Beijing National Day School International Department vs Beijing Royal School
Beijing National Day School International Department and Beijing Royal School are both in Beijing, about 25 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge A Levels, Advanced Placement (AP) and IB programmes, and Beijing Royal School also offers Cambridge IGCSE and Canadian. Published annual fees are RMB 100,000 - 120,000 at Beijing National Day School International Department and RMB 66,000 - 240,000 at Beijing Royal School, which puts Beijing Royal School roughly 39% higher. Beijing National Day School International Department takes pupils from 16 to 18, and Beijing Royal School from 2 to 18. Beijing National Day School International Department is the larger school, with around 4,600 pupils to Beijing Royal School's 2,500.
Cambridge A Levels, Advanced Placement (AP), IB (DP)
Curriculum
Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Canadian Curriculum
Pupils
Pupils
4,600
Pupils
2,500
Typical class size
Typical class size
—
Typical class size
25
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English, Mandarin
Opened
Opened
1952
Opened
1996
Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Beijing National Day School (北京市十一学校) is in Haidian District — main campus at No.66 Yuquan Road (玉泉路66号) with a second (north) campus at Huan Guyuan Road, Sujiatuo (苏家坨镇环谷园路8号). The site lists both addresses and the school's main contact details.
Location
Beijing Royal School (BRS) is on a large campus in Changping District at No.11 Wangfu Street (postcode 102209). The school is north of the Olympic Village and reachable by Beijing Metro Line 5 (Tiantongyuan North) with a transfer to the rapid bus line 3; the school provides driving directions from the North Fifth Ring and the G6 expressway.
Stages
Stages
The school is a complete secondary school offering junior- and senior-secondary education (middle and high school) across two campuses. Its international department (the International Course section) runs upper‑secondary international programmes (A‑Level, AP, IB).
Stages
BRS is a K–12 school with four divisions: kindergarten, primary (including an IB PYP stream), middle/junior high and senior/high school; each division runs its own programmes and admissions. The school offers multiple international pathways at the upper levels (A-Level, IB Diploma, AP/OSSD and similar options).
School type
School type
北京市十一学校 is a public, co‑educational school (the site describes its founding history and later return to public status). The international department operates within the same school and delivers international curricula for senior grades.
School type
BRS is a co-educational private school that operates as a boarding school while also accommodating day students. Lower grades can be day students (with boarding available if needed) and senior grades are generally expected or encouraged to board; the school publishes dormitory facilities and boarding routines.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
—
Pupil nationality mix
—
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
The school describes a diversified curriculum that includes layered, categorized, comprehensive and "special‑needs/particular‑need" (特需) components and says it uses multi‑modal, individualized implementation strategies. For concrete details on assessment, in‑school support staff or formal SEN provision you should contact the international department directly as the public pages give only a high‑level description.
Additional learning support
The school publishes an inclusion (融合/‘Inclusion') department for primary years and an Inclusion Policy, and describes differentiated and layered teaching, bilingual support and personalised learning pathways; parents are advised to contact Student Services/Admissions for specifics and assessment arrangements.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
The school is a Chinese (Beijing municipal) public school; it does not have an affiliation to another country, though its international department delivers foreign curricula (A‑Level, AP, IB).
Country affiliation
BRS is a Beijing-based (China) private school; it is part of the Fazheng Group and delivers international curricula rather than being formally affiliated to a foreign government or embassy.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
There is no indication of any religious affiliation on the school's official materials; the school's history and public profile present it as a secular state school.
Religious affiliation
The school does not list any religious affiliation on its public information pages; its materials present a secular, international curriculum focus.
School day structure
School day structure
Beijing public middle and high schools generally begin no earlier than about 08:00 for secondary students and typically include a midday lunch/break of around one hour; exact daily timetables vary by school and season. The school's public pages do not publish a specific daily timetable for the international department, so confirm exact start/end times, recess and any supervised study or evening sessions with the school.
School day structure
Daily schedules vary by division; the primary division reports an 8:20 start for lessons (adjusted under recent national ‘double reduction' guidance), with a one-hour lunch/nap period and structured boarding routines (boarding students commonly wake around 07:00 and have a lights-out time around 21:00). Exact start/end times and after-school services differ by year group and are provided in division-specific timetables.
