ISA Liwan International School vs ULink College Guangzhou

	I ISA Liwan International School Guangzhou, China	U ULink College Guangzhou Guangzhou, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 204,000 - 222,000	Fees / year RMB 218,000 - 248,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 14 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)	Type 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 Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 560
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2022	Opened 2004
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 ULink College Guangzhou is located at 8 Wei Li Road in Nansha District, Guangzhou, on a riverside campus surrounded by green hills and parks, close to Nansha Marina and Nansha Binhai Park. The school website notes the campus sits in the Pearl River Delta and is roughly one hour from major city centres and the region's airports (Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong).
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 ULink College follows the Cambridge/CAIE pathway: IGCSE for Grade 9–10 and A Level for Grade 11–12, with more than 30 subject options listed. The curriculum pages and subject lists describe core and optional subjects for each grade band.
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 The school is presented on its website as an international boarding college offering IGCSE and A Level qualifications; the site includes a detailed boarding programme and residential provision. The website does not state a single-sex intake; boarding facilities and student life pages describe dormitories, residential advisers and life coaches.
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 website describes an EAL (English as an Additional Language) programme for incoming English-language learners and a Learning Center that provides IELTS/TOEFL/SAT preparation, individual tutoring and out-of-school programmes. Student-support listings also include personal counselling and college-planning services; the site does not describe a separate, dedicated SEN department, so parents with specific additional needs should contact admissions for details.
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 ULink College is funded by Guangdong ULink Education Group and is authorised by Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) and Edexcel; it is based in Mainland China.
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 The school website does not indicate any religious affiliation. For confirmation about religious or values-based programmes, contact the admissions office.
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 site has a “Daily Schedule” page and describes student life routines, but it does not publish fixed start/end times or specific break/lunch times online. The admissions or student-life office can provide the current term timetable and daily hours on request.
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 Living-on-campus information states the school operates a dedicated shuttle team and provides shuttle/transport services for students and staff, with regular vehicle inspection and maintenance; however, specific routes, stops and external provider names are not listed on the site. Parents should request route maps, pickup points and costs from admissions or the transport office when enquiring.
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 & one‑off fees - Application fee: third‑party listings vary; reported values include RMB 500 and RMB 600 (one‑time). - Registration / admission deposit: some sources show a one‑time registration/admission charge around RMB 5,000–2,000 (reported variably by third‑party listings). Tuition fees (by year group) - Middle school (初中部): RMB 218,000 per academic year. Equivalent per term if split into three equal instalments: RMB 72,667 per term; if split into two equal instalments: RMB 109,000 per instalment. - High school (高中部): RMB 248,000 per academic year. Equivalent per term if split into three equal instalments: RMB 82,667 per term; if split into two equal instalments: RMB 124,000 per instalment. Boarding and catering - Four‑bed room (excluding weekends): RMB 45,800 per academic year. - Four‑bed room (including weekends): RMB 55,700 per academic year. - School bus: fee depends on route (route‑based pricing). Other costs and typical ancillary charges - Uniform: reported by market listings at approximately RMB 3,500–3,800 (one‑off). School bus and meal cards are additional where used. - Examination, external assessment or optional programme fees (IGCSE/A‑Level entries, overseas study programmes) may be charged separately; specific exam entry fees are not listed on the public fee summary above. Billing schedule, payment terms and refunds - The school publishes annual tuition and boarding figures; a detailed per‑term billing schedule and explicit public refund policy are not included on the fee summary pages. Reported one‑time application/registration charges are typically shown as single, non‑recurring items by third‑party listings. Payment options (common methods used for international school fees) - Common payment channels for international school fees include bank transfer (domestic or international), credit/debit card and international payment services (e.g., Flywire). Specific payment channels for this school are not listed on the public fee summary; parents commonly use bank transfer or internationally supported payment providers for cross‑border payments.
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 ULink College Guangzhou delivers Cambridge-authorised IGCSE and A Level programmes for senior secondary students. IGCSE is offered as a two‑year programme for Grades 9–10 with compulsory courses (Mathematics, Chinese, English, Physics, Chemistry, PE, PSHE, project work and university‑preparation lessons) and a broad set of option subjects including Accounting, Art & Design, Business Studies, Sociology, Geography, History, Economics, Biology, Computer Science, Music, Spanish, Japanese, French, Drama and Design Engineering. The school also provides a one‑year IGCSE pathway for Grade 10 with core subjects (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Chinese, English, PE, PSHE and university‑preparation) and limited electives (Economics, Biology). The A Level programme runs for two years (Grades 11–12); core elements include Mathematics, English, PSHE and university‑preparation lessons, and students may choose from more than 30 A Level options such as Further Mathematics, Psychology, Physics, Chemistry, Accounting, Economics, Computer Science, Biology, Art & Design, Business, Sociology, History, Geography, Japanese, Music, Drama and the Cambridge International Project Qualification (IPQ). The curriculum also emphasises PSHE (personal, social and health education) and weekly university‑guidance lessons alongside project and admissions activities to prepare students for overseas study.
