Britannia International School Guangzhou vs Guangzhou Huamei International School

	B Britannia International School Guangzhou Guangzhou, China	G Guangzhou Huamei International School Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 127,000 - 186,000	Fees / year RMB 61,000 - 130,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 2½ - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels	Curriculum Advanced Placement (AP), Bespoke Curriculum, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 225	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 2017	Opened 1993
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location No.4 Chuangjia Road, Jinshazhou (Jinshazhou Island), Baiyun District, Guangzhou. The campus address and contact details are listed on the school website; Jinshazhou is a residential area of Baiyun District so most families reach the school by car, taxi or the school's transport service—check routes with admissions.	Location Huamei International School is located at No. 23 Huamei Road in the Tianhe education core area of Guangzhou (Longdong, Tianhe District). The school occupies a large campus (about 160,000 m²) at the foot of Phoenix Mountain and gives the address and contact details on its website. For exact directions and transit options contact the admissions office; the site lists a service hotline and email.
Stages	Stages BIS follows a British/Cambridge pathway: Early Years (Pre‑Nursery to Reception, ages ~2–5), Cambridge Primary (Year 1–6, ages 5–11), Cambridge Lower Secondary (Year 7–9, ages 11–14), Cambridge Upper Secondary (Year 10–11, ages 14–16), and Cambridge AS/A‑Level (Year 12–13). The school website lists these sections and age ranges.	Stages The school runs a full sequence from kindergarten through primary and middle school to an international/high‑school division and an International Students Division — effectively K–12 with an international high‑school program. The website has separate sections for Huamei Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School and International High School.
School type	School type Non‑profit, co‑educational international day school that teaches in English and follows the Cambridge/British curriculum. BIS is explicitly a day school with no boarding facilities—students must live with a parent or legal guardian while enrolled.	School type Huamei is a co‑educational private school that operates as a full‑time day and boarding school; the website describes full‑time boarding international education from kindergarten to high school and also lists day‑school options. Third‑party school listings also describe it as co‑educational.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support BIS operates Learning Services and assesses incoming students to determine if English or mathematics support is needed; English language support is offered (a fee may apply). The admissions information says these Learning Services teachers arrange additional help where required.	Additional learning support The kindergarten materials describe attention to individual development, individual development plans and a personal growth portfolio for each child; the campus also reports on‑site medical staff and 24‑hour health services. The school website does not publish a detailed, school‑wide SEN/ALN policy page, so prospective parents with specific support needs should contact admissions to discuss assessments and provision.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school describes itself as a member of the Canadian International Educational Organization (CIEO) while delivering a British/Cambridge curriculum; it does not operate as a state school of any single country.	Country affiliation The school is a Chinese private school in Guangzhou and was founded by returned overseas students; it is not presented on the website as officially affiliated with a foreign government.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation BIS is secular and does not have a religious affiliation.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is specified on the school's public pages; the school presents itself as a non‑religious, international educational institution.
School day structure	School day structure Typical start times are around 08:20 for Early Years and Primary and around 08:35 for Secondary; lessons finish in the mid‑afternoon (generally between about 15:30 and 16:00 depending on age group). The school also provides supervised before‑ and after‑school care and runs extra‑curricular sessions—confirm exact daily times for your child's year group with admissions.	School day structure The website does not publish a single, detailed daily timetable for all year groups. Kindergarten pages note a structured daily programme (including six meals for boarders/young children) and the school offers both boarding and day options; for exact start/end times and break/lunch arrangements you should contact admissions or request the current timetable.
Bus service details	Bus service details The school offers a school bus service; parents complete a Bus Policy form as part of registration and should contact admissions for specific routes, pick‑up points and fees. Third‑party listings indicate BIS covers central areas of Guangzhou with air‑conditioned buses and supervised routes, but the school's admissions office is the source for current routes, availability and pricing.	Bus service details The school advertises weekly city‑wide and daily district‑wide school bus pick‑up and drop‑off services, indicating organised transport for students across the city and district. The website does not list specific routes or providers on the public pages, so ask the admissions office for current routes, stops, costs and enrolment procedures.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Tuition fees (annual and half-year) - EYFS (Kindergarten): Annual RMB 127,000; Half‑year RMB 63,500. - Year 1–6 (Primary): Annual RMB 139,000; Half‑year RMB 69,500. - Year 7–9 (Lower Secondary): Annual RMB 169,000; Half‑year RMB 84,500. - Year 10–11 (Upper Secondary – IGCSE): Annual RMB 170,500; Half‑year RMB 85,250. - Year 12–13 (Upper Secondary – A Level): Annual RMB 186,000; Half‑year RMB 93,000. Application and other mandatory fees - Application fee: RMB 2,000 (initial application only, non‑refundable). - Resources fee: RMB 4,000 (annual, non‑refundable). - Insurance: RMB 200 (non‑refundable). - Uniform: RMB 2,900 (new students expected to purchase one full set; this fee excludes the House T‑shirt). - Bedding: RMB 500 (only for Pre‑Nursery and Nursery where applicable). - Lunch and snack fee: RMB 7,200 (annual). Bus (transport) fees - Jinshazhou route: Annual RMB 7,000; Semester RMB 4,000. - Under 8 km from school (including 8 km): Annual RMB 9,000; Semester RMB 5,000. - 8–15 km from school (including 15 km): Annual RMB 13,000; Semester RMB 7,000. - Over 15 km from school: Annual RMB 15,000; Semester RMB 8,000. Billing schedule and payment terms (billing structure and discounts shown) - Billing structure reflected in published fees: families may pay on an annual (full‑year) basis or on a half‑year (semester) basis using the shown annual and half‑year figures. - Discount for full payment: an annual tuition discount of RMB 6,000 is applied to families who pay the full tuition in a single payment. - Early enrolment discount: an additional discount of RMB 3,000 is offered for students who enrol before January 31 and pay the tuition in full. Boarding fees - The school operates as a day school and has no boarding facilities; therefore boarding fees are not applicable. Refund information - The following fees are explicitly listed as non‑refundable: Application fee (RMB 2,000), Resources fee (RMB 4,000), and Insurance (RMB 200). - Other items (tuition, lunch, bus, uniform, bedding) do not have a public, detailed refund schedule displayed alongside the fee table. Where a specific fee is labelled non‑refundable it has been noted above; no comprehensive tuition refund policy or detailed withdrawal/refund schedule is provided with the published fee sheet. Fee payment options - The publicly posted fee schedule lists amounts, billing options (annual/half‑year) and discounts but does not list specific payment channels (for example bank account details, accepted card types, or e‑wallet options) on the published fees page. Summary of what is not published on the fee sheet - The published fee materials include amounts, the annual/half‑year billing format, discounts, and which small fees are non‑refundable, but they do not publish a complete tuition refund policy or the school's accepted payment methods/banking details alongside the fee schedule.	Fee details Application fees - The school does not publish a single, standard one‑time application or registration fee amount on its public English pages. No fixed application fee was available from the school's public enrolment pages during the search. Tuition fees (by year group; per term and per year where published) - Primary (普通小学): RMB 50,000 per semester (this figure expressly includes boarding); annual equivalent RMB 100,000 per year. - Junior secondary / Middle (初中): RMB 48,900 per semester (includes boarding); annual equivalent RMB 97,800 per year. - International / programed tracks (annual rates reported by enrollment/education program pages): - Kindergarten (international/whole‑day): RMB 88,000 per year. - Elementary (ordinary international track): RMB 61,000 per year; elementary international‑student class listed at RMB 86,000 per year. - Junior secondary (ordinary international track): RMB 68,000 per year; international‑student middle class listed at RMB 98,000 per year. - Senior secondary (varies by program): Phoenix/regular/HK‑Macao classes ~RMB 68,000/year; Canada DCP / aviation classes ~RMB 98,000/year for early grades and ~RMB 108,000/year for final year; AP / CIS / some AP‑track figures reported up to ~RMB 130,000/year. These published program fees are reported by multiple enrollment/education information sources. Billing schedule and payment terms - For the municipal‑approved ordinary primary and junior‑secondary rates the school bills by semester (per the municipal fee approval). - International program fees are reported as annual tuition amounts on program pages; billing cadence and installment options vary by program and are set at admission. Boarding fees - For the municipal primary and junior‑secondary fee approvals, boarding is explicitly included in the semester fees. International program listings also describe “学杂宿费” / “学杂食宿费” (tuition + boarding + related items) as included in some program totals. Other costs and extras - Items commonly identified as additional costs: school uniform, Chinese textbooks, insurance and medical cover, extracurricular activities/trips, and incidental service fees. A published note for weekend/holiday residential stays appears as RMB 100/day in third‑party listings. Refunds - Refunds for private/民办 schools in Guangzhou follow regulated rules: new students who register and pay but do not enroll are eligible for substantial partial refunds (examples in local rules: ~90% refund when not enrolled; ~95% if fees were charged by year), and schools must process refunds and pro‑rata returns according to municipal/provincial refund formulas and timelines. Schools must handle refund processing promptly per local regulation. Fee payment options - Payments are required to the school's designated bank account and/or through the school's enrolled payment portal used for admissions and in‑school billing; the school uses an enrolment system platform and provides school contact channels for payment queries. Local regulatory documents require school receipts and payment into designated school accounts. Search coverage note - Municipal fee approvals were used for ordinary primary and junior‑secondary semester rates; international‑program annual figures come from published program/enrolment pages and education portals. A single, consolidated public fee schedule (including an explicit one‑time application fee amount) was not located on the school's publicly accessible English pages during the search.
