Fettes College Guangzhou vs Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake

	F Fettes College Guangzhou Guangzhou, China	M Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 100,000 - 150,000	Fees / year RMB 40,000 - 178,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 17 years	Age range 14 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Chinese National Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels	Curriculum British Curriculum, BTEC Qualification, Cambridge A Levels, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 2020	Opened 2021
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 Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake is located in the Songshan Lake industrial park, Dongguan, Guangdong — the campus sits next to Huawei European Village and Songshan Lake Park. Address given on the school site is C4 CIMC Yi-Ning-Xi-Lu Road, Dongguan City, Guangdong, China. The site notes the campus is tranquil and has easy access to local transport links.
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 offers IGCSE and A‑level programmes and international preparatory (pre‑A level) options, with two‑year IGCSE and two‑year A‑level patterns and a one‑year pre‑A route described on the curriculum pages. The programmes are aimed at secondary / senior‑school students preparing for university.
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 MAS is a co‑educational school and operates boarding provision; students are placed in age‑appropriate boarding houses with houseparents and resident tutors on site. The Songshan Lake campus is part of the wider Merchiston group (links with Merchiston Castle School and other Merchiston campuses) and shares resources across those campuses.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
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 website describes a three‑teacher guidance model that includes academic mentors, pastoral care and a psychological counsellor as part of student support. The school does not publish a detailed Special Educational Needs (SEN) or specific learning‑support list on its public pages; parents are advised to contact admissions for case‑specific information.
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 MAS presents itself as part of the Merchiston family and cites an affiliation with Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, Scotland (UK).
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 The school website does not state any religious affiliation.
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 site publishes an Academic Calendar and a timetable page (作息表) where the school timetable is made available; exact start and finish times are shown on that calendar/timetable rather than in prominent text. The boarding page notes that boarders follow the same working day as day students and have a structured evening homework period and supervised weekend activities.
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 refers to school buses in its uniform guidance (students must wear uniform on school buses), which indicates a bus service is used, but the website does not publish detailed route, provider or booking information. For pickup/drop‑off routes, costs and registration, the site directs parents to contact Admissions (admissions@merchistonacademy.cn / 400 999 0978).
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 / Seat‑reservation fees - Seat reservation (placement) deposit: RMB 18,000 (payable on offer/booking; treated as a seat deposit). Tuition fees (current academic year — listed as annual amounts by programme) - QingTeng programme (national curriculum + AP): RMB 178,000 per year. - Songshan Lake programme (national curriculum + A‑Level): RMB 158,000 per year. - ZiJing programme (national curriculum + DSE): RMB 98,000 per year. - DeQin (domestic curriculum + Xingzhi特色): RMB 40,000 per year. Per‑term / billing equivalents - The school has previously published semester figures (two semesters per academic year) for international and domestic directions; older published semester examples include RMB 75,000 per semester for international direction and RMB 30,000 per semester for domestic direction. Where an annual fee is published, treat it as the full academic‑year charge unless a semester breakdown is specified. Boarding (annual) - Boarding (6‑person room): RMB 18,000 per year. - Boarding (3‑person room): RMB 30,000 per year. Other charges (paid separately) - Insurance, optional paid CCAs, school bus, bedding/room setup, meals, uniforms, textbooks, international examination registration fees and occasional field‑trip or practical course fees. These items are charged in addition to tuition/boarding. Billing schedule and payment terms / refunds - Tuition is charged according to the published fee schedule for the relevant programme/year. If a student enrolls after a term begins, fees may be charged on a pro‑rata basis. Students are required to settle outstanding fees to receive school reports. If a registered student pays but does not commence, 90% of fees may be refundable; mid‑term withdrawals are calculated pro‑rata by actual days in attendance (school example formula: refund = paid/184 * (184 − days attended), with a minimum month unit). One‑term written notice of withdrawal is normally required; failure to give notice can result in charges for remaining fees. Fee payment options - Publicly available materials do not list a definitive set of accepted payment channels for MAS Songshan Lake. Common channels for campuses in this group include bank transfer and electronic payments; for admissions or payment instructions, use the school admissions contact (admissions@merchistonacademy.cn).
