ISA Liwan International School vs ISA Science City International School

	I ISA Liwan International School Guangzhou, China	I ISA Science City International School Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 204,000 - 222,000	Fees / year RMB 220,000 - 328,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Advanced Placement (AP), Chinese National Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Singapore Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 2,200
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 2022	Opened 2020
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location ISA Liwan International School is on Hailong Road in Liwan District, Guangzhou — the campus sits on the Guangzhou–Foshan boundary area. The school is reported to be about 800 metres from Longxi Station on the Guangzhou–Foshan metro line, and the campus is described as adjacent to a Foshan waterway and local road links. For precise commuting details from a specific address, contact the school's admissions team.	Location ISA Science City is in Guangzhou's Huangpu District at 66 Yushu South Road, inside the Guangzhou Science City development. The campus sits near the boundary with Tianhe District and is described as roughly a 20–30 minute drive from Guangzhou's Pearl River New Town/CBD depending on traffic.
Stages	Stages The school is described as a K–12 provision covering Early Years, Primary (IB PYP/UK EYFS-aligned) and Secondary (Middle and High School) programmes. The website presents pathways for Early Years through to senior grades and indicates international curriculum frameworks (IB).	Stages The school is a K–12 (Early Years through Grade 12) international school, accepting children from about age 2 up to 18. The website and group listings show Early Years, Primary, Middle and High School divisions.
School type	School type ISA Liwan is an international, co-educational day school and is part of the ISA International Education Group. The school's published material also refers to an immersive international boarding programme available for Primary, Middle and High School students; check admissions for boarding capacity and rules.	School type ISA Science City is a co‑educational international day and boarding school. The school states it operates as a mixed (male/female) day and boarding K–12 campus and advertises a boarding house capacity (around 500 boarders).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school's public pages do not give a detailed published special educational needs (SEN) or additional learning needs (ALN) policy for ISA Liwan specifically. ISA group schools publish Access & Inclusion frameworks (for example ISA Wuhan's Access & Inclusion policy describing tiered support), so parents should contact ISA Liwan admissions to request the school's current learning‑support policy, assessment process and examples of in‑school provisions.	Additional learning support The school website does not publish a detailed SEN policy on its main pages; the ISA group schools operate a formal access/inclusion and learning‑support approach (tiered support, EAL and individualized plans) and the group's member schools commonly offer learning‑support and EAL services — prospective parents should contact admissions with specific queries about individual needs and available resources.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation ISA Liwan is an international school located in Guangzhou, China, and is operated by the ISA International Education Group; it is not presented as being affiliated to any foreign national government.	Country affiliation The school is based in China (Guangzhou) and is an international school operating within that context; it does not advertise affiliation to a foreign national school system.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school does not state any religious affiliation on its public pages; it presents itself as a secular international school.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school website or in its public profile; the school presents itself as a secular international IB school.
School day structure	School day structure The school's public website does not publish a detailed daily timetable (start/end times or exact break/lunch times) for each age group. For specific start/end times, daily schedules and any before/after‑school care options, contact the admissions team listed on the school's contact page.	School day structure The school does not publish a full daily timetable (start/end times and all break times) on the main website; a third‑party school listing notes a short secondary pastoral/tutor time (PTT) at about 15:00–15:30, but parents should confirm exact daily hours and division‑by‑division schedules directly with admissions. Boarding students follow an established residential routine.
Bus service details	Bus service details The school describes an organised school‑bus service operated through a school bus centre; the site notes routes are designed so individual journeys take under an hour. The bus service is presented as a school‑managed transport option — parents should contact admissions for route maps, stop locations, costs, pick‑up/drop‑off times and safety arrangements.	Bus service details ISA Science City runs a professional school‑bus service in partnership with an external provider; third‑party reports say the school operates multiple routes (reported as nine–ten routes) covering several Guangzhou districts (Tianhe, Huangpu, Haizhu, Baiyun and Zengcheng), with a driver plus on‑bus supervisor, face‑recognition check‑in and WeChat push notifications for parents. The school's team pages and group admissions pages also reference school‑bus arrangements — contact admissions for route stops, costs and current route maps (routes can be adjusted each semester).