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 Britannia International School Guangzhou follows the Cambridge international pathway from Early Years (EYFS) through Cambridge Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary (IGCSE) and Cambridge AS/A Level. Early Years covers Pre‑nursery to Reception (age 2–5) using the UK EYFS framework and its seven areas of learning. Cambridge Primary (Years 1–6, age 5–11) and Cambridge Lower Secondary (Years 7–9, age 11–14) deliver Cambridge syllabuses and assessments across a broad programme that includes English, mathematics, science, global perspectives/history/geography, Chinese, STEAM, art, music, PE and ICT. Cambridge Upper Secondary (Years 10–11, age 14–16) prepares students for Cambridge IGCSEs with core subjects (English, maths, science, PE) and a range of optional subjects such as English Literature, history, additional maths, Chinese, drama, music, art, physics, ICT and global perspectives. Post‑Year 11 (Years 12–13, age 16–19) students may study Cambridge AS and A Levels; the school lists example A‑level options (e.g., Chinese, history, further maths, geography, biology, physics, English language/literature, business, art, music, maths, chemistry, computer science) and describes standard AS/A‑level assessment routes and exam sessions.	Curriculum details Guangzhou Huamei International School is a full-time boarding Chinese–English school that provides a continuous pathway from kindergarten through high school on a single campus. Kindergarten follows IB PYP principles and runs full‑day English IB integrated classes (ages ~2.5–6) with bilingual immersion and inquiry‑based activities. The primary division uses the school's “Rongchuang” curriculum which blends the Chinese national curriculum with Western approaches, offering immersive English lessons, city‑themed PBL, SEL and science/STEAM courses; the primary program is also linked to Cambridge English initiatives. The middle school implements the national curriculum with expanded English instruction and specialist talent/innovation pathways while preparing students for both domestic senior high and international routes. The international high school provides multiple external qualifications and pathways — AP and A‑Level courses, a Canadian stream (CIS/OSSD) and a Double Curriculum Program awarding Chinese and Canadian diplomas, plus aviation and bilingual Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan tracks — to support university applications abroad.
