Shenzhen College of International Education vs The King's School Shenzhen International

	S Shenzhen College of International Education Shenzhen, China	T The King's School Shenzhen International Shenzhen, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 273,000 - 303,000	Fees / year RMB 205,000 - 309,800
Age range	Age range 14 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Advanced Placement (AP)	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 1,800	Pupils 230
Typical class size	Typical class size 11	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2003	Opened 2022
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location SCIE is on a purpose-built campus at No. 3 Antuoshan 6th Road, Futian District, Shenzhen (postcode shown on the school site). The campus moved to Antuo Hill in 2020 and sits in central Futian, close to the city's business district; local public transport options include Shenzhen's metro (Longhua Line to Fumin Station) and several city bus routes near Huanggang Park.	Location The school's main campus is in Qianhai, Nanshan District — address listed as No.375 Yuewan (月湾街375号), Shenzhen. It sits inside the Qianhai/Month Bay area, a short drive from central Nanshan and within reach of local metro and bus links (nearest metro references list Liyumen/Qianhai area).
Stages	Stages SCIE is a four‑year international high school: G1 and G2 follow the IGCSE programme, and A1 and A2 are the final two years when students study A‑Levels or AP.	Stages The King's School Shenzhen serves ages 2–18: a Pre‑Prep/Early Years section (EYFS) for about 2–6 year‑olds, a Prep/Primary and Middle phase (roughly Years 1–8 / ages 6–14) and a Senior/High School for Years 9–12 (ages up to 18). Grade-year groupings and curriculum routes (EYFS, Cambridge IGCSE, A‑Levels) are described on the school site.
School type	School type Co‑educational; SCIE operates as a day school with boarding facilities on campus (the website describes dormitories and residential support).	School type The school is co‑educational and offers day places across the whole age range. Boarding is available from around Grade 4 upwards (lower‑year rooms are four‑person, older students 2‑person rooms per the school's boarding description).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school describes a pastoral and wellbeing structure (form tutors, Heads of Year, a wellbeing centre with counsellors and on‑site nurses) and mandatory safeguarding procedures. The website does not publish a detailed public 'SEN/Additional Learning Needs' policy; parents with specific ALN/SEN questions should contact admissions or the pastoral team for case‑by‑case detail.	Additional learning support The school publishes a range of pastoral and academic support services: a Health & Well‑Being provision, English support and an academic support / pastoral care structure are mentioned on school materials and news items. For children with specific additional learning needs, the school describes inclusive support and structured academic/pastoral teams — parents are advised to discuss individual needs with admissions to confirm precise provisions.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation SCIE teaches a UK curriculum (IGCSE and A‑Level pathways) but is an international college rather than formally affiliated to a national church or foreign government.	Country affiliation The Shenzhen school is an overseas branch of The King's School, Canterbury (UK) and states an operational link with the UK parent school. It is therefore affiliated with that British foundation rather than to a Chinese national chain.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school does not state any religious affiliation on its public pages; its materials present SCIE as a secular international college.	Religious affiliation The Shenzhen campus does not advertise a local religious denomination on its public pages; it operates as the international branch of The King's School Canterbury, a historic UK school with Church of England roots, but the Shenzhen materials focus on academic and pastoral provision rather than explicit religious observance.
School day structure	School day structure Published staff timetables indicate a typical weekday start around 07:50 (with some earlier Monday starts) and lessons finishing mid‑ to late‑afternoon, followed by a one‑hour after‑school ECA slot (commonly 16:30–17:30). The campus provides a canteen for lunch.	School day structure The school publishes an academic calendar and term dates but does not publish a single, fixed daily start/end time for every division on its public pages. Municipal guidance for Shenzhen schools sets typical earliest start times (for reference: primary not earlier than about 08:20, lower secondary not earlier than about 08:00), so exact daily timetables (arrival, break and lunch times) should be confirmed with admissions for the relevant year group.
