Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School

At a glance

Where a detail is not officially published we mark it clearly rather than guess. Always confirm current figures with the school.

Curriculum and academics

Starriver is a bilingual school rather than a foreign passport international school, and its programme is built on the national compulsory curriculum with bilingual instruction. In the lower grades, roughly Grade 1 to Grade 9, core subjects such as mathematics, science, physics, chemistry and biology are taught bilingually, alongside a broad menu of electives designed to develop each child’s interests. Our Shanghai city guide explains how bilingual schools sit alongside the international campuses.

In the senior grades, Grade 10 to Grade 12, the programme keeps Chinese core subjects such as Chinese, politics, history and geography taught in Chinese, then adds international style electives, Chinese and American integrated courses, and a wide range of Advanced Placement subjects with the College Board, including the AP Capstone track. Music, art, STEAM, design, technology, dance, sport and humanities round out the offer.

Founded in 2012, Starriver has built a reputation in the Minhang district for pairing a strong Chinese academic core with international electives. Because it is a bilingual school, families should ask about the language of instruction in each subject and about any nationality or residency requirements for enrolment.

Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School fees

Starriver publishes a fee schedule that lists annual tuition by year group in Renminbi, and the school sits in the mid part of the bilingual private range for Shanghai rather than among the premium foreign flagships. We do not restate a precise figure here because published schedules are revised each year and vary by grade, so families should request the current schedule directly from the school.

For a sense of where bilingual privates sit overall, our guide to international school fees in Shanghai places this segment below the premium foreign schools, and our Shanghai secondary fees breakdown lines up the senior figures across the market. Always confirm the current tuition, and any charges for meals, transport or activities, with the school.

• Annual tuition: published by year group in a school fee schedule; request the current version.
• Fee band: mid part of the bilingual private range for Shanghai.
• Extras: meals, transport and activities are typically billed separately.
• Confirm eligibility: ask about any nationality or residency requirements for enrolment.

Admissions

The main intake follows the start of the school year, and as a selective bilingual school Starriver assesses applicants at an age appropriate level. Places in popular grades fill early, so families should begin the process well ahead of their preferred start date and confirm the current requirements with the admissions office.

Because bilingual schools can have eligibility rules that differ from foreign passport international schools, relocating families should ask directly about admission criteria, the language expectations for each grade, and mid year availability before they apply.

Location and who goes there

The campus is in the Minhang district of Shanghai, a large residential area in the south west of the city with several schools and a settled family population, so it is convenient for families living in that part of Shanghai.

The community is largely made up of Chinese families seeking a bilingual education with an international pathway in the senior years. Many families comparing Starriver also look at other bilingual and international campuses, so our Shanghai city guide shows how the options compare on curriculum, stage and fee band.

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions