QSI International School of Shenzhen vs Shen Wai International School

	Q QSI International School of Shenzhen Shenzhen, China	S Shen Wai International School Shenzhen, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 138,300 - 226,800	Fees / year RMB 121,400 - 218,500
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 4 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), IB (DP)	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 780
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2001	Opened 2012
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location QSI Shenzhen is located in the Shekou area of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, with campuses clustered near Tai Zi Road / Bitao Center and the Fenghua Theatre (Shekou). The campuses are accessible from nearby metro stations serving the Sea World / Shekou area and are in a mixed residential and commercial neighbourhood popular with expatriate families.	Location Shen Wai International School is on 29 Baishi 3rd Road in Nanshan District, Shenzhen (518053). The campus is in the Shenzhen Bay / Nanshan area and is reachable by city roads and public transport; the school website lists the full address and contact number for directions and visits.
Stages	Stages The school operates three campuses divided by age: Preschool & Lower Elementary (ages 2–7), Main Campus / Middle School (ages 8–13), and Secondary Campus (ages 14–18). Each campus has its own facilities and administration.	Stages SWIS is an IB continuum school offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), serving roughly ages 4–18 (Pre‑K/Kindergarten through Grade 12).
School type	School type QSI Shenzhen is a non-profit, co-educational day school that serves expatriate families; it does not offer boarding. The school follows the QSI / American-based approach and is part of the Quality Schools International group.	School type Co‑educational day school (no boarding). The school is government‑invested/non‑profit and serves expatriate families as well as residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school provides dedicated learning-support staff (including two learning support teachers and paraprofessionals in younger classes), a full‑time counselor on each campus, and an Intensive English (IE) programme for early learners who need extra English instruction. QSI's network also works with regional learning‑support coordinators when additional assessment or planning is required.	Additional learning support The school provides English language support (EAL) and additional learning / special‑education resources, and has counselling services and access to educational‑psychology support; some specialised services may be provided for a fee—contact Admissions for specifics.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school is an independent international school and part of the QSI group (an international network); it is not affiliated with a particular national government. QSI schools hold international accreditations (QSI Shenzhen is accredited by the Middle States Association).	Country affiliation The school is not affiliated with a foreign country; it is invested by the Shenzhen municipal government and operates as an international school serving the local expatriate community and Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan residents.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation QSI Shenzhen is secular and has no religious affiliation; its programme and materials present a non‑religious, international curriculum.	Religious affiliation SWIS is secular and does not have a religious affiliation.
School day structure	School day structure Classes generally begin at 8:30 AM. At the Secondary Campus the school follows an alternating block schedule with classes starting at 8:30 AM and ending at about 4:00 PM, with a morning break, an afternoon break and a 45‑minute lunch; younger divisions typically finish earlier (check admissions for exact division times).	School day structure Published information indicates a typical school day runs approximately from 08:30 to 15:30, with options for supervised before/after care and an After‑School Activities (ASA) programme. Check the school calendar or Admissions for exact daily bell times for each division.
