Fettes College Guangzhou vs Guangzhou Huamei International School
Fettes College Guangzhou and Guangzhou Huamei International School are both in Guangzhou, about 23 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge A Levels programmes. Fettes College Guangzhou also offers IB, EYFS, Chinese National and Cambridge IGCSE, and Guangzhou Huamei International School also offers Advanced Placement (AP) and Bespoke. Published annual fees are RMB 100,000 - 150,000 at Fettes College Guangzhou and RMB 61,000 - 130,000 at Guangzhou Huamei International School, which puts Fettes College Guangzhou roughly 31% higher. Fettes College Guangzhou takes pupils from 2 to 17, and Guangzhou Huamei International School from 2.5 to 18.
IB (PYP), IB (MYP), EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Chinese National Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels
Curriculum
Advanced Placement (AP), Bespoke Curriculum, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils
Pupils
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Pupils
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Typical class size
Typical class size
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Typical class size
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Instruction language
Instruction language
English, Mandarin
Instruction language
English, Mandarin
Opened
Opened
2020
Opened
1993
Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Fettes College Guangzhou is on a large campus in Phoenix City, Nan'an Village, Xintang Town, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou (No. 2 Xinxue Road, postcode 511340). The school is set on a suburban campus about an hour's drive from Guangzhou city centre and Baiyun International Airport, so most families travel to the site by car or school-arranged transport.
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
The school is a K–12 provision with an Early Years section plus Primary, Middle and Senior (high school) divisions listed on the school site. Age entry is shown as approximately 2 to 17 years.
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
FCG is a day and boarding school; the website describes boarding as an integral part of the Fettesian model and details house/boarding staff arrangements. The site presents the school as a full-year K–12 provision (no religious or single‑sex designation is stated).
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
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
The school describes a pastoral ‘humanistic care' system that provides individualised support and wellbeing services; Early Years and other pages note small class sizes and targeted activities (for example sensory-integration work in EY). The website also describes EAL/IELTS support and one-to-one or small-group tutorials for students needing extra help. For specifics about formal SEN assessments or named specialist staff, the school requests enquiries via admissions.
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
Fettes College Guangzhou is a joint venture between Fettes College (UK) and Country Garden (Country Garden Education Group); the partnership and British heritage are stated on the school site.
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
The school site does not list any religious affiliation; its materials present the provision as an international, secular K–12 school.
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
The website does not publish a standard daily timetable (start/end times or exact break/lunch times) in its public pages. Prospective parents are directed to contact admissions or consult the School Handbook/policies for detailed daily schedules.
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
There is no detailed information about a daily school-bus network or external provider on the public website. If a dedicated bus service or route information is important for your move, contact the admissions team (phone numbers and contact page are on the site) to request current bus routes, pick‑up points and costs.
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
Application fees
- The school's public admissions pages do not publish a specific application or non‑refundable registration fee; no application fee is listed on the school's admissions information.
Tuition fees (per term and per year group)
- Early Years (EY): commonly reported around RMB 120,000 per year (equivalent to approximately RMB 60,000 per semester) in recent school listings.
- Primary (compulsory stage): RMB 120,000 per semester — therefore RMB 240,000 per academic year (two semesters). This level is set as a government‑approved semester rate.
- Middle / Junior secondary (compulsory stage): RMB 135,000 per semester — therefore RMB 270,000 per academic year. This level is set as a government‑approved semester rate.
- Senior / High school: published market‑rate semester ranges are RMB 132,500 to RMB 162,500 per semester; this corresponds to RMB 265,000 to RMB 325,000 per academic year (two semesters). Where applicable, differentiation is reported between day and boarding arrangements.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition for the compulsory stages (primary and middle) is charged per semester (semester billing). Several school notices and the official local fee approval state semester billing is the basis for fee collection.
Boarding fees (where applicable)
- Officially approved boarding charges for the compulsory levels are: Primary boarding RMB 9,000 per semester; Middle boarding RMB 14,000 per semester.
- For Senior School there are reported options and different boarding packages: examples published for senior students include day student vs 5‑day and 7‑day boarding differentials (e.g., RMB 132,500 per semester for day; RMB 152,500 for 5‑day boarding; RMB 162,500 for 7‑day boarding in recent reports).
Other costs and typical extras
- Meal / catering fees are reported per semester as approximately: Primary RMB 9,000; Middle RMB 10,000; Senior RMB 11,000.
- Typical one‑off or periodic extras reported in market summaries include: activity / enrichment / international examination or expedition fees (examples around RMB 2,000), and school uniform kit charges (reported examples: Primary ~RMB 3,000 per set; Middle/High ~RMB 3,800 per set in past published lists).
Refund information
- Refunds and charge‑back calculations for the compulsory (义务教育) stages are governed by Guangdong provincial rules on private school charging and refunding. The provincial rules set out clear refund methodology (for example, pro‑rata refunds based on months in attendance and defined percentages for students who register but do not attend) and require schools to process refunds within statutory timelines. These provincial rules apply to the school's compulsory stages.
Fee payment options
- The school's public admissions pages and policy pages do not list specific accepted payment channels (for example, named bank accounts, online payment gateways or card acceptance) in the materials available online. Parents are typically expected to observe the school's published invoice / payment instructions at registration.
Note: figures above are drawn from the school's admissions information and recent local fee approvals and market summaries; compulsory‑stage semester rates are recorded in the local government fee approval. The entries above present per‑term amounts followed by the corresponding per‑year totals where applicable.