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. Request information and initial enquiry. Begin by completing the online inquiry/visit-request form so the admissions team can send the school handbook and basic information; the website says they will contact families (for visit requests) within 24 hours. Parents should use the inquiry form to state the child's current year group, nationality/visa status and whether they need transport or lunch services — this helps admissions give accurate next steps. 2. Schedule a meeting with the admissions office. After the initial enquiry, arrange a meeting (virtual or on-campus) with BIS Admissions to discuss year placement, curriculum pathway (EYFS / Cambridge Primary / IGCSE / AS & A Level) and any learning-support needs. Bring questions about class size limits, bus routes and school-day times so the team can confirm availability for your child's age and address. 3. Complete the application and gather required documents. Read the school's admissions policy, then fill in the BIS Student Application Form and any service forms (for example the Bus Policy if you need transport). BIS publishes a specific list of documents: official previous school records in English, passport pages and visa/residence stamps (or HK/Macau/Taiwan documents where relevant), birth certificate, immunization record, medical report from an international clinic (the site suggests Guangdong Int'l Travel Health Care Center as an example), passport-sized photos (for student and parents) and any standardized-test or recommendation letters requested for older children. Parents should prepare certified English translations and notarised copies where required by Chinese administration rules; incomplete documentation will delay processing. 4. Assessment testing and interview scheduling. BIS requires age-appropriate assessment: children aged 3–7 (Early Years up to Year 2) usually attend a half‑ or full‑day classroom session for teacher assessment, while applicants aged 7 and above (Year 3+) sit written English and Mathematics tests at their level; all new students are interviewed by the Principal or COO. These assessments are used to determine learning support needs and correct class placement (they are not solely used to exclude applicants). Expect the school to advise if English-language support is recommended and to explain associated fees for that support. 5. Offer, fee payment and confirmation of place. If BIS offers a place, you will be sent the offer and fee schedule. The published 2025–2026 fee sheet shows the application fee and other charges (see the fees section below); parents should note which fees are non‑refundable (for example the application fee) and the school's stated discounts for full/early payment. Confirm the payment deadlines and the method the school uses to hold a place (some schools require completed acceptance forms and payment of fees to secure a spot). If you need a payment plan or have questions about deadlines/discounts, raise these with admissions at the offer stage. 6. Final enrolment steps and arrival. After payment and acceptance, complete any remaining enrolment paperwork (bus registration if required, medical/insurance forms), purchase or order the initial uniform set and bedding where required, and confirm the child's first‑day logistics (start date, class teacher, supply lists, lunch arrangements). BIS provides parent communication and uses PowerSchool for ongoing records; ask admissions for login details and for any orientation or family‑welcome events. Keep copies of all submitted documents and translations as the school and local authorities may ask for originals at a later date.	Admissions 1. Initial enquiry and application: Contact the school's Admissions Office to request the correct application form for the programme you want (main campus programmes, International Students Division (ISD), or the International High School/Canadian track). Parents can register online for many divisions or visit the admissions office in person; the ISD page on the school site lists phone and email contacts for enquiries. Keep a record of the exact programme name you are applying for (for example ISD, AP/CIS/DCP or the bilingual primary programme), because fees, timelines and required documents differ by programme. 2. Prepare and submit required documents: For local-entry primary pupils the school's published instructions mention bringing a photocopy of the household register (hukou) and a small portrait photo and completing the school's Student Information form; non-local or international applicants must submit passport and previous-school transcripts or study certificates. International or overseas-student applications typically require a passport copy, recent school transcripts, and sometimes a birth certificate and recommendation letter—confirm the exact checklist for your programme with admissions before you apply. Originals are commonly required for verification at enrolment, so allow time to gather certified copies or translations if needed. 3. Entrance assessment and interview: The school organises placement assessments and interviews; for the ISD online/in-person intake the school describes subject tests (Science, Math, English and HSK for Chinese) with published durations and an application/test fee (the ISD FAQ shows test structure and an application fee reference). For other streams (international high‑school tracks such as AP/CIS or Canadian programs) admission decisions are typically based on a combination of grades, municipal exam placement (where applicable), the school's own written tests and an interview or family meeting. Parents should plan for at least one in-person or virtual interview and for the possibility of additional subject testing to determine appropriate class placement. 4. Offer, deposit and registration: If the school makes an offer you will normally receive written acceptance instructions and a deadline to return a signed acceptance and pay any required deposit or first-term tuition; the timing and amount vary by programme and intake. Boarding, weekend-stay permissions and other optional services (if relevant) are typically charged separately—check the offer letter for the exact line items and payment deadlines. Keep receipts and an itemised copy of the contract; the school's official communications and brochure pages list programme contacts you should use if anything in the offer is unclear. 5. Medical/visa and arrival steps for international students: For non‑Chinese nationals there will be additional steps before term starts, including visa paperwork (for long stays) or residence-permit guidance, vaccination/health checks, and submission of authorised medical certificates where required. The ISD materials and the school's international-students pages note that online applicants must meet China's legal and school health requirements before formal enrolment. Parents should allow multiple weeks for visa processing and international-travel planning and confirm the school's arrival/boarding check-in dates. 6. Programme-specific timelines and special-admissions: For specialised streams (sports/talent classes, golf or other special-admission cohorts) the school publishes separate admissions brochures and schedules; these streams may run their own trials, interviews or selection events and have separate application windows. For the international high-school tracks the school follows municipal selection principles in addition to its own testing schedule (the school's international-high-school pages note multiple intake/test rounds across March–June for certain cohorts). If you are applying for a special programme, download that programme's brochure or ask admissions for the exact calendar and selection criteria. 7. After acceptance — enrolment, uniforms and start-of-term: After you pay the required fees and complete registration paperwork the school will provide details on uniforms, textbooks, meal/boarding arrangements and the student timetable. Ask admissions for an itemised schedule of mandatory and optional charges (transport, boarding weekend fees, extra-curricular or exam centre fees) so you can budget for the full first year. If anything in the package is unclear (for instance weekly boarding vs full-term boarding rules), request the school's written policy before final payment.
