Hiba Academy Shanghai vs Western International School of Shanghai

	H Hiba Academy Shanghai Shanghai, China	W Western International School of Shanghai Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 170,000 - 220,000	Fees / year RMB 161,975 - 261,820
Age range	Age range 6 - 18 years	Age range 2½ - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme)
Pupils	Pupils 1,400	Pupils 400
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 18
Instruction language	Instruction language Mandarin, English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2018	Opened 2006
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Hiba Academy Shanghai is at No. 235 Linyao Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai (200126). The school is in Pudong (near the Qiantan / Front Beach international business area) and is reachable via Pudong transport links; the address and location are listed on the school website.	Location WISS is in the western suburbs of Shanghai (Xujing Town, Qingpu District) at 555 Lian Min Road, Shanghai 201702. The campus is in a suburban residential area and is reachable by car and the school's bus network that covers major housing areas in the city. If you are relocating, note the school is outside central Shanghai so commute times depend on where you live; many families use the school bus or private car transport.
Stages	Stages The school is organised into Primary, Junior High and High School. The Junior High section is described as covering grades/years 6–9; curriculum pages detail offerings for each level.	Stages WISS covers early years through secondary: Lower Elementary (ages ~2.5–5), Elementary (Grades 1–5) and Secondary (Grades 6–12). The school delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum.
School type	School type Hiba Academy Shanghai is a private (民办), Chinese–English bilingual school that operates as a day school; the site describes a mixed Chinese and expatriate teaching team and a ‘nationalised' private high school model. The website does not advertise boarding or residential provision.	School type WISS is a co‑educational day school offering the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP and the Career‑related Programme). The school does not advertise boarding facilities; provision is for day students.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school has an Inclusion Team that provides individual and group counselling and learning support; staff work with teachers to develop individualised support plans for pupils with additional needs.	Additional learning support WISS operates a Student Support Services team that creates individualized support pathways (academic and social‑emotional) rather than offering formal diagnoses. Support focuses by division (language/motor/sensory in early years; literacy, numeracy and attention skills in Elementary; and study/organisation skills in Secondary). Parents should discuss specific needs with admissions and the Student Support team to confirm available services for a child.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Hiba Academy Shanghai is governed within the Wellington College Education (China) group and is linked to Wellington College in England (the governance pages describe WCEC oversight and the Wellington connection).	Country affiliation WISS describes itself as an international school and states it is not aligned to any single national curriculum or country. Its programmes are based on the International Baccalaureate framework.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school website does not list any religious affiliation; its materials and governance information present the school as a secular, bilingual/academic institution.	Religious affiliation The school does not state any religious affiliation and presents itself as a non‑religious international school.
School day structure	School day structure The website describes lesson programmes, wellbeing lessons, breaks and school lunches but does not publish specific daily start and finish times. For exact daily hours (and any year-level differences) the school asks parents to contact admissions.	School day structure According to the school's Secondary student handbook (published material), the typical student day is Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., with students asked to arrive by about 8:20 a.m.; campus hours are noted as roughly 8:00 a.m.–3:20 p.m. Division‑specific break and lunch times can vary, so confirm current bell times with admissions.
Bus service details	Bus service details The school provides a daily school-bus service (available for pupils in Grade 1 and above) and states it cooperates with a professional transport provider to run routes; specific routes, stops and registration are managed through the school's admissions/school services team. For practical details contact admissions at admissions.has@hibaacademy.org or the school phone.	Bus service details WISS operates its own branded bus service (fleet of 30+ buses) offering door‑to‑door routes that cover major residential areas; the service is available for children aged about 2.5 years and above. Buses are fitted with safety features (three‑point seatbelts, security cameras, AQI monitoring, emergency exits) and are staffed by trained drivers and on‑board monitors. Families can also drop children by car; contact the school for route availability, stop locations and fees.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Hiba Academy Shanghai does not charge or accept any application or admissions fees. Tuition fees (per semester and per academic year) - Primary (Grades 1–5): Semester I RMB 85,000; Semester II RMB 85,000 — Annual total RMB 170,000. - Junior High (Grades 6–9): Semester I RMB 98,000; Semester II RMB 98,000 — Annual total RMB 196,000. - High School (Grades 10–12): Semester I RMB 110,000; Semester II RMB 110,000 — Annual total RMB 220,000. