Western International School of Shanghai

WISS is in the western suburbs of Shanghai (Xujing Town, Qingpu District) at 555 Lian Min Road, Shanghai 201702. The campus is in a suburban residential area and is reachable by car and the school's bus network that covers major housing areas in the city. If you are relocating, note the school is outside central Shanghai so commute times depend on where you live; many families use the school bus or private car transport.

WISS covers early years through secondary: Lower Elementary (ages ~2.5–5), Elementary (Grades 1–5) and Secondary (Grades 6–12). The school delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum.

WISS is a co‑educational day school offering the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP and the Career‑related Programme). The school does not advertise boarding facilities; provision is for day students.

WISS operates a Student Support Services team that creates individualized support pathways (academic and social‑emotional) rather than offering formal diagnoses. Support focuses by division (language/motor/sensory in early years; literacy, numeracy and attention skills in Elementary; and study/organisation skills in Secondary). Parents should discuss specific needs with admissions and the Student Support team to confirm available services for a child.

WISS describes itself as an international school and states it is not aligned to any single national curriculum or country. Its programmes are based on the International Baccalaureate framework.

The school does not state any religious affiliation and presents itself as a non‑religious international school.

According to the school's Secondary student handbook (published material), the typical student day is Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., with students asked to arrive by about 8:20 a.m.; campus hours are noted as roughly 8:00 a.m.–3:20 p.m. Division‑specific break and lunch times can vary, so confirm current bell times with admissions.

WISS operates its own branded bus service (fleet of 30+ buses) offering door‑to‑door routes that cover major residential areas; the service is available for children aged about 2.5 years and above. Buses are fitted with safety features (three‑point seatbelts, security cameras, AQI monitoring, emergency exits) and are staffed by trained drivers and on‑board monitors. Families can also drop children by car; contact the school for route availability, stop locations and fees.

Application, Placement and Capital Fees
- Application fee: RMB 2,500 (non‑refundable).
- Placement fee: RMB 20,000 (annual; due within five days of an Offer of Placement; offset against tuition on first day of school; forfeiture rules apply).
- Capital fee (new students): RMB 20,000 (one‑time).

Tuition fees (per year and per term by programme)
- Pre‑Nursery & Nursery (ages 2.5–4): Early annual RMB 161,975; Annual RMB 165,385; Semester RMB 85,250 (each).
- Pre‑Kindergarten (age 4–5): Early annual RMB 190,000; Annual RMB 194,000; Semester RMB 100,000 (each).
- Kindergarten (age 5–6): Early annual RMB 224,675; Annual RMB 229,405; Semester RMB 118,250 (each).
- PYP (Grades 1–5): Early annual RMB 245,575; Annual RMB 250,745; Semester RMB 129,250 (each).
- MYP (Grades 6–10): Early annual RMB 258,875; Annual RMB 264,325; Semester RMB 136,250 (each).
- DP/CP (Grades 11–12): Early annual RMB 261,820; Annual RMB 267,332; Semester RMB 137,800 (each).

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Early annual payment deadline (5% discount): April 14. Annual payment deadline (3% discount): May 15. Semester payment deadlines: May 15 (Semester 1) and November 1 (Semester 2). Tuition may be paid annually or by semester. Placement fee is due within five days of offer. Late payment charge: 1.5% per month, compounded.

Boarding
- Boarding is not offered; WISS operates as a day international school.

Other costs and routine inclusions
- Transportation (school bus): RMB 21,600 per year (optional; sibling/route discounts may apply).
- School meals, a complementary set of uniforms (per semester for Pre‑Nursery to Grade 10), textbooks, classroom supplies, EAL support and many standard items are included in tuition; additional uniform items, external provider co‑curricular activities, trips or BYOD device requirements may incur extra charges.

Refund information (key points)
- Application fee: non‑refundable. Capital fee refunded only if the student never attends. Placement fee, tuition and bus refunds follow the Student Departure & Refund chart (eligibility and percentages depend on the date the official Departure Notice Form is received; earlier notice gives larger refunds). Examples: departure on or before April 14 = refundable for placement, Semester 1 and Semester 2; later dates incur partial or no refund per the published chart.

Payment methods
- Bank transfer (RMB account and foreign currency account with SWIFT), in‑person credit/debit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express), online payment portals (contact Finance), and cash at the Finance Office (not recommended). Electronic VAT fapiao available on request.