German Swiss International School - Peak Campus vs Kellett School – Pok Fu Lam Preparatory School
German Swiss International School - Peak Campus and Kellett School – Pok Fu Lam Preparatory School are both in Hong Kong, about 3 km apart. Both schools offer British and EYFS programmes, and German Swiss International School - Peak Campus also offers IB, Cambridge IGCSE and German. Published annual fees are close, at HK$197,000 - 256,700 for German Swiss International School - Peak Campus and HK$208,800 - 267,100 for Kellett School – Pok Fu Lam Preparatory School. German Swiss International School - Peak Campus takes pupils from 5 to 18, and Kellett School – Pok Fu Lam Preparatory School from 4 to 11. The two are similar in size, at around 1,250 and 1,550 pupils. Typical class sizes are 20 at German Swiss International School - Peak Campus and 24 at Kellett School – Pok Fu Lam Preparatory School.
IB (DP), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), German Curriculum
Curriculum
British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)
Pupils
Pupils
1,250
Pupils
1,550
Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
24
Instruction language
Instruction language
English, German
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
1969
Opened
1980
Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
Yes
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
GSIS’s Peak Campus is located at 11 Guildford Road, The Peak, on Hong Kong Island. It is in a residential, hillside area with access by bus or taxi, and is close to popular attractions like the Peak Tram and Peak Galleria. The campus enjoys relatively tranquil surroundings above the city core.
Location
The Pok Fu Lam Preparatory campus is situated on Hong Kong Island’s south side, in the Pok Fu Lam/Wah Fu area. The campus lies near Mount Kellett and overlooks Kellett Bay. It is in the Southern District and is well served by public transport, including bus and minibus links, alongside a dedicated school coach service.
Stages
Stages
GSIS is an all-through school offering education from Kindergarten through Secondary (ages ~3 to 18). It is organized into early years, primary, and secondary levels across two streams (German and English).
Stages
This campus serves children from Reception to Year 6 (ages 4–11). Reception follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), after which pupils progress through a modified English National Curriculum.
School type
School type
The school is co-educational.
School type
Kellett is a co-educational day school. Boarding is not offered at either of its campuses in Hong Kong.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
GSIS provides holistic support, including social-emotional counselling, learning enhancement teachers, and interventions to assist students with learning or adjustment needs.
Additional learning support
The school operates an Additional Support Needs (ASN) framework, which provides tailored help for students requiring extra assistance and offers “Further Challenge” opportunities for those exceeding expectations. Support may include differentiated teaching, targeted interventions, and collaboration with external specialists when appropriate.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
GSIS has affiliation with Germany / German Schools Abroad — it is part of a network of over 135 German Schools Abroad, and one of its two streams (the German International Stream) leads to the German International Abitur (DIA).
Country affiliation
Kellett is a British international school. It follows the English National Curriculum and is inspected as a British School Overseas.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
The school does not have a religious affiliation.
Religious affiliation
The school has no religious affiliation.
School day structure
School day structure
GSIS’s typical school hours are 7:40 am to 3:20 pm, Monday to Friday with breaks in-between.
School day structure
The school day runs from 08:30 to 15:15. Breaks and lunchtimes vary by year group; for example, Years 4–6 have a morning break from 10:30–10:50 and lunch between 12:30–13:30.
Bus service details
Bus service details
GSIS uses external bus companies (not in-house) to provide bus service for students. The school works with providers to maintain standards.
Bus service details
A dedicated school bus service is offered through Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Ltd., which provides routes to and from Pok Fu Lam. Detailed bus routes and fees are published by the school. Public transport options, including buses and minibuses, are also available nearby for families who do not use the school service.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application and Assessment Fee A non-refundable HKD 4,300 per student applies for both Kindergarten and Primary/Secondary applications. Applications are processed within one to two business days, after which students are placed on the waiting list and scheduled for assessment as needed.
Registration Fee Upon acceptance, families pay a one-time registration fee of HKD 2,350 for Kindergarten or HKD 3,700 for Primary and Secondary students.
Tuition Fees (2024–2025) Tuition is billed in two instalments per year:
* Kindergarten (KG1–KG2): HKD 118,200 (first instalment) + HKD 78,800 (second instalment) = HKD 197,000 per year * Primary (Years 1–6): HKD 122,220 + HKD 81,480 = HKD 203,700 per year * Lower Secondary (Years 7–11): HKD 145,680 + HKD 97,120 = HKD 242,800 per year * Upper Secondary (Years 12–13): HKD 154,020 + HKD 102,680 = HKD 256,700 per year
Billing Schedule and Payment Terms Invoices are issued twice annually and must be settled before the start of each term. Payments are accepted in Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) via bank transfer or cheque; credit-card payments are not accepted.
Boarding Fees GSIS is a day school only; no boarding fees apply.
Other Costs Additional costs may include uniforms, school bus fees, extracurricular activities, and optional trips.
Refund Policy Tuition fees are non-refundable once a term has begun. Withdrawals before the term starts require written notice.
Payment Options Fees must be paid directly to the school’s designated bank account in Hong Kong Dollars.
