The Shanghai school context

Shanghai's international schools are restricted by Chinese regulations to children holding foreign passports. The expat-school sector has consolidated since 2020 as the broader expat population shrank, but quality at the top has held strong. Most schools maintain campuses in both Pudong (newer business district) and Puxi (older central districts). Choose your campus based on housing location, not the other way around.

The 2026 top 10

1

Shanghai American School (SAS)

American + APPudong & PuxiRMB 280K to 350KPre-K-12

The benchmark American school in Shanghai. AP curriculum. Strong US Ivy and top liberal-arts pipeline. Two campuses (Pudong and Puxi) with separate intakes. The default Tier 1 American choice.

2

Concordia International School Shanghai

American + APPudongRMB 270K to 340KPre-K-12

Lutheran American school. Strong AP outcomes, distinctive mission-led culture. Pudong location with strong housing catchment. Tier 1 alternative to SAS for American-bound families.

3

Dulwich College Shanghai (Pudong)

British + IBPudong (Qiantan)RMB 280K to 340K3-18

Dulwich's Shanghai flagship. A-Level and IB Diploma pathways. Strong UK university pipeline. Modern Qiantan campus with exceptional facilities.

4

The British International School Shanghai (BISS Puxi)

British + IBPuxi (Hongqiao)RMB 250K to 320K3-18

Nord Anglia BISS Puxi campus. Strong A-Level and IB Diploma outcomes. Hongqiao location with strong central-Puxi catchment.

5

Wellington College International Shanghai

British + IBPudongRMB 280K to 350K2-18

UK Wellington College heritage. A-Level and IB Diploma. Pudong location, premium positioning. Strong music and sport programmes.

6

Yew Chung International School Shanghai (YCIS)

Bilingual + IBPudong & PuxiRMB 260K to 320K3-18

Bilingual Chinese-English programme. Strong for families committed to Mandarin alongside English-language secondary. Two campuses. The default bilingual choice in Shanghai.

7

Shanghai Singapore International School

SingaporeanMultipleRMB 180K to 260KK-12

Singapore-curriculum school option in Shanghai. Strong academic outcomes, particularly mathematics. Materially lower fees than the Tier 1 British and American schools.

8

Lycée Français de Shanghai

FrenchPudongRMB 180K to 260KMaternelle-Terminale

French Lycée serving Shanghai's francophone community. French Baccalauréat. Materially lower fees than British or American competition.

9

Deutsche Schule Shanghai

GermanPudong & HongqiaoRMB 200K to 280KK-13

German Abitur curriculum. Two campuses. Strong for German-speaking families and those wanting trilingual outcomes.

10

Western International School of Shanghai (WISS)

IBHongqiaoRMB 220K to 290K2-18

Pure IB programme. Smaller cohort than the Tier 1 schools but with consistent academic culture. Particularly good for families wanting IB-only pathway.

Fees and the Pudong / Puxi choice

Shanghai Tier 1 fees average RMB 320K (USD 44.5K) tuition for 2026 to 2027. With 30% loading, the all-in figure is RMB 416K (USD 58K) per child per year. Pudong campuses tend to be 5 to 10% more expensive than equivalent Puxi campuses. See our 2026 fee report.

Neighbourhoods

  • Pudong (Lujiazui, Jinqiao, Qiantan): SAS Pudong, Concordia, Dulwich, Wellington. Newer business district expat hub.
  • Puxi (Hongqiao, Gubei, Xintiandi): BISS Puxi, SAS Puxi, YCIS Puxi. Established expat areas, traditional shikumen housing.
  • Former French Concession: International School of Shanghai Pudong campus accessible. Premium central housing.

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