Concordia International School Shanghai vs Hiba Academy Nantong

	C Concordia International School Shanghai Shanghai, China	H Hiba Academy Nantong Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 243,000 - 320,000	Fees / year RMB 252,494 - 296,640
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), SEN focussed, Bespoke Curriculum, IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme)	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 1,200	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 5
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1998	Opened 2022
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Concordia International School Shanghai is located in the Jinqiao (Biyun) neighbourhood of Pudong, Shanghai; the visitor entrance is at 345 Huangyang Road and the school's mailing address is 999 Mingyue Road (postcode 201206). The campus sits in an international residential and commercial area with nearby metro and bus links (Taierzhuang Road / Line 9 is a short walk) and is reachable from both Pudong and Puxi.	Location Hiba Academy Nantong is located at 66 Haide Road in the Su‑Xi‑Tong Science & Technology Industrial Park on the outskirts of Nantong, Jiangsu — a purpose‑built campus in an industrial/technology park area. The city of Nantong is served by high‑speed rail and Nantong Xingdong Airport and is about a 1–1.5 hour drive from parts of the greater Shanghai area via the Sutong crossing, so travel to/from major regional hubs is possible.
Stages	Stages The school serves students aged about 3 to 18 and is organised into Early Childhood, Elementary School, Middle School and High School divisions (Preschool through Grade 12).	Stages The school advertises Early Years, Primary, Junior High and Senior High phases on its site, indicating a continuous programme from nursery through secondary. External listings and the school's materials state it serves roughly ages 3–18.
School type	School type Concordia is a co‑educational day school delivering an American‑style curriculum; it does not offer boarding. The school operates as an international school for students holding foreign passports.	School type Hiba Academy Nantong is co‑educational and described as a bilingual (Chinese–English) school. The campus includes purpose‑built boarding accommodation and the school has published information about boarding provision (boarders and day pupils are both accommodated).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Concordia runs a Learning Support (LS) programme with LS specialists who work with classroom teachers to design interventions and accommodations. The programme supports a limited number of students with mild to some moderate learning needs through referral, in‑class support, and targeted interventions.	Additional learning support The school's public materials emphasise pastoral care and wellbeing; a senior pastoral lead at Nantong has previous experience as a Head of Learning Support, which suggests access to experienced staff for student wellbeing and additional‑needs support. The site does not publish a detailed SEN policy for Nantong, so parents should contact admissions for specifics about formal SEN assessment, individual learning plans or specialist staffing.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school is approved by the Ministry of Education of China and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission but is not an official national school of another country; it provides an American‑style education for expatriate families.	Country affiliation Hiba Academy Nantong is part of the Hiba/Wellington College Education group in China (the Wellington College Education (China) family), which informs curriculum design and school organisation.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation Concordia was founded in the tradition of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and holds related school accreditation; it identifies as a Christian/Lutheran‑affiliated international school.	Religious affiliation The school does not list a religious affiliation in its directory listings and materials; it is presented as a non‑religious bilingual school.
School day structure	School day structure Typical school start times reported are about 8:00 AM for Early Childhood, Elementary and Middle School and about 8:30 AM for High School, with a usual school day finishing in the mid‑afternoon (around 3:20 PM). Specific schedules (for example exam blocks or early‑release days) are published on the school calendar and can vary by week or division.	School day structure The school's public pages do not publish a full day‑by‑day timetable or fixed start/end times for pupils; the school's contact page shows office hours (9:00–17:00) for admissions and enquiries. For exact pupil start/finish times, break and lunch arrangements, ask admissions or request the current term timetable.
