Beijing City International School vs Western Academy of Beijing

	B Beijing City International School Beijing, China	W Western Academy of Beijing Beijing, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 244,000 - 343,500	Fees / year RMB 146,500 - 376,700
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 IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 1,275	Pupils 1,400
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 22
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2005	Opened 1994
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 WAB's campus is in Laiguangying, Chaoyang District (10 Lai Guang Ying Dong Lu), northeast Beijing — about 500 m off Jingmi Lu. The school is near bus stops on Jingmi Lu and is reachable from Line 15 (Cui Ge Zhuang) with local buses to the Ma Nan Li stop; visitor parking is available on campus.
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 WAB is an Early Childhood–Grade 12 international school, organised into an Early Childhood Center, Elementary School (Junior/Senior Grade 1–Grade 5), Middle School and High School (Grades 9–12). The school follows IB programmes across the sections.
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 WAB is an independent, non-profit international school and an authorised IB World School. It is co-educational and operates as a day school (no boarding facilities).
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 WAB uses an integrated student-support model; services include learning support, English as an Additional Language (EAL), counseling, educational psychology and psychological services, and access to therapies such as speech and occupational where needed. Teachers work with the Student Support team and parents to create individualised plans and reasonable adjustments.
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 an independent international school founded to serve the expatriate community and is not affiliated with a particular country.
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 WAB is nonsectarian and does not have a religious affiliation.
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 Standard school hours are 8:30am–3:20pm Monday–Friday. Elementary and Early Childhood bell times and break/lunch windows are published (for example, ES morning break and a lunch window around midday; detailed bell times are available on the school's ‘School Day' page).
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 WAB runs a student bus service to and from campus; buses typically arrive between 8:00–8:30am and afternoon buses depart around 3:25–3:30pm. The school also offers ASA (after-school activity) buses and a limited ‘late bus' service; families must communicate changes to the Transportation Manager and follow the school's procedures for bus changes. Public city bus lines and subway connections are also listed for families using public transport.
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 2,100 per applicant (non-refundable). Annual tuition fees (by year group) — published for 2025–2026 - Early Years (3/4 years old, half day): RMB 146,500 per year. - Early Years (3/4 years old, full day): RMB 246,500 per year. - Junior Grade 1 – Senior Grade 1: RMB 293,100 per year. - Grades 2–5: RMB 314,300 per year. - Middle School (Grades 6–8): RMB 333,500 per year. - High School (Grades 9–10): RMB 367,100 per year. - High School (Grades 11–12): RMB 376,700 per year. Per-term (per-semester) guidance — calculated - WAB's academic calendar is structured in two semesters. The per-term figures below are calculated by dividing the published annual fee by two to provide a per-semester amount (this is an inferred per-term breakdown for database use; WAB publishes annual fees). - Early Years (half day): RMB 73,250 per semester (RMB 146,500 ÷ 2). - Early Years (full day): RMB 123,250 per semester (RMB 246,500 ÷ 2). - Junior Grade 1 – Senior Grade 1: RMB 146,550 per semester (RMB 293,100 ÷ 2). - Grades 2–5: RMB 157,150 per semester (RMB 314,300 ÷ 2). - Middle School (Grades 6–8): RMB 166,750 per semester (RMB 333,500 ÷ 2). - High School (Grades 9–10): RMB 183,550 per semester (RMB 367,100 ÷ 2). - High School (Grades 11–12): RMB 188,350 per semester (RMB 376,700 ÷ 2). Billing schedule and payment terms - Returning students: full annual tuition is due by April 30, 2025. - Newly admitted students: tuition fees must be paid within 21 calendar days of the invoice date. - A non-refundable portion of RMB 30,000 of the annual tuition is required each school year to secure a student's enrollment. - Prorated tuition is available for students enrolling after the October break: a 10% reduction of tuition per calendar month applies from October (excluding the non-refundable RMB 30,000). - Late payments incur a surcharge of 2% per month on overdue balances. Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable; WAB does not operate a boarding programme. Other costs and common additional fees - Laptops and calculators: students are required to purchase their own laptops and calculators (cost borne by the family). - Lunch and snacks: not included in tuition; lunch purchases via SmartCard typically range from RMB 30 to RMB 45 per meal. - Optional/extra-cost items not covered by tuition: intercity travel for competitions, conference-related travel, individual music lessons, additional after-school swim lessons, and home language programs. - Enriched Inclusion Program Fee (if applicable) is non-refundable. - Transportation: standard WAB school bus service within the designated WAB network is provided without an additional tuition charge. - Any school uniform costs or optional activity fees are treated as additional charges when applicable (families should expect occasional optional fees for external activities or equipment). Refund information - Application fee (RMB 2,100) is not refundable. - RMB 30,000 of the annual tuition is non-refundable. - The remaining portion of the annual tuition (the refundable Grade Level Tuition Fees) is refundable according to a tiered schedule when the Admissions Office receives written withdrawal notice. The published refund schedule (examples of key cutoff points) is: on or before May 30, 2025 — 100% of the refundable portion; August — 90%; September — 80%; October — 70%; November — 60%; December — 50%; January — 40%; February — 30%; March — 20%; April — 10%; May and June — no refund. Specific dates and percentages are published by the school. Refunds require return of the original WAB fapiao and must be claimed within three months of the student's last school day. Fee payment options and instructions - Invoices are issued in RMB. WAB accepts bank transfers in RMB or other currencies (families should ensure the full invoiced amount is received after any bank charges). The school provides CITIC Bank account details and requires the invoice number or student number to be included with the remittance. SWIFT code and account information are published with invoices. Overseas RMB cash deposits may also be accepted. - Card payments: overseas debit/credit cards incur additional fees (example published rates: Visa/Master 2.8%; AMEX 3.0%; JCB 3.5%). Local credit/debit card handling fees are also noted (example: 0.6% for local credit cards plus RMB 20 administration on debit transactions). All bank fees are the payer's responsibility. - Fapiao (official Chinese tax receipt) will be issued for tuition only after full payment; WAB Finance issues fapiao on request and provides instructions for corporate and personal payers. Notes for records - The figures above are WAB's published annual tuition rates for 2025–2026 and the school's published payment and refund rules. Per-term numbers shown under “Per-term (per-semester) guidance” are calculated by dividing the published annual tuition by two to align with WAB's two-semester calendar and to provide a per-semester amount for database use (this division is an inferred breakdown; WAB's official invoices are issued as described above).
