Shanghai High School International Division vs The SMIC Private School Shanghai

	S Shanghai High School International Division Shanghai, China	T The SMIC Private School Shanghai Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 140,000 - 156,000	Fees / year RMB 140,000 - 166,000
Age range	Age range 6 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), IB (DP), Australian Curriculum, Australian Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Chinese National Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils	Pupils 3,500	Pupils 3,000
Typical class size	Typical class size 25	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1993	Opened 2001
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location The Xuhui (Puxi) campus is located beside Shanghai Botanical Garden at No. 989 Baise Road / 400 Shangzhong Road in the southwest of central Shanghai; the site address is listed on the school website. SHSID operates three additional campuses in Pudong (Zhangjiang, Lingang, Hongkou) and is developing a Fengxian campus; each campus sits in a different neighbourhood with its own local transport links. The main Xuhui/Puxi campus is described as park-like and forested and is the largest high-school campus in Shanghai.	Location SMIC Private School is located at No.169 Qingtong (Qing-Tong) Road in the Zhangjiang High‑Tech Park area of Pudong New Area, Shanghai (postal code 201203). The campus sits in a technology-park / suburban part of Pudong that serves many international families and is reachable by road and by the school's shuttle services; local landmark references list the site near Guanglan Road. For exact directions and public‑transport options, the school's address and contact details are on its website.
Stages	Stages SHSID runs a continuous Grades 1–12 international programme across its campus network (primary, middle and high school). Individual campuses serve different year ranges (for example Xuhui/Puxi offers G1–12 while Zhangjiang, Lingang and Hongkou serve primarily primary and lower-middle grades). Grade allocations and new campus openings are listed on the school's admissions pages.	Stages The school runs a full K–12 structure: Early Childhood (kindergarten), Elementary, Middle School and High School within both an International Division and a Chinese Track. The website lists separate pages and curricula for EC, ES, MS and HS (including options such as a Chinese Concentration Class at elementary level).
School type	School type SHSID is a co-educational international division of Shanghai High School that delivers international curricula (IB, AP, A‑Level) for Grades 1–12. It is primarily a day school, although the school's materials and campus pages note boarding/accommodation arrangements for certain campuses or grade levels (for example the Fengxian campus will include dormitory housing and school rules reference boarding students). For precise boarding availability by year and campus, contact Admissions.	School type SMIC is a private, co‑educational K–12 day school that integrates kindergarten through high school on a single campus; it was founded by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) in 2001. The school does not provide student boarding — there is no dormitory on site.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school provides medical, counseling and psychological services through its Health & Wellness and clinic services, and describes a ‘smart campus' approach that supports individualized learning. The website highlights counseling/psychological services, on-site clinic facilities and systems for student support, but does not present a publicly detailed special‑education (SEN) policy on the site; parents with students who have identified additional learning needs should contact Admissions or the Student Affairs/Counseling office for current, specific arrangements.	Additional learning support The school provides counselling services, small‑group and individual support, and an Academic Recovery Program for students who are struggling academically; it also offers different Chinese language streams (regular Chinese and Chinese as a Second Language) and a Chinese Concentration Class (CCC) in elementary. The website notes meal or other special arrangements can be made with documentation, but it does not describe a separate dedicated Special Educational Needs department — parents with specific SEN needs are advised to contact Admissions to discuss individual arrangements.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation SHSID is the international division of Shanghai High School (a longstanding Shanghai/China school) and operates under that school structure; it is an international programme serving expatriate and other qualified students. The admissions information describes the school as enrolling qualified children of foreign personnel while remaining part of Shanghai High School.	Country affiliation The school was established and is supported by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (a Chinese company) and is based in Shanghai's Zhangjiang High‑Tech Park. It therefore has a direct organizational link to SMIC.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school materials and mission statements do not identify any religious affiliation; SHSID presents itself as a non‑religious, secular international school.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school website; SMIC presents itself as a secular private school integrating Chinese and international curricula.
