Shanghai is a large, modern and highly organised city with an extensive network of international schools built up over decades of foreign investment. For a relocating family the key considerations are eligibility, since many foreign passport schools admit only non Chinese nationals, along with which side of the river to live on and how the commute works across a city of this scale.
The school landscape in Shanghai
International schooling in Shanghai is extensive and well resourced, so families usually weigh several strong campuses. Shanghai American School runs a United States programme across campuses in both Puxi and Pudong. Dulwich College Shanghai offers a British pathway to families in the Pudong district. Concordia International School Shanghai delivers an American curriculum in the Jinqiao area of Pudong. There are further British, American and IB schools across both Pudong and Puxi. An important point is that foreign passport international schools in China generally enrol only children who hold foreign nationality, while a separate group of private bilingual schools serves local families, so confirm which category a school falls into before you apply.
How to move to Shanghai with children, step by step
Relocating with school aged children rewards early planning. These five steps mirror how the GlobalSchoolGuide relocation desk sequences a family move, so nothing critical slips through the gaps between the offer, the housing search and the first day of term.
- Set your relocation timeline. Fix your move date against the start of the school year in Shanghai and work backwards, allowing several months for shortlisting and applications.
- Shortlist and apply to schools. Match two or three schools in Shanghai to your child's age, curriculum and budget, then apply early because the leading schools have limited capacity.
- Confirm fees and admissions. Request the current fee schedule and admissions requirements directly from each school, since published figures are reset every academic year.
- Choose a neighbourhood near school. Pick housing within a reasonable commute of your shortlisted school, since Shanghai is large and school location shapes daily life.
- Settle the practical set up. Arrange visas, banking, health cover and the physical move, and time everything to the school calendar so your child starts with the year group.
Fees and budgeting
Fee paying international schooling in Shanghai sits towards the upper range for Asia, reflecting large purpose built campuses and specialist English medium teaching. Fees vary by school, campus and year group, and many schools levy registration, capital or bus charges on top of tuition, so a single figure rarely captures the full cost. Because schedules are reset each academic year, request the current fee list and the complete breakdown of extra charges directly from each school before committing. Foreign passport schools are the usual route for expatriate families, since access to the public system is limited for non residents.
Free Shanghai family relocation checklist
Download our step by step checklist covering the admissions timeline, documents, housing and the first month settling in. Browse the full library on our guides hub, or start with the Shanghai city guide for school listings.
Neighbourhoods and housing
Pudong, on the east of the river, is popular with families whose school sits in Jinqiao or near Century Park, offering newer housing and easy access to several large campuses. Puxi, to the west, draws families towards Hongqiao, Gubei and Minhang, areas with established expatriate communities and international schools. Because the city is spread out and the two sides of the river are a real journey apart, families almost always choose their neighbourhood around the school rather than the other way round. School buses are common and worth factoring into any housing decision.
Language and settling in
Mandarin Chinese is the national language, and while Shanghai is cosmopolitan, daily life beyond the expatriate districts runs largely in Chinese. Children in international schools learn in English and typically study Mandarin alongside, which is a genuine asset. Practical life is manageable with translation apps and the help of school communities, and many families find that a little Mandarin, combined with the city's efficient services, makes settling in straightforward. English is common within international schools and among service providers used to expatriate families.
Curriculum continuity
Curriculum continuity is usually the most important decision, and in Shanghai it interacts with eligibility. A child midway through an American, British or IB pathway will settle most easily by continuing in the same system at a foreign passport school. Because access to the local public system is restricted for non residents, most expatriate families remain within international provision throughout their stay. The closer a child is to a leaving examination, the more weight you should give to keeping the same curriculum. Our IB curriculum hub is a useful reference if you are considering the International Baccalaureate.
Fees by stage
To ground your budgeting, compare typical fee bands by school stage rather than relying on a single headline number. Our stage guides set out what families pay at each level and how charges build up across the years. See the Shanghai primary school fees guide and the Shanghai secondary school fees guide, and always confirm the current figures with each school directly.
Visas, healthcare and admin
Practically, confirm your visa and residency status early, since your category shapes your access to services and your children's school registration. Arrange health cover for the settling in period before your status and registration are complete, and set up local banking soon after arrival, since school fees, deposits and daily life all run more smoothly once a domestic account is open. Sequencing status, housing and the school offer carefully makes the first month in Shanghai far less stressful than handling everything at once.
The admissions timeline
The leading schools in Shanghai accept applications ahead of the school year, and because capacity is limited, individual year groups can fill well before any published deadline. Applying early is the single most effective way to protect your first choice. Where a year group is already full, ask to join the waiting list and keep a realistic second option open in parallel. Keeping copies of school reports, immunisation records and identity documents ready will speed up every application.
Is Shanghai a good place to raise children?
Shanghai rewards families who plan the school place and housing before they arrive. Like any major relocation, it brings an adjustment period, but families who sequence the essentials early tend to settle quickly and find plenty for children to enjoy. The most useful habit is to treat the school decision as the anchor for everything else, from where you live to how you budget, and to build the rest of the move around it.
Your first weeks: what to prioritise
In your first weeks, confirm the school place and start date in writing, then settle the essentials that everything else depends on: residency status, a local bank account, health cover and a domestic mobile and internet plan. With those handled, the wider routines of family life fall into place quickly. Many families also register early for after school activities and any language support on offer, both of which help children build friendships and settle into the rhythm of the school year. Keeping a simple shared checklist of registrations, deadlines and documents is the most useful habit in a first term.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shanghai have English speaking schools?
Yes. Shanghai has an extensive network of English medium international schools, including Shanghai American School, Dulwich College Shanghai and Concordia International School Shanghai. Many enrol only foreign passport holders, so confirm eligibility and places with each school.
Are international schools in Shanghai expensive?
Fee paying international schooling in Shanghai sits towards the upper range for Asia. Fees vary by school and year group and often carry extra registration or capital charges, so request the current schedule and full breakdown directly from each school.
Where do international families tend to live?
Families divide between Pudong, near campuses in Jinqiao and Century Park, and Puxi areas such as Hongqiao, Gubei and Minhang, choosing a neighbourhood close to their chosen school given the size of the city.
Can expat children attend local Chinese schools?
Access to the public system is limited for non residents, and foreign passport international schools are the usual route for expatriate families. A separate group of private bilingual schools serves local families under different rules.
When should we apply?
Apply well ahead of the school year and earlier for competitive year groups, because the leading international schools have limited capacity and popular years fill first.
Plan your move
Use these free tools and guides to turn this overview into a shortlist and a working plan for your family's move to Shanghai.