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is published on a per‑semester basis (Semester I and Semester II) for the 2025–2026 academic year. No specific invoice dates, payment deadlines or detailed late‑payment terms are published on the school's public admissions or parent resources pages. Boarding fees - Hiba Academy Shanghai does not operate a boarding programme; the school provides a daily school bus service for pupils in Grade 1 and above (bus service fees are charged separately). Other costs and typical additional charges - Meal fee: RMB 37.5 per meal (charged on actual consumption). - School bus fee: RMB 10,750 per semester (within 15 km) or RMB 12,250 per semester (over 15 km). - Uniform fee: published per set by grade and gender (examples: Boys G1‑2 RMB 3,575; Girls G1‑2 RMB 4,040). The school operates an online uniform shop and provides an online purchasing guide. - Voluntary extras charged separately by external providers: co‑curricular activities, school trips/events and individual instrumental tuition — these are billed separately and paid directly to providers. Refund information - The school's public admissions and parent resources pages note fee items but do not publish a detailed refund policy or specific refund procedures; the site does state government subsidies (where applicable) are deducted from tuition. No explicit refund schedule or terms are published on those pages. Fee payment options - The school's public admissions and parent resources pages list fees and suppliers (e.g., the online uniform shop) but do not publish a comprehensive list of accepted payment methods (bank transfer, card, Alipay/WeChat, etc.) or payment portal details. For the uniform shop the school links to an external online shop for orders.	Fee details Application, Placement and Capital Fees - Application fee: RMB 2,500 (non‑refundable). - Placement fee: RMB 20,000 (annual; due within five days of an Offer of Placement; offset against tuition on first day of school; forfeiture rules apply). - Capital fee (new students): RMB 20,000 (one‑time). Tuition fees (per year and per term by programme) - Pre‑Nursery & Nursery (ages 2.5–4): Early annual RMB 161,975; Annual RMB 165,385; Semester RMB 85,250 (each). - Pre‑Kindergarten (age 4–5): Early annual RMB 190,000; Annual RMB 194,000; Semester RMB 100,000 (each). - Kindergarten (age 5–6): Early annual RMB 224,675; Annual RMB 229,405; Semester RMB 118,250 (each). - PYP (Grades 1–5): Early annual RMB 245,575; Annual RMB 250,745; Semester RMB 129,250 (each). - MYP (Grades 6–10): Early annual RMB 258,875; Annual RMB 264,325; Semester RMB 136,250 (each). - DP/CP (Grades 11–12): Early annual RMB 261,820; Annual RMB 267,332; Semester RMB 137,800 (each). Billing schedule and payment terms - Early annual payment deadline (5% discount): April 14. Annual payment deadline (3% discount): May 15. Semester payment deadlines: May 15 (Semester 1) and November 1 (Semester 2). Tuition may be paid annually or by semester. Placement fee is due within five days of offer. Late payment charge: 1.5% per month, compounded. Boarding - Boarding is not offered; WISS operates as a day international school. Other costs and routine inclusions - Transportation (school bus): RMB 21,600 per year (optional; sibling/route discounts may apply). - School meals, a complementary set of uniforms (per semester for Pre‑Nursery to Grade 10), textbooks, classroom supplies, EAL support and many standard items are included in tuition; additional uniform items, external provider co‑curricular activities, trips or BYOD device requirements may incur extra charges. Refund information (key points) - Application fee: non‑refundable. Capital fee refunded only if the student never attends. Placement fee, tuition and bus refunds follow the Student Departure & Refund chart (eligibility and percentages depend on the date the official Departure Notice Form is received; earlier notice gives larger refunds). Examples: departure on or before April 14 = refundable for placement, Semester 1 and Semester 2; later dates incur partial or no refund per the published chart. Payment methods - Bank transfer (RMB account and foreign currency account with SWIFT), in‑person credit/debit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express), online payment portals (contact Finance), and cash at the Finance Office (not recommended). Electronic VAT fapiao available on request.
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 Hiba Academy Shanghai delivers a bilingual, China–international integrated curriculum from primary through senior secondary, combining the Chinese national curriculum with internationally recognised programmes. Primary years use 部编版语文 and Shanghai curriculum standards alongside immersive English, bilingual mathematics, inquiry learning, the arts, physical education and ICT. The junior-high programme (Grades 6–9) continues the bilingual model, follows national curriculum requirements while introducing broader subject depth (e.g., split sciences, geography, history, and expanded arts and PE) to prepare students for international courses. Senior secondary offers Cambridge IGCSE (age 14–16, across a wide subject range) followed by the two‑year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; the school is both a Cambridge International School and an IB World School. The high school also provides structured university and career guidance (a “Five Year Roadmap”) to support IGCSE/IB subject choices and tertiary applications.	Curriculum details Western International School of Shanghai is an IB World School delivering the full IB continuum: Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP), Diploma (DP) and Career-related (CP) Programmes. Pre‑Nursery through Grade 5 follow the inquiry‑based IB PYP with transdisciplinary Units of Inquiry and integrated English and Chinese language pathways. Grades 6–10 follow the IB MYP framework, alongside a staged Chinese language programme that includes Chinese Language & Literature options at secondary levels. Grades 11–12 offer the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career‑related Programme as senior‑school qualifications. The academic programme is delivered alongside specialist arts and sports, mandatory afternoon activities for younger students, and community‑service learning, which WISS identifies as four pillars of its curriculum.
