Beijing City International School vs Dulwich College Beijing

	B Beijing City International School Beijing, China	Dulwich College Beijing Beijing, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 244,000 - 343,500	Fees / year RMB 245,000 - 373,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP), Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 1,275	Pupils 1,600
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 18
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2005	Opened 2005
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Main campus: No. 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022. The Early Childhood Center is nearby at No. 11 Dongbai Street (both in the Shuangjing / Baiziwan area close to the CBD). The site is inside Chaoyang District with good road links to central Chaoyang residential compounds and public transport; the school's contact page lists both campus addresses and phone numbers.	Location Dulwich College Beijing is on Capital Airport Road in the Shunyi district, close to many expatriate residential compounds and a 20–40 minute drive from central Beijing depending on traffic. The school lists its main campus address as 89 Capital Airport Road, Shunyi District.
Stages	Stages BCIS is divided into an Early Childhood Center/Courtyard Kindergarten (Toddler–Kindergarten), an Elementary School (Grade 1–5) and a Secondary School (Grade 6–12). The admissions page and school sections show age/grade guidance and entry cut-off dates by academic year.	Stages The College is an all‑through international school: DUCKS (early years) for ages 3–7, Junior School for primary years, and Senior School for Years 7–13 (up to age 18). Entry guidance and age-placement information are provided on the admissions pages.
School type	School type BCIS is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school (no boarding provision is listed). The school's materials describe it as an international school that admits both foreign and Chinese national students who reside in Beijing.	School type Dulwich College Beijing is a private, co‑educational day school following British/international curricula; it offers IGCSE and the IB Diploma (and from 2025 an A‑level option). The school does not advertise on‑site, long‑term boarding for its regular cohorts (the IB/official listings record ‘day' boarding status).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support BCIS runs a Student Support Services program that includes counselling, Learning Support (for learners across the ability range) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) support; specialists work with classroom teachers to provide targeted interventions. The school also publishes child-protection and wellbeing policies and describes coordinated support for social–emotional needs.	Additional learning support The College runs an EAL (English as an Additional Language) programme and a Learning Support team; EAL teachers work across year groups and the school publishes staff and role descriptions for learning‑support posts. Admissions consider additional learning needs on a case‑by‑case basis and the school provides in‑class or small‑group support where appropriate.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation BCIS is an international school with no single-country affiliation; it admits students of all nationalities and is registered with the Chaoyang District education authorities. The school's site and admissions material state its international intake and local registration.	Country affiliation The school is part of the Dulwich College International group and follows a British international school model; it is based in China rather than affiliated to a religious organisation or to a foreign government.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public materials; its mission and programs are presented secularly on the official site.	Religious affiliation Dulwich College Beijing does not present itself as a faith school; no formal religious affiliation is stated in its public materials.
School day structure	School day structure School hours vary slightly by campus but the school day typically runs in the morning to mid/late afternoon (most published timetables show starts around 08:10–08:30 and regular finishes in the 15:30–15:45 range). BCIS also operates an earlier finish on Wednesdays (afternoon departure times are earlier on that day) and offers after-school enrichment sessions.	School day structure Daily timetables differ by division (early years, primary, secondary). Public pages describe registration, morning lessons, a midday lunch break and afternoon lessons, but the school's published website/parent handbook should be consulted for exact start/finish times for each division and current term schedules. For precise daily hours ask Admissions or refer to the Parent Handbook.
Bus service details	Bus service details BCIS operates an in-house school bus service; parents request places via a transport application form and the school lists dedicated bus coordinators and contact details. A free shuttle runs between the Main Campus and the ECC during school days; regular and late buses operate in the afternoons. The school names its contracted provider (Hu Hang (Beijing) School Bus Operation Management Co. Ltd.), and notes safety features such as GPS tracking, professional drivers/attendants and vehicle air-purification systems.	Bus service details The College operates an extensive school‑bus programme with routes covering Shunyi and downtown Beijing; the site notes more than 30 routes and professional bus monitors who work with drivers under the school's safeguarding and H&S policies. The admissions section lists annual and termly bus fees (separate rates for Shunyi vs downtown routes) and advises families on how to apply for bus service. }