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 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 Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake delivers UK‑style 14–19 provision with IGCSE, a Pre‑A‑level year where applicable, two‑year A‑levels and vocational BTEC pathways in partnership with Edexcel. Programmes run on three entry models — 0+2 (two‑year A‑level for G11–G13), 1+2 (one year Pre‑A‑level then two years A‑level for G10–G11 entrants) and 2+2 (two years IGCSE then two years A‑level) — with staged academic targets for each cohort. Core and elective subjects include Mathematics and Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Economics (students typically choose three at A‑level), with IGCSE equivalents and wider options such as Biology, Geography, Accounting, Computer Science, ICT, Drama and Art & Design. Language provision includes IGCSE English plus A‑level and Chinese pathways (including Chinese A‑level and HSK for international students), and the school offers extension and admissions‑test preparation (STEP/MAT/PAT) and competition training. The wider scope comprises vocational/internship modules (BTEC, finance, e‑commerce, data analysis), phase‑assessed general education credits (software, media, Mandarin, arts, performance) and a broad co‑curricular activities programme.
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. 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. Follow the school's official WeChat and make initial contact. Merchiston Academy Songshan Lake (MAS) asks families to follow its official WeChat account as the first step; the Applications Process page on the school website lists this as Step 1 and this is also where open days, application links and contact details are announced. Parents should follow the account so they receive updates (assessment dates, open-day slots and application-link notices) rather than relying on third‑party summaries. 2. Pay the non‑refundable application fee (RMB 1,000). MAS requires a non‑refundable application fee of RMB 1,000 to progress an application; the Applications Process page shows this as Step 2. Keep the payment receipt and proof of payment — the school asks you to submit proof of payment with the application form and will not proceed with assessment without it. 3. Complete and submit the school application form. Parents should complete every section, including declarations about medical conditions and support needs — incomplete forms slow processing and the school uses the information to plan assessments and pastoral support. 4. Attend the interview and complete entry assessments (or arrange online if necessary). Both parents and the student are normally expected on campus for a face‑to‑face interview; an online interview is an alternative when required (for example, COVID‑related restrictions). Students take the entry assessments (the school specifically lists CAT4 and WIDA among the assessments); prepare copies of recent school reports and expect English proficiency testing (WIDA) and cognitive/ability screening (CAT4). 5. Provide required supporting documents at application or assessment. MAS lists the documents they require: mainland candidates should bring ID cards (international/HK/Macau applicants should provide passports), a recent frontal colour digital photo (two‑inch, white background), the application form, and academic transcripts for the last two years; CVs and certificates of awards are optional but recommended where relevant. The Application Information page also notes the school usually requests a confidential report from the applicant's current school and requires disclosure of any special learning needs so the Head of Section can assess reasonable adjustments. 6. Receiving an outcome, accepting an offer and next administrative steps. The school states parents will receive an offer letter by email within five working days after assessments, and offers should be accepted within five working days; if a candidate is declined they may reapply after six months once recommendations (if any) have been completed. After accepting a place, expect follow‑up steps such as fee‑payment instructions, a medical check on entry and placement decisions (year placement is determined by birth date and assessed ability); consult the school fee policy and the admissions team for payment deadlines and refund/withdrawal rules.
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 MAS publishes a specific scholarship page describing a range of awards and eligibility rules for 2024. The school runs targeted scholarships for different entry points and programmes: (a) A‑Level and DSE one‑year ‘crash‑course' scholarships (full or half tuition) using gaokao/DSE thresholds and interview performance — thresholds on the page show Guangdong candidates with higher listed score cutoffs (for example, A‑Level full scholarship considered at gaokao 500+ with interview; half scholarship at 470+). (b) Middle‑school/new‑student scholarships ("优才新生奖学金") tied to Dongguan Zhongkao scores (examples on the page show full award at a pure culture score of 700, half award at 650) and renewal conditions requiring the student to remain in the top percentage of the year. (c) Awards for outstanding graduates ("优秀毕业生奖学金") and academic/excellence awards (e.g., 20,000–50,000 RMB and other ranges) for students who achieve high university placements or sustained in‑school performance. Each scholarship page links to the application form and a WeChat/MikeCRM application URL; the page also sets renewal conditions (for multi‑year awards) and clarifies that scholarship value usually applies to tuition rather than extras such as boarding, uniform or activity fees — read the scholarship terms closely and contact admissions to confirm current availability and exact amounts.
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 MAS's published Applications Process states that where there are more candidates than available places, applications will be placed on a waiting list. The site gives no further public detail about waiting‑list ordering, typical wait times, or whether priority is given by application date, assessment score, sibling link or other factors; parents on the waiting list should contact admissions directly (admissions@merchistonacademy.cn or phone 400 999 0978) to ask about their position and any expected timeline. If an application is declined, the school's page also notes a candidate may reapply after six months, provided any recommendations have been followed.
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