How many IB schools in Shenzhen
Shenzhen has around 7 authorised IB World Schools in 2026, of which 5 offer the full IB Diploma Programme at sixth form. The longest established is Shekou International School (SIS) which has offered the IB across all three programmes since 1988 and is the dominant Western international IB provider in the city. QSI International School of Shenzhen and the International School of Nanshan Shenzhen (ISNS) make up the rest of the foreign-passport-only IB cohort. BASIS International School Shenzhen and a small number of Chinese bilingual sixth forms in Futian and Longgang authorised for the IB Diploma make up the remainder.
Cohort sizes are modest by Chinese tier-1 city standards. Shenzhen IB delivery is smaller than Shanghai or Beijing because the city's international school market is structurally newer (Shenzhen only opened the first Western-curriculum school in 1988, decades after Shanghai and Beijing) and because Chinese law restricts foreign-curriculum primary and secondary schools to foreign passport holders. The largest single IB Diploma cohort in Shenzhen is at Shekou International with around 60 candidates in May 2025. ISNS runs a smaller IB Diploma cohort of 35 to 40 candidates. The Chinese bilingual sixth forms at Vanke Meisha Academy and Shenzhen International Foundation College run IB Diploma cohorts of 25 to 50 candidates.
The Shenzhen IB market has grown sharply over the last decade despite the structural constraints. New IB authorisations have largely come from the Chinese bilingual segment rather than the foreign-passport-only segment. Foreign-passport-only IB schools have remained roughly static in number, with Shekou International expanding capacity at its Jingshan campus and ISNS adding a second feeder primary campus in Houhai in 2023. The result is that IB Diploma capacity in Shenzhen for foreign-passport children is essentially fixed at around 120 to 140 places a year across the three foreign-passport-only schools.
Fees and the passport restriction
IB Diploma tuition in Shenzhen groups into two tiers. Chinese bilingual IB sixth forms running CNY 230,000 to CNY 270,000 a year cover Vanke Meisha Academy, Shenzhen International Foundation College and the BASIS Shenzhen bilingual stream. The premium foreign-passport-only tier covers Shekou International, QSI Shenzhen and ISNS at CNY 285,000 to CNY 320,000 a year for Years 12 and 13. Capital and registration fees of CNY 25,000 to CNY 45,000 are typically charged on first entry. School lunch, buses, uniform and IB exam fees typically add CNY 35,000 to CNY 55,000 a year on top.
The passport restriction matters more in Shenzhen than in most other IB markets. Foreign-passport-only IB schools accept children holding a passport from outside mainland China, plus Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan passport holders. Mainland Chinese passport holders cannot attend these schools by law, even if both parents work for a foreign company. Mainland Chinese children seeking an IB Diploma in Shenzhen must attend a Chinese-licensed bilingual IB school running the Chinese national curriculum alongside the IB Diploma. Our best IB schools Shenzhen guide ranks the foreign-passport-only and bilingual IB options separately, and the fees comparison tool places Shenzhen IB fees against Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Choosing the right IB school in Shenzhen?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three Shenzhen IB World Schools based on your child's year group, your passport status, your budget and your home area.
Illustrative example schools
The five schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each delivers consistent IB or international sixth form outcomes.
Shekou International School in Shekou is the longest established Western international school in Shenzhen, founded in 1988 by the Shekou Industrial Zone. Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma) across two campuses (Jingshan and the original Shekou campus). May 2025 IB Diploma average of 36 points across 58 candidates, the highest in Shenzhen. Strong US and Canadian university placement.
QSI International School of Shenzhen in Nanshan is part of the Quality Schools International network and authorised for the IB Diploma since 2014. Smaller cohorts than Shekou International with a US-influenced K-12 structure. Particularly strong on Advanced Placement courses alongside the IB Diploma, with around 35 to 40 candidates each May.
International School of Nanshan Shenzhen (ISNS) in Nanshan runs the IB continuum from Pre-K through Diploma in an English-medium setting. Smaller and more academic than QSI with strong UK and Canadian university placement. The Houhai feeder primary campus added in 2023 has increased Year 1 to Year 6 capacity by 40 per cent.
BASIS International School Shenzhen in Longgang runs the BASIS American curriculum from Pre-K through Grade 8 and the IB Diploma at sixth form, in a bilingual Chinese-English setting accepting mainland Chinese passport holders. Largest single Chinese bilingual IB cohort in Shenzhen at around 90 candidates in May 2025.
