Secondary and sixth form tuition at Beijing international schools runs roughly RMB 130,000 to RMB 340,000 per year in 2026. Premium international schools sit at about RMB 280,000 to 340,000 (USD 39,000 to 47,500), the upper mid tier at RMB 190,000 to 280,000, and bilingual Chinese internationals at RMB 130,000 to 220,000. Secondary is where fees peak, so the headline numbers in our Beijing international school fees guide reflect this stage closely. The fuller Beijing city guide covers schools, neighbourhoods and admissions in detail.
Beijing is home to the historical anchor international schools of mainland China, with the International School of Beijing and the Western Academy of Beijing among the longest established in Asia. At secondary level the premium tier sits a little below Shanghai, and a flagship IB Diploma place that approaches RMB 340,000 sits alongside capable upper mid and bilingual schools at a fraction of that figure. As in Shanghai, eligibility shapes the choice: international schools are generally restricted to foreign passport holders, embassy schools serve specific nationalities, and Chinese national children attend the bilingual sector, so the question of which tier is open often comes before the question of budget.
The bands below are tuition only and are taken directly from the tier structure in our Beijing fees guide, with secondary placed at the upper part of each school's range. Treat them as planning ranges. The exact fee depends on the school, the year group and whether the child is in lower secondary, the IGCSE years or the IB Diploma.
| Tier | Annual tuition (RMB) | Annual tuition (USD) | Illustrative schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium international | RMB 280,000 - 340,000 | USD 39,000 - 47,500 | International School of Beijing (ISB), Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), Dulwich Beijing, Harrow Beijing, British School of Beijing |
| Upper mid international | RMB 190,000 - 280,000 | USD 26,500 - 39,000 | Yew Chung International, BISS Beijing, Daystar Academy, Eduwings, Australian International |
| Bilingual Chinese internationals | RMB 130,000 - 220,000 | USD 18,000 - 30,500 | Keystone Academy, Beanstalk, various bilingual Chinese internationals |
School names indicate the fee tier and are illustrative, not a ranking. A premium IB Diploma place at WAB or ISB Beijing runs RMB 290,000 to 340,000 (USD 40,500 to 47,500), so a family entering at Year 7 should budget for a rising tuition line across the secondary phase rather than a flat number. First year invoices also run higher than tuition because of one off registration and capital lines.
Model IB Diploma tuition against the full cost of place across up to three schools and other stages.
Three things move the senior number. The first is the year group, since the IGCSE years and the IB Diploma sit at the top of every school's scale and the final two years are the dearest in the building. The second is registration status and heritage, where the long established foreign passport international schools running the IB Diploma cluster at the premium end while the bilingual sector sits well below them. The third is fee inflation, which ran around 3.5 percent across Beijing in the 2025 to 2026 cycle, similar to Shanghai, with premium schools tracking 3.5 to 4.5 percent. Some premium schools have offered enrolment incentives such as early bird discounts or multi year fee freezes as the market continued to recover, so it is worth asking about current offers.
Headline tuition is only part of the picture, and the senior years carry the heaviest add ons of any stage. The lines to plan for are application and registration fees of RMB 2,000 to 5,000, a one off capital or building levy of RMB 20,000 to 50,000 at some premium schools, school bus of RMB 12,000 to 25,000 per year, a device programme of RMB 6,000 to 10,000, and external exam entries of RMB 4,000 to 8,000 in the IGCSE, A Level and IB years. Together these can add 12 to 20 percent to the headline figure. Our Beijing fees guide sets out the line items in full, and the relocation cost calculator places them inside a complete family budget. To weigh Beijing against another posting, the fee comparison tool models several cities at once, and parent reviews of Beijing schools add the lived experience behind the numbers.
Secondary and sixth form tuition runs roughly RMB 130,000 to RMB 340,000 per year in 2026. Premium international schools sit at about RMB 280,000 to 340,000 (USD 39,000 to 47,500), the upper mid tier at RMB 190,000 to 280,000, and bilingual Chinese internationals at RMB 130,000 to 220,000.
Slightly. A premium IB Diploma place at WAB or ISB Beijing runs RMB 290,000 to 340,000, roughly 5 to 10 percent below the equivalent at Shanghai American School or Dulwich Shanghai. Cost of living favours Beijing for housing and transport, while Shanghai tends to be dearer for food and lifestyle.
Expect application and registration fees of RMB 2,000 to 5,000, a one off capital or building levy of RMB 20,000 to 50,000 at some premium schools, school bus of RMB 12,000 to 25,000 per year, a device programme of RMB 6,000 to 10,000, and external exam entries of RMB 4,000 to 8,000 in the IGCSE, A Level and IB years.
Most premium schools run a full secondary and sixth form, including the International School of Beijing (ISB), Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), Dulwich Beijing, Harrow Beijing and the British School of Beijing, alongside upper mid and bilingual schools across the city. The named schools are illustrative of the tier rather than a ranking.
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