Shen Wai International School, known across Shenzhen as SWIS, is one of the few schools in the city that was built around the IB from day one rather than adding programmes over time. Established in 2011 as the international section of the Shenzhen Foreign Languages School, it occupies a purpose built campus in Nanshan where the timetable, staffing and even the buildings were planned for a single inquiry led pathway. For parents who want their child to move from the early years to a university recognised diploma without ever switching educational philosophy, the practical questions are how the three IB programmes join up and where the school lands on cost, and that is what this profile sets out.
Shen Wai International School at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | IB World School; Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP), with Chinese language and culture courses |
| Stages | Pre kindergarten to Grade 12 (roughly ages 4 to 18) |
| Founded | 2011, as the international section of the Shenzhen Foreign Languages School |
| Accreditation | Authorised by the International Baccalaureate for PYP, MYP and DP; accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) |
| Fee band | Premium for the Shenzhen market |
| Campus area | Baishi 3rd Road, Nanshan District, west Shenzhen |
Curriculum and academics
Shen Wai International School is an IB World School authorised for all three programmes, which is what its families mean when they call it a continuum school. The Primary Years Programme runs the early grades through an inquiry led approach, the Middle Years Programme carries that thinking into the middle school, and the senior years are built around the IB Diploma Programme, the two year course recognised by universities worldwide. Because the school was designed for this single journey rather than assembling it piece by piece, the transitions between sections are meant to feel continuous rather than like changing schools within a school.
Alongside the international curriculum, SWIS keeps Chinese language and culture central, a deliberate choice for a school attached to the Shenzhen Foreign Languages School and one that suits families who want their children to leave fluent or near fluent in Mandarin. The Diploma itself is broad by design, pairing six subjects with the extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, activity and service, so it rewards children who like to keep their options open rather than specialise early.
It helps to set SWIS against its neighbours before deciding. Families committed to the English system look to a British school with IGCSE and A Levels, those drawn to an accelerated route consider an American school with Advanced Placement, and SWIS leans on a joined up IB path with a strong Chinese strand. None of these is better in the abstract, so ask the school for recent Diploma results and university destinations and match the programme to how your child learns.
Want to see where SWIS sits on cost?
Use our fee calculator to estimate the full annual cost of a Shenzhen place, tuition plus the extras, and compare premium IB schools side by side.
Shen Wai International School fees
Shen Wai International School sits in the premium band for the city. Our Shenzhen international school fees guide explains how the local market is tiered, and as a full IB continuum school with CIS and WASC accreditation, SWIS falls toward the upper end, with tuition rising as students move into the Diploma years. The headline tuition is only part of the cost, so read the published schedule in full before you set a budget.
Alongside tuition, budget for a one off registration or application fee, a refundable deposit, and optional extras such as the school bus and meals. Examination entries for the IB Diploma are usually charged separately in the final years, and fees tend to rise year on year, so plan for increases across a multi year stay rather than a flat rate.
To see where that leaves you against the rest of the city, our fees guide groups Shenzhen schools into broad tiers, and SWIS premium tuition is comparable to the other established IB names such as the schools listed in our best IB schools in Shenzhen guide. 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, SWIS 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. Younger entry points into the Primary Years Programme tend to be the busiest, so apply ahead of your move where you can and discuss the right grade 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. Register your interest as soon as your relocation is confirmed, and ask how the waiting list is prioritised if a place is not immediately available.
Location and who goes there
The school is on Baishi 3rd Road in the Nanshan District in the west of Shenzhen, the part of the city where most international families settle and where the longest established expatriate housing sits around Shekou and Houhai. Nanshan is also the centre of Shenzhen's technology industry, so a large share of SWIS families are connected to multinational employers and the research campuses nearby.
Most international families in this part of the city live within a short commute of the Nanshan and Shekou districts, where daily life is geared toward expatriates and where school bus routes and the metro make the journey manageable. The Shenzhen Bay crossing and the nearby land borders make weekend trips toward Hong Kong straightforward, which matters to families who keep ties across the border.
To see how Shen Wai International School compares with the other IB schools nearby and where comparable families tend to live, start from the Shenzhen city hub and work outward by curriculum and budget.
Shen Wai International School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Shen Wai 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, the Chinese language provision, teaching 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 Shen Wai International School follow?
Shen Wai International School is an IB World School and a purpose built IB continuum school. It runs the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the IB Diploma Programme for students from pre kindergarten to Grade 12, alongside Chinese language and culture courses.
How much are Shen Wai International School fees?
Shen Wai International School sits in the premium band for Shenzhen. Budget for annual tuition that rises into the senior grades, plus a registration fee, a deposit and optional bus and meal costs, and confirm the current schedule with the school.
Is Shen Wai International School accredited?
Yes. SWIS is authorised by the International Baccalaureate for the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes and is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
When do Shen Wai International School applications open?
The main intake aligns with the August start of the academic year, with places offered across the year where they exist. Apply ahead of your relocation and confirm eligibility, as the school admits foreign passport holders and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Where is Shen Wai International School?
SWIS is on Baishi 3rd Road in the Nanshan District in the west of Shenzhen, the city's longest established hub for international families, close to the Shenzhen Bay and the established expatriate housing of Shekou and Houhai.
