The International Montessori School of Beijing vs Tsinghua International School

	T The International Montessori School of Beijing Beijing, China	T Tsinghua International School Beijing, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 49,900 - 344,900	Fees / year RMB 186,000 - 218,000
Age range	Age range 0 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Montessori Curriculum, IB (MYP), American Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), Chinese National Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 400	Pupils 560
Typical class size	Typical class size 4	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Mandarin	Instruction language English, Mandarin
Opened	Opened 1990	Opened 2009
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location MSB is located in Chaoyang District, Beijing at Building No. 8, 2A Xiang Jiang Bei Lu (Xiangjiang Beilu). The school site and campus pages note it sits in a villa/residential area on the edge of Chaoyang (near the Chaoyang–Shunyi junction), with standard road access and on-site campus facilities; families typically travel by car or school bus.	Location Tsinghua International School (THIS) is on the Tsinghua University High School campus in Haidian District, Beijing, opposite the Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace), with a strong academic neighbourhood and university links. The school is reachable using local roads and public transport serving the Zhongguancun/Tsinghua area; the school's address and office phone are listed on its website.
Stages	Stages MSB runs a full-age programme from early years to secondary: Little Bees (6–24 months), toddler/infant and preschool (roughly 18 months–6 years), elementary (Grades 1–6 / ages ~6–12) and middle/high school through Year 12. The site lists specific pages for each stage and fee bands up to Grade 11–12.	Stages THIS operates a Primary, Middle and High School program (grades 1–12) with separate curriculum pages for the middle and high school divisions. The curriculum is based on U.S. Common Core standards combined with required Chinese language and culture courses.
School type	School type The International Montessori School of Beijing is a co-educational day school (no boarding is advertised on the school site). It is operated as an international school and appears under the Wisdom International Education Group umbrella.	School type THIS is a co-educational international school attached to Tsinghua University High School (清华附中) and serves international and returning Chinese students. The school has undergone WASC accreditation processes and has reported receiving WASC accreditation in its published materials.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support MSB publishes a student-support programme that includes EAL (English as an Additional Language), reading and library support, classroom-level differentiated support, one-to-one and small-group learning support, psychological/behavioural assessment and, where required, full-time shadowing; some supports (for example individualized IEP tutoring or additional staff) may carry extra fees. The admissions policy notes trial/assessment periods for applicants with additional needs.	Additional learning support THIS provides English-language support for students still mastering English: Structured English Immersion (SEI) classes are offered in middle school and eligibility is determined using the WIDA test. The school website does not publish a detailed, separate Special Educational Needs (SEN) department description; if your child has diagnosed learning needs, contact the admissions office to discuss specific accommodations and assessments.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation MSB does not state an affiliation to a single national school system; it identifies as an international school in Beijing and is part of Wisdom International Education Group. In 2025 the school also announced a partnership to develop an American-style high school pathway with a California school district (Placentia‑Yorba Linda USD).	Country affiliation The international school is part of (operates on the campus of) Tsinghua University High School and is run within Beijing, China; admissions information notes it enrolls foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan for grades 1–12.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school website does not indicate any religious affiliation; programme and policy pages present MSB as a non‑religious, international institution.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated on the school's official materials; THIS presents itself as a secular international school.
School day structure	School day structure MSB publishes an academic calendar with term dates, school events and holiday periods but does not publish standard daily start/end times on its public pages; parents are directed to the admissions or contact team for operational details. Office/contact information and the calendar are available on the site.	School day structure Published and parent-facing summaries report a typical school day beginning around 08:00 and ending around 15:15, with extracurricular activities and after-school clubs running later in the afternoon (for example, many activities are reported around 15:30–17:30). Exact daily schedules, start/end times and break/lunch arrangements vary by division and year level—confirm current times with admissions.