School day structure	School day structure For the Xuhui (main) campus the published school hours are 08:15–15:50 Monday–Thursday and 08:15–14:10 on Friday, with a lunch break typically 12:10–13:10; shuttle buses depart after school (times published by campus). The academic year is organised in two semesters (first semester ~ Sept–Feb; second semester ~ Feb–Aug) and detailed daily times can vary slightly by campus.	School day structure According to the school FAQ, elementary hours run from 7:50 a.m. to 3:25 p.m., and middle/high school hours from 7:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.; students are expected to arrive between about 7:45–8:00 a.m. The published school calendar also shows regular half‑day events and occasional schedule variations (e.g., study weeks and exam‑related half days).
Bus service details	Bus service details The school operates an organised school‑bus service with fixed stops and published route lists for each campus; the current year bus‑stop PDFs and route lists are posted on the School Bus Stops page. Admission guidance includes the straight‑line distance limits used for service eligibility (for example Xuhui within ~13 km, other campuses have shorter ranges) and the site directs parents to the published bus‑stop lists for details. For route, cost and pickup/dropoff questions, contact the School Bus Office or Admissions.	Bus service details SMIC operates a fleet of more than 20 shuttle buses serving routes in both Pudong and Puxi; morning pick‑up times depend on the student's home location. Typical afternoon departure times listed by the school are 15:30 for elementary students and 15:30 (or 16:30 for some Pudong high‑school students) for middle/high students; each bus has a chaperone and the General Affairs office arranges routes and seat applications. The school does not provide bus service beyond the outer ring or to very remote areas; contact details for the bus office are published in the admissions/FAQ section.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Non-refundable application fee: RMB 1,000 (payable at the school after documentation is approved). Tuition fees (per semester and per academic year) - Primary School (Grades 1–5): RMB 70,000 per semester (RMB 140,000 per year). - Middle School (Grades 6–8): RMB 75,000 per semester (RMB 150,000 per year). - High School (Grades 9–12): RMB 78,000 per semester (RMB 156,000 per year). Other recurring fees - Shuttle bus (where provided): RMB 5,500 per semester for Xuhui, Zhangjiang and Hongkou campuses; Lingang currently not charged; Fengxian currently does not provide school buses. - Miscellaneous fee: RMB 600 per semester. Billing schedule and payment terms - The academic year is divided into two semesters; tuition and semester fees are charged on a per-semester basis. All fees must be paid in one lump sum by the due date stated on the school's invoice. The school requires that fees or a copy of the bank voucher be received before the student reports to school and receives textbooks; unpaid fees may jeopardize the student's place. The tuition fee is explicitly non-refundable. Boarding fees - The International Division operates as a day school; boarding facilities/boarding fees are not applicable. Any other costs - The school's published fee page lists the items above. No separate uniform, textbook or exam fee line-items appear on the school's official fee page; parents should anticipate additional optional costs (uniforms, lunches, optional activities, external exam fees) although these are not itemised in the published semester fee schedule. The published miscellaneous fee is RMB 600 per semester. Refund information - Application fee (RMB 1,000) is non-refundable. The school's fee policy states the tuition fee is non-refundable. Fee payment options - Online payment via ICBC web portal or ICBC mobile app; UnionPay cards accepted for online payment. - Bank transfer (RMB and USD accepted) to the school's ICBC accounts (RMB and USD deposit account numbers and SWIFT code provided by the school). - RMB cash accepted at the appointed ICBC branch (receipt forwarding required for invoice issuance). - When paying by bank transfer, forward a copy of the bank receipt with the student's name to the Finance/Accounting Office for confirmation (email address provided by the school).	