified payment deadlines (often prior to term start) or allow staged payments — verify the invoice terms for exact deadlines.
Refunds and deposits - No centrally published, detailed refund policy for Shunyi tuition and deposits was located in publicly available admissions materials. Registration/application fees are commonly treated as non‑refundable in the sector; refundable deposits (where used) are normally subject to deduction for fees or damages in exit procedures — confirm final terms on the school invoice or contract.
Payment methods (typical options used by schools in China) - Common payment channels for international school tuition: domestic bank transfer, international wire (SWIFT), and often school invoicing for corporate payment. Credit card / online‑payment options vary by school and may incur fees; Alipay/WeChat options are used by some schools. Check the invoice for the accepted options and required remittance details.
(Amounts shown are the commonly reported published tuition and ancillary fee levels for the Shunyi/Tianzhu campus in the current 2025–2026 reporting cycle.)
Fee details
Application fees
- The school's public admissions pages do not list a specific, published application or registration fee amount. Applications are submitted through the school's OpenApply portal; OpenApply supports collecting application fees and records payments, but THIS does not publish an application-fee figure on its public pages.
Tuition fees by year group (published annual rates)
- Primary (Elementary): RMB 186,000 per academic year.
- Lower secondary (Middle/Junior high): RMB 208,000 per academic year.
- Upper secondary (High school): RMB 218,000 per academic year.
(Note: the school's published fee page gives these amounts as annual fees for the 2024–25 academic year; no per-term breakdown is published on the school's fee page.)
Per-term amounts and billing frequency
- The school's public fee page states annual tuition only; it does not publish a per-term fee or an explicit billing frequency (for example, whether tuition is invoiced annually, by semester, or by term). Therefore no official per-term figures or invoicing schedule can be provided from the public pages.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school's public pages do not set out a published billing calendar, invoice due dates, late-payment penalties, or detailed payment terms. The admissions pages explain the application and assessment timeline (including two common intake cutoff dates), but the site does not publish the school's invoicing or refund deadlines.
Boarding / accommodation fees
- The school's published fees page does not list boarding or accommodation fees and does not describe boarding as a standard, published offering on the international‑department fee page. No official boarding fee is published on the school's public fee page.
Other costs and typical ancillary charges
- School lunches: the school confirms lunch is charged separately and gives a general range of about RMB 15–25 per meal for cafeteria lunches.
- Other ancillary costs: the school's fee page states that “other fees will be charged according to actual circumstances” but does not itemize school-uniform costs, transportation (school bus), exam fees (AP/IB), extracurricular trip costs, learning‑materials or device charges. These items are therefore not published in detail on the school's public fee page.
Refund information
- The school's publicly available fee page does not publish a general refund policy (for example, pro‑rata refunds, deadlines for withdrawal refunds, or conditions for refunding deposits). No specific refund terms are shown on the publicly available admissions or fee pages.
Fee payment options (methods commonly used / platform noted)
- The school uses the OpenApply online admissions platform for applications; OpenApply supports recording payments made by credit card and by bank transfer, and can issue invoices and receipts through the portal. The school's public pages do not, however, publish an explicit list of all accepted payment methods (for example, which card networks are accepted or local bank details). Parents completing payment through OpenApply would normally see available payment methods in their applicant invoice.
Summary of what is and is not published (brief)
- Published clearly on the school site: annual tuition for Primary (RMB 186,000), Middle (RMB 208,000) and High School (RMB 218,000) (shown as the school's 2024–25 annual rates) and an approximate cafeteria lunch cost (RMB 15–25 per meal).
- Not published on the school's public pages: a specific application fee amount, per-term tuition amounts or confirmed billing frequency, detailed billing/payment terms and deadlines, boarding fees or a boarding policy, uniform costs, exam or activity fees itemized, and a formal refund policy. The admissions portal (OpenApply) is used for applications and supports payment collection, but the school's public pages do not list exact payment-method acceptances or invoicing schedules.
If you require these specific items (application fee amount, per-term invoices, boarding costs, refund rules, or accepted payment instruments) the school's admissions office provides applicant invoices via the OpenApply portal and can supply official invoicing and payment-term documentation directly to enrolled or admitted families.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
—
Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
—
Governance and ownership
—
Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Beanstalk International Bilingual School (Shunyi) integrates the Chinese National Education Program with IB inquiry- and project-based approaches to deliver a bilingual “BIBS+” pathway across 15 years of education from kindergarten through senior high. For early years (BIK, roughly ages 2–5) the school uses a balanced/early‑years programme that draws on PYP concepts with bilingual immersion. Primary students (about ages 6–12, elementary/G1–G6) follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), teaching core subjects through inquiry in both English and Chinese. Middle school (IB MYP, roughly ages 11–16, G6–G9/G10) continues the MYP framework with subject-based learning, interdisciplinary projects and bilingual delivery. Senior high (G11–G12, ages 16–19) offers the IB Diploma Programme (DP); the campus is WASC‑approved and issues a senior‑high diploma described as equivalent to a US high‑school diploma, with college counselling for university placement.
