Chinese International School vs Victoria Shanghai Academy
Chinese International School and Victoria Shanghai Academy are both in Hong Kong, about 5 km apart. Both schools offer IB programmes, and Chinese International School also offers Bespoke. Published annual fees are HK$216,100 - 342,800 at Chinese International School and HK$181,200 - 255,600 at Victoria Shanghai Academy, which puts Chinese International School roughly 28% higher. Chinese International School takes pupils from 4 to 18, and Victoria Shanghai Academy from 5 to 18. Victoria Shanghai Academy is the larger school, with around 2,000 pupils to Chinese International School's 1,500. Typical class sizes are 9 at Chinese International School and 21 at Victoria Shanghai Academy.
Chinese International School (CIS) is located on Braemar Hill, Hong Kong Island. The area is residential and home to several other schools, offering a quieter setting compared with busier districts. The campus is about 10 minutes by bus or taxi to Causeway Bay MTR and around 20 minutes to Central.
Location
Victoria Shanghai Academy (VSA) is located at 19 Shum Wan Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, adjacent to Aberdeen Harbour. The campus lies in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, roughly a 15‑minute walk from MTR Wong Chuk Hang Station (Exit B). Buses and minibuses stop nearby at a public transport terminus about five minutes’ walk from the school.
Stages
Stages
The school accepts students from Reception (age 4) through Year 13 (age 18). The structure includes Primary (Years 1–6) and Secondary (Years 7–13). Year 10 students spend a mandatory year at CIS Hangzhou, a residential campus in mainland China.
Stages
The school offers curriculum from Primary (PYP) through Middle Years (MYP) to Diploma Programme (DP).
School type
School type
CIS is a co-educational day school. Boarding is not offered in Hong Kong, but Year 10 students take part in a one-year residential programme at CIS Hangzhou.
School type
VSA is a day school with no boarding facilities.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Support includes Learning Enhancement Teachers, an English Language Support Teacher, and School Counsellors in Primary. In Secondary, Social-Emotional Counsellors and Learning Enhancement staff work with students, families, and teachers.
Additional learning support
VSA states that it is “sensitive to students’ individual needs” and provides support for those with language or learning needs, physical or medical conditions, or social, emotional, and behavioural issues.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
The school is international and does not have an affiliation with any specific country.
Country affiliation
The school does not have any country affiliation.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
The school does not have a religious affiliation.
Religious affiliation
The school does not have any religious affiliation.
School day structure
School day structure
The school does not publish daily start and end times on its website.
School day structure
School hours are Monday to Friday, 8:25 am to 3:40 pm.
Bus service details
Bus service details
CIS operates a “Busing for All” programme. Students in Years 3–11 are required to use the bus service, while Reception–Year 2 and Years 12–13 may opt in. This arrangement is designed to reduce congestion in the Braemar Hill area.
Bus service details
VSA provides a school bus service.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application Fees A non-refundable application fee of HKD 2,000 is required for all new students. In addition, an assessment fee of HKD 2,500 (Primary) or HKD 2,000 (Secondary) is charged. Upon acceptance, families must pay a reservation deposit of HKD 150,000, which includes the first year’s Annual Capital Levy. The deposit is non-refundable.
Tuition Fees (Per Year) Reception: HKD 216,100 Years 1 – 6: HKD 286,600 Years 7 – 11: HKD 338,300 Years 12 – 13: HKD 342,800
Annual Capital Levy Students who joined CIS between 2018–19 and 2024–25 pay HKD 28,000 per year. Students joining from 2025–26 pay HKD 30,200 per year.
Annual Fees (Resources, Activities, Materials) Reception – Year 2: HKD 12,230 – 12,790 Years 3 – 6: HKD 14,490 – 18,150 Years 7 – 9: HKD 25,050 – 27,940 + HKD 23,700 China Experience Programme Year 10 (Hangzhou): HKD 30,400 + HKD 198,800 Boarding Fee Year 11: HKD 10,110 (excludes Project Week, billed separately) Year 12: HKD 10,410 (excludes Project Week; includes Y12 Induction) Year 13: HKD 13,030 (includes Graduation Fee)
Billing Schedule Families may choose from: Monthly Autopay: 10 instalments (Sept–Jun), due on the 5th of each month. Termly Payment: Three instalments (Sept–Dec, Jan–Mar, Apr–Jun). Lump Sum: Full-year payment due in August.
Boarding Fees Boarding is required in Year 10 at CIS Hangzhou. The Boarding Fee is HKD 198,800 in addition to tuition and annual fees.
Additional Costs Uniforms, meals, and Year 11–12 Project Week expenses are billed separately.
Refund Policy Application, assessment, and reservation fees are non-refundable. Tuition and levies are not refundable once billed.
Payment Options Payments can be made via bank transfer or autopay through the school’s Business Office.
Fee details
Primary Years Programme (Years 1–5) The annual tuition fee for Year 1 is HK$181,200, payable in 10 installments.
Middle Years Programme (Years 6–10) Year 6 tuition fee is HK$200,700, payable in 10 installments. Year 7 tuition fee is HK$203,700, payable in 10 installments. Year 8 tuition fee is HK$203,700, payable in 10 installments. Year 9 tuition fee is HK$205,400, payable in 10 installments. Year 10 tuition fee is HK$205,400, payable in 10 installments.
