How to Apply to an International School in China

Applying to an international or bilingual school in China usually means registration, an assessment, and a wait for a place, but the exact process differs by school and city. Here's what to plan for.

International schools in China

Quick answer

How to apply to an international or bilingual school in China: registration, assessments, timing and documents, with tips for Shanghai and Beijing families.

At a glance

The general shape of the application process

Applying to a school in China generally follows a similar broad sequence across most schools: an initial enquiry, submission of a registration or application form with supporting documents, some form of assessment or interview, and then an offer that may come with a deposit deadline. The detail within each step, including which documents are required and how assessments are structured, varies by school and by curriculum, and eligibility for particular school types is regulated and varies by city, so verify current requirements directly with each school rather than assuming a fixed national process.

Documents schools commonly ask for

Documents often requested

Most schools ask for a completed application form, the child's birth certificate or passport copy, recent school reports and, for older children, transcripts covering the past one to two years. Many also request a reference or recommendation from the child's current school, and some ask for a copy of any prior assessment or special educational needs documentation. Requirements around passports, visas and residency documentation are handled by the relevant authorities and by each school's own admissions office, and can vary and change, so confirm the current list directly with the school rather than relying on a general checklist.

Assessments and interviews

Many schools use some form of assessment as part of admissions, which can range from an informal play-based observation for younger children to standardised English and maths tests or a full academic assessment for older applicants. Interviews, sometimes with the child and sometimes with parents, are also common at many schools. The exact format, and whether English proficiency is assessed separately, varies considerably by school and by year group, so ask directly what to expect and whether any preparation materials are available.

Timing and waiting lists

Because places in popular schools and year groups in Shanghai and Beijing can be limited, many families start the application process several months to a year ahead of their intended start date, though timelines vary by school. Some schools operate rolling admissions throughout the year, particularly for expatriate families arriving mid-year, while others concentrate assessments around specific points in the calendar tied to the academic year. Ask each shortlisted school directly about its current waiting list situation for your child's specific year group, since this can change from term to term.

Deposits and securing a place

Once an offer is made, schools typically require a deposit to secure the place, with a specified deadline and, at many schools, a policy on whether the deposit is refundable if plans change. Ask directly about deposit refundability and deadlines before paying, and confirm whether the deposit is credited against first-term fees or charged as a separate, non-recoverable cost. Our guide to school fees in China covers the wider cost picture, including deposits, in more detail.

Mid-year arrivals and transferring between schools

Many relocating families arrive outside the usual academic year start, and most established schools in Shanghai and Beijing have some experience supporting mid-year admissions, though space is more limited than at the start of the year. If you are transferring a child from another country or another curriculum, ask the receiving school directly how it supports continuity, particularly for children partway through a multi-year qualification such as IGCSEs, A-levels or the IB Diploma.

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Questions worth asking during the application process

Beyond the paperwork, ask each school directly about current class sizes for your child's specific year group, how it supports children joining without prior experience of its curriculum or without strong Mandarin, and what its current waiting list looks like. Ask, too, about the assessment format so your child knows what to expect, and about the deposit policy before you commit. These direct questions typically reveal more than a general prospectus and help you compare schools on a like-for-like basis.

Registration fees and application costs

Many schools in China charge a non-refundable registration or application fee at the point of submitting an application, separate from any deposit paid after an offer is made. This fee is generally intended to cover the administrative cost of processing an application and any assessment session, and is typically payable regardless of whether the child is ultimately offered a place. Amounts and refund policies vary by school, so ask directly what the current registration fee covers and whether it is credited against future fees in any circumstance, since assumptions carried over from a previous school or a different country's system do not necessarily apply in China.

Families applying to several schools in parallel, which is common given how competitive some year groups in Shanghai and Beijing can be, should budget for multiple registration fees as a normal part of the process rather than an unexpected cost, and keep a simple record of which fees have been paid where, since the number of moving parts can become difficult to track once more than two or three schools are involved.

How siblings are typically handled

Families applying for more than one child at the same school often ask whether sibling applications are processed together or independently, and whether a place for one child affects the likelihood of a place for another. Practice varies by school, and some schools do give some form of consideration to sibling applications, particularly where an older child is already enrolled, though this should never be assumed as guaranteed. If keeping siblings at the same school matters to your family, raise this directly and early with each shortlisted school, ideally before submitting separate applications, so you understand how the school actually handles this rather than assuming a policy that may not exist or may work differently than expected.

It is also worth asking whether siblings in different year groups are assessed using the same process, since assessment formats can differ meaningfully between, for example, an early years place and a place in upper secondary.

Working with relocation agents and education consultants

Working with a relocation agent or consultant

Some families relocating to China, particularly through an employer-sponsored move, work with a relocation agent or education consultant who helps coordinate school applications alongside housing and other logistics. This can be a genuinely useful way to manage several parallel applications and to get a general sense of a school's reputation and current admissions climate, but a consultant's knowledge should still be checked against direct confirmation from the school itself, since consultants may not always have the very latest information on waiting lists, fee changes or curriculum shifts. If your employer offers relocation support, ask specifically whether school admissions guidance is included, since the scope of relocation packages varies considerably between employers.