Bus service details	Bus service details QSI Shenzhen offers an optional school bus service run in partnership with a local transport company; bus service is not included in tuition and routes are arranged based on demand. Each bus has an English‑speaking QSI bus monitor, seat belts are required, and some routes include a late bus for after‑school activities. Families can contact the school's transportation office for route details and costs.	Bus service details The school offers a school‑bus service for families; bus availability, routes, pick‑up points and fees are organised through the school and can change each year. Parents relocating from overseas should request the current route map, operating company (if any) and fee schedule from Admissions before arrival.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees and deposits - One-time, non-refundable registration/application fee: RMB 2,100 per child. - Non-refundable tuition deposit (placement fee) due within 10 working days of an acceptance offer: RMB 25,200; this amount is applied to school fees but is forfeited if the student does not enroll. Tuition fees by year group (published third-party figures) - The school's public pages do not publish a full numeric tuition table. A third‑party fee listing for the 2025/2026 academic year shows example annual tuition totals by grade (given in RMB): Nursery/Kindergarten ages 2–4: RMB 138,300; Kindergarten 3 and Grades 1–12: RMB 226,800 (variations by specific grade noted in the source). These figures are from an independent fees aggregator and are provided here as published by that third party. Billing schedule and payment terms - Discounts are offered for full-term payments made on or before the term due dates, with an additional discount available if the full annual payment is completed on or before 1 October. If first-term payment is missed but the full year is paid by 1 October, a maximum discount may still apply. - Payments must be made on or before the published due dates; students with outstanding fees may be withheld from classes, evaluations, official records, or communications until accounts are settled. Boarding fees - QSI Shenzhen is a non-profit day school (no boarding program); therefore no boarding fees apply. Other costs and recurring charges - Capital Fund Fee: a separate fee to support facilities and school development is charged (purpose described by the school). - Bus/transportation and school lunch programs are optional and billed separately (bus routes/costs managed via the school's transport arrangements). - Uniforms: the school does not require full daily uniforms; a P.E. uniform is provided/required where applicable (uniform policy noted by third-party listings). Refund information - The registration/application fee and the placement deposit are explicitly non-refundable; the deposit is forfeited if the student does not enroll. No other public refund policy for tuition or other fees is published on the school's public pages. Fee payment options - The school lists payment methods as RMB bank transfer or cash. Credit-card payment is not listed on the publicly posted payment instructions. For invoicing, fapiao, and accounting matters the school provides finance office contacts. Note: the school's public pages provide policy and procedural details but do not publish a full, grade-by-grade numeric fee schedule; the numeric tuition figures above are taken from a third‑party aggregator that cites the school's fees for 2025/2026. Where the school states specific fee items or policies, the school's pages are cited.	Fee details Fees overview - Annual tuition by year group (amounts shown in RMB): - Kindergarten (4‑year‑old / K2): [RMB 121,400] per year; per term (approx.): [RMB 40,467] (annual ÷ 3, shown as an approximate per‑term figure). - Kindergarten 3 / Year 0 and Years 1–5 (Early Primary): [RMB 166,980] per year; per term (approx.): [RMB 55,660]. - Years 6–10 (Lower & Upper Secondary): [RMB 182,160] per year; per term (approx.): [RMB 60,720]. - Years 11–12 (IB Diploma / Sixth Form): [RMB 218,500] per year; per term (approx.): [RMB 72,833]. Application / enrolment fees - No explicit, separate application fee or one‑off enrolment/deposit amount was located in the publicly available fee summaries consulted. Public fee summaries present annual tuition figures but do not publish a distinct application charge in the sources reviewed. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school follows an August–June academic year (three‑term school year). Annual tuition figures are published; the sources consulted do not publish a detailed term billing schedule (for example exact term percentages or instalment due dates). Where a per‑term amount is required below, it is shown as an approximate value calculated by dividing the published annual fee by three. Boarding / accommodation fees - Shen Wai International School is listed as a day school (no boarding programme shown in the public profiles consulted). No boarding or residential fees were published in the sources reviewed. Other costs and typical additional charges - Uniform: the school is listed as having a uniform requirement, but no published uniform cost was found in the public fee summaries reviewed. - Transport (school bus): transport is offered according to school profile summaries; no specific bus fees or routes/prices were published in the fee summaries consulted. - Examination, materials, extra‑curricular and assessment fees: the publicly available fee summaries reviewed show annual tuition levels but do not itemise textbook, exam (IB examination) or co‑curricular charges. These kinds of additional charges are commonly billed separately at many schools, but no itemised list or amounts were found in the sources consulted. Refunds and refundable deposits - No explicit refund policy, refundable deposit amount, or step‑by‑step refund procedure for fees was located in the public fee materials that were available to the sources consulted. The published summaries provide annual tuition figures but do not publish a detailed refund/refund‑schedule statement. Accepted payment methods and practical payment notes - The public fee summaries consulted do not list specific accepted payment methods (for example bank transfer, credit card, or local cashiers). Contact details for the school are published and may be used to confirm current payment methods: phone +86 755 8654 1200 and email office@swis.cn. Summary of sources consulted and limitations - Confirmed items above (the published annual tuition figures by grade band) come from recent publicly available school‑profile and fee summary pages. The sources consulted publish annual tuition amounts but do not publish detailed line‑item charges (for example a named application fee, explicit enrolment deposit, exact per‑term billing proportions or formal refund wording) in the materials accessible through those summaries. Consequently, per‑term figures above are shown as approximations (annual fee divided by three) to provide a term‑level view when a per‑term number is required; those per‑term figures are inferences based on the published annual amounts.