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - A one-off application/enrolment fee is reported as RMB 1,000. Tuition fees (full detail by year group) - Nursery 2 (age 2): Annual tuition RMB 208,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 104,000 if divided into two equal terms). - Kindergarten 1 (age 3): Annual tuition RMB 208,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 104,000). - Kindergarten 2 (age 4): Annual tuition RMB 238,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 119,000). - Kindergarten 3 (age 5): Annual tuition RMB 238,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 119,000). - Grade 1 – Grade 3 (primary lower years): Annual tuition RMB 258,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 129,000). - Grade 4 – Grade 5 (primary upper years): Annual tuition RMB 268,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 134,000). - Grade 6 – Grade 8 (lower secondary/MYP): Annual tuition RMB 288,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 144,000). - Grade 9 – Grade 10 (IGCSE/early upper secondary): Annual tuition RMB 298,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 149,000). - Grade 11 – Grade 12 (IB Diploma/A-levels): Annual tuition RMB 308,000 (per-term equivalent RMB 154,000). Billing schedule and payment terms - For the ISA Wenhua (domestic) track, official approvals list tuition on a per-semester basis (for example: primary RMB 102,000 per semester; lower secondary RMB 111,000 per semester). This same local approval also specifies semester-based boarding charges where applicable. - For the international (foreign-children) school, published materials show annual tuition figures by grade; the school's published fees are presented as annual amounts and parents are directed to the school for billing arrangements (many international schools offer semester or instalment options, but the school's published fee list provides annual totals). Boarding fees - Boarding is available. Reported figures indicate an optional boarding charge equivalent to RMB 50,000 per year (reported as RMB 25,000 per semester in some official notices for the Wenhua/domestic school). Other costs and common additional fees - Additional variable charges commonly applied: meals, school bus, uniforms, textbooks and learning materials, external examination fees, extracurricular activities, and one-off enrolment deposits or assurance fees. Local public notices state that ancillary/service charges follow public-school management rules. Specific amounts for these items are not listed in the school's public fee summary. Refund information - No detailed public refund policy for tuition or deposits was found in the school's public fee disclosures. The school's charging framework is subject to Guangzhou municipal fee approval and ancillary charges are governed by local regulations. Parents should expect refund and cancellation handling to follow those regulatory and contractual terms. Fee payment options - The school's public fee listings do not explicitly publish a full list of accepted payment methods. Typical channels for international schools in China include international bank transfer (SWIFT), domestic bank transfer, and local digital payments (Alipay/WeChat) or card payments; however, no definitive public statement of accepted methods for ISA Liwan was located in the published fee pages. For precise payment instructions and available instalment plans, the school's admissions office is the listed point of contact. Summary of sources and limits of public information - Published fee amounts by grade and boarding levels are available in the school-fee summaries and education directories; local government approvals specify semester fees for the Wenhua/domestic track. Public materials do not provide a complete public schedule of application/registration timing, the school's formal refund policy text, or a definitive public list of accepted payment methods.	Fee details Application and admission fees - Application fee: RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable). - Admissions / enrolment deposit: RMB 30,000 (taken to confirm a place; listed as refundable on the school's admissions page). Tuition fees by year group (annual; per‑term amounts shown as an arithmetic division by three and noted as derived) The school publishes annual tuition by year group. The annual figures below are taken from publicly available school listings; the per‑term amounts are derived by dividing the published annual fee by three (per‑term figures are an inference based on a three‑term academic year). Annual tuition (RMB) and derived per‑term amount (RMB): - FS1: Annual RMB 220,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 73,333. - KG1 / FS2: Annual RMB 220,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 73,333. - KG2 / Y1: Annual RMB 250,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 83,333. - Grade 1 / Y2: Annual RMB 270,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 90,000. - Grade 2 / Y3: Annual RMB 270,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 90,000. - Grade 3 / Y4: Annual RMB 270,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 90,000. - Grade 4 / Y5: Annual RMB 280,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 93,333. - Grade 5 / Y6: Annual RMB 280,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 93,333. - Grade 6 / Y7: Annual RMB 310,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 103,333. - Grade 7 / Y8: Annual RMB 310,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 103,333. - Grade 8 / Y9: Annual RMB 310,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 103,333. - Grade 9 / Y10: Annual RMB 320,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 106,667. - Grade 10 / Y11: Annual RMB 320,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 106,667. - Grade 11 / Y12: Annual RMB 328,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 109,333. - Grade 12 / Y13: Annual RMB 328,000 — Per term (derived) RMB 109,333. (The school's published annual fee range for the referenced academic year runs approximately RMB 220,000 to RMB 328,000.) Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's public admissions pages state the application fee and the admissions deposit required to secure a place; the site provides a dedicated ‘School Fee' page but does not publish a detailed public schedule of term‑by‑term invoicing or standard installment options on the pages indexed. Parents should note that the application and enrolment deposit requirements are explicitly published. Boarding fees (where applicable) - Boarding is offered (boarding house for up to 500 students; boarding is available for secondary grades). No separate boarding fee schedule or published boarding price was found on the school's publicly listed pages. Other costs and incidental fees - The school's publicly available fee summaries list annual tuition and the admissions/application fees but do not publish specific line items for uniforms, school meals, transport, textbooks, examination fees, activity charges or other ancillary charges in the pages indexed by public directories. Specific amounts for uniforms, meal plans, bus service, exam fees and similar extras were not available on the school's public fee summary pages. Refund information - Application fee: published as non‑refundable (RMB 3,000). Admissions/enrolment deposit: the school's admissions page lists the RMB 30,000 admissions deposit as refundable. The school's publicly indexed pages do not show a complete tuition refund schedule or the full terms and conditions for refunds (for example, pro‑rata refunds for mid‑year withdrawal or cooling‑off periods were not published on the pages located). Fee payment options - The school's publicly indexed pages do not list a full set of accepted payment methods (for example, bank transfer, credit card, local e‑wallets). No explicit, published list of accepted payment channels or bank details was found on the school fee pages available in public listings. Summary of what is published versus what was not found - Published and verifiable: application fee RMB 3,000 (non‑refundable); admissions deposit RMB 30,000 (listed as refundable); annual tuition by year group (as listed above). - Not published on publicly accessible fee pages (no amounts found in public listings): a separate published boarding fee schedule; line‑item charges for uniforms, meals, transport, textbooks, exams; a full billing timetable or standard installment options; a detailed tuition refund schedule. Where per‑term amounts are shown above, they are derived from the school's published annual tuition figures by dividing by three (not directly published by the school). If you require this set of published figures presented in a different format, the figures above are drawn from the school's admissions and public fee listings. The key published references used are the school's admissions/application pages and public fee listings for ISA Science City International School.
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 ISA Liwan operates a continuous K–12 programme (ages 2–18) that integrates IB frameworks with UK, Singapore and Chinese national standards and delivers bilingual English–Chinese instruction. Early Years and Primary (EY–G5) follow the IB PYP candidate framework alongside UK/EYFS and referenced UK/Singapore standards for literacy and mathematics, with immersive English plus regular Chinese/mother‑tongue lessons. Middle school is built around the IB MYP framework and a Cambridge pathway, with Singapore math/science benchmarks and elements of the Chinese national curriculum. Upper secondary provides multiple external pathways and qualifications—IGCSE for lower secondary assessment and post‑16 options including IBDP, A‑Level, AP electives and HKDSE—alongside specialist arts and elective programmes. The school also notes small class sizes, a mentor system and an extensive co‑curricular offer (60–100+ clubs/CCAs) to support pastoral and skills development.	Curriculum details ISA Science City International School (Guangzhou) is a K–12 IB World School serving students aged 2–18 and delivering the full IB continuum. Its Early Childhood Learning Centre and Primary phases follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). Middle school is organised around the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), and senior students (Years 11–12) study the IB Diploma Programme (DP) to complete university‑entry qualifications. The taught curriculum covers English and Chinese instruction plus additional world languages, mathematics, sciences, humanities, design and computing, and a formal arts programme (visual arts, drama and music), alongside extensive co‑curricular activities. Academic enrichment and research pathways are provided through the Student Enrichment Centre, and the campus includes boarding and purpose‑built facilities to support experiential learning and university preparation.