Bus service details
Bus service details
The school's website posts procurement/vehicle notices (e.g., vehicle‑rental/vehicle procurement announcements), which indicates arrangements are made for vehicle services, but the site does not publish an explicit, public route/timetable for a student bus service. For routes, operators, pickup points, costs and eligibility for international‑department students, contact the school's admissions or logistics office; they can provide current routes and provider details.
Bus service details
BRS operates organised student bus services and partners with certified school-transport providers; the primary division publishes multiple dedicated routes, safety specifications for the vehicles, and an assigned staff member on each bus. The school also runs scheduled boarding-student shuttle lines (detailed pick-up/drop-off times and routes are listed on the primary/boarding pages). Parents should contact the primary office for current route maps, daily times and registration.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Tuition (2025–2026 academic year) - A‑Level project: RMB 100,000 per academic year (charged on the school billing cycle; many sources report this annual figure). - AP project (中美合作): RMB 120,000 per academic year. - IB (IBDP) project: RMB 120,000 per academic year.
Application / registration fees - No separate application or admission fee for the international department is publicly listed in available admissions and school notices; published materials and school pages that describe the international projects list tuition but do not show a distinct application fee.
Per‑term / billing details and payment terms - The international programme is typically billed on the school's academic cycle; sources reference per‑semester figures in earlier notices (e.g., A‑Level RMB 40,000 per semester; AP RMB 45,000 per semester; IB RMB 50,000 per semester), and more recent summaries present the annual amounts above. Expect charges either per semester or as an annual invoice divided by term depending on the year's billing notice. - Standard practice is full payment by the start of the academic year or by the published semester payment deadline; the school issues billing notices through its parent/campus platforms.
Boarding / accommodation fees - Accommodation is arranged for eligible students; one source reporting details for the international department indicates a nominal boarding charge of RMB 444 per semester for students approved for school dormitory placement. Boarding availability is subject to distance/eligibility rules.
Other costs parents should budget for - Textbooks, examination fees, school uniform, meals, learning materials and optional activity or overseas study programme costs are not included in the reported tuition figures and are payable in addition.
Refunds and withdrawal - No publicly posted, detailed refund/withdrawal policy for the international department was found in accessible school notices; refund handling is normally processed through the school finance office per the school's internal rules. Parents should follow the school's official admission and finance instructions when they receive the enrolment/billing notice.
Fee payment channels - The school publishes a parent/campus cloud platform link (bnds.yunxiao.com) for school/parent services; specific accepted payment instruments (bank transfer, Alipay/WeChat, credit card) are not listed in public notices. Expect the school to provide exact payment methods and invoice details at registration or on issued billing statements.
Fee details
Application / registration fees
- The school's published admissions pages do not list a universal application or registration fee amount for general applicants; no formal application fee is published on the school's online application or admissions Q&A pages.
Tuition fees by year group (breakdown available from the school)
- High School (Senior High): RMB 232,000 per year to RMB 252,000 per year (range varies by curriculum stream). Annual amounts are published; a per-term (semester) breakdown is not published on the school pages.
- Middle School (Junior High): RMB 203,000 per year. A per-term breakdown is not published on the school pages.
- Primary School (Elementary): RMB 119,000 per year to RMB 155,000 per year (varies by class/type). Per-term amounts are not listed on the school pages.
- Kindergarten: RMB 6,800 per month to RMB 11,000 per month (some Montessori/international classes listed at higher monthly rates). Tuition is presented on a monthly basis for kindergarten; no official per-term kindergarten schedule is published on the admissions pages.
Boarding fees and boarding arrangements
- The school operates as a boarding-capable campus and recommends boarding for senior grades. The school's public pages describe boarding practice (weekend leave arrangements and that lower grades may commute) but do not publish a standard boarding-fee figure on the admissions or fee pages. Any specific boarding-rate schedule (weekly/monthly/annual boarding fee) is not shown on the publicly available admissions materials.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school's published materials present tuition as annual (or monthly for kindergarten) figures but do not publish a full billing schedule or standard payment-term table (for example: number of instalments, due dates, or late-payment penalties) on the admissions or online-application pages. Families should note that only annual/monthly fee amounts are listed publicly.
Other costs and typical additional fees (from published school-directory summaries and admissions notes)
- Uniforms and school materials: third-party school-directory summaries list typical uniform costs in ranges (examples published externally indicate roughly RMB 880–2,500 for uniforms), but a specific official uniform-price list is not provided on the school's public admissions pages.