Diploma Programme (Years 11–12) Year 11 tuition fee is HK$255,600, payable in 10 installments. Year 12 tuition fee is HK$255,600, payable in 9 installments.
Other Fees Refundable Capital Levy: A one-off payment required from all parents of newly admitted students (Years 1–11), unless holding a debenture.
Miscellaneous Fees: May include costs for field trips, online learning licenses, and learning materials.
CAS Trips: Fees apply for compulsory local or overseas Creativity, Activity, Service trips.
Technology Requirement: Students from Years 7 to 12 must purchase their own Apple MacBook through an authorised reseller or the school’s partnered vendor.
Refund Policy For the Capital Levy (the one-off payment by non-debenture holders), the Capital Levy Agreement states that if a parent withdraws the student before school starts or the student does not attend, no refund of the Capital Levy will be made.
Partial refunds are possible under certain conditions: after the student completes the first term, HK$30,000 of the Capital Levy is refunded; the remaining HK$30,000 is refunded either at graduation from secondary school or upon early withdrawal with at least 45 school days’ notice.
Payment Method The school does not have their payment method publicly available.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Chinese International School offers a bilingual curriculum from Reception to Year 6, with equal instruction in English and Chinese (Mandarin). In Years 7–9, students follow the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP), which emphasizes inquiry-based learning across subject areas. Years 10–11 complete a CIS-developed curriculum, which bridges the MYP and the IB Diploma Programme and includes the residential Year 10 experience in Hangzhou. In Years 12–13, students pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), preparing them for university admission worldwide. Chinese (Mandarin) remains a required subject throughout Secondary, taught at multiple proficiency levels to suit different student backgrounds. The curriculum is supported by co-curricular activities in the arts, sports, and service learning.
Curriculum details
Victoria Shanghai Academy delivers a through‑train IB curriculum offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP).
In primary years (Years 1–5), the curriculum is inquiry‑based around six transdisciplinary themes (e.g. Who We Are, How the World Works, etc.). Teachers design units of inquiry that cross subject boundaries, integrating literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and expressive arts.
In secondary school, the MYP is organised around global contexts and concept‑based learning, with eight subject groups and “Approaches to Learning” that develop skills across disciplines. Students engage in inquiry, reflection, and connection of traditional subjects to real‑world contexts.
For IB Diploma (Years 11–12), VSA students take the full IB programme recognised by universities globally. The school also emphasises bilingualism: primary is bilingual in English and Putonghua; secondary instruction is primarily English complemented by a strong Chinese programme.
1. Determine eligibility and year level: Reception applicants must be 4 years old by 31 August of the entry year. The Reception programme is half-day, and there are 96 places available. Year placement is based on the applicant’s age and prior schooling. Families should review bilingual expectations, particularly in the Primary years.
2. Submit an online application: Parents complete the online application form and pay a non-refundable application fee of HKD 2,000. Additional documents, such as academic reports and recommendations, may be requested, especially for Secondary applicants.
3. Attend assessments or observations: Reception applicants take part in observation sessions, while Primary and Secondary applicants complete entrance assessments. An additional non-refundable assessment fee applies: HKD 2,500 for Primary and HKD 2,000 for Secondary. Secondary applicants may also be invited for interviews.
4. Notification of results: Offers for Reception are usually sent by mid-March. Secondary applicants are notified several weeks after assessments. Some applicants may be placed on a reserve list, depending on the availability of places.
5. Acceptance and enrolment: To confirm a place, families must pay a HKD 150,000 reservation deposit, which includes the Annual Capital Levy for the first year. The remaining balance is offset against tuition and annual fees. Some offers may be conditional, for example, requiring confirmation of a Hong Kong visa or right of abode.
Admissions
1. Online Application Submission Parents can apply through the VSA online application portal, uploading photo ID, birth certificate or passport, and previous two years’ academic reports of their children.
2. Payment of Application Fee A non‑refundable and non‑transferable application fee of HKD 2,000 is required upon submission to initiate the review process.
3. Document Verification and Review Applications with missing documents will be held pending complete submission. If documents are not submitted within one month, the application is considered withdrawn.
4. Assessment / Interview Candidates undergo assessments (e.g. for English, mathematics) and possibly interviews depending on the grade level applied for.
5. Admission Results Notification The school shares results within about one month after the assessment, or after interview. Accepted, waitlist, or declining outcomes are communicated.
6. Enrollment Procedures Once accepted, families complete enrollment formalities (sign contracts, pay fees) within the deadlines specified in the offer letter.
Scholarships
Scholarships
CIS offers financial aid beginning from Year 8 onwards. This aid is available to new students who demonstrate financial need and meet eligibility requirements. The aid applies to tuition fees, and families must apply directly through the school’s admissions office for consideration. The school does not publish details of merit-based scholarships or awards beyond this financial aid provision.
Scholarships
VSA has a scholarship programme for both internal and external students. These scholarships cover categories including academic excellence, leadership, performance, and improvement.
Waitlist
Waitlist
CIS maintains a reserve list for each year group, which functions as a pool system. The reserve list is not ranked. When a place becomes available, the school reviews candidates in the pool and selects the student who best complements the available space in that year group.