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 QSI Shenzhen delivers an American‑based, mastery‑learning program in English with core classes in reading, writing, mathematics, cultural studies and science, supplemented by specialist courses (art, music, PE, technology, foreign languages) and character “Success Orientations.” Preschool and Lower Elementary (ages 2–7) use research‑based early‑years materials (Splash into Pre‑K for preschool) and a play‑based integrated 5‑year‑old program; 6–7‑year‑olds follow a full program including math, reading/language arts, science, cultural studies, art, music, computers and PE. The Main Campus (ages 8–13) aligns many courses with U.S. Common Core standards, provides an Intensive English program for learners of English, and offers technology, PE, art/music and foreign language instruction (Chinese and introductory Spanish). The Secondary Campus (ages 14–18) is a college‑preparatory program offering a QSI Academic Diploma, an Academic Diploma with Honors (which requires at least two AP courses), and the option to pursue the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in Sec III–IV; students can earn the IB Diploma in addition to the QSI diploma. Advanced study options include year‑long, a‑la‑carte Advanced Placement (AP) courses across humanities, math, science, languages and arts (with external exams in May), which are offered for qualified students (encouraged in Secondary I–II) and can complement IB preparation.	Curriculum details Shen Wai International School (SWIS) delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum—Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP). The school serves students from Pre‑Kindergarten through Grade 12 and teaches in English while maintaining a structured Mandarin/Chinese language and culture programme. In the middle years (MYP, typically Grades 6–10) SWIS follows the MYP framework and prepares students for MYP certification/e‑assessment at the end of Year 10. Upper secondary (Grades 11–12) follows the IB Diploma: students choose subjects across the DP groups (languages, sciences, mathematics, individuals & societies, the arts) and complete the DP core—Theory of Knowledge, Creativity‑Activity‑Service and the extended essay—along with external DP examinations. SWIS is accredited by international bodies and integrates the IB inquiry‑based approach with co‑curricular arts, STEM and cultural learning.
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. Start the online application. Begin by completing the school's online application through the parent portal (portal.qsishenzhen.cn). After you submit the online form the Admissions Office will contact you to schedule an in-person Admissions appointment for document drop-off and testing; parents should book any campus tours in advance to ensure staff availability. 2. Prepare and bring required documents to the Admissions appointment. The school requires proof of the child's and parents' passports/visas, two years of school records (if applicable), immunization records, and two passport photos for each parent and the child; school records not in English must be officially translated. Failure to bring all items on the application checklist will delay processing, so download and follow the Application Checklist before your appointment. 3. Pay the application/registration fee at the appointment. A non-refundable application/registration fee (stated on the site as RMB 2,100) is due at the time of the Admissions appointment and is typically required in cash; keep the receipt as it is part of your application record. The Admissions Office will not proceed with document processing or testing until this fee is paid. 4. Admissions testing and initial placement. Students age 5+ will take the NWEA MAP computerized adaptive tests in Reading, Math, and Language Usage (all in English); students age 8+ also complete a written essay. MAP results are used for placement but are not the sole determinant—previous records and the Director of Instruction's evaluation also factor into final grade placement. 5. Interview with the Director of Instruction. After testing and document review you will be scheduled for an interview with the campus Director of Instruction; the Director makes the admission decision and places students (age and previously completed grade are primary considerations). Expect the school to place students according to age first, with some exceptions decided by the Director; secondary (high‑school) applicants must demonstrate the English level needed for success in the secondary program. 6. Decision timeline and deposit to hold a space. The Admissions Office aims to return a decision (accepted, denied, or waiting list) by email within one to two days after the interview if all documents were submitted. If accepted, parents must pay a non‑refundable tuition deposit (listed on the site as RMB 25,200) within 10 working days to secure the place; this deposit is applied to fees but forfeited if the student does not enroll. 7. Final invoicing, payments and start. Tuition invoices are issued after the child begins school; the school publishes a Capital Fund Fee and describes a discount policy for timely full‑term/annual payments. Payments are accepted by RMB bank transfer or cash; students may be restricted from class, and records withheld, if fees are not current—so confirm payment deadlines and invoicing procedures with the Finance Office.	