Springboard International Bilingual School

1. Initial enquiry and information gathering. Parents should check which year/term the school is admitting for (SIBS runs an August–June school year) and confirm whether the year or grade you want has places before paying any fees.

2. Submit application and supporting documents. The school (and third‑party school listings) report an application/processing fee is required to complete an application; published amounts vary between platforms (historical figures include RMB 1,600 and more recent listings show one‑off application fees reported around RMB 2,000), so expect to pay a non‑refundable processing fee when you submit forms. Typical documents requested by international schools include the child's passport or ID, birth certificate, past school reports/records, and immunization records — have originals and translated copies ready and ask the admissions office which exact documents they require.

3. Assessment and interview. SIBS pages and local school guides say the school arranges an interview (often with the principal and a Chinese teacher) to assess English and Chinese levels; older applicants normally also take subject tests or written assessments appropriate to the grade. Parents should prepare the child for a short oral interview and bring recent schoolwork or reports; for older students, check whether the school requires entrance tests in maths, English or science and whether tests are in English, Chinese or both.

4. Offer, deposit and enrollment paperwork. If a place is offered, SIBS and directory listings indicate the school typically issues a written offer and requests completion of an enrollment contract plus payment of a one‑time admission/placement fee (historically this has been reported in the range of RMB 10,000–20,000 for different year groups) and the first term or year's tuition/deposit to secure the place. Parents should check refund/transfer rules for deposits, ask for an itemised fee schedule (tuition vs. one‑time fees vs. optional costs such as bus, uniforms, lunch) and confirm billing currency and payment methods.

5. Registration, visas (if relevant), and start‑of‑year steps. For families coming from outside Beijing or from overseas, allow extra time for visa/formal registration paperwork and any local residency documents the school requires; SIBS is reported to accept both local and foreign passport holders and to operate as a day school with boarding available for older students, so check whether you need to register as a boarding student. Before term starts, the school will typically provide an orientation pack and timetable; confirm start dates, uniform requirements, immunization/health checks and the school's transport routes if you plan to use the bus service.