Curriculum details
Tsinghua International School (THIS) operates an international K–12 programme (Grades 1–12) that integrates Western curricula with sustained Chinese language and cultural study. The elementary programme (Grades 1–5) follows a US-style curriculum aligned with the Common Core and AERO standards, uses Singapore Math and Beijing Normal/PRC-aligned materials for Chinese, and emphasizes project- and inquiry-based learning. The middle school (Grades 6–8) continues this inquiry-based US standards approach with bilingual English/Chinese tracks, world language options (including French and Spanish) and STEAM offerings. The high school is credit-based (minimum 25 credits for graduation; the school recommends ~28 for competitive university preparation), follows US Common Core frameworks through Grade 11, and provides a wide range of required and elective courses across sciences, mathematics, humanities, arts and technology. For external qualifications and assessments, THIS is an authorized AP provider and on‑campus test centre (offers roughly 16 AP courses and administers AP, SAT, ACT and PSAT exams), so students typically prepare for AP exams and standardised admissions tests rather than IB/IGCSE pathways.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
—
Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
—
English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
—
Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
—
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
—
Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
—
Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
—
Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
—
Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Book a visit or request information: Parents should use the school's published booking channel (the website's “Book a Tour” / QR-code reservation guidance) to arrange a campus visit or initial enquiry. The English admissions FAQ on the Beanstalk/ BIBS site explicitly asks parents to scan the QR code to make an appointment on working days, and this is the fastest way to see the campus and speak with admissions staff. Scheduling a visit early is useful because availability and interview slots are managed by the admissions office.
2. Obtain and complete the application form / pack: The site says you can collect an application pack from the campus Admissions Office or download the application form from the website and submit it to the campus admissions office. Parents should read the application pack carefully because it will list required supporting documents (the admissions page refers to “other materials” to be submitted with the form). If you prefer, request the pack or form by email to the campus admissions contact before your visit so you can prepare documents in advance.
3. Prepare supporting documents: The admissions pages refer to submitting the application plus “other materials” to the campus admissions office but do not publish a full checklist online; contact admissions to confirm the exact list for your child. Be prepared to provide current/previous school records or transcripts, identification (passport/ID), and any language or assessment reports — and ask the school which specific documents they require for your child's year level. Confirm document translation and notarisation requirements (if any) with admissions before submission.
4. Assessment / interview scheduling: After the school receives an application and materials, Admissions will contact you to set the interview and assessment date. Entrance assessment content varies by year level: the school's FAQ lists the entrance requirements in broad terms — Kindergarten: age check; Elementary: age, language, maths, previous records and interview; Middle/High School: language, maths, previous records and interview — so plan for both an interview and some age-appropriate English/math checks for older children. Bring originals of documents to the interview and arrive prepared to discuss your child's recent school history and learning needs.
5. Results and offer: Following the assessment/interview, Admissions will advise whether a place is offered. The website describes the assessment stages but does not publish detailed timelines for when offers are sent, so ask admissions at your interview for the expected decision date and any deadlines for accepting an offered place. If an offer is made, confirm with Admissions what paperwork, signed acceptance forms, and payments (deposit/first term tuition, if applicable) are required to secure the place.
6. Acceptance, payment and enrolment formalities: The campus website does not publish a public fee schedule or the specific acceptance-payment steps for Shunyi, so parents should request the current fee schedule, deposit policy and payment deadlines directly from the Shunyi admissions office (email and phone are listed on the campus page). Before making payments, ask for a written fee schedule and the school's refund/cancellation policy in writing. Keep copies of signed acceptance forms and payment receipts for your records.
7. Mid-year entry and start dates: The admissions FAQ states that students can join at any point during the academic year subject to availability and meeting entrance requirements. If you plan a mid-term start, check class availability, curriculum catch-up arrangements, and whether the school runs assessments only at fixed intake points or on rolling dates. Confirm start date, timetable and any orientation arrangements so your child can integrate smoothly.
8. Special needs or language support and follow-up: If your child requires English-as-an-additional-language support, learning support, or has medical/health needs, disclose this early in the process and ask the admissions team how such needs are assessed and supported. The school's college-counselling and student-welfare pages (group-level) indicate structured support services, but specific support plans and staffing should be confirmed with Shunyi Admissions and the campus student welfare team. Ask for written details of the proposed support, monitoring, and review process before you accept a place.
Admissions
1. Prepare application documents. Parents should gather photocopies and bring originals to the in-person interview: student identification (passport and, if applicable, current China visa page; for Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan residents the specific travel/ID documents listed by the school), a color passport-style photo (3.3 x 4.8 cm), immunization record (original and scanned copy), recent school transcripts and any award certificates, and parents' valid ID plus parents' undergraduate degree certificates. For specific grades, THIS requires particular documentary ranges (for example: original transcripts of the most recent one year for grade 2 applicants, two years for grades 3–8, and all transcripts since grade 9 for grade 9–11 applicants) — confirm which original documents you must bring because some documents are requested as originals at interview.