Bus service details	Bus service details The school website does not publish a dedicated school‑bus/provider timetable. For daily travel many families use public buses and the metro (nearby Fumin Station and Huanggang Park area are the closest public links cited by local guides). If you need a school‑run service, contact SCIE Admissions (info@scie.com.cn or the telephone number on the site) to confirm whether the college currently operates routes or recommends external providers.	Bus service details The school operates a paid school‑bus service for both the Early Years and the Main School; the admissions information and FAQ note that routes are arranged according to demand and currently cover parts of Nanshan, Bao'an and Futian. Specific stops, route maps, pick‑up/drop‑off times and fees are managed by the school and are provided to families when places are offered. }
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application / registration fee - Registration (application) fee: RMB 600 (paid at time of registration). This registration fee is non‑refundable. Payment for registration is accepted online via WeChat Pay or Alipay. Tuition — annual amounts and scope - Standard academic stream (annual tuition): RMB 273,000 per academic year. This amount is stated as an annual fee and is described as covering the physical examination fee, campus insurance fee, and extracurricular activity fees; it does not include international examination fees, off‑campus trips or internships, or summer camps/programmes. - Arts/Music Academy (annual tuition): RMB 303,000 per academic year (scope noted as above). Per‑term / year‑group detail - The school publishes the annual tuition figures above. A public per‑term breakdown or different published rates by specific year group (G1, G2, A1, etc.) is not provided in the school's public admissions material; the published figures above are the stated annual charges. Boarding / accommodation fees - Room and board (annual): RMB 16,800 per academic year for boarding that excludes weekend stays, or RMB 19,800 per academic year for boarding that includes weekend stays. These are presented as the annual accommodation fees. Other costs and typical exclusions - International examination fees (e.g., Cambridge/A‑level/AP/other external exam fees) are not included in the annual tuition and are charged separately. Off‑campus trips, internships, and summer programmes are also excluded and billed separately. The school's published fee notes list these exclusions. - Specific line items such as uniform cost, daily meal top‑ups, transport (school bus) fees, and textbook charges are not published in the school's publicly posted admissions fee summary. Billing schedule, payment terms, refunds - The school's public admissions information specifies the registration fee payment at registration and annual tuition/accommodation amounts but does not publish a detailed public billing schedule or full payment‑term policy in the admissions summary. The registration/entrance exam fee is described as non‑refundable. No other specific refund terms are published in the same public admissions content. Fee payment options for items shown - Registration payment method: WeChat Pay or Alipay for the registration fee. The school's public admissions notices do not list a comprehensive set of payment methods for annual tuition in the posted admissions summary.	Fee details Application and enrolment fees - Application fee: RMB 2,000 (one‑time, non‑refundable). - Placement / enrolment deposit: RMB 25,000 (paid on acceptance; held against future charges and refundable according to the school's terms and conditions). Tuition fees (annual and typical term structure) - Kindergarten (K1–K3): RMB 205,000 per year. - Grades 1–3: RMB 236,500 per year. - Grades 4–6: RMB 262,000 per year. - Grades 7–10: RMB 288,800 per year. - Grades 11–12: RMB 309,800 per year. (Note: the school issues fee notices and offers payment in installments; historical practice shows a larger first installment followed by a second installment for the remaining balance, and an incentive for a single annual payment.) Billing schedule and payment terms - The school issues a formal fee notice with specific due dates. Families who pay the full year by the first deadline historically receive a discount (commonly a 2% annual‑payment discount). Installment schedules (for example a larger first payment followed by a second payment) have been used in prior years. Exact instalment amounts and deadlines are set in each year's fee notice. Boarding / accommodation fees (where applicable) - Boarding (weekday accommodation) is published at approximately RMB 100,000 per year (weekday: Sun–Thu); schools may invoice by semester (about RMB 50,000 per semester in past notices). Weekend boarding or additional nights is charged separately. Other costs - School uniform: charged separately (one‑off purchase on enrolment; prices vary by year group). Textbooks, exam fees, optional trips, certain extracurricular providers, lunch and transport are additional and charged as incurred. School lunch and other ancillary charges are commonly invoiced separately (monthly or per term). Refunds and withdrawal - The placement deposit is described as refundable subject to the school's published terms and conditions; withdrawal and refund adjustments follow the school's fee and refund policy as set out in the acceptance paperwork and fee notice. Payment methods - The school has required bank transfer for major payments in prior years (annual payments and first‑installment deadlines are often fulfilled by bank transfer); exact accepted payment channels and account details are provided on the school's fee notice. Other online or card options are not publicly detailed in the available fee notices. Summary of gaps: public sources publish annual tuition, application fee and placement deposit and indicate installment arrangements, a discount for full‑year payment, and boarding charges; however, a definitive per‑term split for every year group for the current academic year was not found in openly published fee tables and is set each year in the school's formal fee notice.
