Discovery College is the international school that serves Discovery Bay, the planned waterfront community on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Run by the English Schools Foundation and opened in 2007, it is a Year 1 to 13 through school, so a child can join in the first year of primary and stay to the end of secondary on a single campus. What sets it apart for many families is less the academic model than the lifestyle: a school in a low traffic neighbourhood where most pupils live within walking, cycling or short bus distance.
This is an independent reference page. No school pays to be listed on GlobalSchoolGuide. The details below were researched from the college and public sources at the time of writing, and anything we could not confirm is marked not published.
At a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | International Baccalaureate across the school, the Primary Years, Middle Years, Diploma and Career-related programmes |
| Stage range | Through school, Years 1 to 13 (ages roughly 5 to 18) |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Accreditation | Authorised IB World School; a private independent school within the English Schools Foundation |
| Fee band | Private independent ESF school, set per year group with a building levy |
| Campus area | Discovery Bay, Lantau Island |
Curriculum and academics
Discovery College teaches the International Baccalaureate from the first year to the last. Younger children follow the inquiry led Primary Years Programme, the middle school takes the Middle Years Programme, and senior students choose between the Diploma and the Career-related Programme. Keeping one framework across every phase means a family does not have to switch educational systems as a child grows, and the school can carry a consistent approach to learning from age five to eighteen.
For families weighing the IB against the British and American routes, the through school design is the headline: a single, joined up pathway rather than a series of handovers between schools. The college publishes its IB Diploma results each year, so ask the admissions office for the latest figures. Our IB curriculum guide explains how the programmes connect and how the Diploma is recognised by universities worldwide.
Weighing Discovery Bay against a city school?
Put your shortlist side by side with our compare tool, from curriculum and stage range to fees and location, so you can judge the lifestyle trade off clearly.
Discovery College fees
Discovery College is a private independent school within the English Schools Foundation, which means it takes no recurrent government grant and sets its own fees rather than charging the standard subvented ESF rate. For the 2025/26 year tuition is around HK$129,700 for Years 1 to 6, around HK$173,500 for Years 7 to 11 and around HK$175,400 for Years 12 and 13, after the board approved an average increase of about 5.9 per cent. A non refundable annual building levy of around HK$7,530 per student applies on top.
Treat any single figure as indicative and confirm the current schedule and the levy with the college. To see how the private independent ESF schools compare with the subvented ones and with the city's most premium internationals, read our Hong Kong international school fees guide, which also shows the line items to budget for beyond tuition.
Admissions
Discovery College runs its own admissions on an annual cycle for the August start, rather than the catchment zones used by the subvented ESF primaries, with priority arrangements for certain applicants and for nomination right and debenture holders. The popular entry points are the start of primary and the move into the senior school, but places can open across year groups as families move in and out of Discovery Bay.
Applying early helps, particularly for the early primary years. The practical first steps are to register interest, confirm the current criteria and intake dates and arrange a campus visit, which also lets you see the Discovery Bay community that the school is part of.
Location and who goes there
The college is in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, a car free planned community reached by ferry to Central and by bus through the Lantau road network. The setting defines the experience: nearly all pupils live in the same neighbourhood, so children often walk or cycle to school and the community feels close. Families tend to choose Discovery Bay for its beaches, open space and relaxed pace, and the school is woven into that decision rather than separate from it.
The roll is genuinely international, made up of the expatriate and returning Hong Kong families who pick Discovery Bay for family life. If you are weighing this against schools elsewhere in the territory, start with the Hong Kong city hub and our roundup of the best international schools in Hong Kong to see how the options compare.
Discovery College reviews
We do not yet hold verified parent reviews for Discovery College. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we can confirm reviews come from real families. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your child attends or has attended the college, we would value your first hand account of the teaching, the Discovery Bay community, communication and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and help the next relocating family decide with better information.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Discovery College fees?
Discovery College sets its own fees as a private independent ESF school. For the 2025/26 year these are around HK$129,700 for Years 1 to 6, around HK$173,500 for Years 7 to 11 and around HK$175,400 for Years 12 and 13, plus a non refundable annual building levy of around HK$7,530. Confirm current rates with the college.
Is Discovery College a good school?
We do not publish a rating until we have verified parent reviews. What can be said factually is that Discovery College is an authorised IB World school offering the full continuum on one campus in Discovery Bay, with a tight knit community on Lantau. Ask the college for its latest IB Diploma results and arrange a visit.
What ages does Discovery College take?
Discovery College is a Year 1 to 13 through school for children aged roughly 5 to 18, so a child can stay from the start of primary to the end of secondary on one campus.
When do Discovery College applications open?
The college runs its own admissions on an annual cycle for the August start, with priority arrangements for certain applicants and nomination or debenture holders. Apply early, especially for the popular primary entry points, and confirm intake dates with the college.
Where is Discovery College located?
The college is in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, a car free planned community reached by ferry and bus, where most pupils also live.