Fee details
Application Fees For Reception to Year 4, an application fee of HK\$2,000 is required. For Year 5 to Year 13, the application fee is HK\$2,500, which includes the assessment charge. These fees are non-refundable.
Annual Capital Levy / Debentures All new students must either pay an Annual Capital Levy of HK\$40,000 (non-refundable, non-redeemable) or hold a debenture. Debenture options include a Corporate Debenture of HK\$650,000 (increasing to HK\$1,000,000 from September 2025), as well as Foundation and Golden Jubilee debenture options.
Tuition Fees (Per Year) Reception – Year 6: HK\$208,800 Fees are billed by term as follows:
Term 1: 40% (HK\$83,520) Term 2: 30% (HK\$62,640) Term 3: 30% (HK\$62,640)
Billing and Payment Terms Tuition is invoiced three times per year, about one month before each term begins. Payment is due on the first day of term. For families joining partway through the school year, fees are charged on a pro-rata basis.
Additional Fees Costs not included in tuition are school transport, uniforms, lunches, certain extracurricular activities, examination entry fees, and optional overseas trips. For Senior School only, students are required to bring their own device under the BYOD programme.
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
The English International Stream (EIS) at German Swiss International School follows a British-based curriculum leading to IGCSE and International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme qualifications. In Primary School (Years 1–6), students follow a broad academic programme aligned with the UK National Curriculum, with a strong focus on literacy, numeracy, science, and languages. In Lower Secondary (Years 7–9), students continue with core and specialist subjects, preparing for the IGCSE courses taken in Years 10–11, examined mainly under Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel boards. In Upper Secondary (Years 12–13), students undertake the IB Diploma Programme, an internationally recognised qualification for university entry worldwide. Across all stages, the curriculum includes German and Mandarin language study and a range of co-curricular opportunities in arts, STEM, and service.
Curriculum details
At Pok Fu Lam, pupils begin in Reception with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. From Year 1 to Year 6, the school follows a modified English National Curriculum, adapted for an international setting. The curriculum includes core subjects such as English, mathematics, and science, alongside specialist teaching in Mandarin, music, art, PE, public speaking, and digital skills. Learning is supported by small class sizes capped at 24 and additional teaching assistants in the early years. The curriculum also incorporates an Innovation programme to encourage problem-solving and creativity, and pupils participate widely in Expressive Arts and extracurricular activities. Students completing Year 6 at Pok Fu Lam typically transfer to the Senior School at Kowloon Bay.
1. Initial inquiry / Pre-Application Prospective families complete an online Pre-Application form (via GSIS’s Admissions portal) which grants access to the admissions pack and enables scheduling of a campus tour or visit.
2. Submission of Full Application / Waitlist Placement Once the application is complete (personal, academic, and residency documentation), GSIS sends an acknowledgement email and places the applicant on a waitlist (or shortlist) for their year group.
3. Entrance Assessment / Interview For many year levels (especially in the English International Stream), applicants are invited to an assessment (English, Mathematics, verbal comprehension etc.) and sometimes an interview, depending on year group.
4. Offer of Place and Debenture / Capital Levy If a place is available and the student passes assessment, GSIS issues an offer letter. The family must decide on and pay debenture (refundable or non-refundable) or capital levy (where applicable) by a deadline.
5. Enrollment and Orientation After acceptance and payment, parents complete enrollment formalities. Students may attend orientation, meet teachers, receive timetables, and integrate into their cohort before classes begin.
Admissions
1. Initial enquiry and review: Families can apply at any time, as applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Parents are encouraged to review the school’s Admissions Policy and relevant documentation before submitting an application, particularly since places at some year groups are often full.
2. Preparing documents: Applications must include a recent passport-sized photograph of the student, copies of the student’s passport and birth certificate, and Hong Kong ID if applicable. Families must also provide the most recent two years of school reports, if available, to support the application.
3. Application submission and payment: Applications are submitted online via OpenApply, and must be accompanied by the appropriate application fee. These fees are non-refundable.
4. Assessment and placement: Depending on the year group, applicants may be required to attend an assessment to confirm readiness for the curriculum. Placement decisions are made with reference to the school’s admissions criteria and curriculum requirements.
5. Offer and acceptance: If a place is offered, families must secure it through either a debenture or the Annual Capital Levy, as set out in the school’s fees policy. Tuition and other costs are then billed according to the school’s published termly schedule.
Scholarships
Scholarships
GSIS does not publicly offer traditional, broad-based scholarships (such as merit scholarships) on its website. However, the school does have a financial aid / fee reduction program, considered on a case-by-case basis, thereby reducing school fees for certain students whose families demonstrate need.
Scholarships
The school does not publicly provide information about scholarships.
Waitlist
Waitlist
GSIS operates a waitlist (or shortlist) system rather than immediate acceptance. After a full application is submitted, the applicant is placed on a waitlist in the appropriate year group. When a vacancy arises, GSIS contacts the next student on the waitlist to check continued interest, and may arrange a new assessment or interview before confirming the place.
Waitlist
Kellett states that a waitlist is in operation for certain year groups, and in recent years, classes have been full with families placed on waiting lists. Waitlist movement depends on availability, and parents are advised to maintain contact with the Admissions team for updates.