Bus service details	Bus service details MSB operates an optional school-bus service run in partnership with Beijing BAIC Taxi Group (北京北汽出租汽车集团). Routes and stops are set according to demand and are adjusted annually; the school warns it may not be able to serve addresses far outside regular routes and that mid‑year moves can affect continued eligibility. For route details and booking the site links a bus-service document and gives a bus email (busservices@msb.edu.cn) and a contact (Joseph) via the main switchboard.	Bus service details THIS offers a daily school-bus service with designated pick-up and drop-off points for elementary, middle and high school students; external summaries report multiple routes across Beijing (commonly reported as around eleven routes). Parents should contact the admissions or transport office for current route maps, pick-up points, fees and registration procedures. }
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Tuition (annual; per-term shown as equal instalments across three academic terms — school publishes annual rates only) - Infant & Toddler (0–36 months): RMB 49,999 per year. Per term (1/3 of annual, shown for billing reference): RMB 16,666. - Toddler (Morning only, 18 months–3 years): RMB 167,900 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 55,967. - Toddler (Full‑day, 2–3 years): RMB 240,000 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 80,000. - Early Childhood 1 (ages 3–4): RMB 252,400 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 84,133. - Early Childhood 2 (ages 4–5): RMB 252,400 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 84,133. - Early Childhood 3 (ages 5–6): RMB 270,900 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 90,300. - Elementary (Grades 1–4): RMB 279,100 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 93,033. - Grade 5: RMB 294,600 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 98,200. - Middle (Grades 6–8): RMB 304,900 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 101,633. - Grade 9: RMB 329,000 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 109,667. - Senior Years (Grades 11–12 where published): RMB 344,900 per year. Per term (1/3): RMB 114,967. Application fee, placement deposit and first‑year one‑off charges - Application fee (one‑time): RMB 3,000. - Placement / enrolment (seat) deposit (one‑time): RMB 20,000. This deposit is held by the school while the student is enrolled and is refundable subject to the school's withdrawal and refund policy and after deduction of any outstanding fees or unreturned school property. The school requires the deposit at acceptance to secure a place. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school publishes annual tuition rates and requires payment to secure enrollment; parents must provide written confirmation and pay the placement deposit within the timeframe stated in the offer (the school specifies a 10 working‑day deadline for deposit on acceptance). The school's admission documentation confirms the deposit requirement and refund treatment. - General payment terms reported for MSB include: all fees payable in RMB; accepted payment channels include bank transfer, UnionPay card payments and domestic card options. International bank transfers are possible but funds must be credited in RMB; late payment surcharges (commonly reported) may apply — examples in public fee summaries cite a 2% per month surcharge on overdue fees. Specific invoice due dates, installment plans (if any), and banking details are provided on the school's billing/invoice documents. Boarding / accommodation - Boarding is not applicable. MSB describes campus buildings as infant/toddler, Early Childhood, Elementary and Middle/High teaching facilities and lists no dormitory or boarding accommodation. MSB operates as a day school with optional services (lunch, bus) for families. Other costs and optional services - Lunch services: available as an optional paid service; the school operates a staffed lunch programme and provides details/pricing through its lunch service documentation. - School bus (transport): MSB offers contracted school‑bus services; published summaries and school profiles show annual bus fees in a range (examples reported around RMB 11,200 to RMB 16,900 per year depending on route). Exact route fees and invoicing are handled by the bus service administration. - Materials, textbooks, devices and extracurriculars: these are additional to tuition. Parents should budget separately for items such as specific learning materials, optional clubs/activities, field‑trips, and any required devices for older students; the school lists extracurricular programmes and supplies requirements but does not publish a single combined charge for these items in the public fee summary. - Uniforms: the school's public pages describe student life and routines; a standard uniform charge is not given in the public fee summary. Parents should budget for uniform purchase(s) and replacements as applicable. Refund information - The placement (seat) deposit of RMB 20,000 is refundable. Refunds of the deposit and any other paid fees are subject to the school's withdrawal and refund policy; the school states the deposit will be refunded (after deducting outstanding charges such