Bus service details	Bus service details Concordia offers optional paid bus transportation with morning, afternoon and late/activity routes; routes cover much of Pudong and some areas of Puxi. Families who pay for daily bus service may also use activity buses for no additional charge on participating ECA/athletics days. The bus service is run as a school‑arranged transport option and the fee is separate from tuition.	Bus service details Hiba schools in the group commonly offer campus services such as school buses, but the Nantong site does not publish detailed bus routes or providers online. If you need daily transport (routes, fees, pick‑up points), contact the Nantong admissions office — they can provide current routes, pricing and registration details.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - Application fee: RMB 2,500 (non‑refundable). One‑time/new‑student fees - Capital (placement) fee: RMB 25,000 (one‑time, billed on acceptance; non‑refundable). - One‑time ELL support fee (where applicable, K–12): RMB 20,000. - Grade 6–12: families must provide a recent Apple laptop for student use (school specifies minimum model/specs). Tuition (per student) — full year and semester options - Preschool / Pre‑Kindergarten: Full year RMB 243,000 — Semester payment option RMB 124,000 per semester. - Kindergarten – Grade 5: Full year RMB 305,000 — Semester payment option RMB 155,000 per semester. - Grade 6 – Grade 8: Full year RMB 312,500 — Semester payment option RMB 158,750 per semester. - Grade 9 – Grade 12: Full year RMB 320,000 — Semester payment option RMB 162,500 per semester. Other recurring / optional costs - Bus transportation (optional, per student): RMB 22,000 per year. - School lunch (optional): ranges by division — approx. RMB 27–40 per day depending on grade. - Uniforms (K–12): approximate RMB 1,000 per year for Grades 1–12; Preschool/Pre‑K do not require the standard uniform. - Educational travel and some grade‑specific costs: variable and billed separately. Boarding - Not applicable. Concordia operates as a co‑educational day school; no boarding program or boarding fees listed. Billing schedule and payment terms - Two payment options: single full‑year payment (once per year) or two instalments (semester payments). Specific invoice dates and due‑date instructions are issued by the school. Payment in RMB is standard; USD payments use a school set exchange rate updated on the first day of each month. Refunds - No detailed public refund schedule is provided on the school's published tuition/fees pages; one‑time acceptance and capital fees are listed as non‑refundable. For any refund or withdrawal terms, the school's billing/finance office handles individual cases. Accepted payment methods and banking details - Accepted methods: cash, check (U.S. checks accepted for tuition/fees), wire transfer, Alipay, WeChat Pay for some payments. School provides RMB and USD bank account details for transfers. Important: include student name on remittance to ensure correct credit.	Fee details Application fees - Hiba Academy Nantong does not charge an application or admissions fee. Tuition fees (by year group; per term and per year) - Nursery / Kindergarten: RMB 126,247 per semester — RMB 252,494 per year. - Primary (Grades 1–6): RMB 127,308 per semester — RMB 254,616 per year. - Junior High (Grades 7–9): RMB 141,100 per semester — RMB 282,200 per year. - Senior High / Sixth Form (Grades 10–12): RMB 148,320 per semester — RMB 296,640 per year. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school states that the formal fee structure and schedule are subject to local Price Bureau approval and that a full breakdown will be provided once approved. At the time of publication the school had not published an approved, itemised billing calendar. - In practice across the Hiba/Wellington family, fees are typically billed termly/semesterly with option for annual or termly payment; sibling schools publish term payment deadlines and offer standard invoice/fapiao procedures. (This reflects common practice in the group rather than a published Nantong schedule.) Boarding fees (if applicable) - Boarding places are available at Hiba Academy Nantong and the school operates an on‑campus boarding house; however, the school's public pages do not publish a specific boarding fee amount. Other costs and common additional fees - The school advises that additional charges may apply for co‑curricular activities (CCAs), meals, uniforms, school bus and trips. Specific amounts for Nantong are not published; for comparison, fees for meals, uniforms and bus at sister campuses are published by those campuses (example figures are shown on sibling school pages). Refund information - No detailed withdrawal/refund schedule was published on the Nantong pages consulted. Wellington/Hiba schools in China commonly operate formal withdrawal and refund procedures (term cut‑off rules, resource fee handling and requirements to return receipts/fapiao); parents are normally required to submit a written withdrawal form to trigger any refund. Fee payment options - The Nantong site does not publish a full list of accepted payment channels. Wellington/Hiba campuses typically accept RMB bank transfer to a school account and provide official receipts (fapiao); sibling campuses also show bank details on their fee pages. Expect similar bank transfer/online payment arrangements for Nantong. If you require these items presented in a different format for a database, I have included the current publicly available figures and the official school statements 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 Concordia delivers an American-style continuum from Preschool through Grade 12: the Early Childhood program (Preschool–K) is Reggio Emilia–inspired and integrates literacy, math, science, social-emotional learning and the arts with Mandarin and English-language support. The Elementary School (Grades 1–5) follows U.S. standards—Common Core for math and literacy, NGSS for science, C3 for social studies—and uses resources such as Bridges in Mathematics alongside daily Mandarin and balanced literacy instruction. Middle School (Grades 6–8) follows an American curriculum with an international focus; students study nine subject areas each year: Mathematics, Science, English, Social Studies, Physical Education, World Language, STEM, RSB and the Fine Arts. High School (Grades 9–12) requires a U.S.-style core (English, social studies, science, math, world language, fine arts, health, PE and spirituality) and offers Advanced Placement courses, Applied Learning pathways and Global Online Academy options; students meet defined credit-based graduation requirements to earn a Concordia high school diploma. Across all divisions the school embeds STEM, applied-learning, service, counseling and learning-support programs alongside extracurriculars and specialist arts instruction.	