Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan vs The SMIC Private School Shanghai

	D Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan Shanghai, China	T The SMIC Private School Shanghai Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 137,000 - 192,000	Fees / year RMB 140,000 - 166,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, American Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Chinese National Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 3,000
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2001
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Dipont Huayao Collegiate is on East Jingwang (Jingwang East) Road in the Kunshan Economic & Technological Development Zone (Kunshan, Suzhou, Jiangsu). It is in the Kunshan/greater-Suzhou area, within commuting distance of Shanghai, and reachable by local road links—parents relocating should check local transit or taxi routes from Kunshan or Suzhou.	Location SMIC Private School is located at No.169 Qingtong (Qing-Tong) Road in the Zhangjiang High‑Tech Park area of Pudong New Area, Shanghai (postal code 201203). The campus sits in a technology-park / suburban part of Pudong that serves many international families and is reachable by road and by the school's shuttle services; local landmark references list the site near Guanglan Road. For exact directions and public‑transport options, the school's address and contact details are on its website.
Stages	Stages The school is described as an all-through campus serving early years through upper school: a preschool (ages around 2–6), an elementary school (Grades 1–5), a middle school (Grades 6–8) and an upper school (Grades 9–12).	Stages The school runs a full K–12 structure: Early Childhood (kindergarten), Elementary, Middle School and High School within both an International Division and a Chinese Track. The website lists separate pages and curricula for EC, ES, MS and HS (including options such as a Chinese Concentration Class at elementary level).
School type	School type Dipont Huayao Collegiate is a co-educational, independent international/bilingual school operated by Dipont Education in partnership with the No.2 High School Affiliated to East China Normal University. The school offers both day places and boarding (boarder provision is noted in school information).	School type SMIC is a private, co‑educational K–12 day school that integrates kindergarten through high school on a single campus; it was founded by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) in 2001. The school does not provide student boarding — there is no dormitory on site.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Public-facing information highlights integrated academic and student‑life/pastoral programmes but does not publish a detailed special educational needs (SEN) policy online. If your child requires specific SEN or additional learning support (assessments, one‑to‑one support, therapy services, exam access arrangements), contact the admissions office for the school's current provisions and formal policy.	Additional learning support The school provides counselling services, small‑group and individual support, and an Academic Recovery Program for students who are struggling academically; it also offers different Chinese language streams (regular Chinese and Chinese as a Second Language) and a Chinese Concentration Class (CCC) in elementary. The website notes meal or other special arrangements can be made with documentation, but it does not describe a separate dedicated Special Educational Needs department — parents with specific SEN needs are advised to contact Admissions to discuss individual arrangements.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school is registered and based in China and is run by Dipont Education in partnership with East China Normal University's affiliated high school; it delivers a Sino‑American/blended Chinese–American curriculum rather than being formally affiliated to another country's government.	Country affiliation The school was established and is supported by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (a Chinese company) and is based in Shanghai's Zhangjiang High‑Tech Park. It therefore has a direct organizational link to SMIC.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is listed on the school's public information; it presents as a secular bilingual/international school.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school website; SMIC presents itself as a secular private school integrating Chinese and international curricula.
School day structure	School day structure The school's public pages and published brochure do not show specific daily start/finish times or the exact timing of breaks and lunch. For the most accurate day‑time schedule (term dates, start/end time, break and lunch arrangements), contact admissions before you relocate.	School day structure According to the school FAQ, elementary hours run from 7:50 a.m. to 3:25 p.m., and middle/high school hours from 7:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.; students are expected to arrive between about 7:45–8:00 a.m. The published school calendar also shows regular half‑day events and occasional schedule variations (e.g., study weeks and exam‑related half days).