as unpaid tuition, lunch, bus fees or unreturned school property) and that the deposit is not invoiced (receipt is issued and must be returned before refund processing). The school's admissions policy notes the school may withhold refunds where required by the withdrawal policy. Fee payment options (methods commonly accepted) - Bank transfer (domestic and international transfers allowed but funds must be credited in RMB; include student name and invoice number as payment reference). - Card payments via UnionPay (debit/credit). Public fee information indicates card transactions may incur bank/processing fees. - Cash or in‑person payment may be accepted per school billing instructions. Please note: specific invoicing dates, available installment plans, exact bank account details and any transaction charges are provided on the school's invoices and billing communications; the items above summarise the school's published fee structure, deposit requirement and commonly reported payment methods and late‑payment terms.	Fee details Application fees - The school's public admissions pages do not list a specific, published application or registration fee amount. Applications are submitted through the school's OpenApply portal; OpenApply supports collecting application fees and records payments, but THIS does not publish an application-fee figure on its public pages. Tuition fees by year group (published annual rates) - Primary (Elementary): RMB 186,000 per academic year. - Lower secondary (Middle/Junior high): RMB 208,000 per academic year. - Upper secondary (High school): RMB 218,000 per academic year. (Note: the school's published fee page gives these amounts as annual fees for the 2024–25 academic year; no per-term breakdown is published on the school's fee page.) Per-term amounts and billing frequency - The school's public fee page states annual tuition only; it does not publish a per-term fee or an explicit billing frequency (for example, whether tuition is invoiced annually, by semester, or by term). Therefore no official per-term figures or invoicing schedule can be provided from the public pages. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's public pages do not set out a published billing calendar, invoice due dates, late-payment penalties, or detailed payment terms. The admissions pages explain the application and assessment timeline (including two common intake cutoff dates), but the site does not publish the school's invoicing or refund deadlines. Boarding / accommodation fees - The school's published fees page does not list boarding or accommodation fees and does not describe boarding as a standard, published offering on the international‑department fee page. No official boarding fee is published on the school's public fee page. Other costs and typical ancillary charges - School lunches: the school confirms lunch is charged separately and gives a general range of about RMB 15–25 per meal for cafeteria lunches. - Other ancillary costs: the school's fee page states that “other fees will be charged according to actual circumstances” but does not itemize school-uniform costs, transportation (school bus), exam fees (AP/IB), extracurricular trip costs, learning‑materials or device charges. These items are therefore not published in detail on the school's public fee page. Refund information - The school's publicly available fee page does not publish a general refund policy (for example, pro‑rata refunds, deadlines for withdrawal refunds, or conditions for refunding deposits). No specific refund terms are shown on the publicly available admissions or fee pages. Fee payment options (methods commonly used / platform noted) - The school uses the OpenApply online admissions platform for applications; OpenApply supports recording payments made by credit card and by bank transfer, and can issue invoices and receipts through the portal. The school's public pages do not, however, publish an explicit list of all accepted payment methods (for example, which card networks are accepted or local bank details). Parents completing payment through OpenApply would normally see available payment methods in their applicant invoice. Summary of what is and is not published (brief) - Published clearly on the school site: annual tuition for Primary (RMB 186,000), Middle (RMB 208,000) and High School (RMB 218,000) (shown as the school's 2024–25 annual rates) and an approximate cafeteria lunch cost (RMB 15–25 per meal). - Not published on the school's public pages: a specific application fee amount, per-term tuition amounts or confirmed billing frequency, detailed billing/payment terms and deadlines, boarding fees or a boarding policy, uniform costs, exam or activity fees itemized, and a formal refund policy. The admissions portal (OpenApply) is used for applications and supports payment collection, but the school's public pages do not list exact payment-method acceptances or invoicing schedules. If you require these specific items (application fee amount, per-term invoices, boarding costs, refund rules, or accepted payment instruments) the school's admissions office provides applicant invoices via the OpenApply portal and can supply official invoicing and payment-term documentation directly to enrolled or admitted families.