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - A non‑refundable application fee applies. For applications to the 2025–2026 school year the published application fee is RMB 3,000. Tuition fees — annual (by year group) The school's published fee schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year lists annual tuition by age/grade. The following figures are the school-year (annual) tuition amounts quoted in RMB: - Toddler (Nursery 2): RMB 244,000 per year. - Kindergarten (younger kindergarten levels shown by some sources as Kindg 1 / Kindg 2): RMB 265,000 – RMB 285,000 per year (depending on kindergarten level). - Grades 1–5 (Elementary): RMB 298,000 per year. - Grades 6–8 (Lower/Middle secondary): RMB 321,500 per year. - Grades 9–10 (Upper secondary / IGCSE‑equivalent years): RMB 332,000 per year. - Grades 11–12 (IB Diploma / senior years): RMB 343,500 per year. (Third‑party compilations of BCIS fees for recent previous years show similar annual ranges and list the same fee categories; these are consistent with the 2025–2026 figures above. ) Per‑term figures (inference from annual amounts) - The school states that “school fees are payable in advance.” The publicly posted fee schedule gives annual fees; a per‑term amount is not published on the public fee page. If a family is invoiced on a two‑term / two‑semester basis, a simple division of the annual fee by two produces the following illustrative per‑term amounts (this is an arithmetical division of the published annual fee and not an official BCIS semester invoice): - Toddler: approx. RMB 122,000 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Grades 1–5: approx. RMB 149,000 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Grades 11–12: approx. RMB 171,750 per term (annual ÷ 2). - Note: this per‑term split is an inferred calculation based on the published annual fees because the public fees page states only that fees are payable in advance and does not display an official semester billing table. Families should expect invoices that reflect the school's chosen billing arrangement for the year. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's published statement indicates that school fees are payable in advance; fees include tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and any bus service fees. Parents are advised that fees are reviewed regularly and to anticipate annual increases. - The application fee is explicitly described as non‑refundable. Boarding fees - BCIS operates as a day school; boarding facilities are not part of the school's provision. There is no published boarding fee because BCIS is a day school. Other costs and typical additional fees - New‑student / admission administration fee: several independent local school listings and parent guides cite a one‑time new‑student (enrolment) fee around RMB 15,000 for BCIS; this has been listed in recent school‑profile compilations. - Transportation (school bus): independent compilations show typical annual bus fees in the range of approximately RMB 17,600 to RMB 24,200 (actual amount depends on route/zone). - Uniforms: the school provides the first full school uniform set free to students in Toddler through Grade 10; families may order additional uniform items at cost through the school's uniform ordering system. - MacBook / device costs: BCIS requires students in Grades 4–12 to have a MacBook that meets the school's specified minimums; the school works with an authorized reseller to offer discounted education pricing and recommends AppleCare. Device purchase and any recommended extended warranty are additional family costs. - Lunch / meal charges: arrangements differ by campus; ECC lunch/snacks are included in the ECC tuition, while Main Campus students often use a pre‑paid pass for on‑campus meals—expect separate meal charges where noted. (School publications and school‑profile listings describe differing arrangements by campus.) - Extracurricular, trips, external examination fees and some optional activities (e.g., individual music tuition, certain overseas trips) are typically charged in addition to tuition where applicable. Independent school guides list these as common additional costs. Refund information - The application fee is non‑refundable. BCIS's public tuition page gives the high‑level statement that fees are payable in advance, but a detailed public refund schedule or a detailed withdrawal/tuition‑refund table is not shown on the publicly visible tuition page. Families should expect that some one‑time fees (application, administration) are treated as non‑refundable; specific refund percentages and notice periods for tuition withdrawals are not publicly itemized on the BCIS tuition page. Fee payment options - The school's public materials indicate fees are payable in advance and are invoiced by the school; typical payment methods used by international K‑12 schools in Beijing include local bank transfer (RMB), and international bank transfer (USD/RMB) as invoiced, and card payments where accepted by the school's billing platform. Parents frequently receive specific bank details and accepted payment methods on the invoice. The BCIS published pages do not display a single public list of accepted payment methods on the tuition summary page; families receive precise payment instructions on their invoice. Key practical notes for parents (factual summary) - Application fee: RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable). - Annual tuition: ranges by year group from about RMB 244,000 (Toddler) up to about RMB 343,500 (Grades 11–12) for the 2025–2026 school year, per published fee compilations. - First full uniform set is provided at no charge for Toddler–Grade 10; additional uniform items are payable by families. - Students in Grades 4–12 must meet the school's MacBook specification and typically purchase the device (discounted reseller option available). - BCIS is a day school; no boarding fees apply. (Where the public page gives only annual totals, per‑term amounts shown above were calculated by halving the published annual fee to illustrate how an equal two‑term split would look; that split is an arithmetic inference and not an official BCIS semester invoice. For billing‑cycle details, invoice breakdowns and precise additional fees for items such as buses, AppleCare or optional trips, consult the invoice you receive from the school.)	Fee details Application fees - Application Fee: RMB 2,900 (one-off, non-refundable, non-transferable). - Placement Deposit: RMB 18,000 (refundable subject to the College's terms and conditions; non-transferable). - Capital Development Fee (new students only): RMB 15,000 (one-time, non-refundable). Tuition fees (2025/2026) — annual and per-term - Nursery: Annual RMB 245,000; Per term RMB 85,800. - Reception: Annual RMB 245,000; Per term RMB 85,800. - Years 1–2: Annual RMB 297,000; Per term RMB 104,000. - Years 3–6: Annual RMB 323,000; Per term RMB 113,100. - Years 7–9: Annual RMB 343,000; Per term RMB 120,100. - Years 10–11: Annual RMB 362,000; Per term RMB 126,700. - Years 12–13: Annual RMB 373,000; Per term RMB 130,600 — note: Year 13 fees must be paid annually. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition may be paid annually or by term (exception: Year 13 must be paid annually). Annual payment attracts a more favourable rate. Each term's tuition and other sums are due before the beginning of the College term. The College may require annual payment in cases of repeated late termly payments. Families with three or more children enrolled in full-day programmes receive a 5% discount per student. Boarding fees - Dulwich College Beijing is a co-educational day school; boarding is not applicable. Other costs and charges - School bus service: Zone A (Downtown) Annual RMB 23,000 / Per term RMB 8,100; Zone B (Shunyi) Annual RMB 17,010 / Per term RMB 6,000. - School lunch: optional and not included in tuition; charged separately. Uniforms: required (except Years 12–13) and purchased via the School Uniform Order System. Optional trip fees, exam charges included in tuition; miscellaneous charges may apply. Late payment administration charge: RMB 1,000 per reminder. Official tax receipts (Fapiao) issued for fee payments (deposit excluded). Refund information and withdrawal notice - A full term's tuition is payable for any term in which the student attends (in part or whole) or if inadequate withdrawal notice is given. Withdrawal notice deadlines: 15 Oct for withdrawal in/at Term 2; 31 Jan for withdrawal in/at Term 3; 1 Apr for withdrawal at end of Term 3 or for Term 1 of following year. Refund schedule examples are set out in the Terms and Conditions (annual and term refund percentages vary by notice date). The Placement Deposit may be used to offset unpaid fees and is refundable in accordance with withdrawal and refund policies. Fee payment options - Accepted methods: bank transfers in RMB or USD, and cash payments (RMB only). Bank account details appear on invoices; when paying by USD wire transfer, the College requests use of the People's Bank of China approved RMB/USD middle exchange rate at time of payment. If a payment in foreign currency results in a shortfall the parent/guardian is liable for that shortfall. Credit card payment is not listed as a standard option in the fee schedule.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement The school provides one full school uniform set to students from Toddler to Grade 10. The uniform can be ordered online. For the 2025-2026 school year, the uniform order period begins August 10, 2025; new users register an account, log in with their Student or Staff ID, and follow the steps to place the order. The first full uniform set is free.	Uniform requirement Uniform is worn by Nursery to Year 11; Year 12 and 13 follow a business dress code. The uniform is designed with seasonal variants for warm and cold weather.
Food options	Food options The school provides healthy, balanced, high-quality meals and snacks. ECC campus catering times include breakfast 8:00-8:30, morning snack 10:00-11:00, lunch 12:00-12:50, and afternoon snack 14:00-15:00. Main Campus snack and lunch times are ES 10:30 and 12:30; SS 11:15. Contact emails are BCIS.ECC@zhongrongyx.com (ECC), BCIS.Maincampus@zhongrongyx.com (Main Campus), and foodservice@bcis.cn.	Food options A lunch program is available; students may bring lunch or pay for Sodexo-provided meals.
House system	House system —	House system In Senior School, there is a House System that fosters belonging, friendly competitions, leadership opportunities, and responsibilities for older students mentoring younger ones.
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership BCIS is a non-profit private school. It is governed by a Board of Trustees under a Head of School responsible system, with two committees: the Education & Development Committee and the Finance & Operations Committee. The Board Chair is Mr. He Lantian. Board Members include Mr. Tan Wee Seng, Ms. Liu Peng, Mr. Gou Yiqun, and Mr. Yang Jinfang.	Governance and ownership The school is part of Education in Motion (EiM) and is governed by Dulwich College Management International Limited (DCMI). EiM identifies Dulwich College as the founding school.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details BCIS delivers the International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme in Elementary (Grades 1–5), Middle Years Programme in Grades 6–10, and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; the school is authorised for PYP, MYP and DP. The Early Childhood Center (toddlers to kindergarten) uses a play‑based, inquiry‑led pedagogy aligned with the PYP transdisciplinary framework to prepare children for Grade 1. In Elementary the PYP drives learning across mathematics, language, personal/social/emotional development, science, social studies, visual arts, music and physical education, with EAL and Chinese language support. The MYP (Grades 6–10) continues inquiry‑based learning and includes arts (drama, music, visual art), individuals & societies, language & literature (English/Chinese), language acquisition (English/Chinese/Spanish), mathematics, physical & health education, sciences and design. In Grades 11–12 students may follow the IB Diploma (six DP subject groups plus Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) or a personalised IDEATE pathway/BCIS Diploma that can combine IB courses, in‑person IDEATE courses and online dual‑enrolment/university‑credit options.	Curriculum details Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) uses a play- and inquiry-based Early Years programme (DUCKS) and follows the Early Years Foundation Stage up to age 5, with a dual-language (English–Mandarin) approach for young learners. From Year 1 through Year 9 students follow an adapted National Curriculum of England delivered via a topic-based, cross‑curricular Junior School with specialist lessons in Mandarin, PE, art, design technology and music. Students in Years 10–11 follow a two‑year IGCSE programme, and Years 12–13 study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme; the school also indicates that A‑Level courses will be available as an option from 2025. Instruction is primarily in English, supplemented by structured Mandarin pathways for native and non‑native speakers and EAL support across the school. The curriculum is rounded out by specialist STEAM and liberal‑arts strands and extensive co‑curricular activities designed to develop skills beyond academic assessment.