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 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 Western Academy of Beijing delivers the full IB continuum: Primary Years Programme (Early Years–Grade 5), Middle Years Programme (Grades 6–10) and the IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12). In Early Years and Elementary students follow the inquiry-based PYP framework (ages 3–12) with transdisciplinary subject coverage and a PYP Exhibition as an extended inquiry. Middle School runs the MYP across Grades 6–10 with eight subject areas taught concurrently, MYP objectives and assessment approaches, and a culminating Personal Project. High School (Grades 11–12) offers the IB Diploma Programme: students choose subjects across the six DP groups and complete the DP core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service) with a wide range of SL/HL course options. WAB's curriculum covers literacy/language and literature, language acquisition, individuals & societies, sciences, mathematics, the arts, design, PHE and school-wide social‑emotional learning, and it is informed by additional reference standards such as ACARA, CEFR and HSK while providing personalised pathways and experiential learning opportunities.
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. 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. Submit an enquiry (OpenApply enquiry form). Start by submitting the online enquiry form (OpenApply) so the Admissions team has your basic family details and can set up an account for you; this lets you save progress and return to the application. Parents should use the same email address they plan to use for official communications and check spam folders for replies. 2. Complete the OpenApply application (one form per child) and upload documents. Each child needs a full OpenApply application with supporting documents (school reports, passport copies, student and parent statements, and a confidential teacher reference); check the online checklist so nothing is missed. Be prepared to pay the non-refundable application fee (listed on the school's fees page) and note that WAB requires a non-refundable portion of tuition (enrollment deposit) once a place is accepted. Parents should confirm their child's birthdate against WAB's August 31 cut-off and have scanned copies of passports and recent school reports ready. 3. Admissions review and timeframe. After you submit a complete application, the Admissions team reviews documents to understand academic background, language needs and any support requirements; the school aims to respond within a few working days but the review can take longer (for example if additional documentation or specialist reports are needed). If your child has identified learning support needs, expect the review to include follow-up with student-support staff. Parents should upload full and clearly legible documents and respond quickly to any Admissions requests to avoid delays. 4. Interview / assessment stage (if required). WAB will schedule interviews or assessments as appropriate: language assessments for students from JG1 who are not native English speakers and math placement testing for Grade 10+ applicants; other assessments or conversations may be used to check fit and to identify required support. Prepare your child by explaining the purpose of the assessment (it is to place them correctly and identify support needs, not to “pass/fail”) and bring originals of documents to any on-campus meetings. If your child needs English-language support, ask Admissions about the school's EAL arrangements before enrollment. 5. Decision, offer and enrolment paperwork. Admissions decisions are made by a committee (section leaders and support teams) and families are notified by OpenApply email; a formal offer will include invoicing instructions, deadlines and the non‑refundable enrollment amount (the tuition page lists payment deadlines and the 30,000 RMB non‑refundable portion required each year). Newly admitted families must meet the invoice payment deadline (typically within 21 calendar days for new students) and returning-student payment deadlines are published annually; review the Tuition & Fees page for proration rules (e.g., reductions for mid-year entry) and late-payment surcharges. Parents should read the Tuition & Fees Terms & Conditions carefully before accepting an offer.
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 WAB's public website does not advertise a general, school-wide tuition scholarship or needs-based financial-aid program for families; the official Tuition & Fees pages and Admissions materials describe fees, deposits and limited fee-related policies but do not list routine tuition scholarships. There are a few exceptions and related supports to be aware of: the Swiss School Beijing section (a WAB section) has a Tuition Fee Discount Policy for Swiss families; the school also publicises project and student grants (for example Global Citizenship / changemaker grants that fund student projects, not tuition), and staff contracts commonly include dependent tuition benefits for employees' children. If you need information about any exceptional financial support or one-off awards, contact Admissions directly (they can confirm whether any limited bursaries, discounts or staff-dependent rates apply and advise on documentation and eligibility).
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 WAB does use a waitlist approach when the requested grade is full. Admissions policy and the Swiss School section both note that places are offered based on availability and that later applications are more likely to be waitlisted; when a place opens, Admissions will contact waitlisted families through the OpenApply system. Your position on the waitlist depends on timing, the completeness of your application and the school's assessment of fit and support capacity, so submitting a complete application early improves your chances. OpenApply (the platform WAB uses) also supports explicit “Waitlisted” statuses and re‑application workflows, which is how WAB typically manages offers, notifications and any subsequent moves from waitlist to offer. If you're time-sensitive (for relocation or visa steps), tell Admissions your preferred timelines so they can advise on realistic likelihoods and timing.
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