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 MSB delivers a Montessori‑based, individualized curriculum that spans early years through secondary education (ages 0–18). The school's age bands are infant/toddler 0–3, early childhood 3–6, primary 6–12 and secondary 12–18, with age‑appropriate Montessori and project‑based learning in each stage. The full curriculum covers core literacy and numeracy, cross‑disciplinary project work and specialist programmes in science, art, music and physical education (including weekly labs, exhibitions and performances). MSB operates dual streams (bilingual Chinese/English and a pure‑English stream); bilingual students learn subjects in an immersion model while every student receives a 40‑minute daily Chinese language class and EAL support is provided as needed. At secondary level the school integrates Montessori practice with a standards‑based academic middle programme and has announced the launch of a US‑style university‑preparatory high school in partnership with PYLUSD (announcement in 2025).	Curriculum details Tsinghua International School (THIS) operates an international K–12 programme (Grades 1–12) that integrates Western curricula with sustained Chinese language and cultural study. The elementary programme (Grades 1–5) follows a US-style curriculum aligned with the Common Core and AERO standards, uses Singapore Math and Beijing Normal/PRC-aligned materials for Chinese, and emphasizes project- and inquiry-based learning. The middle school (Grades 6–8) continues this inquiry-based US standards approach with bilingual English/Chinese tracks, world language options (including French and Spanish) and STEAM offerings. The high school is credit-based (minimum 25 credits for graduation; the school recommends ~28 for competitive university preparation), follows US Common Core frameworks through Grade 11, and provides a wide range of required and elective courses across sciences, mathematics, humanities, arts and technology. For external qualifications and assessments, THIS is an authorized AP provider and on‑campus test centre (offers roughly 16 AP courses and administers AP, SAT, ACT and PSAT exams), so students typically prepare for AP exams and standardised admissions tests rather than IB/IGCSE pathways.
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 online application — Start by completing MSB's online application form (the site labels this “Apply Now”). Parents should prepare to upload the child's passport, both parents' passports and visas (or Chinese ID where applicable), school reports (if any), one teacher recommendation, any learning‑support documentation, and payment of the RMB 3,000 application fee. Only fully completed applications are reviewed, and MSB operates rolling admissions so earlier complete submissions increase the chance of timely consideration. 2. Admissions review and interview — After your complete application is received the Admissions Director will contact you to arrange an interview or meeting; if the family is overseas MSB accepts an additional teacher recommendation in place of an in‑person interview. Parents should expect the school to check documents and past records carefully and to ask clarifying questions about the child's learning needs and school history. If your family cannot attend an in‑person interview, plan to supply the extra recommendation promptly so the application can proceed. 3. Decision and formal offer — If the school offers a place you will receive written notification. MSB requires written confirmation of enrollment within 10 working days of the offer and expects payment of the Placement (security) Deposit to secure the place; if the deposit is not received by the invoice date MSB may reassign the place. Parents should watch the invoice deadline closely and understand the deposit rules before confirming acceptance. 4. Placement deposit and what it secures — The Placement Deposit is ¥20,000 per child (a one‑time, refundable, non‑interest deposit held while the student is enrolled). The deposit secures the student's place; MSB's website explains the deposit will be refunded (less any outstanding charges) when a student leaves, according to the school's withdrawal and refund policy. Note that, under local regulations, the school cannot issue an official fapiao for the refundable placement deposit—MSB will issue a deposit receipt instead. 5. Practical requirements and probationary period — For Early Childhood applicants MSB follows Beijing Municipal Education Commission rules: the student and at least one parent must hold foreign passports and the parent must have a valid work visa (permanent‑resident cases are handled via direct contact with admissions). All new students are subject to a 20 attended‑school‑day probationary period during which MSB may withdraw acceptance if the school cannot meet the child's needs; parents should therefore disclose any past assessments or support needs up front. Also, all Early Childhood applicants must be toilet trained before their first day, and class placement is based on educational background and the child's age as of October 1. 6. Fees, other optional services and next steps after acceptance — Before finalizing acceptance, review the published tuition rates for the relevant year (MSB lists year‑by‑year tuition bands on its Fees page) and check optional services (lunch, bus) for separate charges. After paying the placement deposit and completing enrollment paperwork you will receive guidance on payment schedules, optional service sign‑ups (lunch/bus), and the calendar.	