Harrow International School Hong Kong vs Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong - Prep School
Harrow International School Hong Kong and Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong - Prep School are both in Hong Kong, about 21 km apart. Both schools offer British programmes, and Harrow International School Hong Kong also offers Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS and Pearson Edexcel IGCSE. Published annual fees are close, at HK$175,812 - 239,070 for Harrow International School Hong Kong and HK$188,000 - 218,000 for Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong - Prep School. Harrow International School Hong Kong takes pupils from 3 to 18, and Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong - Prep School from 5 to 13. Typical class sizes are 22 at Harrow International School Hong Kong and 20 at Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong - Prep School.
British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Curriculum
British Curriculum
Pupils
Pupils
1,650
Pupils
—
Typical class size
Typical class size
22
Typical class size
20
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
2012
Opened
2019
Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
Yes
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Harrow Hong Kong is located at 38 Tsing Ying Road in Tuen Mun, near the Gold Coast on Hong Kong’s western side. The campus is accessible from major districts such as Kowloon and Hong Kong Island via school bus services. Its coastal setting provides a quieter environment while remaining connected to the city’s transport network
Location
The school is situated at 17 Tin Wan Street, Tin Wan, Aberdeen, on Hong Kong Island. The neighbourhood is accessible by local roads from major districts; it’s a short drive to Repulse Bay and Central, making it convenient for families living on the Island.
Stages
Stages
The school educates pupils aged 3 to 18. It is divided into Early Years (Nursery–Reception), Lower School (Years 1–5), Upper School (Years 6–11), and Sixth Form (Years 12–13)
Stages
The Prep School covers Years 1–8 within the British preparatory model.
School type
School type
Harrow Hong Kong is a co-educational day and boarding school. Boarding is available from Year 6 onwards as a five-night weekly programme, with students placed in Houses that form the core of pastoral and boarding life.
School type
It is a co-educational day school.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
—
Pupil nationality mix
—
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
The school’s Individual Needs Department supports pupils with mild to moderate learning difficulties. Provision includes in-class support, individual or small group interventions, and collaboration with teachers to tailor learning strategies.
Additional learning support
The school highlights personalised learning and early identification of student needs via digital tools and monitoring; however, specific details of a dedicated SEN (Special Educational Needs) department or programme are not publicly detailed.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
The school is part of the broader Harrow School network but not affiliated with any country.
Country affiliation
The schools follows the English National Curriculum but does not have affiliations with any country.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
Harrow Hong Kong has no religious affiliations.
Religious affiliation
The school has no religious affiliations.
School day structure
School day structure
The school day varies by level: in the Lower School, lessons typically run from around 8:00 am until mid-afternoon, with morning and lunch breaks; in Upper School and Sixth Form, the day includes six to seven lessons, tutorial time, and co-curricular activities, generally finishing around 4:00 pm.
School day structure
The school day begins at 08:00 with lessons starting at 08:25. After a morning block of lessons and a snack break at 10:10, lunch runs from 12:15 to 13:15, followed by more lessons and then ECAs (extra-curricular activities) until 16:15.
Bus service details
Bus service details
The School’s mandatory bus service is provided by Chun Wo Bus Services Limited. Chun Wo Bus Services Limited operates routes to and from Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Discovery Bay, Gold Coast, Siu Lam, and Tuen Mun. The buses are equipped with appropriate seat belts and each bus has its own adult supervision.
Bus service details
School bus service is offered via a contract with a provider covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories. Parents must apply for each academic year via the school bus system.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application Fee
* A non-refundable, non-transferable application fee of HKD 1,500 is charged to cover admissions processing.
* Fees are billed termly in advance and payable in Hong Kong Dollars on the first day of each term. * Discounts are applied for siblings enrolled simultaneously (5% for the third child, 10% for the fourth, 15% for the fifth and subsequent children).
Boarding Fees (Years 6–13)
* HKD 130,705 annually (HKD 52,283 Autumn; HKD 39,211 Spring; HKD 39,211 Summer). * Boarding is five nights per week (Sunday evening to Friday afternoon).
Additional Costs
* Included: Some essential school supplies, pupil activities, and insurance. * Excluded: Textbooks, trips, compulsory uniform, lunch, snacks, and school bus transport. Examination fees for Years 10–13 and some Year 9 programmes are also excluded. * Capital Levy: Pupils without debentures or capital certificates must pay HKD 60,000 annually.
Refunds
* Application fees and the Capital Levy are non-refundable. Tuition and boarding fees are not generally refundable once paid.
Payment Options
* Payment is made via bank transfer in Hong Kong Dollars.
Fee details
Application / Registration Payment An initial advance payment of HK$18,800 is required to confirm a place for a new pupil. This amount is non-refundable and non-transferable once a place is offered and accepted, but it is offset against the first month’s tuition fee when the pupil begins.
Tuition Fees by Year Group (Prep School only)
* Years 1-5: Annual tuition fee HK$188,000. * Years 6-8: Annual tuition fee HK$198,000. These fees include books, teaching, and art materials—but exclude additional costs such as class trips, school bus fees, lunches and extra-curricular activities.
Capital Levy (Additional Annual Fee) In addition to the tuition fee, there is an annual capital levy of HK$35,000 for all Prep School (Years 1-8) pupils.