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 BCIS describes social and emotional learning as part of its Student Support and school learning models: counsellors deliver guidance lessons (social skills, mindfulness, conflict resolution, digital citizenship), participate in homeroom/advisory programmes, and collaborate with teachers and families to support students' wellbeing. The Secondary School page explicitly states the school “prioritiz[es] social and emotional learning” within its learning model. The counselling team also runs whole‑school and year‑level wellbeing initiatives and parent workshops to support transitions and resilience. These provisions are described on the school's Student Support Services and counselling pages.	Social & emotional learning Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) describes SEL as part of its Student Wellbeing Framework, which emphasises students feeling Connected, Respected and Empowered and is embedded across the curriculum. The school teaches seven Dulwich Values (respect, resilience, confidence, kindness, responsibility, integrity and open‑mindedness) and uses the House system to build belonging, leadership and collaboration. Junior School runs a bespoke Wellbeing Curriculum with Mindful Mornings, while Senior School has a Deputy Head of Senior School (Wellbeing) who oversees the Elevate programme for study skills, motivation and confidence. Students are involved directly as Wellbeing Prefects/Champions and the school runs Parent Academies and provides access to the Tooled Up Education resource for families. These initiatives and roles are described on the DCB Wellbeing pages.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) BCIS states that its Learning Support (LS) programme is core to Student Support and combines guidance counsellors and LS teachers to support a wide range of student needs, including students with learning difficulties and students who are highly capable. The website explains LS works collaboratively with classroom teachers to create personalised interventions across the learning continuum. The school does not publish a detailed list of specific medical or diagnosable SEN categories it will or will not support, nor does it present itself as a specialist SEN institution on its public pages. For details or eligibility for particular needs families are directed to contact admissions or Student Support.	Special educational needs (SEN) DCB states that it enrols only students whose learning needs can be met by the services the school provides and that the Admissions team will consult families and review previous reports as part of the assessment process. The school's Admissions information says it will request all relevant documentation and conduct assessments to determine appropriate support and placement. DCB lists staff with roles in learning support (for example named Junior School Learning Support staff and assistant teachers supporting English and additional educational needs). The website does not present DCB as a specialist SEN institution; instead it indicates inclusion where needs can be met by its provision. For full details about specific therapies, diagnoses supported or specialist placements, families are asked to contact Admissions directly.
English as an additional language	English as an additional language BCIS states it operates a comprehensive English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme: specialist EAL teachers work alongside homeroom and subject teachers to provide structured, personalised EAL support across the curriculum. The Admissions pages also note English is the language of instruction and applicants may need to provide standard English test reports as part of admissions screening. The school therefore documents both in‑class EAL provision and expectations about English proficiency for admission.	English as an additional language The school publishes descriptions of EAL provision across age groups: DUCKS and Junior School pages describe in‑class EAL support, targeted small‑group sessions, preview/review strategies and use of translanguaging. DCB's communications note a Junior School EAL team (the site describes a team of EAL teachers working across year groups) and named leads involved in coordinating EAL provision. Admissions guidance also states the school can support a percentage of non‑native English speakers and may assess applicants' readiness for the academic programme. For specifics about levels of EAL support, staffing ratios or formal placement tests, the site asks families to contact the school or Admissions.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing BCIS describes a professional counselling team that provides confidential one‑to‑one and small‑group counselling, supports homeroom/advisory programmes, runs parent workshops, and designs interventions in collaboration with teachers and families. The school's counselling communications note specific wellbeing activities (e.g., Wellness Wednesdays, screen‑free wellness days) and ongoing contact with families during periods of remote learning. These services are presented as part of the Student Support/Counselling provision on the school site.	Mental wellbeing DCB's wellbeing material links mental wellbeing to its broader Student Wellbeing Framework and lists curriculum and school‑wide measures such as mindfulness in Junior School, the Elevate programme in Senior School, and student wellbeing leadership roles. The College also names dedicated counselling and social‑emotional staff on its community pages (for example Senior School and Junior School social‑emotional counsellors and other school counsellors listed on the staff directory). The school describes parent partnership through Parent Academies and access to the Tooled Up Education platform as part of its mental wellbeing support. For specifics about counselling referral processes, session frequency or external specialist referrals the website directs parents to contact the school for details.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding BCIS publishes a formal Child Protection Policy (approved December 2016, reviewed May 2023) that sets out aims, reporting procedures, staff training requirements, student keeping‑safe lessons, and responsibilities for preventing and responding to abuse and neglect. The Student Support Services page links to the Child Protection/Safeguarding documents and to related policies (Code of Conduct; Positive Relationships and Wellbeing; Digital Citizenship). The Child Protection Policy explicitly requires mandatory staff training, age‑appropriate student safety lessons, and established communication/flow‑chart procedures for disclosures.	Safeguarding DCB states safeguarding and child protection are of paramount importance and outlines a child‑centred approach based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The school describes a rigorous, regularly reviewed Safeguarding Policy, mandatory staff safeguarding training, whole‑college and school‑level designated safeguarding leads, and a Speak Out and Stay Safe reporting initiative. A downloadable Safeguarding Policy is linked from the school's Safeguarding page for parents and staff to review. For the school's full policy text and the named Designated Safeguarding Lead(s), please consult the Safeguarding page and linked policy on the DCB website.