2. Complete and submit the online application. All applications are submitted through THIS's online application system (OpenApply); when you enter referee information the system will automatically send a secure link to teachers for recommendation forms, so provide accurate teacher email addresses. The school operates year‑round admissions, but applications are processed in the order received, so submit early if you need a specific start term; keep copies of every uploaded PDF and note the system checklist so you don't miss required items.
3. Testing and observation (school assessment). After the admissions office reviews materials, the student will be invited to an assessment day: a ~15-minute comprehensive potential assessment and written tests; applicants for Grade 7+ must take a mathematics test, and non‑native Chinese speakers take a Chinese placement test. Grade 1 applicants who pass the test also take a behavioral observation session; test results are valid for six months, so if you plan to defer more than six months the student will need to retake the tests. Plan travel and scheduling around the test date and bring originals of all documents requested on the day.
4. Family interview (where applicable). Students who perform well in the tests (and in the Grade 1 observation, if applicable) may be invited, together with their parents, to a family interview — typically within about a week after testing; Grade 1 students are an exception and do not have the family interview stage. Use the interview to clarify academic needs, language support, and any special educational or medical needs; bring any documents that support requests (IEPs, medical records, etc.) because the interview is used to confirm fit and logistics.
5. Admission decision and next steps. The admissions office will notify applicants by email once all steps (tests, observation, interview where applicable) are complete; responses are generally sent after the full application process finishes (the school indicates decisions are communicated by email). If offered a place, confirm deadlines for acceptance, start‑of‑term paperwork, visa/residence permit requirements and any payment deadlines — the school lists two cut‑off dates for transfer enrollments (Nov 15 for first semester and Mar 15 for second semester), so check these if you are requesting mid‑year entry. For specific payment instructions, enrollment deposits, or registration procedures, contact THIS Admissions directly (phone/email listed on the school site).
Scholarships
Scholarships
The Shunyi campus public pages do not publish an incoming-student scholarship or fee-remission programme. At the group level, Beanstalk/BIBS has public references to scholarship-style awards for graduating students (for example the Beanstalk “Green Vine” scholarship mentioned in the school yearbook) and the College Counselling service states it assists students in applying for university scholarships and financial support. However, there is no clear, published admissions-scholarship policy for new entrants to the Shunyi campus on the English or Chinese campus pages. If you want to pursue scholarship or financial-aid options, contact Shunyi Admissions and the College Counselling Office to ask whether any campus-level or group-level scholarships, merit awards, or financial-aid schemes are currently available, what the eligibility criteria are, and what application deadlines and supporting evidence are required. The two relevant references on the BIBS site are the college-counselling overview (which mentions help applying for scholarships) and the group yearbook/article that documents the Beanstalk Green Vine award; these illustrate that scholarship awards exist at the group level but do not confirm a standard incoming-student scholarship at Shunyi. For up-to-date, formal details request the campus' written policy or a fees-and-scholarship schedule from Admissions.
Scholarships
The school's official admissions and fees pages list tuition and incidental fees but do not publish a K–12 scholarship, tuition assistance, or fee‑remission program on the public site. For the 2024–25 academic year THIS lists tuition in RMB and specifies per‑year amounts by division (Primary ¥186,000; Middle ¥208,000; High ¥218,000) and notes that lunch and other incidental fees are charged separately (lunch typically ~¥15–25 per meal). If you would like to confirm whether any merit‑ or need‑based assistance, sibling discounts, payment plans, or bursaries are available in the current or coming year, contact THIS Admissions (phone: +86 10 6277‑1477 / +86 10 6279‑7000; email: this@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn) because the school's public pages do not describe such programs.
Waitlist
Waitlist
The school's English admissions FAQ does not describe a formal waitlist or central ‘pool' system on the public pages; instead the site notes that mid-year admission is possible “subject to availability.” In practice this means the campus manages places at the programme/grade level and will advise parents of available places after assessment and interview. Because the website does not publish a waitlist policy or prioritisation rules, parents who are offered a place late or who are told no place is available should ask Admissions whether their child can be placed on a waiting list, the child's position on that list, and whether deposits or acceptance forms are required to hold a prospective place. For the most reliable, up-to-date information about waiting lists at the Shunyi campus, contact the campus admissions office directly (phone and email are listed on the campus page).
Waitlist
THIS states it uses rolling admissions and that places are allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis; the school's public pages describe admissions as “rolling” and encourage applicants to contact admissions early because enrollment is by available places. The website does not publish a formal waitlist policy or describe a separate ‘pool' of held applicants; if you need to know whether THIS will hold a declined place on a waitlist or how long a held offer remains active, ask the admissions office directly (telephone and admissions email are published on the site). For transfer requests or timing questions, note the two published cut‑off dates (Nov 15 and Mar 15) and confirm how the school manages late applications in the year you apply.