The British International School Shanghai Puxi

1. Make an enquiry. Parents should have the child's preferred start year and any deadlines or sponsor (company) billing details ready, because the admissions team will ask for these during first contact. (Source: school admissions pages and contact details).

2. Discover the school (tour / virtual meeting). The school will offer a campus tour or a virtual discovery meeting; for Early Years, Primary or Secondary you may meet a member of the Senior Leadership Team or a relevant phase lead. Use this meeting to ask about class sizes, the curriculum pathway (National Curriculum → IGCSE → IB) and any specific support needs your child may have. Bring a copy of recent school reports and a list of questions about wrap‑around care, transport and extra‑curricular programmes.

3. Complete the application. Parents complete the online application form and upload supporting documents: passport details, medical records, and school reports (the school requests recent reports — commonly the last two years). An application fee is payable at submission (the published non‑refundable application fee is RMB 3,500); keep the payment receipt and include the child's name and year group when you pay. Depending on the child's age, references and additional paperwork may also be requested at this stage.

4. Assessment and references. The school requires an age‑appropriate assessment: Early Years candidates typically join an in‑class assessment with their peer group, while older children sit written or verbal assessments appropriate to the year they join. For specialist scholarships or sports/music places, the school may ask for audition evidence, portfolios or trial sessions; you will be given clear instructions if this applies. Make sure any previous school recommendations or external certificates (e.g., music grades, club records) are ready because they can be requested.

5. Application review and decision. Once the application and assessments are completed, the Head of School and admissions team review the materials and will contact you with the outcome and next steps; the school estimates this process can often be completed within about two weeks but timing depends on how quickly you provide documents. If a place is offered, the offer letter will detail the fees and the deadline to accept. If you are on short notice (for example, moving city), state this to admissions so they can advise on timelines and availability.

6. Accepting the place: fees and deposits. To secure an offered place parents pay the non‑refundable enrolment fee (published at RMB 4,000) and the resourcing/resource fee (published at RMB 16,000). The school's published wording shows the resource fee is refundable when a student leaves (subject to conditions) but also notes a cancellation charge of RMB 16,000 applies to a new student who does not attend after a place has been reserved — parents should confirm how these rules will apply to their specific payment. Read the offer letter carefully and keep copies of all receipts.

7. Payment, start dates and practical checks. The school accepts payment by electronic bank transfer or cheque in USD, HKD, GBP or RMB (cash only in RMB); if paying by transfer, send a copy of the bank remittance with the child's name and year group. Note the published deadline: all winter term and any annual fees are due by 30 May each year — confirm exact due dates on your offer and invoice. Before the first day ensure medical records and any required forms are submitted and that uniform and lunch arrangements have been made.

8. Withdrawal and refunds. If you later need to withdraw you must submit the official withdrawal form in writing (the school requires six weeks' notice) and follow the school's withdrawal procedures to be eligible for any refunds; the resourcing fee is refundable only once accounts are settled and school property returned undamaged. If the six‑week notice is not given, fees are charged in lieu of notice; for new students who do not take up a reserved place the school publishes a cancellation charge (RMB 16,000). If anything in the offer or fee schedule is unclear, request written confirmation from admissions/finance.

The school's public pages do not describe a formal, published “waiting‑list/pool” mechanism. Admissions information states applications are accepted throughout the year but that places are subject to availability; there is no clear public description of how candidates are prioritised on a waitlist or whether an automated waitlist is used. Given that spaces can be limited, the practical approach is to submit the application and required documents as early as possible and to tell admissions if you require a place urgently; admissions can confirm whether they operate an active waitlist and where your child stands. If you want a definitive answer about waitlist procedures for a specific year group, ask admissions directly (admissions@bisspuxi.com) so they can confirm current practice and any internal queueing rules.

Overview and eligibility. BISS Puxi publishes a scholarship programme open to new students joining Years 5–12 with five categories: Academic, Leadership, Performing Arts, STEAM and Sport. Applications are accepted at any time; the published process requires completion of a scholarship application form, review by a Scholarship Committee, and may include an interview and requests for supporting evidence (portfolios, certificates, trial sessions). Successful applicants are notified following the Committee's decision and the school states there are typically up to five awards each year (one per scholarship category), although additional awards may be made at the committee's discretion.

How scholarships work and financial detail. The website states scholarship recipients receive a tuition discount; the page contains inconsistent statements about the maximum discount (the “Key Facts” section says “Up to a 25% discount” while the FAQs later state “this can be up to 50%”). Because the published wording is contradictory, you should ask the admissions or finance team for the current scholarship value, its duration (which years it covers), any conditions attached to the award, and how it is applied to invoicing. Scholarships are awarded for demonstrated ability or potential in the chosen area and the award level (partial discount and the percentage) is decided by the Scholarship Committee.

Application steps and practical notes. To apply complete the scholarship application form on the school website, include a short personal statement (the school prefers the student to write this for Years 5–6 but parents may assist), and provide supporting evidence when requested. The Scholarship Committee reviews applications and may invite candidates for interview; decisions are communicated promptly (the page states notification is within two working days following the Committee meeting). Because of the inconsistency in the published discount maximum, confirm the timing of application windows (the site says applications are accepted any time) and whether a scholarship affects the enrolment/enrolment‑fee or resourcing‑fee rules.