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview BCIS operates across multiple Beijing campuses: the Early Childhood Center, Courtyard Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Secondary School. The Main Campus is located at 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The Early Childhood Center notes that the school has state-of-the-art facilities. There are libraries at the ECC, Elementary School, and Secondary School campuses designed to provide a safe, welcoming environment for reading, research and lifelong learning. The libraries and other on-site spaces support learning across age groups.	Facilities overview Dulwich College Beijing provides spaces designed to support intellectual, physical, social and emotional development. The campus features two sports domes, a multi‑purpose sports hall, six tennis courts, a FIFA two‑star rated football pitch, a natural grass rugby pitch and Beijing's only cricket pitch for students. Performing Arts facilities include the Wodehouse Theatre (602 seats) and the Edward Alleyn Theatre (300 seats), two Black Box theatres, spacious music rooms, an ICT suite for music production, a radio studio, art rooms and three libraries with access to over 70,000 resources. There are dedicated spaces for DUCKS, Junior School and Senior School, along with flexible indoor and outdoor spaces to support learning.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities BCIS provides a gym, a soccer field, a swimming pool, and a fitness room as on-site facilities. These spaces are available to the BCIS community, with opening hours posted and access subject to school events.	Sports facilities The campus offers extensive sport facilities, including two sports domes, a multi‑purpose sports hall, six tennis courts, a FIFA two‑star rated football pitch, a natural grass rugby pitch and Beijing's only cricket pitch for students.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities Three BCIS libraries—one at the Early Childhood Center, one at the Elementary School, and one at the Secondary School—are designed to create a pleasant and safe environment for teaching and learning. The libraries support reading, research and lifelong learning, with teacher librarians collaborating with teachers to integrate information literacy into the curriculum. Parents are welcome to check out books from the libraries; resources support personal, social, and emotional development. The libraries function as flexible resource centers for staff, students, parents and the wider BCIS community.	Academic facilities Academic facilities include three libraries with access to over 70,000 resources, an ICT suite for music production, a fully equipped radio studio and dedicated art rooms.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities BCIS offers Enrichment Activities across Athletic, Arts & Culture and Academic categories, including Swimming, Aeromodelling, Start Up, Model United Nations, Robot Maker, Orchestra, Brain Bee and many others. Week Without Walls provides off-campus learning experiences each year for Elementary and Secondary students. BCIS supports Athletics through a dedicated program, including the BCIS Water Warriors Swim Team for Grades 2–12.	Extra curricular facilities There are over 150 co‑curricular activities each year across categories such as Academic, Creative, Debate and Public Speaking, Performing Arts, Service and Action. Examples include robotics, Model United Nations, music, theatre and sport. Residential trips are offered, and the school is a member of ACAMIS and FOBISIA as well as the Dulwich family of schools.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History BCIS opened in 2005, initially enrolling fewer than 60 students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 and expanding its secondary provision in the years that followed. The school is operated as a non-profit and is a member institution of YueCheng Education. In August 2014 BCIS opened a purpose-built Early Childhood Center, and that facility later received LEED recognition. As the school has grown it has undertaken multi-year strategic planning processes to guide its development.	History Dulwich College Beijing opened in 2005 as the second school to join the Dulwich College International family. It was established with formal links to Dulwich College in London and is part of the Education in Motion / Dulwich network; the school's operations sit under the Dulwich group. Since opening the college has grown to educate more than 1,600 students and represents over 30 nationalities. Over time DCB has developed its own day-to-day traditions while drawing on the wider Dulwich heritage and calendar events.