Billing Schedule & Payment Terms Invoices for tuition fees are emailed to parents on or before the 23rd of each month; payment must be settled by the 10th of the following month. If a pupil joins mid-month, tuition is calculated on a pro-rata basis depending on calendar days attended. Late or partial payments may incur interest charges.
Other Costs & Fees Additional costs lie outside the standard tuition + capital levy and may include: school bus/coach service fees, lunch programme, trips, extra-curricular activities, uniform costs. Uniform cost is not stated in the published fee details.
Refund Information The advance payment of HK$18,800 is non-refundable and non-transferable once a place is accepted. The published information does not specify a detailed refund policy for tuition or capital levy once the academic year has commenced.
Fee Payment Options The school’s publicly published fee page does not detail specific payment methods (such as credit card or bank transfer). Parents are advised to contact the School’s Finance or Admissions Office for full details of acceptable payment methods.
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
—
Food options
Food options
—
Food options
—
House system
House system
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House system
—
Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
—
Governance and ownership
—
Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Harrow International School Hong Kong follows the English National Curriculum across all stages. In the Early Years (Nursery and Reception), pupils learn through the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, focusing on play-based and early literacy and numeracy development. The Lower School (Years 1–5) continues with the National Curriculum of England, emphasizing core subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, and Humanities alongside Art, Music, Drama, Physical Education, and Mandarin. In the Upper School (Years 6–9), students build on these foundations with a broader academic programme that includes specialist teaching in subjects like Design Technology, Computing, and Modern Foreign Languages. In Years 10–11, pupils prepare for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations, selecting from a range of subjects that combine compulsory and optional courses. The Sixth Form (Years 12–13) offers A Levels with the option of completing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), providing students with depth of study and independent research experience.
Curriculum details
The Prep School at Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong (Years 1–8) follows the National Curriculum for England and Wales, adapted to the local context and aligned with British Common Entrance standards. Core subjects include English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, and the Creative and Performing Arts, with Mandarin taught alongside English as a core language. The curriculum integrates a mandatory iSTEAM programme (Innovation, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) for all pupils to build problem-solving and design-thinking skills. From Year 6, pupils also take part in an Entrepreneurship programme designed to foster initiative and collaboration. An Intensive English Programme is offered for students in Years 3–8 who require additional language support before joining mainstream classes. The overall approach aims to provide a broad and balanced education that prepares students for senior school pathways within the British system.
1. Initial Enquiry and Application Parents begin by completing the online application form and paying a non-refundable HKD 1,500 application fee. Required documents, such as school reports and identification, must be submitted with the form.
2. Age and Year Group Placement The school uses clear age guidelines to determine year group placement. Exceptions are rare and assessed individually.
3. Assessment Applicants are invited for assessments appropriate to their year group. This may include written tasks, online testing, and interviews with senior staff. English language ability is also assessed, especially for older year groups.
4. Offer of Place Following assessment, successful applicants receive a formal offer. Offers are conditional on the outcome of assessments and availability of places.
5. Acceptance and Fees Parents confirm acceptance by returning the signed offer letter and paying the required fees, which include the capital levy, tuition deposit, and other charges.
Admissions
1. Complete the Online Application Form Families begin by submitting an online enquiry form through the school’s website. This form collects contact information and key details about the applicant so that the Admissions Team can reach out. Families coming from other education systems are advised to consult the school’s Year Group Conversion Table to determine the appropriate UK-equivalent year level before submitting the application.
2. Provide Supporting Documents Once contacted by the Admissions Team, applicants must upload all required documents. These include the completed application form, a recent digital photograph, passport copies for the student and both parents, two years of school reports, any specialist reports, and a teacher reference if applicable. The Admissions Team will confirm if any additional information is needed before proceeding.
3. Assessment Exam Assessments are scheduled on campus or online, depending on the applicant’s location. Students in Years 1–2 take group assessments covering numeracy, English, and interpersonal skills. Applicants for Years 3–8 complete a written exam and the CAT4 online test, followed by an interview. Older applicants (Years 9–12) sit subject-specific written exams and meet with the Head of Admissions.
4. Admission Results Successful applicants who meet entry requirements and for whom a place is available receive a formal offer. Depending on English proficiency, the offer may be for either a mainstream class or the Intensive English Programme. Parents confirm acceptance by the date stated in the offer letter to secure their child’s place.
5. Mid-Term and Rolling Admissions Applications are processed on a rolling basis, and mid-term transfers are accepted when space allows. Assessments are typically arranged within two weeks of application submission.
Scholarships
Scholarships
The school offers Scholarships and Exhibitions for entry into Year 9 and Year 12. These are awarded for outstanding ability in areas such as academics, sport, music, or the arts. Awards are based on performance in assessments, interviews, and evidence of achievement. Exhibition awards may be given to pupils with strong potential who do not yet meet full scholarship criteria. Scholarships provide recognition and may also include partial fee remission.
Scholarships
The school does not offer any scholarships or financial aid.
Waitlist
Waitlist
Harrow Hong Kong operates a waitlist system when year groups are full. Applications are assessed in the same way as standard admissions, and successful candidates are placed on the waitlist until a space becomes available.
Waitlist
The school does not publicly state the use of a formal waitlist or pool system. Applications are processed on a rolling basis, and places are offered subject to availability at the time of assessment.