Bus service details	Bus service details There is no detailed, publicly posted information about a school bus provider or routes on the school's website pages reviewed. Many international schools in the region run parent‑arranged or school‑organised shuttle services, but Dipont Huayao Collegiate does not publish routes or a provider on its public pages—please contact admissions to request current bus/transport options, route maps and costs. Admissions contact shown on public pages: admissions@huayaocollegiate.com and the school phone numbers listed online. }	Bus service details SMIC operates a fleet of more than 20 shuttle buses serving routes in both Pudong and Puxi; morning pick‑up times depend on the student's home location. Typical afternoon departure times listed by the school are 15:30 for elementary students and 15:30 (or 16:30 for some Pudong high‑school students) for middle/high students; each bus has a chaperone and the General Affairs office arranges routes and seat applications. The school does not provide bus service beyond the outer ring or to very remote areas; contact details for the bus office are published in the admissions/FAQ section.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - No separate, publicly published application or registration fee was found for Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan in the official school material and major school-directory summaries reviewed. Tuition fees (by term and by year group) - Early years / Kindergarten (Nursery / K1–K3): RMB 68,500 per semester — equivalent to RMB 137,000 per year. - Primary (Grades 1–6): RMB 75,000 per semester — equivalent to RMB 150,000 per year. - Junior middle (Grades 7–9): RMB 85,000 per semester — equivalent to RMB 170,000 per year. - Senior / International high school (Grades 10–12): RMB 96,000 per semester — equivalent to RMB 192,000 per year. Billing schedule and payment terms - Published tuition figures are quoted on a per-semester basis; annual totals above are the sum of two semesters. Parents are required to complete payment as part of the enrolment/registration process for each semester. Evidence from school admissions material for Dipont-group schools shows tuition and other fees are normally collected when new students complete admission/registration formalities. - Specific deadlines for semester payments and late‑payment penalties were not publicly detailed in the school pages and directories reviewed. Boarding fees (if applicable) - The school does offer boarding; published notices indicate boarding availability begins in the lower grades (sources state boarding is offered from around Grade 3 in some notices and from Grade 5 in others). No separate, consistent boarding‑fee amount was published in the material reviewed. If boarding is required, expect an additional charge beyond the tuition figures above. Other costs and typical additional charges - Uniforms: A school uniform is part of student requirements at most comparable schools; no fixed uniform cost was publicly listed for this school in the documents and directories checked. - Meals, textbooks, consumables and exam fees (AP/standardised tests): These items are commonly billed separately at comparable international schools; no consolidated line items for these costs were published alongside the tuition figures for this school. - School transport: the school operates school‑bus routes serving Kunshan and nearby areas according to admissions notices; specific bus fares were not published. - Optional / one‑off charges (enrolment deposits, activity trips, learning‑support fees, insurance): no firm amounts for such one‑off or optional charges were publicly listed for Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan in the sources reviewed. Refund information - No school‑level refund policy or detailed refund schedule (for tuition, deposits or other fees) was publicly available in the admissions/fee notices and directories consulted. Where a school does publish refund terms they are usually included with the enrollment paperwork; no such terms were located in the public listings reviewed. Fee payment options - The school's public pages did not list a definitive menu of payment channels for Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan. For other Dipont‑group campuses and similar international schools in the region, common payment channels include corporate bank transfer for institutional payments and on‑site/QR payments for parent payments; electronic invoicing via the school finance/Engage system is used by related Dipont schools. Specific payment methods for this Kunshan campus were not published in the material reviewed. Notes and summary - The tuition values above are those published in public school-directory notices and school admissions summaries and are given per semester with the corresponding annual totals shown. Where a single term figure was reported, I have listed the semester figure and the two‑semester annual equivalent. - Several admissions and school‑information pages for the school repeat the same per‑semester tuition bands (Kindergarten RMB 68,500; Primary RMB 75,000; Junior middle RMB 85,000; Senior high RMB 96,000). Boarding and many ancillary fees are not presented as fixed public line items in the documents reviewed. If you would like this presented in a different currency or formatted for a database field, I have provided the figures here in Chinese renminbi (RMB) per your request.	