- Transport (school bus): third-party listings show annual or termly bus fees as an additional cost (examples published externally include ranges such as RMB 1,400–8,500 depending on route/type). The school's public admissions pages note campus transport options but do not publish a standard transport-fee schedule.
- Examination, testing and external exam fees: the school is a test centre for many external exams (AP, A‑Level, IB, TOEFL/IELTS, etc.). Candidates should expect exam-registration and external marking fees for these qualifications in addition to tuition. Specific exam fees are set by the exam bodies and are not shown as part of the tuition figures on the school's admissions pages.
Refunds and deposits
- The school's publicly available admissions pages and online application form do not publish a standard refund policy, deposit amounts, or how refunds are processed (for example deposit refund terms or prorated refunds on withdrawal). No formal refund schedule is shown in the public admissions materials.
Accepted payment methods and practical payment information
- The school's public admissions pages and the online application form provide contact details for admissions and finance enquiries but do not list specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit card, or other channels) or bank details on the public pages.
Notes on what is and is not published
- Published, load-bearing fee figures available from the school are the annual (or kindergarten monthly) tuition rates listed above. The school's public admissions and brochure pages do not publish a full itemised fee schedule covering application/registration fees, per-term billing tables, boarding fee amounts, deposit/refund rules, uniform price lists, or explicit payment-method instructions. Third-party school directories reproduce the tuition figures and list additional typical costs (uniforms, bus) in ranges; those third-party figures are summarized above where available.
Summary (practical points for a parent)
- Tuition is published by division as annual amounts (high school, middle school, primary) or monthly for kindergarten; use RMB figures shown above for budgeting. - The school does not publish per-term billing breakdowns, a standard application fee, boarding-price schedule, refund policy, or payment methods in its publicly available admissions materials; these items are therefore to be confirmed directly with the school's admissions/finance office.
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
Beijing National Day School's International Department offers three international pathways—A‑Level, AP and the IBDP—operating alongside the school's Chinese national curriculum. The A‑Level route is delivered as a one‑year foundation plus a two‑year core (a three‑year international sequence); students sit Cambridge (CAIE) examinations and may choose from subjects such as English language and literature, mathematics and further mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, economics, business, modern languages and arts. The AP pathway runs across upper‑secondary years, offering a wide range of AP and preparatory courses in languages, mathematics, sciences, social sciences and the arts; BNDS also notes a partnership that allows eligible AP students to earn both the BNDS high‑school diploma and a US partner school diploma. The IBDP is offered as the two‑year Diploma Programme for students aged 16–19, with the six IB subject groups (language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics and the arts) plus the core TOK, Extended Essay and CAS. Across all stages the school maintains its national curriculum framework—integrated, tiered and categorized courses, advanced science projects, language and arts electives, and extensive extracurricular and research‑based learning—so students experience both subject breadth and university preparation regardless of pathway.
Curriculum details
Beijing Royal School operates several international pathways by school stage: the primary section uses the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) delivered in a bilingual immersion model. The middle school follows the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and also prepares students for Cambridge IGCSE within the school's Cambridge K‑12 framework. Upper secondary students have multiple qualification routes: the school is authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) and also runs Cambridge AS/A‑Level and a large AP programme, so students may follow IBDP, A‑Level or AP tracks. The BRS AP page lists many specific AP subjects (for example Calculus AB/BC, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, English, economics and Chinese) and states the school is an early AP adopter and an AP teaching demonstration school. Across all stages the school describes a blend of national curriculum content with international programmes (IB, Cambridge, AP and AQA), publishes subject‑level lists and assessment policies, and emphasises bilingual delivery and age‑appropriate 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
—
Social & emotional learning
—
Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
—
Special educational needs (SEN)
—
English as an additional language
English as an additional language
—
English as an additional language
—
Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
—
Mental wellbeing
—
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
—
Safeguarding
—
Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
—
Safeguarding policy
—
Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
—
Facilities overview
—
Sports facilities
Sports facilities
—
Sports facilities
—
Academic facilities
Academic facilities
—
Academic facilities
—
Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
—
Extra curricular facilities
—
Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
—
History
—
Community
Community
—
Community
—
Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
—
Parent teacher association
—
Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
—
Academic & intellectual
—
Arts & creative
Arts & creative
—
Arts & creative
—
Cultural & language
Cultural & language
—
Cultural & language
—
Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
—
Social & hobbies
—
Community & service
Community & service
—
Community & service
—
Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
—
Leadership & professional
—
Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
—
Lifestyle & wellbeing
—
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
—
Language provision
—
Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
—
Bilingual teaching
—
Immersion programs
Immersion programs
—
Immersion programs
—
Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
—
Awards
—
Accreditations
Accreditations
—
Accreditations
—
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Initial enquiry and information gathering — Contact the school and read the international-program pages to decide which pathway (A‑Level, AP, or IBDP) you want your child to apply for. Each programme has different course structures and university destinations; the school's international-curriculum pages describe the three tracks and their academic focus. Parents should note the office phone numbers and the school's consultation events (the school posts specific consultation dates and contact numbers on its website).