Community	Community The BCIS community brings together international and local families, faculty, staff and alumni who participate in campus-wide events such as International Day, the Winter Bazaar and the Roundabout Book Fair. Student-led projects and extracurricular programs — including entrepreneurial challenges and sustainability activities run by student groups (for example, Eco Warriors) — involve family volunteers and local partners. The school posts regular news and calendar items and encourages parent participation through workshops, community events and school-hosted social gatherings.	Community The college community is multicultural and active, with the school marking cultural and calendar events such as Chinese New Year, Christmas, Remembrance Day and an annual Founder's Day that links Dulwich schools worldwide. A house system and structured student leadership (Student Council, head boy/girl and prefects) are used to build belonging and peer mentorship across year groups. Parent volunteers and the Friends of Dulwich contribute clubs, cultural activities and community gatherings that bring families, staff and students together.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association Membership in the BCIS PTA is automatic for parents, teachers and members of the school community; the PTA is organized as a non-profit body that aims to support the school's international character and community cohesion. The PTA helps plan and run specific events such as International Day, the Roundabout Book Fair, Spring in the City and the Winter Carnival/Bazaar. Fundraising is managed by the PTA and it operates a Grant Program through which Student Council, classes, individual students, teachers or management can apply for project support. The PTA also runs weekly language classes for members and hosts clubs and activities such as arts & crafts sessions and book clubs; many PTA activities rely on volunteers from the parent body. The PTA constitution (2010) and contact details for the PTA president and secretary are published on the school site.	Parent teacher association The school's parent organisation is Friends of Dulwich (FoD), a volunteer-run group whose stated purpose is to connect families with the school and with one another. FoD organises regular activities including New Family Orientation Day and a Friends Welcome Tea, runs teacher appreciation lunches, and supports the appointment of parent representatives to aid communication between families and the College. The group also coordinates community groups and clubs (for example a Culture Club, Connection Lunch and an A Cappella Club) and provides practical support for school events. FoD describes its role as strengthening community ties through volunteering, events and practical support for new families and staff. Participation is voluntary and FoD relies on parent volunteers to plan events, run clubs and support wider school initiatives.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual The school teaches in English. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). IDEATE is BCIS's high school pathway for Grades 9–12, with in‑person courses in IB (MYP or DP), optional IDEATE courses for Grades 11–12, online dual enrollment with Arizona State University and Savannah College of Art and Design, and online options via Global Online Academy and Virtual High School; university guidance supports the pathway.	Academic & intellectual The school has three divisions: DUCKS (ages 3 to 7), Junior School (ages 7 to 11), and Senior School (ages 11 to 18). In the Senior School, students follow the IGCSE syllabus and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school publishes IGCSE and IB results and university placements.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language The language of instruction is English. Mandarin is a core part of the curriculum; all high school students study Mandarin, with courses offered from complete beginners to native-level speakers. From Year 7, students begin an intensive European Languages programme. The school supports multilingualism through a dedicated Multi-Language Programme and translanguaging practices in DUCKS (early years) that mix English and Mandarin.
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 The school teaches in English. It is an International Baccalaureate World School that implements the Chinese national curriculum as part of its program.	Language provision Translanguaging enables use of English and Mandarin in learning, forming the basis of the program. Mandarin learning expands from Foundation Stage (whole-class Mandarin) to Key Stage One with Academic Mandarin and Life Skills Mandarin in differentiated groups, and progresses to senior levels through IGCSE, IB, and A Level. English as an Additional Language (EAL) support is available for non-native English speakers. A weekly Korean club offers additional language opportunities.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching The school uses a dual-language programme in DUCKS with English and Mandarin used interchangeably throughout the day (translanguaging). Mandarin learning is led by Dual Language Teachers and additional Chinese teachers and is integrated with Chinese culture from DUCKS through Junior School. The dual-language approach develops Mandarin and English concurrently, with translanguaging at the heart of learning. The EAL team provides targeted support for students who are non-native English speakers.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards Between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2026, the BCIS website explicitly records one school-level award won by the school itself: - China School Awards — "Enterprise and Employability" (winner, March 10, 2023). The BCIS news item describes that BCIS was selected as the winner of the Enterprise & Employability award in the China School Awards (organized by the British Chambers of Commerce); the prize recognises a school's work to develop students' employability and enterprise skills and was presented to the school. Note: I searched the school website for other items described as awards given to the school in the same five‑year window; other recognitions on the site (for example, project prizes or competition awards) refer to student teams or individual students and so were not included because you asked only for awards granted to the school as an institution.	Awards School-level awards won (as listed on the school website) in the past five years (Jan 1, 2021 — Jan 1, 2026): - British Schools Awards 2021 — Holistic Education Award (received Nov 7, 2021): The school reports it received the British Schools 2021 Holistic Education Award; the page describes this as recognition of the school's whole-child approach and related programmes. - British Schools Awards 2021 — Science & Technology Award (received Nov 7, 2021): The school reports it also received the British Schools 2021 Science and Technology Award, noted on the same school news page as recognition for technology- and STEM-related programmes. - International School Awards (ISA) 2022 — Pathways to Continued and University Education (received Jan 19, 2022): The school reports it was the recipient of the 2022 ISA in the Pathways to Continued and University Education category for its Worldwise Academy initiative. Notes and scope: the lists above include only awards that the Dulwich College Beijing website explicitly states the college (the school) received. The school website also records shortlisted nominations and many student-level awards and examination recognitions (for example shortlists for the China Schools Awards 2024 and TES Awards 2024, and individual examination awards), but those are either nominations/shortlists or student awards rather than school-level award wins and so are not included in the list above.