Fee details Application fees - SMIC-I charges a non‑refundable application fee of RMB 1,000 payable as part of the application process. Complete applications include submitting required documents in person and payment of the application fee. Tuition fees (per semester — amounts in RMB) - Early Childhood (EP–EK2): ¥70,000 per semester. - Grade 1–5: ¥75,000 per semester. - Grade 6–8: ¥80,000 per semester. - Grade 9–12: ¥83,000 per semester. These tuition figures are stated on SMIC‑I's tuition page and presented as semester amounts. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is quoted and billed on a per‑semester basis (two semesters per academic year). The school's tuition page lists fees as RMB per semester. - The application fee must be paid to complete the application. Parents are instructed to sign an authorization form and provide a copy of their ID to the Finance Office for payment processing; the site advises not to send the authorization form directly to the bank and provides a Finance contact for arrangements. Specific payment channels (for example, credit card acceptance) are not listed on the tuition page. Boarding / accommodation - SMIC Private School does not provide student housing (no boarding). Other compulsory or additional costs - Book deposit: a RMB 2,000 book deposit is required for every new elementary student (deposit terms are not specified on the tuition page). - Meal fees: charged per meal; listed rates are RMB 23.00 (EP–EK2), RMB 22.00 (G1–2), and RMB 24.00 (G3–12). Enrollment in the lunch plan is required. - School bus: bus service is available for an additional fee; parents must contact the school for routes and fees. - Uniforms: Grade 1–5 formal set ¥455 and summer sport set ¥225; Grade 6–12 formal set ¥470 and summer sport set ¥225. Refund information - The application fee is explicitly stated as non‑refundable. The tuition page requires a book deposit for new elementary students but does not specify refund conditions for that deposit on the published tuition page. Fee payment contact and administration - The Finance Office handles fee authorizations. The tuition page instructs parents to sign the authorization form, provide ID, and contact the Finance Office (contact details and an authorization form link are provided on the school's tuition page). For school bus fees and routes the site provides a separate contact.
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 Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan runs a Preschool through Grade 12 programme (Preschool, Elementary, Middle and Upper School). Preschool uses an integrated bilingual early‑years approach, while Elementary and Middle combine the Chinese national curriculum with international standards such as the American Common Core/NGSS and include a layered English‑medium pathway (middle grades levels CP, CP‑A, ECP and ECP‑I). The Upper School delivers a Sino‑American high‑school curriculum developed with U.S. partners (e.g., Shattuck‑St. Mary's), offers honors/ECP/AP track options, and is an authorized College Board AP school (AP code 694680) with students prepared to sit AP exams. Across all stages the school emphasises bilingual instruction, STEAM, arts and co‑curricular learning with personalised learning plans and advisory support; students may be placed or move between instructional levels based on assessment. The school issues standard Chinese full‑time elementary/middle/upper school graduation certificates and prepares students for AP qualifications and international university entry.	Curriculum details SMIC Private School's International Division delivers a US‑based K–12 curriculum aligned to research‑based standards (Common Core, AERO, NGSS, ISTE) across its Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle and High School programs. Early Childhood (K1–K2) covers language arts and math in K1, expands to five core subjects in K2, includes Chinese instruction, weekly art/music/PE/computers, and begins MAP assessment in K2. Elementary (Grades 1–5) offers daily math, science, English language arts, Chinese and social studies with weekly music, art, technology and PE; Grades 1–3 are self‑contained and Grades 4–5 transition to subject rotations. Middle School (Grades 6–8) continues the US standards with a balanced core of English, math, science, social studies and Chinese plus electives, physical education and extracurricular options. High School (Grades 9–12) operates on a semester credit system requiring 23.5 credits for graduation (specific credit totals in English, foreign language, social studies, math, science, PE, arts, technology and life skills), requires 100 community‑service hours, and offers 25+ Advanced Placement courses across a wide range of disciplines.