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. Decide eligibility and read the school's published admissions rules. Parents should confirm age and residency criteria (for example, the 2025 brochure specifies primary applicants born between 1 Sep 2018 and 31 Aug 2019 and that the school's招生范围 is Pudong). Confirm whether your child is applying as a local-age candidate, a直升 (internal promotion) candidate, or as an插班/transfer — each category has different documentary requirements. 2. Prepare required documents and proof of eligibility. For local/统招 places the school and district require identity and residency documentation (e.g., household registration or proof of eligibility) and, for some categories, employer contracts or social-insurance evidence (for staff-child categories). Have originals and clear copies ready because the District Education Bureau will verify资格材料. 3. Submit your application through the official municipal systems during the published window. The brochure and admissions page state that parents must register online through“一网通办” or the 上海市义务教育入学报名系统 in the specified dates (example 2025 windows shown in the 招生简章). Do not pay any third‑party intermediaries; the school states it only accepts direct family applications. If you are applying for an插班/transfer (middle or high school entry outside the unified window), the site asks you to complete the school's information/registration form so the admissions team can follow up. 4. Note selection method and verification steps. For standard义务教育招生 the District organizes分类计划 and (where applicable) conducts computer-based random allocation (电脑随机录取) and dossier verification on specified dates — students who fail verification are not admitted. Parents should watch the official schedule and be prepared to provide any additional verification requested by the district on the verification dates. 5. Understand assessments and interviews (where relevant). The school's public materials for the compulsory-education intake state the school will not run advance tests, interviews or academic exercises for those admissions categories (the brochure lists three commitments to this effect). For non-compulsory or transfer admissions, the school's admissions page indicates the office will contact families after you submit the transfer registration form; follow the admissions officer's instructions about any school assessments or meetings. 6. Offer, acceptance and fees. If an offer is made or a place is allocated, parents must follow the school's instructions and the district's timelines to accept the place and complete enrolment paperwork. The school's published tuition and service fees (term-by-term tuition, canteen, bus, uniform rates) and the statement that the school does not charge application or registration fees are on the admissions/fees page — parents should budget for the listed tuition and voluntary activity fees and confirm the current year's final approved rates with the school. 7. Final enrolment steps and practical matters. After acceptance, complete payment, submit any outstanding documents, and make arrangements for transport, uniforms and optional activities. If you expect to request fee adjustments (for example, as a student who qualifies for public subsidy), discuss this with the admissions office because the site notes some public subsidies will reduce billed tuition.	Admissions 1. Start an online application (OpenApply). Create an account and submit the WISS Online Application Form via the school's "Apply Now" link; this is the formal start of the review process and parents should expect to upload documents and receive an invoice after submission. The site and application portal are the official route for all applications. 2. Prepare and upload required documents. WISS requires a set of personal, academic and supporting documents (examples: student birth certificate, copies of student and parent passports, Shanghai residence permit or visa documentation, ID-style photos, medical and immunisation records), plus school reports and teacher/principal recommendation forms; grade-specific report history is requested (for example: PK–K: current year report; Grades 1–8: current and previous year; Grades 9–10: two previous years; Grades 11–12: records from Grade 9 onward). Certified English translations are required for any reports not in English. Parents should check the document checklist in the online application so nothing delays review. 3. Arrange recommendations and book assessment / interview. After you submit documents, request confidential principal/teacher recommendation forms (Admissions will share the secure link) and then speak with your assigned Admissions Officer to schedule the admissions assessment, an academic interview for the student, and a family introduction meeting; these are all part of the school's evaluation process. For non-native English speakers, expect an English language assessment to confirm placement and support needs. Timing for assessments will be coordinated with Admissions—plan for scheduling delays if you are relocating. 4. Pay the non-refundable Application Fee and await decision paperwork. Once the online application is received you will be invoiced for the Application Fee (listed as RMB 2,500 for the academic year shown on the site); the application will not be considered complete until payment is confirmed. If the school issues an Offer of Placement, new families are required to pay the Placement Fee within five days to confirm the seat; note that the Placement Fee is offset against tuition once the student starts but payment alone does not guarantee placement until all admissions conditions are satisfied. Check the Tuition & Fees / Tuition Policy document for exact amounts, deadlines and refund terms before you pay. 5. Offer, placement and invoicing (acceptance / enrollment). If offered a place you will receive an Offer of Placement and the school will issue invoices (tuition, capital fee, bus if requested, etc.); the Placement Fee secures your place on acceptance but full tuition and any required upfront fees must be paid by the stated deadlines or at least five days before the student's first day if joining mid-year. Students are not permitted to attend classes until required fees are settled. If you expect a company or third party to pay, parents remain ultimately responsible for ensuring fees are paid on time. 6. Mid-year entry and pro‑rata billing; re-enrolment. WISS operates rolling admissions (it accepts applications throughout the year) and tuition for mid-year starts is calculated on a monthly pro‑rata basis and includes the month the student begins; re-enrolling families must follow the re-enrollment instructions and settle the placement/re-enrollment fee during the stated re-enrollment period. Confirm the semester payment deadlines (Semester 1: May 15; Semester 2: November 1) and any early‑payment discount dates if you plan annual vs semester billing. 7. Final steps: school start, practical arrangements and support planning. Before arrival, complete any required transportation or meal forms (if using the bus or school meals), submit medical/immunisation forms, and confirm device (BYOD) requirements by grade (for example: Grades 2–5 iPad; Grades 6–12 laptop/iPad). If the student has learning needs, upload relevant evaluations or IEPs during application so Student Support Services can plan appropriate support. Keep the Admissions Officer's contact details handy for questions and to confirm start logistics.