Curriculum details Hiba Academy Nantong runs a bilingual early‑years to secondary programme (nursery, primary, junior and senior) that combines the Chinese national curriculum with imported UK/overseas teaching resources; the nursery explicitly follows the English EYFS framework alongside China's 3–6 guidance. Primary covers Years 1–5 and uses the Chinese national curriculum as the core while employing Chinese and foreign co‑teachers to deliver an immersive bilingual programme. The junior school is Years 6–8 and extends subject depth and academic skills to complete compulsory nine‑year education and prepare students for senior study. The senior school (Grades 9–11, opened in the 2024–25 school year) follows a Pre‑A Level pathway: Year 10 uses IGCSE‑style progression to build foundations for A‑Level courses starting in Year 11, with core subjects (Chinese, English, mathematics, chemistry) and options such as biology, physics, economics, computer science, art, music and physical education. The school also provides a wellbeing/pastoral programme and university‑guidance services and offers a UK‑style boarding provision for senior students.
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. Check eligibility and required government documents. Before you begin the online application, confirm your family meets Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SHMEC) eligibility categories and that you can provide the required government documents (passports, residence permits, work permit/employment verification, birth certificate, etc.). Concordia requires at least one parent to be resident in Shanghai while the child is enrolled; failure to maintain required documents can lead to dismissal and forfeiture of fees, so gather certified/translated copies now. 2. Start the online application (OpenApply) and pay the application fee. Eligible applicants must complete the school's online application portal (concordiashanghai.openapply.cn) and upload initial documents; after submission you will receive a customized checklist in your applicant account. The application fee is paid through that process (the site lists a non-refundable application fee); keep the payment receipt and note the portal account login for future checklist items. 3. Upload supporting academic records, recommendations and any learning-needs documentation. The admissions checklist asks for previous report cards, test results, and teacher recommendations; if your child has diagnosed learning needs or specialized schooling requirements, include full documentation and disclose these up front because admissions decisions are made case-by-case based on available support. Concordia states that failure to disclose a full history of learning needs can result in dismissal, so be thorough and contact Admissions to discuss any supports your child may require. 4. Prepare for interviews and assessments (if required). Depending on grade level and the initial application review, Concordia may request an interview and/or English-language and academic assessments (math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, etc.); Preschool/Pre-K have different language expectations than Kindergarten–Grade 12. If the grade has reached wait-pool status, the school notes that required assessments may be scheduled only when space becomes available, so ask Admissions about timing if you need a prompt assessment. 5. Receive the admissions decision and complete acceptance steps. The admissions committee evaluates academic/behavioral records, English proficiency, support needs and overall fit; the school will notify families of decisions by email. If you receive an offer, a non-refundable Capital Fee (listed on the tuition page) is billed upon acceptance and generally must be paid within the timeline provided in the offer to secure the place. 6. Complete enrollment paperwork, payments and operational arrangements. After acceptance, follow the Enrollment instructions (submit any outstanding SHMEC documents, arrange tuition payment in RMB or USD per the school's payment instructions, and be aware of one-time fees: ELL support fee where applicable, and laptop requirements for Grades 6–12). Also arrange optional services (bus, lunch, uniforms) and confirm start-of-term logistics; if you have questions about billing or currency conversion, contact the Business Office or Admissions directly.	Admissions 1. Attend an information event or book a campus visit. Hiba Academy Nantong asks families to attend an admissions/info session or an open day so you can see the campus, meet staff and get the school's programme details; parents are encouraged to submit the online information-collection form to secure invitations and ask specific questions about the year group you are applying for. Be prepared to confirm which year you want (the site lists places for Nursery and Years 1–11) and bring any basic documents the admissions team requests when you book a visit (child's name, date of birth, current school). 2. Complete and submit an online application via OpenApply. The school uses OpenApply as its admissions management system — you must upload the required supporting documents through that portal and the admissions team will confirm receipt; the website notes there is no application deadline but recommends applying early because many year groups have limited places. Parents should check what documents are requested for your child's age (typically passport/ID, previous school reports and contact details) and keep emailed confirmation of the submission. 3. Attend the age-appropriate admissions assessment arranged by the school. After the application is received, the admissions office arranges an assessment tailored to your child's age; the school says assessments are made to be as relaxed and comfortable as possible and that the admissions team will provide the exact assessment details for each candidate. Parents should confirm format and timing in advance (tests, interviews or practical tasks can vary by year group) and, where relevant, ensure paperwork such as recent school reports is available for the assessors. 4. Admissions committee review and notification. The admissions committee reviews the application and assessment and the school commits to communicating a decision within about one week of the assessment by phone or email; if an offer is made the admissions office will provide next steps about acceptance, payment and enrolment.
