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With a population of 1.3 billion and growing, China is the most populous country in the world. The country’s booming manufacturing, agriculture and telecommunications industries have catapulted China’s economy on a global scale.
China is also known for its rapidly growing private education industry which has contributed a significant amount of revenue to the country’s economy. The private education industry is made up largely by English-medium international schools.
The international school system in China is complex. Not all international schools are open to the enrolment of local children.
Here are five things about international schools in China that you should know:
1. There are four types of internationals schools
China’s Ministry of Education have categorised international schools in the country into four segments. Firstly, schools for children of foreign workers (SCFW) offer international education to expatriates and are not allowed to enrol local children. Secondly, sino-foreign cooperative schools are joint ventures between a Chinese owner and foreign education company. These schools are open to both expatriate and local residents. Next, Chinese-owned private schools offer globally recognised examinations and provide bilingual learning to mostly Chinese students. Lastly, a number of public national schools offer international curricula as an option for secondary school students.
2. Most expensive country for international education
According to the ExpatFinder International School Fee Survey 2018, international schools in China charge an average annual tuition fee of US$33,591. In addition, China is home to the top five most expensive international schools in Asia. However, this has not deterred many local families from enrolling their children in international institutions all over China. The opportunity for their children to be taught in English-medium international schools with globally recognised education is worth the high cost of annual tuition fees.
3. Highest number of English-medium international schools
The International School Consultancy (ISC) reports that there are 806 international schools located in China as of December 2017, the highest anywhere in the world. Majority of these internationals schools are located in developed cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Many international schools in China are newly established, having opened their doors in the last ten years. Despite the large number of international schools in the country, enrolment of students shows no signs of slowing down. Relocate magazine foresees almost 900,000 students attending international schools by 2022.
4. Demand for British independent schools
A number of well-known Western prep schools have built sister campuses in China. English medium British independent schools are the most popular among Chinese parents. These schools create opportunities for their children to be exposed to Western-style learning without leaving the town they live in. In 2017, the Chinese government introduced new regulations to expand their private education sector by embracing foreign investment of private international education.
5. A ticket to overseas universities
Many Chinese parents aspire for their children to pursue higher education abroad. Enrolling them in international schools which offer qualifications such as A Levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) provide a clearer pathway to universities overseas.
To find out more about international schools and preschools in China, make sure to use the powerful School Finder on www.EducationDestinationAsia.com.