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 SCIE operates a two-stage international curriculum: a two-year Cambridge IGCSE programme in G1–G2 (for roughly 14–16 year olds) followed by AS/A‑Level study in A1–A2 (aimed at 17–18 year olds). In G1–G2 all students take five core IGCSEs (Chemistry, Chinese, English Language, Mathematics and either Biology or Physics) plus three optional subjects, normally finishing with at least eight IGCSE qualifications after two years. A‑Level study is divided into AS (usually taken in A1) and A2 (A2) components; students typically choose four to five AS subjects and leave with three or four full A‑Levels (AS can also be taken as a standalone qualification). The college offers subjects across art, visual & performing, humanities and social sciences, mathematics and computer science, modern languages and sciences at IGCSE and AS/A‑Level levels, with subject pages and syllabuses provided on the site. Course-selection guidance, entry requirements and progression advice are available in SCIE's course-selection materials and student handbook.	Curriculum details The King's School Shenzhen teaches ages 2–18 (kindergarten 2–6; primary/ prep approximately 6–14/Grades 1–8; senior/high school 15–18/Grades 9–12). Early years (2–6) follow the UK Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework with bilingual staffing. The primary/Prep phase combines elements of the Cambridge/ Cambridge Global curriculum with aspects of the Chinese national curriculum and school‑developed courses across maths, English, science and foundation subjects. Senior school (Grades 9–10) delivers Cambridge IGCSE (offered as the standard two‑year programme or an intensive one‑year pathway), and Grades 11–12 proceed to AS/A‑Level study; students may also undertake an extended research project (EPQ/IPQ) and receive university‑entry guidance. Instruction is primarily in English (Chinese language and China studies are taught in Chinese) and the school supplements the academic programme with co‑curricular activities and subject specialist teaching.
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. Check eligibility and timelines. Before you apply, confirm which Grade Group you are targeting (G1/IGCSE Year 1 or A1/AS Level) and check SCIE's published quotas and age limits (for example, G1 applicants must be born after January 1, 2009; A1 applicants must be born after January 1, 2007). Parents should note registration opening dates (registration for 2025 opened Jan 6, 2025) and that places are limited; the school states registration runs “until full.” 2. Prepare documents and digital materials for registration. SCIE requires a government-issued ID (mainland ID card, Mainland Travel Permit for HK/Macau/Taiwan residents, or passport for foreign students) and a passport-style electronic photo for upload; parents should have scanned copies ready before starting the online application. The admissions pages also point to specialist streams (Arts/Music) that require additional materials (portfolios or performance recordings) if applying to the Arts Academy. 3. Register online and pay the registration fee. Registration is completed through the SCIE application platform or by following the school's official WeChat account; the published registration fee for 2025 was RMB 600 (non‑refundable) and payment is made online (WeChat/Alipay). Parents should double-check the exact fee and accepted payment methods at the time they apply because the school notes registrations close when seats are full. 4. Prepare for the written entrance examination (subjects and format). For the regular stream the written test in 2025 included English and Mathematics (example dates listed: March 16 and June 1, 2025); the school runs two rounds and candidates unsuccessful in the first round can reapply for the second. Parents should check the published test format (offline/online), bring the ID used at registration on test day, and follow any test‑day instructions released by the school (the school posts software/monitoring requirements and a candidate instruction page when online testing applies). 5. Specialist (Arts/Music) application steps, if relevant. Applicants to the Arts Academy follow an additional specialist process: there is a prescreening of submitted portfolios/recordings, a specialist audition or practical test (music performance or art drawing/painting tasks), and then the standard English written test; prescreening and audition dates are published separately. Parents of specialist applicants should confirm the portfolio/video formatting instructions, any minimum competency requirements (for example, music applicants are asked to demonstrate certain grade/level equivalence), and whether a prescreen outcome automatically transfers candidates into the regular stream if they do not meet specialist requirements. 6. Shortlist and interview scheduling. Candidates who are shortlisted after the written examination are assigned an interview appointment; SCIE typically schedules interviews within 1–2 weeks after the written exam and will notify candidates via the applicant portal, official WeChat, or the website. Parents should monitor the school's communication channels closely (the site and WeChat are used to announce results and interview times) and ensure contact details in the application are current. 7. Results, offers and next steps. Admission results are posted on SCIE's official WeChat account and the school website; the admissions notices specify exact release dates for each round and for specialist streams. If an offer is made, families should read the offer letter carefully for any stated deadlines and fee/registration instructions, and be prepared that tuition does not include some costs (for example, international exam fees and off‑campus trips). 8. Fees, accommodation and other costs to plan for. Published 2025–2026 figures list annual tuition (regular stream) at RMB 273,000, Arts Academy tuition at RMB 303,000, and boarding costs of RMB 16,800 (excluding weekends) or RMB 19,800 (including weekends); these published figures also note they exclude international examination fees, field trips, internships and some summer programs. Parents should budget for examination fees (e.g., CAIE/Edexcel/AP/IB/ACT/SAT where applicable), school trips, uniforms, and any additional services (guardianship, airport transfers), and confirm the current year's fees with the Admissions or Finance Office before accepting an offer. 