Fee details Application fees - SMIC-I charges a non‑refundable application fee of RMB 1,000 payable as part of the application process. Complete applications include submitting required documents in person and payment of the application fee. Tuition fees (per semester — amounts in RMB) - Early Childhood (EP–EK2): ¥70,000 per semester. - Grade 1–5: ¥75,000 per semester. - Grade 6–8: ¥80,000 per semester. - Grade 9–12: ¥83,000 per semester. These tuition figures are stated on SMIC‑I's tuition page and presented as semester amounts. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is quoted and billed on a per‑semester basis (two semesters per academic year). The school's tuition page lists fees as RMB per semester. - The application fee must be paid to complete the application. Parents are instructed to sign an authorization form and provide a copy of their ID to the Finance Office for payment processing; the site advises not to send the authorization form directly to the bank and provides a Finance contact for arrangements. Specific payment channels (for example, credit card acceptance) are not listed on the tuition page. Boarding / accommodation - SMIC Private School does not provide student housing (no boarding). Other compulsory or additional costs - Book deposit: a RMB 2,000 book deposit is required for every new elementary student (deposit terms are not specified on the tuition page). - Meal fees: charged per meal; listed rates are RMB 23.00 (EP–EK2), RMB 22.00 (G1–2), and RMB 24.00 (G3–12). Enrollment in the lunch plan is required. - School bus: bus service is available for an additional fee; parents must contact the school for routes and fees. - Uniforms: Grade 1–5 formal set ¥455 and summer sport set ¥225; Grade 6–12 formal set ¥470 and summer sport set ¥225. Refund information - The application fee is explicitly stated as non‑refundable. The tuition page requires a book deposit for new elementary students but does not specify refund conditions for that deposit on the published tuition page. Fee payment contact and administration - The Finance Office handles fee authorizations. The tuition page instructs parents to sign the authorization form, provide ID, and contact the Finance Office (contact details and an authorization form link are provided on the school's tuition page). For school bus fees and routes the site provides a separate contact.
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 SHSID delivers an American‑based curriculum across Grades 1–12 with roughly 800 compulsory and optional courses and multiple course levels (standard through honors plus) to match student ability. Primary School (Grades 1–5) follows a US‑based programme covering English, mathematics, Chinese, science, social studies, PE, music, art and IT; each class has a Chinese and a native English homeroom teacher and levelled language instruction. Middle School (Grades 6–8) continues the American programme with more specialized subjects (history, geography, physical and life sciences), creative/innovation courses and a Grade‑8 Service Learning graduation requirement. In High School students choose senior pathways: the IB Diploma Programme (open to Grades 11–12), an AP programme (about 20+ AP courses; open to Grades 10–12 with application windows), and AS/A‑Level options (AQA), alongside the US high‑school curriculum. Students have individualized timetables and access to core, elective, interdisciplinary innovation/practice courses and year‑long projects (PBL/Academy/Senior Projects) across STEM, humanities, arts and languages.	Curriculum details SMIC Private School's International Division delivers a US‑based K–12 curriculum aligned to research‑based standards (Common Core, AERO, NGSS, ISTE) across its Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle and High School programs. Early Childhood (K1–K2) covers language arts and math in K1, expands to five core subjects in K2, includes Chinese instruction, weekly art/music/PE/computers, and begins MAP assessment in K2. Elementary (Grades 1–5) offers daily math, science, English language arts, Chinese and social studies with weekly music, art, technology and PE; Grades 1–3 are self‑contained and Grades 4–5 transition to subject rotations. Middle School (Grades 6–8) continues the US standards with a balanced core of English, math, science, social studies and Chinese plus electives, physical education and extracurricular options. High School (Grades 9–12) operates on a semester credit system requiring 23.5 credits for graduation (specific credit totals in English, foreign language, social studies, math, science, PE, arts, technology and life skills), requires 100 community‑service hours, and offers 25+ Advanced Placement courses across a wide range of disciplines.