Accreditations	Accreditations 1) International Baccalaureate (IB) — BCIS is a fully authorized IB World School delivering the PYP, MYP and DP. This means the school has completed the IB authorization process and is approved to teach IB programmes, which involves regular review of curriculum and teaching against IB standards and practices. 2) Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) — BCIS states it is accredited by WASC. WASC accreditation indicates the school has met an external set of quality standards for governance, teaching and learning, and undergoes periodic review by WASC teams. 3) Council of International Schools (CIS) — BCIS states it is accredited by CIS. CIS accreditation is an international school-quality process that assesses the school's programme, leadership, resources and student support and is renewed through cyclical evaluation. 4) Approval by the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing — the school's website notes BCIS is approved/registered with the local education authority, which is the basis for its ability to enroll both international and Chinese-national students and indicates local regulatory recognition. 5) Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC) membership — BCIS's news item and admissions announcement list the school as a member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium, a membership that supports alternative, competency‑based transcript practices and signals the school's participation in that network. (Listed on the school website as a membership/recognition rather than a traditional accreditation.) 6) LEED Gold (Early Childhood Center facilities) — BCIS notes its Early Childhood Center holds LEED Gold certification for the building. This is a third‑party, industry certification of the ECC campus' environmental and building‑performance standards rather than an academic accreditation.	Accreditations Dulwich College Beijing — Affiliations & accreditations listed on the school website (summary): - Council of International Schools (CIS): A global non-profit membership organisation that provides services and accreditation to primary, secondary and higher-education institutions; membership/accreditation signals the school has undergone CIS quality review processes. - Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): One of the regional accreditation bodies that accredits American and international schools; WASC accreditation indicates the school meets standards used by US and foreign institutions of American origin. - International Baccalaureate (IB) — Diploma Programme authorisation: The school is authorised to offer the IB Diploma Programme; IB authorisation means the IB Organisation has approved the school to deliver that specific IB programme. - Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE): The school uses Cambridge qualifications (IGCSE) and is listed with CAIE; Cambridge is an international exam board that provides curricula and externally marked qualifications. - Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS): An association of international schools in East Asia that organises activities and professional development; membership indicates active participation in regional school collaboration and events. - Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA): A regional federation promoting British-style education in Asia and organising collaborative events (sports, music and other festivals); membership denotes the school's participation in that British-schools network.
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Familiarize yourself with BCIS and schedule a campus tour. The school's Admissions Policy encourages families to tour the campus before applying so you can assess fit with BCIS's mission and educational approach; the school will not consider an application complete until a campus tour has been completed. Parents should plan the tour well ahead of key application windows and bring questions about curriculum, language support and campus logistics. 2. Check age and grade eligibility before applying. BCIS publishes age-by-August-31 cutoffs for each incoming school year (for example, the policy lists the dates used to determine appropriate grades for 2025–2026 and 2026–2027), so confirm your child's placement against those dates before you submit an application. If a child's previous school calendar differs from BCIS, expect BCIS to place the child in the grade they are currently studying or have just completed unless exceptional circumstances are agreed by principals. 3. Begin the online application (OpenApply) and pay the application fee. BCIS requires an online application via the link on its Admissions pages; for the 2025–2026 intake the non-refundable application fee is stated as RMB 3,000. Parents should complete the online form carefully, keep a record of the submission, and be prepared to follow up with admissions by phone or email to confirm seat availability if applying late or relocating to Beijing. 4. Prepare and upload required supporting documents specific to the child's level. For Early Childhood and Elementary: passports or hukou (depending on nationality), recent school/assessment reports (if available), one BCIS recommendation form (if the child is currently in a program or school), the completed Student Medical Form and vaccination records, and — for kindergarten entrants — a recent health check-up form. For Secondary (Grades 6–11): passports or hukou, school reports for the past two academic years, two BCIS recommendation forms (homeroom & English recommended), a student essay in the online application, medical and vaccination records, and, if applicable, standard English test reports (TOEFL, IELTS, SSAT, Duolingo, MAP, etc.). Make sure teacher recommendation forms are completed in English and have the referee email them directly to admissions as instructed. 5. Expect assessment and interview stages once your application is complete. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews (BCIS interviews students and often parents separately); for Secondary applicants BCIS assesses English language skills and may request formal English test results before or during this stage. If parents do not speak English they may bring an interpreter to the parental interview; bring copies of transcripts, examples of student work, and any other evidence that supports your child's academic and extracurricular profile. 6. Understand how offers, placement and rolling admissions work. BCIS uses a rolling admissions approach: after the first round, applications continue to be considered while seats remain available in each grade. The school evaluates fit holistically (academic history, English proficiency, interests, and current cohort balance) and placement is finalized after interviews and any required testing; parents should check seat availability with Admissions before investing in travel or making firm relocation plans. 7. Be aware of key fees and payment expectations associated with admission. BCIS states that school fees (tuition, applicable administration fees for new students, and bus fees) are payable in advance and that fees are reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees. The website confirms the application fee (RMB 3,000) and notes fees for the 2025–2026 school year; independent fee aggregators list annual tuition ranges (example figures published by external sources for 2025–2026: approximately RMB 244,000–343,500 depending on grade) and show common one-time items such as a new-student administration fee and transport costs — but these numbers should be confirmed directly with Admissions because the BCIS fees page provides policy and a year label while the school's detailed amounts are periodically updated. Parents should ask Admissions for the current fee schedule, deposit, payment deadlines, and refund policy before accepting an offer. 8. Complete enrollment requirements after an offer is accepted. BCIS requires completed medical forms and vaccination records before enrollment and will provide instructions on any final administrative steps (contracts, tuition payment, bus registration, uniform ordering). Keep copies of passports/visa pages or hukou for school records, confirm start date and grade placement in writing, and maintain regular contact with the Admissions office for any outstanding items. Contact details for Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary admissions are published on the BCIS site and are useful to have on hand.	Admissions 1. Initial enquiry and information-gathering. Contact the admissions office (phone +86 10 6454-9002 or [email protected]) or submit an enquiry via the online form/Apply Now link (the school uses OpenApply for applications). Parents should use this stage to confirm eligibility under Beijing Municipal Education Commission rules (valid foreign passport + visa, Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan travel permits, or Chinese passport + foreign PR and evidence of at least one year living abroad). Ask for the most recent Admissions Handbook, Age Placement Guide and the Tuition & Fee Information PDF — these documents contain the precise fee figures, required documents and grade-placement cutoffs (cutoff date: 1 September).
