Shekou International School is the school most relocating families come across first when they research Shenzhen, and for good reason. Founded in 1988 by four oil companies operating in the Shekou area, it is recognised as the oldest international school in the city and has had decades to build a settled community, now enrolling more than a thousand students from over forty countries. For parents who want a continuous IB pathway from the early years to a university recognised diploma, the questions are usually how the three programmes connect and where the school sits on cost, and that is what this profile addresses.
Shekou International School at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | IB World School; Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) grounded in United States standards, and the IB Diploma Programme (DP) |
| Stages | Pre kindergarten to Grade 12 (roughly ages 3 to 18) |
| Founded | 1988, by four oil companies operating in Shekou; the oldest international school in Shenzhen |
| Accreditation | Authorised by the International Baccalaureate for PYP, MYP and DP. Confirm any further accreditation with the school |
| Fee band | Premium for the Shenzhen market |
| Campus area | Shekou, Nanshan District, west Shenzhen |
Curriculum and academics
Shekou International School is an IB World School that offers all three of the academic programmes, which is what sets it apart from schools that run only the Diploma at the top. The Primary Years Programme guides the early grades through to Grade 5 with an inquiry led approach, the middle years combine United States education standards with the framework of the Middle Years Programme, and the senior school is built around the IB Diploma Programme, the two year course that universities around the world recognise. The continuous IB pathway means a child can move up the school without switching educational philosophy.
The breadth of the Diploma, with its mix of six subjects, the extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, activity and service, suits children who like to keep their options open rather than specialise early. The honest first step is therefore to look at whether your child enjoys a broad workload, and to ask the school for recent Diploma results and university destinations rather than relying on the school's long history alone.
It helps to set the school against its neighbours before deciding. Families set on the English system look to a British school with IGCSE and A Levels, and those drawn to an accelerated route consider an American school with Advanced Placement, while Shekou leans on a single, joined up IB journey from the early years to the Diploma. None of these is better in the abstract, so match the programme to how your child learns and to where you expect them to apply for university.
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Shekou International School fees
Shekou International School sits in the premium band for the city. Our Shenzhen international school fees guide sets out how the local market is tiered, and as the longest established name with a full IB programme, SIS falls toward the upper end, with tuition rising as students move into the senior grades. The headline figure is only part of the cost, so read the published schedule in full before you plan a budget.
Alongside tuition, budget for a one off application or registration fee, a deposit, and optional extras such as the school bus and meals. Examination entries for the IB Diploma are typically charged separately, and fees tend to rise year on year, so assume increases across a multi year stay rather than a flat rate.
For a sense of where that leaves you against the rest of the city, our fees guide groups Shenzhen schools into broad tiers, and SIS premium tuition is comparable to the other established international names. The deciding factor for most families is therefore fit and location rather than price alone. Ask whether sibling discounts or corporate billing apply, since employers often meet part of the cost for relocating staff.
Admissions
The academic year starts in late summer and the main intake follows that calendar, with places offered across the year where they exist. As an international school in mainland China, the school admits foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in line with the rules for schools serving the children of foreign nationals, so confirm your family's eligibility early.
The process combines an application with school reports and an age appropriate assessment, which the school uses to understand a child's level rather than to rank applicants. Demand for the lower grades is strong given the school's reputation, so apply ahead of your move where you can, and discuss the right entry point with admissions if your child is arriving mid stage.
It is worth gathering recent school reports, any standardised test results and a record of the curriculum your child has followed, and being candid about additional learning needs so the school can tell you honestly whether it can support them. Places at popular entry points can fill well before the start of the year, so register your interest as soon as your move is confirmed, and ask to join the waiting list and how it is prioritised if a place is not immediately available.
Location and who goes there
The school is in the Shekou area of the Nanshan District in the west of Shenzhen, the city's longest established hub for international families, near the Shekou ferry port and the Sea World district. Its long presence in Shekou means the surrounding community of housing, restaurants and clinics geared toward expatriates has grown up partly around the school, and it draws from the foreign national communities that local rules allow it to serve.
Most international families in this part of Shenzhen settle around Shekou and Sea World, where daily life is geared toward expatriates and the commute to school is short. The area is well served by the metro and by school bus routes, and the Shekou ferry and the nearby land crossings make trips toward Hong Kong straightforward for weekends and travel, which matters to families who keep ties across the border.
To see how Shekou International School compares with the other schools nearby and where comparable families tend to live, start from the Shenzhen city hub and work outward by curriculum and budget.
Shekou International School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Shekou International School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have collected enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to both the school and to families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended the school we would value your account of the IB programmes, teaching, pastoral care and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
What curriculum does Shekou International School follow?
Shekou International School is an IB World School. It teaches the Primary Years Programme from pre kindergarten to Grade 5, a middle school grounded in United States standards with the Middle Years Programme, and the IB Diploma Programme in the senior grades.
How much are Shekou International School fees?
Shekou International School sits in the premium band for the city. Budget for tuition plus an application fee, a deposit and optional bus and meal costs, and confirm the current schedule with the school.
Is Shekou International School the oldest in Shenzhen?
Yes. Founded in 1988 with backing from international oil companies, Shekou International School is recognised as the oldest international school in Shenzhen, and it now enrols more than a thousand students from over forty countries.
When did Shekou International School open?
The school opened in 1988, established by four oil companies operating in the Shekou area to educate the children of their international staff.
Where is Shekou International School?
The school is in the Shekou area of the Nanshan District in the west of Shenzhen, the city's longest established hub for international families, near the ferry port and Sea World.