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. Confirm eligibility and start an online application. SHSID's stated enrollment policy is for "qualified children of foreign personnel in Shanghai," explicitly including students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan; confirm your child's eligibility before you begin. Register in the school's online admissions system (link shown on the Admissions > Application Procedures pages) and keep the registration email/password you create — the system account and the registered email are used for all further notices. 2. Book an on-site appointment and prepare original documents plus photocopies. After online registration you must use the admissions system to choose and print an appointment letter and bring it to the Xuhui campus (parents applying to Lingang or Hongkou are asked to submit documents at Xuhui for initial checks). The school requires original and photocopied versions of identity documents, proof of Shanghai employment or employer documents, proof of Shanghai residence (ownership or lease), birth certificate, marriage certificate (as applicable), two years of previous academic records (except Grade 1), and a school certificate from the student's previous school. 3. Pay the non-refundable application fee after the document check. The admissions pages state the non‑refundable application fee is RMB 1,000 and is paid on site once the documents are approved; the receipt/confirmation from that payment is part of completing the application stage. Keep the payment proof and note that the application fee is valid only for the semester to which you applied. 4. Attend the entrance activity (assessment) on the confirmed date. The school's assessment covers written and oral components in English, Chinese and Mathematics for most grades; applicants to Grade 10 and above also sit Physics and Chemistry. The exam format and level vary by grade, so arrive prepared with the materials and arrival time specified on your appointment confirmation. 5. If offered a place, complete enrolment interview and paperwork at school. The offer/next steps include a meeting with the principal or director (to confirm course level and programme placement), completion of school forms and receipt of an Admission Letter. At that time you will be required to pay tuition, any applicable school bus and miscellaneous fees to secure the seat. 6. Understand fees and payment rules before you commit. SHSID publishes per‑semester tuition (current page dated Sep 1, 2025): Primary (Grades 1–5) RMB 70,000/semester; Middle (Grades 6–8) RMB 75,000/semester; High (Grades 9–12) RMB 78,000/semester. The school lists shuttle bus fees (most campuses RMB 5,500/semester where applicable), a miscellaneous fee (RMB 600/semester), accepted payment channels (ICBC online platform, RMB cash/cards at the Accounting Office, bank transfer — and the finance contact email), and the policy that tuition is generally non‑refundable and that all fees must be paid by the due date to guarantee a seat. 7. Practical notes and follow‑up. Recommendation letters are optional and can be sent directly to the Admissions Office email addresses shown on the website; the admissions system requires a mainland mobile number for SMS notifications, so provide a China phone number if possible. If you have special circumstances (visa timing, late arrival, sibling registration, or questions about campus assignment) contact the admissions office directly — phone and campus‑specific emails are published on the Admissions/Contact pages.	Admissions 1. Check eligibility and age rules: Before you begin, confirm that your child meets SMIC-I's nationality/residency eligibility—SMIC International Division admits students holding a valid foreign passport or legal residents of Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan. Note the age cut-offs (for example, EP2 applicants must be 3 years old by September 30 and Grade 1 applicants must be 6 years old by September 30). The school does not generally permit grade-skipping, so plan grade placement accordingly. 2. Review fees and budget for additional costs: Review the published semester tuition levels for the relevant grade band (2025–2026 example: Early Childhood ¥70,000/semester; Grades 1–5 ¥75,000/semester; Grades 6–8 ¥80,000/semester; Grades 9–12 ¥83,000/semester) and factor in additional, non-tuition charges. Additional items listed by the school include a non-refundable application fee (RMB 1,000), an elementary book deposit (RMB 2,000 for new ES students), meal fees per meal, uniform costs, and optional school bus fees — contact the finance or bus office for current amounts and payment instructions. Because some charges (meals, buses, uniforms) vary by semester or student choices, parents should download the authorization form and speak with the Finance Office before committing. 3. Complete the online questionnaire and gather documents: Start by completing SMIC's online questionnaire so the admissions team understands your child's background and needs. The school publishes an "Eligibility Requirements and Documents List" that specifies which documents must be provided (passport/visa/residency documents, academic records, immunizations, etc.); read that list carefully so you prepare originals and copies in the format the school requests. The school requires the required documents to be submitted and verified in person at the SMIC Education Workshop Center (Qing Tong Road #173); an application is not considered complete until documents are delivered and verified. 4. Create an online application account and submit the application: Create an account and fill in the online application via the school's application portal (the Apply link on the admissions page). You can save progress and return later; use a working email or mobile number for account registration and follow the portal's instructions for uploading or declaring documents. The school's stated complete-application requirement includes (a) finishing the online form, (b) verifying required documents in person, and (c) paying the application fee — check the portal confirmation carefully for next-step instructions and local mailing/submission addresses. 