Admissions 1. Check eligibility and timing. Shen Wai International School (SWIS) primarily serves children of the expatriate community and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan; at least one parent must normally hold foreign passport/residency and local guardianship rules require students to live in Shenzhen with a parent or an approved guardian. Confirm your child's age against the school's cut-off date (September 1) because grade placement is age-based. See the school's admissions criteria for these restrictions and rolling-entry notes. 2. Prepare required documents. Parents should be ready to provide documentary proof of the items above (passport information page and any relevant residence/visa pages), the child's birth certificate, recent school reports or transcripts, and standard health/immunisation records; if you are using a guardian, bring the appropriate power of attorney/guardianship paperwork. SWIS requires applicants to show they can access an English-language curriculum, so evidence of recent school reports or any English test results can speed placement. If your child has identified special educational needs, discuss these with admissions before applying so the school can confirm whether it can meet those needs. 3. Submit the online application and school tour/ enquiry. Use the school's Apply Online link and the Admissions page to start an application and to arrange a tour or admissions meeting; the official admissions page is the primary entry point for applications and enquiries. Be aware that some international schools charge a non-refundable application fee or require a one-time first-year payment/placement charge — parents should check the specific payment/fee instructions shown on the offer or fee schedule. Keep records of application submission and any reference/application IDs the school provides. 4. Assessment and interview/placement. SWIS expects applicants to demonstrate sufficient English and may use grade-specific assessments or interviews to check academic level and English proficiency; each grade can have a tailored process and placement is based on results and available places. For younger children the school may use age-appropriate observation or interviews, while older children are typically assessed with school reports and subject-specific checks. Ask Admissions in advance what format (in-person or online) the assessment and interview will take for your child's grade. 5. Offer, acceptance and payment. If a place is offered you will usually receive a written Offer Letter or invoice that specifies the deadline to accept and any placement deposit or tuition payment required to secure the place. SWIS's published tuition schedule shows annual tuition bands by year group, and the first-year or placement financial requirements can be higher than the annual tuition shown; read the offer carefully for one‑time fees and payment deadlines. Keep the payment receipt and confirm enrolment steps (medical forms, transport, uniform orders) after the school acknowledges your payment. 6. Visa, guardianship and local compliance. Before your child's first day, confirm that local guardianship, residency/visa paperwork and any health insurance or immunisation records meet Shenzhen and school requirements — SWIS will not accept students who do not meet local guardianship rules. If your family's situation requires a guardian in Shenzhen, arrange the legal documents well before arrival so the school can complete registration. Contact Admissions for any school-specific local-compliance instructions. 7. Start date, orientation and ongoing communication. SWIS operates on a rolling-admissions basis where places are confirmed subject to vacancies; when your child starts expect an orientation (or grade-level entry procedure) and possible short-term monitoring or placement adjustments as teachers confirm appropriate class groupings. Keep in regular contact with the Admissions office and the relevant Head of Division during the first weeks so any academic or pastoral adjustments can be made promptly. If anything in your family situation changes (arrival date, guardian, residency), notify Admissions immediately.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist QSI Shenzhen states that the Admissions outcome may be “accepted,” “denied,” or “waiting list,” and families are informed by email shortly after the Director of Instruction's interview. The website does not publish detailed rules for how the waiting list is ordered (for example, whether it is strictly by application date, placement testing results, or other criteria), so parents should ask Admissions directly about their child's position and expected timeline if a waiting‑list offer is issued. For up‑to‑date information about availability at a specific campus or age level, contact admissions@shenzhen.qsi.org or the Admissions Office phone numbers listed on the site.	Waitlist SWIS publicly describes admissions as rolling and that places are offered according to enrolment limits and vacancies; the school's published admissions information does not include a public, detailed waitlist policy. That means: when a grade is full the school typically manages new applications on a vacancy basis (often by holding records of applicants and offering places as they become available), but there is no formal, publicly posted waitlist procedure or guaranteed position published on the website or directory listings. Parents should therefore assume places are offered by vacancy and should keep their application active (and confirm their interest) with Admissions; for a definitive answer about whether SWIS will keep a formal waitlist for a specific grade and how applicants are prioritised, contact the Admissions office directly using the school's admissions contact.
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