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
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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
Fettes College Guangzhou operates a K–12, China–international blended curriculum that integrates the Chinese national curriculum with British and IB frameworks and delivers much of its teaching bilingually. In the kindergarten the programme is EYFS‑informed within the IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) framework and includes a wide range of enrichment activities and CCAs. The primary school explicitly combines the Chinese national curriculum with the IB PYP framework and elements of the Fettes (UK) programme to deliver cross‑curricular, inquiry‑based learning. The middle school teaches the national compulsory curriculum while drawing on the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) framework to structure bilingual, inquiry‑led study and project work. The senior school offers externally assessed international qualifications—Cambridge IGCSE followed by A‑Level courses—providing multiple academic pathways and university preparation.
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
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Pre-registration and first contact. Start by completing the school's online pre‑registration (the site asks families to scan the QR code or fill the registration form) so the admissions office can record your interest and assign a dedicated admissions officer. Parents should expect the school to use that officer as their main point of contact for scheduling visits, tests and next steps—keep their contact details and any reference/registration number the school gives. Refer to the school's admissions page for the QR/registration instruction and to ask about current vacancies.
2. Visit / open day (recommended before formal application). The school explicitly asks families to visit campus with the child so you can see curriculum, facilities and pastoral arrangements in person; visits are arranged through the admissions officer. When you book, confirm whether the child should bring school reports, portfolios, or evidence of special talents (art/sport/music) because those can matter for assessment in some years. Bring photo ID for both child and parent to present if requested on arrival.
3. Formal application and documents. After pre‑registration and/or a visit, complete the Student Information Registration Form online and upload the required documents: child's ID (household register, birth certificate or passport), guardian ID/passport, a clear recent photo of the child, and a medical/physical examination report. The admissions page lists those exact document types—prepare certified copies where applicable and check whether originals are needed for verification on registration day. Missing or incomplete documents are a common cause of delay, so confirm the file formats and any translation/notarisation requirements with your admissions officer.
4. Assessment: tests, interview and portfolio. For most entry years the school will invite the child to an assessment that typically includes age‑appropriate testing and an interview or teacher observation; in some cases the school will also request a portfolio or evidence of extracurricular achievement. Ask the admissions officer in advance what the assessment includes for your child's year group (Early Years assessments differ from Year 7 or Year 10 entry). If English is a second language for your child, check whether there is an EAL/ESL assessment stream or additional language support options.
5. Offers, acceptance and deposit. If the assessment and documentation are satisfactory the school will issue an offer (places may be limited by year group). Ask the admissions officer exactly what the offer letter includes—start date, tuition and boarding fees, deposit or payment schedule, and any conditions (for example submission of original documents or medical clearance). Confirm payment methods, deadlines and whether the deposit is refundable or applied to first‑term fees. (The admissions pages recommend communicating with your assigned admissions officer for these details.)
6. Registering and enrolment checklist. On acceptance you will need to complete the final enrolment/registration process (the school lists the same identity and medical documents required at application) and pay the fees required before the start of term. If you are requesting any special arrangements (boarding, dietary needs, medical care, international student paperwork), submit those requests early to the admissions office so the school can make placements and arrangements. If your child holds Chinese school registration (学籍), note the school's national‑exam policy (students with Chinese school registration are in principle required to take the local high school entrance exam unless a waiver is filed).
7. Boarding placement and pastoral induction (if applicable). If you plan boarding, confirm whether places are offered immediately with the academic offer or require a separate application—board placement, house allocation and levies are managed by the boarding office and should be confirmed early. Ask about the boarding ratio of staff to students, whether there are expatriate houseparents, arrival/adaptation schedules and any additional boarding fees or deposits. The school's public pages describe boarding as integral to their model; contact the admissions officer for the boarding‑specific checklist.
8. Transfers and mid‑year entry. The school accepts in‑year transfers/插班生; for transfer students you will be asked for recent school reports and to complete the same assessments to determine placement. If you are moving mid‑year, ask about catch‑up support, course equivalencies (IGCSE/A‑Level/IB alignment) and whether there are any termly intakes with available places. Confirm with admissions what fees are prorated for mid‑term starts and whether waiting lists exist for the requested year group.
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 school operates a scholarship programme but the public web pages give only a high‑level description; they state that Fettes has a scholarship system intended to encourage well‑rounded, academically‑strong students. The admissions page notes the existence of scholarships but does not publish detailed eligibility categories, award levels, or the formal application/timetable on that page—families should ask their admissions officer for the current scholarship prospectus, application deadlines and assessment criteria.
Independent reporting and school announcements indicate named scholarship categories and significant awards in recent years: for example, a school report published in 2024–2025 records about 60 scholarship recipients whose combined awards totalled close to RMB 7,000,000; the report also describes multiple named scholarships (different tiers and talent‑based awards) and a scholarship review committee that evaluates candidates on academics, conduct, co‑curricular participation and competition results. The school has also publicly described a further‑education scholarship for students who enter certain top global universities, linked to more substantial financial support for university tuition (reported examples appear in school news coverage). These third‑party reports and school news items show scholarships are active and awarded annually, but amounts and specific criteria can change year to year—confirm current programmes and any application dates with the admissions office.
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
Public information on the school's admissions page refers to a pre‑registration system for families but does not publish a formal waitlist or ‘pool' policy on the website. The site advises families to pre‑register and to contact the admissions officer to arrange visits and assessments; it therefore appears the admissions office manages place availability and any internal waiting arrangements directly rather than publishing a standard public waitlist process. Parents who need clarity about whether a specific year group has a waitlist or how places are prioritised should contact the admissions office and ask for the school's current availability, the procedure for holding a place, and whether a formal waitlist will be used for their child.
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.