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. First contact and school visit — Start by contacting the school to request information, book a campus tour or an open day, and confirm application windows. The school runs public recruitment notices and open‑day dates (for example, the school published open‑day dates and recruitment notices for the 2025 intake). Parents should confirm whether the open day is for a particular year group and prepare identification (parent ID and child documents) for on‑site registration. 2. Submit an application — Complete the school's application form (online or paper) and provide the required documents: the child's passport or ID, recent school reports or transcripts, birth certificate, immunisation records, and parent/guardian contact and residency documents. For some year groups the school asks applicants to register through local online enrolment systems when relevant (the school's 2025 notices referenced the local Kunshan enrolment system for certain cohorts); private applicants typically submit direct applications to the school's admissions office. Parents should check deadlines (schools often publish specific application windows in spring for autumn entry) and whether an application fee or supporting forms (eg. guardian forms, translation/notarisation) are needed. 3. Assessment and interview — Applicants usually take an age‑appropriate assessment or attend an interview: play‑based assessments for early years, English and mathematics tests for primary and middle grades, and subject/portfolio assessments or English interviews for older students. Dipont schools and the Kunshan campus have reported using entrance interviews and tests as part of admission screening; expect the school to schedule either an on‑campus assessment or an online interview if you are overseas. Parents should prepare copies of recent term reports and, for older students, any standardised test scores or sample work the school requests. 4. Offer, deposit and contract — If the school offers a place you will typically receive an offer letter with the fee schedule, deadline to accept and the required deposit or guarantee to hold the place. The school's published fee figures (see Fees) indicate a range by year group; be ready to confirm whether the quoted fee is for day‑student or includes boarding, and to ask what is refundable and the payment deadlines. Parents should read the enrolment contract carefully for billing cycles (semester vs annual), cancellation and refund terms, and any additional compulsory charges (meals, insurance, buses). 5. Registration, visa/guardianship and local formalities — After accepting an offer you will complete registration paperwork with the school and, where applicable, arrange visa/guardianship documentation for international students. The school is registered with local education authorities and issues certificates on completion; local regulations can affect which students may be admitted and what residency/visa documents are required, so confirm with the school which proofs they need (eg. passports, residence permits, parents' work or residence documentation). If your child is a Chinese national living overseas or a resident of Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan, different documents may be required—ask admissions for a checklist. 6. Pre‑start arrangements and orientation — The school will publish orientation dates, transport/bus routes and boarding move‑in procedures (the school's public notices include school bus routes and a boarding option). Before term starts, check uniform lists, start‑of‑term medical checks or vaccinations the school requires, and the timetable for parent‑teacher communications. Parents should also confirm who to contact for day‑to‑day questions (admissions office phone/email) and how tuition invoices will be issued.	Admissions 1. Check eligibility and age rules: Before you begin, confirm that your child meets SMIC-I's nationality/residency eligibility—SMIC International Division admits students holding a valid foreign passport or legal residents of Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan. Note the age cut-offs (for example, EP2 applicants must be 3 years old by September 30 and Grade 1 applicants must be 6 years old by September 30). The school does not generally permit grade-skipping, so plan grade placement accordingly. 2. Review fees and budget for additional costs: Review the published semester tuition levels for the relevant grade band (2025–2026 example: Early Childhood ¥70,000/semester; Grades 1–5 ¥75,000/semester; Grades 6–8 ¥80,000/semester; Grades 9–12 ¥83,000/semester) and factor in additional, non-tuition charges. Additional items listed by the school include a non-refundable application fee (RMB 1,000), an elementary book deposit (RMB 2,000 for new ES students), meal fees per meal, uniform costs, and optional school bus fees — contact the finance or bus office for current amounts and payment instructions. Because some charges (meals, buses, uniforms) vary by semester or student choices, parents should download the authorization form and speak with the Finance Office before committing. 3. Complete the online questionnaire and gather documents: Start by completing SMIC's online questionnaire so the admissions team understands your child's background and needs. The school publishes an "Eligibility Requirements and Documents List" that specifies which documents must be provided (passport/visa/residency documents, academic records, immunizations, etc.); read that list carefully so you prepare originals and copies in the format the school requests. The school requires the required documents to be submitted and verified in person at the SMIC Education Workshop Center (Qing Tong Road #173); an application is not considered complete until documents are delivered and verified. 