2. Registration / formal application — When the school opens applications it usually requires formal registration (online or on‑site) and submission of documents such as the student's ID, recent transcripts/grades, and any certificates you want considered. For previous intake years the department published specific formal‑registration dates and an English qualification test window — parents should watch the school website and official WeChat for exact opening and required documents in the current year. Keep originals and scanned copies ready because some steps are handled in person.
3. Eligibility screen and English qualification test — BNDS International typically uses an English qualification check as an early eligibility filter for international programmes; this can be a short written test or an online screening to verify language readiness for AP/A‑Level/IB instruction. Parents should prepare their child for reading, short writing and speaking tasks; also confirm whether an external score (TOEFL/IELTS/SAT/SSAT) can be submitted in lieu of the internal test. The school has in earlier years explicitly referenced an "英语资格性测试" for international admission rounds.
4. Academic review and/or entrance exam — In addition to language screening, the school considers the student's academic record (for domestic applicants, usually the incoming year's 中考 results or equivalent) and may require subject tests or internal exams for academic placement. The international department and admissions notices indicate offers are made after combining academic scores with the department's professional test or interview results; parents should know mid‑year/previous school transcripts and recent exam reports are commonly required. If you have strong subject certificates (competitions, portfolios), upload or bring them to the application so they can be considered.
5. Interview / group activity — Shortlisted applicants typically take part in an interview (one‑to‑one and/or small‑group) to assess communication, motivation and critical thinking; some cohorts have a group English activity component. Parents should ensure the student can speak about academic interests, extracurriculars and why they want that particular international track. The school posts interview schedules and how results will be announced (SMS, WeChat, and official website), so keep contact details current.
6. Offer, deposit and enrolment paperwork — If the student is offered a place the school will publish the steps to accept the place: confirm acceptance within the stated deadline, pay any required deposit/first instalment and complete enrolment paperwork (health form, code of conduct, household registration where applicable). Because BNDS operates its programmes under local education regulation, the school notes that some aspects (timing, required documents, and final registration) follow municipal rules — parents should keep the acceptance deadline and payment instructions to avoid losing a seat.
7. Course placement and class allocation — After enrolment the department assigns students to classes and elective combinations (BNDS uses a course/"走班" system for the international programmes), so new students often receive a provisional timetable and may need to attend orientation and placement tests for specific subjects. Parents should plan logistics for commuting, boarding (if applicable), and any extra pre‑term courses the school recommends. The international curriculum pages explain the three‑year structure and the expectation that students complete required graduation credits alongside the international qualification.
Admissions
1. Inquiry & first contact — Start by submitting the school's online application or contacting the admissions office to request a campus visit, counseling session or Open Day. The school's English online application form is available on the BRS website; it also lists upcoming events (campus tours, 1:1 counselling) that parents can book. Parents should note the application form asks for current school, current grade and the grade the student is applying for, so have those details ready when you start.
2. Submit an application and request a document checklist — After the online form, the admissions office will confirm next steps and the documents required for the student's year/grade. BRS does not publish one universal printable checklist for every grade on the public pages, so parents should ask admissions for the exact document list (typical items schools request include recent school reports/transcripts, passport or ID, proof of residence, and health/immunization records). Requesting the checklist early avoids delays and lets you prepare certified translations if needed.
3. Entrance assessment and interview — BRS arranges written assessments (English and mathematics are mentioned as core tests) and an interview that evaluates oral English, independent thinking and subject-level readiness; scores are used as a reference alongside the whole-application review. The school runs its own entrance examinations and schedules interviews; for some international-program pathways there may also be oral interviews or program-specific tasks. Parents should prepare the child for short subject tests and an in-person or online interview, and confirm whether a local test centre or remote option is available.
