How many secondary schools in Shenzhen
Shenzhen has around 22 schools offering an international secondary phase through to graduation at Year 13 or Grade 12 in 2026, defined as schools where the upper school terminates in an externally recognised qualification such as the IB Diploma, A Level, the US High School Diploma plus AP courses, or the BTEC pathway. Most run as part of a K-12 school with continuity from primary through to graduation, while around 5 of the 22 are sixth form colleges or upper school dedicated providers without their own primary phase.
The 22 providers split between foreign-passport-only international schools (around 8 schools, restricted by Chinese law to children holding a foreign passport) and Sino-foreign bilingual schools (around 14 schools, licensed by the Shenzhen Education Bureau and accepting mainland Chinese passport holders). The foreign-passport-only cohort includes Shekou International, the International School of Nanshan, QSI Shenzhen, ISA Shekou and the American International School of Guangzhou Shenzhen Campus. The bilingual cohort includes Vanke Meisha Academy, Shenzhen College of International Education, BASIS Shenzhen, Shen Wai International and ISF Academy of Nanshan.
The Shenzhen international secondary market has expanded materially since 2015, with capacity at the upper school stage roughly tripling over the decade. Growth has been driven by mainland Chinese returnee families and dual-passport families looking for a Western university pathway. The strongest single growth segment has been the A Level and AP bilingual sector serving mainland Chinese nationals, which has produced consistent Russell Group and US tier 1 placement and now graduates around 1,800 pupils a year from the bilingual upper schools.
The three upper school pathways
Shenzhen secondary schools converge on three main upper school pathways. The IB Diploma is delivered by around 9 IB World Schools in the city, with the strongest single cohort at Shekou International School (around 60 IB Diploma graduates per year) followed by the International School of Nanshan, ISA Shekou and ISF Academy of Nanshan. Total city IB Diploma graduates per year is around 280. The A Level pathway, delivered through Cambridge International or Edexcel International, is the largest single upper school qualification in the city, with around 11 schools and a total annual A Level cohort of around 950. The largest single A Level cohort is at Shenzhen College of International Education (around 280 A Level graduates a year), making SCIE the largest single A Level provider in southern China.
The US High School Diploma plus AP courses pathway is delivered by around 5 schools including QSI Shenzhen, the American International School of Guangzhou Shenzhen Campus, BASIS International School Shenzhen and the Shekou International School American Section. Total annual AP graduates from these schools is around 540. The choice of pathway often anchors family relocation decisions because the IB Diploma, A Level and AP each lock in 18 to 24 months ahead at Year 12 or Grade 10. Late transfers between pathways are difficult, particularly for IB Diploma to A Level or vice versa, because the assessment models and the syllabus pacing differ materially.
Choosing the right secondary school in Shenzhen?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three Shenzhen secondary schools based on your child's year group, the upper school pathway you want (IB, A Level or AP), your passport status, and your home area.
Illustrative example schools
The five schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each delivers an established secondary phase with a clear upper school qualification and a consistent university destinations record.
Shenzhen College of International Education (SCIE) in Nanshan is the city's largest A Level provider, with around 280 A Level graduates a year. Sino-foreign accredited and accepting mainland Chinese passport holders. Consistent Oxbridge and Russell Group placement, with annual offers from Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, LSE, UCL and the wider Russell Group.
Shekou International School Secondary in Shekou is the longest-established international secondary in southern China, founded in 1988. IB Diploma plus US High School Diploma stream. Strong placement into US tier 1 and Russell Group universities, with annual offers from the Ivy League, US tier 1 liberal arts colleges and the major Russell Group schools.
International School of Nanshan Shenzhen Secondary in Nanshan is a foreign-passport-only IB Diploma school with a particularly diverse pupil body and strong language acquisition track. Continuity from the IB Primary Years and Middle Years on the same campus.
Vanke Meisha Academy in Yantian district runs a Sino-foreign bilingual A Level and AP upper school. Strong placement into US tier 1 universities, with annual offers from Carnegie Mellon, NYU, UCLA, USC, Berkeley and the Ivy League.
BASIS International School Shenzhen Upper School in Longgang runs the BASIS American curriculum with a minimum 6 AP graduation requirement, the heaviest AP load in the city. Strong placement into US engineering and science programmes including UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Purdue and Cornell.
Fees and tiers
Secondary fees in Shenzhen group into three tiers. The bilingual A Level and AP tier (SCIE, Vanke Meisha Academy, ISF Academy, Shen Wai International) charges CNY 230,000 to CNY 290,000 a year for Year 12 and Year 13. The foreign-passport-only IB Diploma and US High School tier (Shekou International, International School of Nanshan, QSI Shenzhen, ISA Shekou) charges CNY 290,000 to CNY 340,000 a year for the upper school. The premium tier (Harrow Innovation Leadership Academy, Whittle School Shenzhen and the newer British international school openings) charges CNY 320,000 to CNY 380,000 a year for the upper school.