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. Learn about the school and make an appointment. Start by visiting the ULink College website, following the school's official WeChat account (ULC剑桥国际高中) and, if useful, viewing alumni or news pages to see recent developments. The school encourages campus visits and provides an online reservation system; the admissions office is available Monday–Friday 9:00–17:00 for questions. Parents should note the admissions phone number and email and prepare any questions about grade placement, boarding, or special programs before the visit. 2. Register for the entrance assessment. All applicants must complete the school's registration form and sign up for the centrally organized entrance exam (the site points families to a QR-code/WeChat registration via the ULink admissions service account, ULinkEducation). Follow the registration instructions carefully and keep any confirmation or reference number the system issues. Parents should check registration deadlines and save screenshots or emails showing the student is scheduled, because space can be limited. 3. Take the entrance exam (and understand the intake principle). ULink College uses a centrally administered entrance exam and applies a ‘selective and first-come, first-served' admissions principle; if the intake is full the school may close admissions for that intake. The site also states that, where applicable, mid-term transfer seats are limited or (on some pages) not offered—so timing matters. Parents should plan for the scheduled exam date, arrive with identification and past school records, and be prepared that available places can fill quickly. 4. Know what the school assesses and the retake policy. Admission requires meeting standards in English and mathematics and passing an interview; applicants who fail a subject may be permitted to retake that subject, and the site states each student may have up to two attempts in the same admission year. Ensure your student's recent school reports and any English-test results are ready to upload or present, and be aware that the interview assesses communication and suitability for the CAIE (IGCSE/A‑Level) pathway. If your child has significant learning differences or medical needs, note the school's published position that it does not have the facilities to accept students with certain special educational or significant medical needs. 5. Placement rules, special programs and grade exceptions. If a student passes the exam for the requested grade they will be placed in that grade; students who pass a higher‑grade exam may choose to advance one year (G11 entrants are an exception to the jump‑grade policy). For G9 students entering the autumn intake, the school requires participation in an overseas program at a sister school in Australia (about one month) to support transition into an English‑immersion curriculum. Parents should confirm these program requirements (and any travel logistics or costs) before completing registration. 6. Accept the offer and complete registration on time. When a student receives an offer (an admission letter), the family must complete the school's seat‑registration steps within the stated deadline; the site warns that offers are valid only for that admissions season and unregistered seats will be released. Before registering, review the published tuition, boarding and other fees for the relevant school year so you understand the payment schedule and refund/forfeiture conditions. If you need to defer or have timing questions, contact admissions immediately — contact details (phone and admissions email) are listed on the site.
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 The ULink College Guangzhou public website does not list scholarships, merit awards, or a formal financial‑aid program for the Guangzhou (ULC) campus. The tuition and boarding pages publish the annual fees for new students (the site shows figures labelled for the 2025–2026 school year), but there is no published page describing scholarships or how to apply for them. If you are interested in fee reductions, merit awards, sibling discounts, or other forms of financial support, ask admissions directly by phone or email; they can confirm whether any campus‑specific scholarships exist and provide application criteria, deadlines, and documentation requirements. (Note: other campuses or schools under the ULink group have, at times, published entrance‑scholarship programs — that does not mean ULC Guangzhou has the same arrangements; verify with the Guangzhou admissions office.)
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 ULink College's public admissions pages do not describe a formal waitlist or pool that is maintained after an intake fills. The school's stated policy is that recruitment is ‘first‑come, first‑served' and that once planned intake numbers are reached, recruitment for that intake is finished. At the same time, there are mixed statements on different pages about mid‑term transfer (插班) availability: one page indicates no mid‑term places are available for a given intake while another page says transfer applications are accepted year‑round but places are limited and handled case‑by‑case. Because the site does not publish a clear waitlist procedure, parents who want to be placed on a potential list or notified of future openings should contact the admissions office directly (phone or admissions@ulinkcollege.com) to ask whether the school will hold names for future openings and how that process is managed.
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