4. Program placement, pathway options and scholarship screening — Admissions places students into the appropriate division and curriculum track (kindergarten, primary, junior high, senior high with AP/A-Level/IB/OSSD tracks). Some programs (for example the Canada pathway) advertise early admissions if a student passes the school's examinations and also list merit scholarship awards for qualifying candidates; BRS also advertises “excellent new-student” and “outstanding graduate” scholarships with separate application or selection rules. Parents should clarify which curriculum track the student is being assessed for and whether any scholarship application forms or deadlines apply to their child's cohort.
5. Offer, deposit and fee schedule — If the application is successful the school issues an offer letter that will state the tuition amount, any conditional scholarships, and the deposit or payment schedule required to secure the place. BRS publishes tuition bands by division (examples: senior high ~RMB 220,000–240,000 per year depending on curriculum; junior high ~RMB 191,000 per year; primary ~RMB 119,000–155,000 per year; kindergarten by-class monthly rates). Parents should check the offer for whether the quoted amount is tuition-only (additional items such as insurance, uniform, meals, trips, exam/registration fees and refundable deposits can apply) and confirm payment deadlines and refund rules.
6. Enrollment logistics (boarding, visa and health requirements) — The school is a boarding-capable campus and recommends boarding for senior grades; junior grades can commute. Non-Beijing-resident students are accepted, and international families should ask admissions about the school's support for visa paperwork, health checks, vaccination records and weekend boarding arrangements. Confirm arrival dates, orientation schedules and whether the school requires specific medical forms or local guardianship arrangements for overseas students.
7. Transfers, late entry and ongoing communication — BRS accepts transfer/inserted students year-round subject to available places; the admissions office schedules transfer testing and will place students according to seat availability. If you are applying mid-year, ask for current seat availability in the target grade, the expected timeline for testing and results, and whether the student's prior curriculum requires bridging support. Maintain contact with the admissions or international programs office so you receive any grade-specific instructions (timetables, exam registrations, uniform lists) before your child starts.
Scholarships
Scholarships
—
Scholarships
BRS publishes several scholarship options and program-specific merit awards. The school's public pages refer to “excellent new-student” scholarships (noting that the new-student scholarship is specifically limited to Grade 10 applicants in some program materials) and an “outstanding graduate” scholarship that can be substantial; program pages (for example the Canada pathway) list merit scholarships ranging from RMB 10,000 up to RMB 150,000 for outstanding applicants. Scholarship awards are generally merit-based and tied to either entrance examination results, academic records (including results such as Zhongkao where applicable) or other program-specific selection criteria; parents should confirm whether scholarships are one-off tuition discounts, percentage reductions, or multi-year awards and whether there are renewal conditions (minimum GPA or conduct standards). Because the school's descriptions include program-specific language and amounts, ask admissions for the current scholarship rules, the application window, required supporting documents, and the deadline for accepting an offer once a scholarship is awarded.
Waitlist
Waitlist
BNDS's official website and recent admissions notices do not publish a standard, public "waitlist" policy for the international department; however, the school's admissions communications and related municipal recruitment notices show that second‑round recruitment or "补录" (additional intake if places remain) has been used in some years. Practically, this means that if you are not offered a place in the first round you should: keep your registration active, maintain phone/WeChat contact with the admissions office, and monitor the school's official announcements (website and the department's WeChat account) for add‑on test or supplementary‑admission dates. If you want to be considered for any vacancies, ask the admissions office whether they keep a ranked waiting list and the precise conditions under which they invite candidates for later rounds — that is the most reliable way to confirm current‑year practice.
Waitlist
BRS's public materials do not describe a formal, published waitlist or central ‘pool' process; instead the school states it accepts transfer or additional students throughout the year and that final admission depends on remaining grade capacity. In practice this means that if a grade is full parents should contact the admissions office to ask whether there is a short-notice opening or whether the school keeps inquiries on file for future vacancies. For the most reliable information, parents should ask admissions whether the school will (a) place an applicant on an internal waiting list; (b) hold completed applications pending a vacancy; or (c) recommend re-applying for the next intake — the public site asks families to contact admissions directly for placement and timing details.