4. Create an online application account and submit the application: Create an account and fill in the online application via the school's application portal (the Apply link on the admissions page). You can save progress and return later; use a working email or mobile number for account registration and follow the portal's instructions for uploading or declaring documents. The school's stated complete-application requirement includes (a) finishing the online form, (b) verifying required documents in person, and (c) paying the application fee — check the portal confirmation carefully for next-step instructions and local mailing/submission addresses. 5. Pay the application fee, observe deadlines, and schedule assessment(s): Pay the non-refundable application fee (RMB 1,000 as published) and note the application and assessment deadlines shown for the year you are applying—examples posted for Grade 1 (2026 Fall) show a complete-application deadline of 4:00pm on April 2, 2026 and an entrance-assessment date of Saturday, April 18, 2026. Deadlines and assessment dates differ by entry grade and intake (e.g., Early Childhood entrance events and open houses are scheduled monthly and EC assessments for 2026 were indicated for late March), so confirm the exact dates on the current admissions calendar before making travel or other arrangements. The school explicitly states that a "complete application" must include payment of the application fee, document verification, and the online form — missing any of these may disqualify the application from being processed. 6. Prepare for entrance assessments and language placement: SMIC requires English proficiency across listening, speaking, reading, and writing; assessment content varies by grade (Grade 1: English reading, writing and speaking; Grades 2–12: English reading comprehension, writing and an oral interview plus a grade-appropriate math assessment). All new students also take a Chinese assessment (late August placement) and are placed into either Yuwen (native Chinese) or CSL (Chinese as a Second Language) streams depending on ability. If your child has special educational needs, note that the school states it currently does not have resources for specialised special-needs programs — disclose any learning support needs early so the admissions team can advise whether the school can meet them. 7. Offers, enrolment steps and logistics after acceptance: If offered a place, the school will provide acceptance/enrolment instructions (these typically include signing fee/tuition agreements, completing finance authorization forms, and providing ID copies to the Finance Office). The Finance Office asks parents to sign an authorization form (do not send that form to the bank) and provides contact details for tuition enquiries; families should also confirm meal-plan enrolment (lunch plan is mandatory) and bus arrangements if needed. Because some programs (for example the Chinese Concentration Class) have additional academic or residency commitments, read any program-specific acceptance conditions carefully before paying tuition or deposits.
Scholarships	Scholarships The school has publicly advertised a scholarship programme. In 2023 the school launched an “HC Scholarship” programme that named several categories (for example: a navigation/entry scholarship, a principal's nomination, subject‑competition awards and standardised‑test excellence awards). Local school listings and admissions notices indicate scholarships are awarded based on entrance exam performance, in‑school academic results and competition/standardised test outcomes; specific award criteria, application or nomination procedures and the percentage (or amount) of tuition covered are determined by the school and should be confirmed with admissions. If you are interested in scholarship support, ask admissions for the current scholarship types, eligibility thresholds (eg. minimum test scores or prize/competition results), application deadlines and whether an award is a one‑off discount or renewable each year.	Scholarships SMIC's public admissions and tuition pages do not advertise scholarships or a financial-aid program for the International Division. The school's tuition and FAQ pages list tuition, application fees and other charges but do not describe need-based aid, merit scholarships, or fee waivers for SMIC-I; no scholarship program is documented on the official admissions pages. If financial assistance or scholarship options are important to your family, contact Admissions (admissions@smicschool.com) or the Finance Office (julia_sun@smicschool.com) to request the most current information and ask whether any internal or external scholarship/discount options are offered in the current school year.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist SMIC's official admissions pages do not publish a formal, detailed waitlist procedure. The school's FAQ and admissions information state that transfers and mid-term places are accepted "as long as there are seats available," which indicates seat availability is handled on a case-by-case basis rather than by a publicly described waitlist process. Third-party school directories list SMIC as having a waiting list, but that is not described in detail on the school site; because practices vary year to year, I recommend contacting the SMIC admissions office directly (admissions@smicschool.com or the telephone number on the admissions pages) to ask whether a formal waitlist exists for the grade and intake you seek and how the school manages offers from the wait pool.
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