Scholarships	Scholarships The school publishes two named scholarship programmes and guidance on applying: - “叔蘋奖学金”: a high‑level Wellington (China) group scholarship aimed at academically and behaviourally strong students from domestic working‑class households. It is available to students in Year 8 and above; the school states the award level can reach up to 110% of the annual tuition and successful recipients may be able to continue the award to graduation if they meet ongoing conditions. Applicants who receive the scholarship are also offered university‑guidance and career support. Application/selection details are handled by the school; the admissions page describes eligibility and scope. - 惠立奖学金: introduced in 2020 and targeted at students (also from Year 8 and above for 2025–26) who show strong academic, sporting or artistic performance, leadership potential and alignment with 惠立 values. The award can cover up to 50% of annual tuition and is intended to recognise broader contribution to the school community. How to apply and assessment process: applicants are asked to submit a bilingual personal statement (no more than one A4 page) that states the category being applied for and reasons for the application, sent to admissions.has@hibaacademy.org. Successful applicants will be invited to a school scholarship assessment event. The site also refers to additional personalised support programmes — contact admissions for timelines, document templates and current deadlines. Note that scholarship availability, criteria and amounts are published for the 2025–26 cycle on the admissions page; confirm current‑year details with the admissions office before applying.	Scholarships WISS operates a merit-based scholarship programme covering several categories (Academics, Sports, Arts, Community Service, Entrepreneurship/Innovation) and scholarships can provide full or partial coverage of annual tuition; the programme emphasises both the award and the student's ongoing contribution in their area of strength. The published scholarship application sequence requires families to complete the normal WISS admissions process first (or start at step 2 if the student is already enrolled), then complete the scholarship application form, submit supporting documentary evidence (pdf), submit a student essay, and return the application by the stated deadline; shortlisted candidates are invited to a final interview with the Scholarship Committee. Scholarship recipients must meet ongoing conditions: maintain high academic standards (the site specifies a minimum equivalent of a 6/7 on the IB scale where applicable), uphold standards of academic honesty and character, and the school may withdraw the scholarship for serious violations. Important practical detail: scholarship awardees are still responsible for paying certain fees (the school explicitly states recipients must still pay the Application Fee, Capital Fee, Transportation Fee and fees for after‑school activities and trips). If you are considering applying, download the WISS Scholarship Pack from the school site and contact the Scholarship Committee or Admissions for application deadlines and the current scholarship schedule.
Waitlist	Waitlist Hiba Academy Shanghai follows the municipal and district procedures for义务教育 allocation rather than operating a conventional school‑run waiting list for its standard intake: the 招生简章 describes classification of plans, district verification and computer random allocation (电脑随机录取) as the official route for admitted students. For internal直升 students there is a separate直升录取 process and published直升结果; for插班/transfer requests the school asks parents to submit an information/registration form and the admissions office will contact families — in practice that creates a contact/interest pool for transfers but the school does not describe a formal, published waitlist mechanism for the unified intake. If you want to be placed on any informal transfer pool or be informed of openings, submit the school's information form and request that the admissions team keep your details on file.	Waitlist WISS does not publish a separate public "waitlist" or central pool policy on its admissions pages. The school states it operates rolling admissions and uses a Placement Fee to secure an offered place; the published Tuition & Fees / Tuition Policy also notes that payment of the Placement Fee will not, by itself, guarantee a placement unless all admissions and entry requirements have been met. Because there is no formal waitlist text on the public site, families concerned about seat availability should contact Admissions directly (the site provides admissions contact details) and ask whether a place can be held, whether the school is operating an internal waiting list for a specific grade, or what the local practice is for managing oversubscription.
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