Capital and registration fees of CNY 30,000 to CNY 60,000 are typically charged on first entry across the three tiers. IB Diploma exam fees, A Level exam fees and AP exam fees add CNY 12,000 to CNY 25,000 a year for the upper school across the three pathways. School lunch, buses, uniform and university counselling support add CNY 35,000 to CNY 55,000 a year on top across all three tiers. Our Shenzhen fees guide models the all-in cost picture by year group across the upper school phase, including the loading from optional Saturday tutoring and university application support.
Where secondary-age families live
Shenzhen secondary-age families cluster around three residential corridors. Shekou and Nanshan host the largest concentration of foreign-passport secondary families, with the Coastal City, Shekou Garden, Mont Orchid and Houhai high-rise compounds dominating the housing stock. Most Shekou and Nanshan compounds are within 15 to 30 minutes of the main international secondary schools (SCIE, Shekou International, International School of Nanshan, ISA Shekou, ISF Academy and QSI Shenzhen).
Yantian and the eastern coastal corridor host Vanke Meisha Academy families, with most living in the gated estates of OCT Bay, Yantian's Banshan Bandao villas, or the newer Dameisha apartment estates. Longgang and Pingshan in the east-north host most BASIS Shenzhen Longgang and Shenzhen College of International Education families using a longer commute, with newer high-rise apartment estates along the Longgang Avenue corridor. School bus networks reach most residential compounds within a 45 to 60 minute pickup window for the eastern campuses. Our Shenzhen neighbourhoods guide walks through residential trade-offs by school choice in more detail.
Admissions and the application calendar
The Shenzhen secondary school year runs from August to June for the foreign-passport-only international schools and from late August to early July for the Sino-foreign bilingual schools. Applications for the August 2026 academic year opened at most Shenzhen secondary schools between September and December 2025. Grade 6 and Grade 9 entry are the most competitive points. Grade 6 because middle school begins and most schools rebuild their cohorts at that point. Grade 9 because high school begins and the A Level, AP or IB Diploma pathway choice locks in 18 to 24 months ahead.
SCIE runs a competitive Grade 10 entrance assessment in November, weighted heavily on English literacy, maths and a Chinese language essay. Shekou International, ISNS and QSI Shenzhen run rolling admissions where capacity exists, with stronger main intake in August. ISA Shekou runs a December priority deadline with assessment days through January and offers in late January. BASIS Shenzhen runs a competitive entrance exam in December for the Upper School, weighted heavily on maths and science. Mid-year transfers at primary and middle school are usually possible. Upper school transfers are difficult because the pathway-specific course sequencing requires early commitment.
Frequently asked questions
How many international secondary schools are there in Shenzhen?
Shenzhen has around 22 schools offering an international secondary phase through to graduation at Year 13 or Grade 12 in 2026. Around 8 are foreign-passport-only international schools, restricted by Chinese law to children holding a foreign passport. The remaining 14 are Sino-foreign bilingual schools that accept mainland Chinese passport holders.
How much do international secondary schools cost in Shenzhen?
Bilingual A Level and AP tier secondary fees run CNY 230,000 to CNY 290,000 a year. Foreign-passport-only IB Diploma and US High School tier secondary fees run CNY 290,000 to CNY 340,000 a year. Premium British international secondary fees run CNY 320,000 to CNY 380,000 a year. IB Diploma exam fees, A Level exam fees and AP exam fees add CNY 12,000 to CNY 25,000 a year on top.
What upper school pathways are available in Shenzhen?
Three main pathways. The IB Diploma is delivered by around 9 IB World Schools, the A Level pathway through Cambridge International or Edexcel International by around 11 schools (the largest single qualification in the city), and the US High School Diploma plus AP courses by around 5 schools. SCIE in Nanshan is the largest A Level provider in southern China.
Which Shenzhen secondary school has the strongest Oxbridge record?
Shenzhen College of International Education (SCIE) has the strongest consistent Oxbridge record in southern China, with annual Cambridge and Oxford offers in the high single digits. Shekou International School and the International School of Nanshan also place into Russell Group universities each year. Vanke Meisha Academy and BASIS Shenzhen are stronger on US tier 1 placement than Oxbridge.
When should I apply to a Shenzhen secondary school?
Plan applications 9 to 12 months ahead of the desired start date. Grade 6 and Grade 9 entry windows open between September and November of the previous year and close by January for the most competitive cohorts. Mid-year transfers at primary and middle school are usually possible. Upper school transfers are difficult because the pathway-specific course sequencing requires 18 to 24 months of early commitment.