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. Initial enquiry and application: Start by submitting the school's online admission inquiry or application form (the school publishes an enquiry form for grade intention and contact details). The school's published process asks parents to provide the application form plus “supporting materials” and to indicate the intended grade; the site's enquiry form shows the EY1–G11 grade choices and basic contact fields. Because the school's site does not list every required document, parents should be prepared to provide recent school reports, passport/ID and any residency paperwork the family holds and confirm exact document requirements with admissions. 2. Admissions office review: After you submit the application and supporting materials the Admissions Office reviews the file to confirm the candidate's eligibility and the appropriate entry level. The school's published outline states that this review is an early gate before arranging assessments and helps determine whether an entrance assessment or interview is needed. Expect the review to consider the age cutoff (the school uses a September 1 cut‑off for age placement) and the published approximate class sizes (around 20 pupils for EY and ~24 for primary classes). 3. Entrance assessment or interview: The school arranges an entrance examination, assessment or interview as part of the process to place the child at the correct level; this applies across age ranges listed in the admissions plan. Parents should ask admissions in advance what format the assessment will take for their child's grade (group activities for early years, literacy/math tasks for primary, subject tests for older grades). Bring originals of school reports or samples of recent work if requested — these often speed up the placement decision. 4. Placement confirmation: Following assessment, the school confirms the recommended enrollment level and class allocation; this is the point when you will know whether there is a place available for the intended intake. Because class sizes are capped (the school publishes approximate sizes), availability for a particular grade can vary and places may fill quickly for popular year groups. If you need a specific start date or have constraints (boarding, transport, bilingual needs), mention these early so they can be considered in placement. 5. Offer letter and invoice: The school issues an Admissions Offer Letter together with an invoice if a place is offered; the published procedure explicitly lists issuing an offer and invoice as the next step. Parents should review the offer package carefully for the payment deadline, whether the fee quoted is annual or first‑year only, and any non‑refundable registration charges. The school's admissions materials make clear that payment by the stated deadline is required to secure the place. 6. Tuition and fees: The school's publicly reported annual tuition range for the international stream is in the region of CNY 208,000–308,000 (figures published for the 2025/2026 academic year show per‑grade totals that vary by year). Parents should confirm which extras are not included (for example, some schools exclude transport, uniforms, exam or activity fees) and request an itemised invoice so they know what is covered by the published amount. Fees are subject to change and the published figures should be verified directly with the school before making a payment. 7. Payment and enrolment finalisation: Pay the invoice by the deadline stated on the Offer Letter; the school's procedure states “Pay fees before specific deadline” as the final step before enrolment. Keep proof of payment and request written confirmation of enrolment and start date. If your child requires a visa, boarding place or other administrative support, confirm those arrangements as payments are completed so the school can prepare arrival and orientation. 8. Practical points and follow up: Note the school's age cut‑off (September 1) and class capacity when planning application timing; late applications may require waiting for a vacancy or joining via the school's intake windows. Keep a copy of all exchanged correspondence and the Offer Letter for your records.	Admissions 1. Online application and documents — Start by completing the school's online application and uploading the required documents listed on the ‘Apply Online' checklist (for example: previous school reports, passport/ID, and any medical or residency documents the school requests). Parents should check the checklist carefully before submission — missing documents slow the review and may delay assessment. If you are applying from abroad, prepare clear certified copies and allow extra lead time for document translation or notarisation. 2. Pay the application fee — After you submit the online application you must pay a non-refundable application fee of RMB 3,000 for the admissions team to review the file. Make sure you keep the payment receipt and reference number; the school will not begin a full review until payment shows against the application. Note that application fees are routinely non-refundable at many international schools, so confirm the payment method and currency before you pay. 3. Documentation review and conditional offer — The admissions team reviews submitted documents and then the appropriate Division Principal or Head of School gives final sign-off. If the paperwork meets requirements the school will issue a conditional letter of offer; if more information is needed they will contact you to request it before issuing a conditional offer. Parents should watch their email closely during this stage and be ready to supply school reports, transcripts, or clarity about previous curricula. 