5. Pay the application fee, observe deadlines, and schedule assessment(s): Pay the non-refundable application fee (RMB 1,000 as published) and note the application and assessment deadlines shown for the year you are applying—examples posted for Grade 1 (2026 Fall) show a complete-application deadline of 4:00pm on April 2, 2026 and an entrance-assessment date of Saturday, April 18, 2026. Deadlines and assessment dates differ by entry grade and intake (e.g., Early Childhood entrance events and open houses are scheduled monthly and EC assessments for 2026 were indicated for late March), so confirm the exact dates on the current admissions calendar before making travel or other arrangements. The school explicitly states that a "complete application" must include payment of the application fee, document verification, and the online form — missing any of these may disqualify the application from being processed. 6. Prepare for entrance assessments and language placement: SMIC requires English proficiency across listening, speaking, reading, and writing; assessment content varies by grade (Grade 1: English reading, writing and speaking; Grades 2–12: English reading comprehension, writing and an oral interview plus a grade-appropriate math assessment). All new students also take a Chinese assessment (late August placement) and are placed into either Yuwen (native Chinese) or CSL (Chinese as a Second Language) streams depending on ability. If your child has special educational needs, note that the school states it currently does not have resources for specialised special-needs programs — disclose any learning support needs early so the admissions team can advise whether the school can meet them. 7. Offers, enrolment steps and logistics after acceptance: If offered a place, the school will provide acceptance/enrolment instructions (these typically include signing fee/tuition agreements, completing finance authorization forms, and providing ID copies to the Finance Office). The Finance Office asks parents to sign an authorization form (do not send that form to the bank) and provides contact details for tuition enquiries; families should also confirm meal-plan enrolment (lunch plan is mandatory) and bus arrangements if needed. Because some programs (for example the Chinese Concentration Class) have additional academic or residency commitments, read any program-specific acceptance conditions carefully before paying tuition or deposits.
Scholarships	Scholarships SHSID's publicly available Admissions and School pages do not describe routine entrance scholarships or a standard financial‑aid programme for new international‑division students. The website does reference the Shanghai High School Education Development Foundation (the school's development/foundation body), but there is no published scholarship application process, eligibility criteria, or amounts on the international‑division admissions pages. If you are seeking fee support or scholarships, contact two places directly: the Admissions Office (to ask whether any school scholarships or fee concessions are available for the intake you are applying to) and the school foundation/finance office (to ask whether any bursaries, donor‑funded awards or special programmes exist). Use the finance email (finance@shsid.org) and the admissions emails listed on the site for the fastest clarification.	Scholarships SMIC's public admissions and tuition pages do not advertise scholarships or a financial-aid program for the International Division. The school's tuition and FAQ pages list tuition, application fees and other charges but do not describe need-based aid, merit scholarships, or fee waivers for SMIC-I; no scholarship program is documented on the official admissions pages. If financial assistance or scholarship options are important to your family, contact Admissions (admissions@smicschool.com) or the Finance Office (julia_sun@smicschool.com) to request the most current information and ask whether any internal or external scholarship/discount options are offered in the current school year.
Waitlist	Waitlist SHSID's public admissions pages do not publish a formal, public waitlist or “pool” policy. The website describes the application steps, the entrance activity and the documentation required, and it also cautions that admission is competitive; however, there is no public page that explains an automatic waitlist procedure or the criteria and order by which waiting applicants would be offered places. If you need current, grade‑specific seat availability or to ask whether your child can be placed on an internal waiting list, contact the Admissions Office (the school lists campus phone numbers and specific admissions emails on its Contact page) — that is the only way to get up‑to‑date information about vacancy handling or wait‑list practice.	Waitlist SMIC's official admissions pages do not publish a formal, detailed waitlist procedure. The school's FAQ and admissions information state that transfers and mid-term places are accepted "as long as there are seats available," which indicates seat availability is handled on a case-by-case basis rather than by a publicly described waitlist process. Third-party school directories list SMIC as having a waiting list, but that is not described in detail on the school site; because practices vary year to year, I recommend contacting the SMIC admissions office directly (admissions@smicschool.com or the telephone number on the admissions pages) to ask whether a formal waitlist exists for the grade and intake you seek and how the school manages offers from the wait pool.
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