Whichever route you take, it is worth corresponding directly with a school's own admissions office at least once during the process, rather than relying entirely on a third party, so that you have a clear, first-hand understanding of requirements, deadlines and any conditions attached to an offer.

Shanghai Community International School — an international school in Shanghai
Shanghai Community International School, Shanghai

Common reasons applications are delayed or unsuccessful

Applications can be delayed or unsuccessful for a range of reasons that are not always communicated in full detail, including a lack of current space in a specific year group, an assessment outcome that suggests a mismatch with the school's current curriculum pace, incomplete documentation, or simply strong demand for a particular year group in a given year. It is worth asking a school directly, where appropriate and where the school is willing to share this, for general feedback if an application is unsuccessful, since this can help refine your approach to other schools on your shortlist.

Because year-group demand in Shanghai and Beijing can shift meaningfully from year to year, an application that would have been straightforward in one year may face more competition in another, so it is worth applying to more than one school in parallel where your timeline allows, rather than waiting for a single preferred outcome before considering alternatives.

How to prepare your child before an assessment or interview

Beyond gathering paperwork, some practical preparation can help a child feel more comfortable going into an admissions assessment or interview, particularly for children who have not experienced a formal school assessment before. This can include talking through, in an age-appropriate way, what to expect on the day, such as meeting a teacher one-to-one or being asked to read or solve problems aloud, without creating unnecessary pressure around the outcome. For older children facing a written English or maths assessment, some families use general practice materials, though schools vary in whether they provide specific preparation guidance, so ask directly whether any sample materials or a description of the assessment format is available in advance.

For family or parent interviews, schools are generally trying to understand a family's expectations, prior schooling experience and reasons for choosing that particular school, rather than testing for a single correct answer, so approaching this conversation honestly about your family's situation and priorities tends to work better than trying to guess what a school wants to hear.

How school choice interacts with the wider visa and relocation timeline

For many families, securing a school place is one part of a wider sequence of steps that also includes visa applications, housing arrangements and, for employer-sponsored moves, work permit processing, and these different processes do not always run on the same timeline. Because visa and work permit requirements are set by the relevant authorities and can change, this guide does not attempt to describe them in detail, but it is worth understanding roughly how school admissions timing fits alongside these other steps early on, since a school offer with a tight deposit deadline can sometimes arrive before other relocation logistics, such as a work visa, are fully resolved. Ask a prospective school directly whether it has flexibility on deposit timing for families still finalising visa or work permit steps, since practice varies and some schools are more accommodating of this common relocation sequencing challenge than others.

What happens after enrolment: onboarding and first-term logistics

Typical onboarding steps after an offer is accepted

Once a place is confirmed and a deposit paid, most schools move into an onboarding phase that typically includes practical steps such as uniform fitting, confirming a school bus route if relevant, arranging any additional learning support identified during assessment, and providing access to a parent portal or communication system. Some schools also offer an orientation day or a buddy system connecting a new family with an existing one, though the scope of this support varies by school. It is worth asking, once an offer is accepted, exactly what steps happen next and by when, since the gap between accepting an offer and a child's actual first day can involve more coordination than families sometimes expect, particularly for families also managing a house move and other relocation logistics in the same window.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early should we start the application process for a school in Shanghai or Beijing?

Many families begin several months to a year ahead of their intended start date because popular schools and year groups can have limited places, though timelines vary by school. Contact your shortlisted schools directly and as early as possible to understand their current waiting list position.

Do all schools require an entrance assessment?

Many do, though the format ranges from an informal observation for young children to formal English and maths testing or interviews for older applicants. The exact approach varies by school, so ask directly what to expect for your child's year group.

Can we apply mid-year rather than waiting for the new academic year?

Most established schools have experience with mid-year admissions for relocating families, though space is generally more limited than at the start of the academic year. Contact schools directly to ask about current mid-year availability for your child's year group.

Is a deposit required once we receive an offer?

Most schools require a deposit to secure a place once an offer is made, usually with a specified deadline. Ask directly whether the deposit is refundable, how it relates to first-term fees, and what the payment deadline is before committing.

What documents will we typically need to provide?

Common requirements include a completed application form, the child's birth certificate or passport copy, recent school reports or transcripts, and a reference from the current school. Exact requirements vary by school, so request the current checklist directly rather than relying on a general list.

Will my child need to demonstrate English or Mandarin proficiency?

This depends on the school and the language of instruction. Schools operating mainly in English commonly assess English proficiency for older applicants, while bilingual schools may also assess Chinese ability. Ask the specific school directly what language assessment, if any, applies to your child's application.

Can we transfer our child from another curriculum partway through school?

It is often possible, particularly at younger ages, but becomes harder as a child nears or is within an examination cycle such as IGCSEs, A-levels or the IB Diploma. Discuss any planned transfer directly and early with both the current and prospective schools.

What happens if our preferred school has no space in our child's year group?

Many schools maintain a waiting list and will contact families if a place becomes available, though there is no guarantee of timing. Ask directly about waiting list practice, and consider shortlisting more than one school in parallel to avoid a gap in schooling.

International schools in Shanghai

International schools in Beijing

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