Scholarships	Scholarships The BIS website and its published 2025–2026 tuition sheet do not advertise a scholarship or formal bursary programme. The school's published fees page shows tuition levels, an application fee and a small set of published discounts: an annual tuition discount of RMB 6,000 for families who pay the full tuition amount and an early‑enrolment discount of RMB 3,000 for families who enrol and pay in full before January 31st. Other routine charges shown on the fee sheet include a resources fee, insurance, uniform, bedding (for very young children), lunch/snack fees and bus charges — but no merit or need‑based scholarship schemes are listed. If you are looking for financial assistance, sibling/family discounts, or exceptional-case support, contact the admissions office to ask if any unpublished arrangements exist (admissions@bisgz.com).	Scholarships ISD (International Students Division): The school's ISD materials explicitly state that applicants with excellent entrance-test results may apply for scholarships; the ISD FAQ and recruitment materials describe both full and half (50%) scholarships awarded on the basis of test performance. The ISD documentation also states an application/test fee and the test structure; families applying to ISD should confirm the scholarship application steps, deadlines, and whether scholarship offers require a separate application or are awarded automatically after testing. Other school-level and programme scholarships: Huamei runs targeted scholarship or special-admissions programmes from time to time (for example talent/sports cohorts and selective cohorts in the international/high‑school streams); these are handled per programme and the amounts and criteria vary by year. The school's special-admissions brochures (sports/golf and other talent programmes) describe selection and support mechanisms for successful candidates; however, the main website does not publish a single, centralised and up‑to‑date scholarship tariff covering every programme. Because scholarship availability, amounts and eligibility criteria change frequently, ask the Admissions Office for the current scholarship brochure and the exact deadlines and documentation required for any scholarship application. Practical next steps I recommend: (1) confirm which programme you are applying for (local bilingual primary, international high school / AP/CIS, or ISD) and request the specific programme brochure from admissions; (2) ask admissions for a current tuition and fees table for that programme (including boarding, weekend‑stay and meal charges); and (3) if you are interested in scholarship consideration, request the current scholarship criteria and deadline in writing. Contact details are on the school pages (Admissions/ISD).
Waitlist	Waitlist BIS states that admissions are open during the school year and that places are allocated with respect to class size limits (Nursery/Reception and Year 1 usually smaller sections). The school website's admissions information notes open intake and class-size constraints but does not provide a formal ‘waitlist' policy on the BIS site itself. Independent listings (International Schools Database) report that a waiting list has been used at times — specifically they note a waiting list for Pre‑Nursery because of high demand and they recommend early registration (they also say families are encouraged to register before July 31st for a new academic year). Because waiting‑list practice can change quickly, I recommend contacting admissions directly (admissions@bisgz.com) to confirm whether a waitlist is operating for the year group you need and what steps (deposit, application form) secure a place on the list.	Waitlist Publicly available information on the school's English and Chinese pages does not include a clear, school‑wide description of a formal waitlist or pool system. I searched the school's admissions and ISD pages and did not find a published, programme-level waitlist policy or a one‑page explanation of how a waitlist is operated on the school website. Because practices differ by programme (for example municipal placements, special-admissions cohorts, and ISD intakes), some programmes may maintain an internal waiting list and contact families if places become available; however, that procedure is not explicitly described in the school's public admissions materials. For certainty: if you want to know whether your child would be placed on a waiting list (and to learn the school's notification timelines and priority rules), contact the Admissions Office and ask for the programme's waitlist policy and how you will be notified; the school's admissions contacts are published on the ISD and main site pages.
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