Scholarships	Scholarships Concordia's public website does not list a general family-facing scholarship or means-tested financial-aid program for incoming students. The site does show the Concordia Fund (a donor program that supports student/faculty enrichment projects) and describes employee tuition benefits for faculty children under specific employment arrangements, but it does not present an open scholarship application process or standard tuition-remission program for the general applicant pool. If you are seeking fee assistance, sponsored places, or employee-related tuition benefits, contact the Admissions or Human Resources offices directly to ask whether any limited-sponsored places, staff benefits, or special arrangements might apply in your case — contact details are provided on the school's contact page.	Scholarships Hiba Academy Nantong operates a scholarship programme and publishes application details on its website. Eligibility and scope: applicants must first apply to join the school and, according to the school pages, scholarship applications are open to students in Grade 6 and above; scholarship awards are offered as tuition reductions and the published information states awards can vary by assessment result and may be worth up to 100% of tuition (the school also indicates awards are reviewed annually and the granted amount may increase with time at the school). Assessment and process: scholarship candidates sit subject-specific tests (the website lists Chinese, English and maths for Grades 6–8, and maths/English/science for Grade 9 and above), take an English interview, and will complete an online CAT4 cognitive test; sports and arts scholarships include practical assessments in the relevant discipline. How to apply and timing: the school asks interested families to submit the scholarship application form (the scholarship page links to the form) and the admissions office will contact applicants; the site notes scholarship applications open immediately on the published page and that the awards are subject to the scholarship committee's review and annual reassessment. If you are considering a scholarship application, confirm the current application deadlines, the maximum award available for the specific year and whether the award requires ongoing academic/behavioural conditions by contacting admissions (admissions.wccn@hibaacademy.org).
Waitlist	Waitlist Concordia operates a wait pool system rather than an automatic long public waitlist for grades that have reached capacity. The school's Admissions/Requirements pages flag specific grade levels as being at “wait pool” status and state that, when capacity is reached, applicants are placed in the wait pool rather than being immediately assessed or placed. Priority consideration within the wait pool is not an automatic placement; Concordia lists priority factors used when choosing among wait-pool applicants: siblings currently enrolled or applying, returning students in good standing, stronger academic English proficiency, and students with prior attendance at U.S. or American international schools. The site also explicitly notes that if a requested grade is at wait-pool status and an applicant requires an assessment, the assessment will be scheduled only if and when space becomes available — so families on the wait pool should expect possible delays to assessment and placement and should keep Admissions informed of any changes in status.	Waitlist The school's public admissions pages do not describe a formal waitlist or central enrolment pool. The admissions information emphasises that there is no fixed application deadline but that places are limited and families are advised to apply early; if you need a definitive answer about a waiting list for a particular year group, the admissions office asks families to contact them directly (email admissions.wccn@hibaacademy.org or phone 0513‑6807‑8800). In practice, when schools do not publish a waitlist policy, families who are interested are advised to keep an open channel with admissions (confirming your application is complete and asking to be notified of any late vacancies) and to ask whether the school maintains an internal waiting list or admissions reserve.
	View full profile →	View full profile →