Admissions 1. Prepare application documents. Parents should gather photocopies and bring originals to the in-person interview: student identification (passport and, if applicable, current China visa page; for Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan residents the specific travel/ID documents listed by the school), a color passport-style photo (3.3 x 4.8 cm), immunization record (original and scanned copy), recent school transcripts and any award certificates, and parents' valid ID plus parents' undergraduate degree certificates. For specific grades, THIS requires particular documentary ranges (for example: original transcripts of the most recent one year for grade 2 applicants, two years for grades 3–8, and all transcripts since grade 9 for grade 9–11 applicants) — confirm which original documents you must bring because some documents are requested as originals at interview. 2. Complete and submit the online application. All applications are submitted through THIS's online application system (OpenApply); when you enter referee information the system will automatically send a secure link to teachers for recommendation forms, so provide accurate teacher email addresses. The school operates year‑round admissions, but applications are processed in the order received, so submit early if you need a specific start term; keep copies of every uploaded PDF and note the system checklist so you don't miss required items. 3. Testing and observation (school assessment). After the admissions office reviews materials, the student will be invited to an assessment day: a ~15-minute comprehensive potential assessment and written tests; applicants for Grade 7+ must take a mathematics test, and non‑native Chinese speakers take a Chinese placement test. Grade 1 applicants who pass the test also take a behavioral observation session; test results are valid for six months, so if you plan to defer more than six months the student will need to retake the tests. Plan travel and scheduling around the test date and bring originals of all documents requested on the day. 4. Family interview (where applicable). Students who perform well in the tests (and in the Grade 1 observation, if applicable) may be invited, together with their parents, to a family interview — typically within about a week after testing; Grade 1 students are an exception and do not have the family interview stage. Use the interview to clarify academic needs, language support, and any special educational or medical needs; bring any documents that support requests (IEPs, medical records, etc.) because the interview is used to confirm fit and logistics. 5. Admission decision and next steps. The admissions office will notify applicants by email once all steps (tests, observation, interview where applicable) are complete; responses are generally sent after the full application process finishes (the school indicates decisions are communicated by email). If offered a place, confirm deadlines for acceptance, start‑of‑term paperwork, visa/residence permit requirements and any payment deadlines — the school lists two cut‑off dates for transfer enrollments (Nov 15 for first semester and Mar 15 for second semester), so check these if you are requesting mid‑year entry. For specific payment instructions, enrollment deposits, or registration procedures, contact THIS Admissions directly (phone/email listed on the school site).
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships The school's official admissions and fees pages list tuition and incidental fees but do not publish a K–12 scholarship, tuition assistance, or fee‑remission program on the public site. For the 2024–25 academic year THIS lists tuition in RMB and specifies per‑year amounts by division (Primary ¥186,000; Middle ¥208,000; High ¥218,000) and notes that lunch and other incidental fees are charged separately (lunch typically ~¥15–25 per meal). If you would like to confirm whether any merit‑ or need‑based assistance, sibling discounts, payment plans, or bursaries are available in the current or coming year, contact THIS Admissions (phone: +86 10 6277‑1477 / +86 10 6279‑7000; email: this@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn) because the school's public pages do not describe such programs.
Waitlist	Waitlist MSB maintains a waiting‑list system and gives priority to certain groups, including returning students, siblings, applicants for full‑day classes, those previously enrolled in Montessori, and applicants who were on the previous year's waiting list. The school operates rolling admissions, and places are secured only after written confirmation and payment of the ¥20,000 Placement Deposit; if the deposit is not received by the invoice deadline MSB may offer the place to another applicant. The website does not publish a public, detailed algorithm or expected waiting times for the waitlist (for example, it does not state how positions are ordered within the waiting list or the typical time a family will wait), so families who want clarity on their current position or the likelihood of an offer should contact Admissions directly.	Waitlist THIS states it uses rolling admissions and that places are allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis; the school's public pages describe admissions as “rolling” and encourage applicants to contact admissions early because enrollment is by available places. The website does not publish a formal waitlist policy or describe a separate ‘pool' of held applicants; if you need to know whether THIS will hold a declined place on a waitlist or how long a held offer remains active, ask the admissions office directly (telephone and admissions email are published on the site). For transfer requests or timing questions, note the two published cut‑off dates (Nov 15 and Mar 15) and confirm how the school manages late applications in the year you apply.
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