Scholarships	Scholarships BCIS operates an active Scholarship Program targeted at Secondary students (Grades 9–12) and offers four scholarship streams: Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarships (these are open to external and internal applicants depending on the scheme), and the Founder's Scholarship (for current BCIS students entering Grades 11–12). The school awards both 100% and 50% scholarships in these categories, and recipients must complete high school at BCIS and meet program requirements through to graduation. Scholarship aims, eligibility criteria and types are described in detail on BCIS's Scholarship Program page. Application mechanics and requirements: Each external scholarship category requires a 600–800 word essay (topic provided at time of application), names and contact details for two teacher referees who will complete recommendation forms in English, supporting documentary evidence or a portfolio (awards, past work, exam results, certificates, media, etc.), and shortlisted candidates must complete an interview with the BCIS Scholarship Committee (including a faculty expert where relevant). BCIS publishes clear documentary and interview requirements for each scholarship type (Future Leaders, APEX Innovators, Academic Scholarship), and scholarship awards are renewable annually subject to academic/progression and conduct criteria (annual reviews include academic reports, service, behavior and attendance). Timelines, notification and administration: Scholarship applications typically open on 1 February and external applications close on 21 June, with interviews held during March–May and notification by 31 May; the school may accept additional external applications until 1 August for families newly moving to Beijing. Parents should submit scholarship material through the BCIS online admissions system (OpenApply) and, for current BCIS students, follow the Secondary School Principal's directions for internal applications. If you are considering a scholarship application, confirm the current year's exact dates and submission process with Admissions because timelines and intake conditions are updated annually. Questions and next steps: For specific questions about scholarship eligibility, the application process or to request the scholarship application pack, contact BCIS Admissions (admissions@bcis.cn) or the Secondary School Principal (contacts are listed on the scholarship page). Because scholarship awards can significantly affect financial planning and place allocation, it's advisable to speak directly with Admissions before submitting both a general application and a scholarship application.	Scholarships Dulwich College Beijing's public admissions pages do not advertise a routine, school-wide need-based or merit-based tuition scholarship programme. The school has run targeted partnership scholarships and opportunities (for example, a joint Notre Dame Global Scholars placement for a small number of IB students in 2022) and individual students have been awarded athletic scholarships or recruited to university sports programmes; these are program- or outcome-based examples rather than a regular tuition-bursary scheme. If you are looking for fee assistance or a scholarship specifically to reduce tuition, contact admissions directly — they can confirm whether any limited or time‑bound programmes exist and whether any departmental awards (for music, sport or specific partnerships) might apply. For background reading on recent partnership scholarship activity and student athletic award examples see the school news items.
Waitlist	Waitlist BCIS does not publish a separate, detailed ‘waiting-list' policy on its public Admissions pages; instead the school states it operates a rolling admissions process and reviews applications until seats are filled in each grade. The Admissions Policy and Application pages instruct parents to confirm seat availability with the Admissions Office (phone/email) before applying, which implies that when a grade is full the school manages new enquiries through the rolling process and direct communication rather than by posting a public waitlist procedure. Because BCIS does not spell out a formal waitlist or ranking procedure on the website, parents who are concerned about availability should contact Admissions to ask whether the school holds names on a waiting list or whether offers are made from a pool of shortlisted candidates (and if so, how candidates are prioritized). Third‑party school guides and community sources also report that BCIS is popular and can have limited places in some grades, so early application and direct follow-up with Admissions are recommended.	Waitlist We place applicants who meet entry requirements on a waiting list when there are no current vacancies or when the application is for a future academic year. Priority on the waiting list is given to siblings of current students and to children transferring from another Dulwich College International school. Waiting lists are maintained for one academic year only; if you wish to remain on the list beyond that you should re-contact admissions and check whether the school requires a fresh application. Parents should expect that a place offer from the waitlist will require the standard acceptance formalities (acceptance confirmation and payment of the placement deposit) within the timeline specified by the school.
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