9. If you don't get a place right away. Because SCIE runs multiple rounds of exams and registration is stated to run until full, unsuccessful candidates may register for a later round if one is offered; check the admissions calendar and registration closing notes for each year. If you are considering other options, keep copies of transcripts and test scores ready to speed new applications elsewhere and contact SCIE's Admissions Office for clarification about future recruitment rounds.	Admissions 1. Book a campus visit or virtual tour and create an admissions account. The school uses OpenApply for event booking and the application portal; parents should choose the correct campus (Pre‑Prep or Main School), pick the exact year group they are applying for, and use an email address they will keep because that login will be used for the whole application. (See booking fields and campus list on the OpenApply portal.) 2. Complete the online application form in OpenApply and upload required documents. Typical items the system asks for are the applicant's legal name and date of birth, parent/guardian details, current school reports, passport/ID copies, and immunisation/health records — make sure scanned documents match the form field requirements and that names match legal ID. Allow time to translate or certify any documents not in English or Chinese before upload. 3. Pay the application fee (if required) and submit the application for processing. The school's published fee schedule shows a one‑time application fee and a refundable deposit as part of first‑year charges for new intakes; expect to be invoiced after an initial application is accepted. Parents should confirm the current amounts and refund terms with admissions before payment because fees and refund conditions can change year to year. 4. Assessments and interviews are scheduled once the application and documents are complete. For entry to Years 1–6 the school's FAQ says the admissions assessments include CAT4 testing plus an interview; for Years 7–8 the school lists CAT4, a writing test and an interview. For kindergarten/early years there is usually an observational session or parent‑child meeting — read the specific test guidance so you can prepare the right ID, school reports and any required samples of work. 5. Wait for the admissions decision and, if offered, review the acceptance paperwork. If an offer is made you will normally receive an acceptance letter or offer and an invoice for the enrolment deposit/first term fee — check the acceptance deadline carefully, the exact deposit amount shown on the invoice, and the school's refund policy before you pay to secure the place. Keep correspondence and payment receipts in case you need them later. 6. Complete registration tasks and prepare for transition. After payment of the deposit and any required enrolment forms, the school may ask you to complete health forms, bus enrolment, uniform orders and other pre‑start checklists in the portal; you should also confirm start‑of‑term dates and induction/transition visits for your child. If your child needs learning support, disclose this early and upload any assessment reports so the school can plan support measures before term starts. 7. Practical items to be ready: legal ID (passport or national ID), recent school reports and transcripts, immunisation records, proof of residence for the correct campus, and any educational/psychological reports where relevant. If you are applying from overseas, check visa/guardian requirements for the relevant year group (the school may also offer boarding from Year 4 and above; confirm the boarding eligibility process separately). These specifics are referenced in the school's admissions pages and FAQs.
Scholarships	Scholarships SCIE's official admissions and programme pages (as published in the school's 2025 admissions materials) do not advertise a general scholarship or means‑tested financial aid programme for incoming students on the public site. The published pages focus on application steps, exam schedules, and fee schedules (tuition and boarding) without describing entrance scholarships or ongoing bursaries. Because some schools operate internal or case‑by‑case support (or may offer occasional merit awards), if you are seeking fee assistance or scholarship possibilities you should contact SCIE's Admissions or Finance Office directly to ask whether any scholarships, fee reductions, or limited awards are available in the year you intend to apply; the Admissions contact information and instructions are provided on the school's admissions page.	Scholarships The King's School Shenzhen's senior‑school navigation includes a Scholarship Programme section, which indicates the school runs some form of scholarships at the senior level; however the detailed official scholarship terms (eligibility windows, application deadlines, selection criteria and award levels) are not fully published in a single detailed page that I could retrieve. Third‑party coverage and local school reports indicate the Shenzhen campus has offered senior‑school scholarships in recent years (academic scholarships and performing‑arts/specialist awards have been referenced) and that award levels reported in local media range from partial awards (for example 10% of fees) up to full tuition awards for outstanding candidates. Because third‑party articles summarise past programmes and the school's own scholarship page does not publish full application rules in the public HTML I could access, I recommend contacting admissions to request the current scholarship policy, application form and deadlines (and to ask whether awards are means‑tested, merit‑based, renewable, or limited to particular year groups).
Waitlist	Waitlist SCIE's publicly posted admissions materials do not describe a formal, named waitlist or “holding‑pool” process; instead, the school runs at least two rounds of entrance examinations each intake year and states that registration is open until capacity is reached. The admissions notices advise that test seats are limited and that registration may close when full, which suggests the school manages demand by additional exam rounds or re‑opening registration rather than by publishing a standing waitlist for offered places. If you need a definitive answer about whether the school keeps a waiting list for a particular year or grade, contact the Admissions Office directly (the school publishes contact details on its Admissions page).	Waitlist —
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