4. Assessment and family meeting — For Early Childhood learners the school uses an observation by an education leader; Primary and Secondary applicants typically sit screener assessments in English, Mathematics, Chinese and General Reasoning, with other components added as required. All families are invited to a meeting with a member of the education leadership team so the school can better understand the child's background, learning needs, interests and any support required. Parents should prepare to discuss learning history, any SEN (special educational needs) support, and to ask about curriculum, language support and pastoral care during this meeting. 5. Offer acceptance and enrolment payment — Once assessments and meetings are completed the school issues an unconditional offer (subject to the family returning the signed acceptance and family contract). To confirm the place families pay an admissions/enrolment deposit of RMB 30,000 (the school's published information describes this as refundable when accepted according to their terms). Before you pay this deposit, check the contract carefully for timelines, refund conditions, and any deadlines for accepting the offer. 6. Tuition, boarding and payment schedule — Published sources for recent academic years show annual tuition in the range of approximately RMB 220,000 (Early Years) up to about RMB 328,000 (senior grades), and the school operates a boarding facility for secondary students (capacity published as around 500 boarders). Parents should request the current official fee schedule from admissions because published ranges vary by year, grade and program (and may not include additional charges such as uniforms, transport, meals, exam or activity fees). If you need instalment options, sibling discounts or an exact cost breakdown (tuition vs boarding vs one-off levies), ask the admissions office and request the written fee policy for the year you plan to start. If you want, I can draft an e-mail you can send to the school's admissions office asking for the latest fee schedule, payment terms, refund policy and exact list of documents required for your child's year group.
Scholarships	Scholarships ISA Liwan publishes a scholarship programme for its international school students covering several categories (academic, arts, sports, science, environment, public service, entrepreneurship and business). The school states scholarship waivers range from 30% up to 100% of annual tuition and can be awarded for up to a maximum of three years; the published sections also list grade bands for eligibility (for example: academic scholarships for Grades 6–12; arts/science/sports for Grades 1–10; environment/public welfare/entrepreneurship for Grades 7–10). The school's scholarship page also indicates the programme is open to both incoming and current students and notes a large aggregate scholarship fund cited on the site; parents should request the scholarship application form, the specific eligibility criteria and deadlines (separate application and supporting evidence are normally required) and confirm whether awards are renewable and conditional on academic or co‑curricular performance.	Scholarships ISA Science City publishes an internal programme called ISA Global Pioneers (run via the Student Enrichment Centre) that selects students (notably in Grades 9–11) by academic and comprehensive assessment to receive scholarships to participate in ISAIEG academic programmes and enrichment activities. The Student Enrichment Centre page describes the ISAGP selection process (academic assessment and comprehensive assessment) and notes that selected students are offered special scholarships to participate in those programmes. Separate public-facing articles and school communications for 2025 reference scholarship opportunities connected with ISAGP and promotional scholarship campaigns; however, detailed eligibility rules, the value of awards (for example partial vs full tuition), availability by year group, and application deadlines are not published in full on the school's basic admissions pages. For a clear answer about what scholarships are currently available, how they are awarded, what they cover (tuition or programme fees), and the application timetable, contact the school's admissions or the Student Enrichment Centre and request the scholarship policy and application form.
Waitlist	Waitlist The school's published admissions procedure (application → review → assessment → offer → invoice → payment) does not publicly describe a formal, ranked waiting‑list or pool on the pages examined. The admissions pages set out the standard steps for assessment and offer but do not state whether unfilled applications are placed on a waitlist or how such a list would be managed. Because waitlist policies and vacancy management can be handled case‑by‑case, parents should assume there may be limited immediate availability for some grades and contact the Admissions Office to ask whether they operate a waitlist, how it is ranked (if at all), and whether any preferences (siblings, entry date) affect priority. For direct confirmation, use the school's admissions contact listed by ISA International Education Group (admissions@isalwis.com).	Waitlist The school's published admissions pages and public enrolment guidance do not describe a formal waitlist or wait-pool system. The application-process page sets out application, assessment and offer steps but does not explain how the school manages oversubscription or waiting lists; because many international schools use waitlists differently from year to year, the safest option is to ask the admissions office directly whether a waitlist is used for your child's year group and, if so, what (if any) deposit or timeline is required to hold a place. Contact the admissions office to confirm current practice and any priority rules (for example sibling priority or returning students).
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