Shenzhen College of International Education (SCIE) in Nanshan delivers Cambridge International A Levels rather than the IB Diploma but is included here because parents often consider it alongside IB schools. The strongest Russell Group university placement record in Shenzhen including consistent annual Oxbridge offers.
Where IB families live
Shenzhen IB families cluster around three main residential corridors. Shekou and Nanhai Boulevard in Nanshan host the largest concentration of Western expatriate families using Shekou International, with most Western family housing concentrated along the Shekou ferry corridor (the historic Shenzhen Bay expat enclave) and Coastal City. Houhai and Hongli Road host most ISNS and QSI Shenzhen families, with the gated villa compounds of Mont Orchid and the Houhai high-rise estates dominating the housing stock. Futian central runs a smaller IB family cluster around the diplomatic compounds and the older Shennan East corridor.
School commutes in Shenzhen are heavily influenced by traffic. Shekou to Nanshan typically runs 15 to 25 minutes in the morning peak, though the Shenzhen Bay Bridge to Hong Kong can add 45 minutes if a child boards in Hong Kong. Most foreign-passport IB families live within 20 minutes of their child's school, with the school bus network providing the dominant transport mode. Mainland Chinese families using bilingual IB schools in Longgang and Futian typically run longer 30 to 45 minute commutes. Our Shenzhen neighbourhoods guide walks through residential trade-offs in detail.
Admissions and the application calendar
The Shenzhen school year runs August to June following the broadly American international school calendar at the foreign-passport-only schools. Applications for the August 2026 academic year opened at most Shenzhen IB schools between September and December 2025. Year 7 and Year 12 are the most competitive entry points. Year 7 because the MYP begins and most schools rebuild their cohorts at that point. Year 12 because it is the start of the IB Diploma and subject choice locks in by November of Year 12.
Shekou International runs an early decision deadline of 15 January with assessment days through February and offers in March. QSI Shenzhen runs rolling admissions with month-on-month entry where capacity exists. ISNS runs a similar January to March admissions cycle to Shekou. Mid-year transfers in Years 1 to 8 are usually possible at all three foreign-passport-only schools. Year 9 to Year 11 transfers are difficult because IGCSE or MYP coursework is underway. Year 13 transfers are essentially never accepted. The Shenzhen Education Bureau requires a foreign-passport copy and a Chinese resident permit (Z visa for work or S visa for family dependants) plus authenticated previous school records. Documentation takes 4 to 6 weeks in addition to the school's own admissions assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How many IB schools are there in Shenzhen?
Shenzhen has around 7 authorised IB World Schools in 2026, of which 5 offer the full IB Diploma Programme at sixth form. The most established is Shekou International School which has offered the IB across all three programmes since 1988. The remainder include QSI International, the International School of Nanshan Shenzhen, BASIS International and a small number of Chinese bilingual schools authorised for the IB Diploma.
How much do IB schools cost in Shenzhen?
IB Diploma tuition in Shenzhen runs from CNY 230,000 a year at the Chinese bilingual sixth forms through to CNY 320,000 a year at Shekou International. Most foreign-passport-only Western IB schools sit between CNY 270,000 and CNY 305,000 a year for Years 12 and 13. Capital and registration fees of CNY 25,000 to CNY 45,000 are typically charged on first entry.
Who can attend international IB schools in Shenzhen?
Foreign-passport-only IB schools including Shekou International, QSI Shenzhen and the International School of Nanshan are restricted by Chinese law to children holding a foreign passport. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan passport holders are accepted at most schools. Mainland Chinese passport holders can only attend Chinese-licensed bilingual IB schools, including the BASIS Shenzhen bilingual stream and a small number of private Chinese sixth forms running the IB Diploma.
What IB Diploma results do Shenzhen schools achieve?
Shenzhen IB Diploma averages in May 2025 ranged from 33 points at QSI Shenzhen to 36 points at Shekou International. Shenzhen College of International Education delivered Cambridge International A Levels rather than the IB Diploma but is included because parents often consider it alongside IB schools. The IB Diploma global average is 30 points, so all Shenzhen IB schools sit comfortably above the global average.
When do Shenzhen IB schools accept applications?
Applications for the August 2026 academic year opened at most Shenzhen IB schools between September and December 2025. Shekou International runs an early decision deadline of 15 January with assessment days through February and offers in March. QSI Shenzhen runs rolling admissions with month-on-month entry where capacity exists. ISNS runs a similar January to March admissions cycle to Shekou.
