Shenzhen College of International Education is the name families relocating to Shenzhen hear first when the conversation turns to senior school and university preparation. Founded in 2003 as the city's first full time high school teaching an international curriculum, SCIE is a Cambridge college rather than an all through school, taking students from Year 10 to Year 13 and concentrating its energy on the IGCSE and A Level route that universities in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, North America and beyond read closely. For parents of older children, the questions are how the four year programme is structured, how competitive entry is and where the college sits on cost, and that is what this profile addresses.
Shenzhen College of International Education at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | Cambridge curriculum; IGCSE in the lower years and Cambridge AS and A Levels in the senior years, with an Advanced Placement stream added from 2025 |
| Stages | Year 10 to Year 13 (roughly ages 14 to 18); a senior college, not an all through school |
| Founded | 2003, the first full time international curriculum high school in Shenzhen |
| Accreditation | Accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC); a Cambridge International school |
| Fee band | Premium for the Shenzhen market |
| Campus area | Antuoshan 6th Road, Futian District, central Shenzhen |
Curriculum and academics
Shenzhen College of International Education runs the Cambridge curriculum, the English system route built around IGCSE in the first two years and Cambridge AS and A Levels in the final two. A Levels ask students to specialise into a focused set of subjects, typically three or four, which suits children who already know the broad direction they want to take and who are aiming at universities that make offers on subject grades. The college also added an Advanced Placement stream from 2025, giving families a North American leaning alternative within the same institution.
Because SCIE only takes students from Year 10, its whole design points toward the senior years and university entrance rather than the early years of schooling. Chinese students make up a large share of the roll, and the college is known locally for the breadth of its co curricular programme and the volume of competitive university offers its leavers receive each year. The honest step for any family is to ask the college directly for recent A Level results and a current university destinations list rather than relying on reputation alone.
It helps to weigh SCIE against the alternatives before deciding. Families who want a broader compulsory spread to the end of school look at a full IB Diploma, and those who want an all through school from the early years rather than a senior only college will need a different option. SCIE's strength is a single minded Cambridge college focused on getting able teenagers into strong universities, so match that to where your child is in their schooling.
Weighing SCIE against another Shenzhen school?
Put up to three schools side by side on curriculum, stages and fee band with our Compare tool, and see the trade offs at a glance.
Shenzhen College of International Education fees
Shenzhen College of International Education sits in the premium band for the city. Our Shenzhen international school fees guide explains how the local market is tiered, and as the best known Cambridge college in the city, SCIE charges among the higher senior school fees, with the A Level years typically priced above IGCSE. 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 deposit, and optional costs such as meals and transport. Cambridge examination entries are usually charged separately, and fees tend to rise year on year, so plan for increases across the four years 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 shows how a senior only Cambridge college compares with the all through international schools. Ask whether sibling discounts or corporate billing apply, since employers often meet part of the cost for relocating staff.
Admissions
Entry is mainly into Year 10 for the start of the academic year in late summer, and because SCIE is selective the process matters. The college sets an admissions assessment, often covering English and mathematics, alongside school reports, so prepare your child for a written entrance test rather than a simple interview.
As an international curriculum school in mainland China, SCIE admits students in line with the rules for this type of school, and the roll includes a large proportion of Chinese national families seeking an international route to university. Confirm your family's eligibility and the exact entry requirements with the college early, as competition for places is real and the main intake fills ahead of the year.
It is worth gathering recent school reports, any standardised test results and a record of the curriculum your child has followed, and asking the college how it handles applicants arriving from a different system mid way through secondary school. Register your interest as soon as your relocation is confirmed and ask about assessment dates for the coming intake.
Location and who goes there
SCIE is on Antuoshan 6th Road in the Futian District, the central business district of Shenzhen, having moved into a purpose built campus near Antuo Hill in 2020. Futian is the administrative and financial heart of the city, well connected by metro, which makes the college reachable from across Shenzhen rather than tied to one residential pocket.
Unlike the international schools clustered in Nanshan and Shekou in the west of the city, SCIE draws a citywide intake, with a large share of local and returnee families alongside expatriates, reflecting its role as a route into overseas universities. Families weighing where to live should factor in the Futian location and the metro lines that serve it rather than assuming the usual Shekou commute.
To see how Shenzhen College of International Education compares with the other schools across the city and where comparable families tend to live, start from the Shenzhen city hub and work outward by curriculum and budget.
Shenzhen College of International Education reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Shenzhen College of International Education. 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 college and to families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended the college we would value your account of the Cambridge programme, the university guidance, 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 Shenzhen College of International Education follow?
SCIE follows the Cambridge curriculum. It teaches IGCSE in the lower years and Cambridge AS and A Levels in the senior years, with a four year programme from Year 10 to Year 13, and added an Advanced Placement stream from 2025.
How much are Shenzhen College of International Education fees?
SCIE sits in the premium band for the city. Budget for annual tuition plus a registration fee, a deposit and optional costs such as meals and transport, and confirm the current schedule with the college.
Is SCIE a good school?
SCIE has a strong reputation in Shenzhen as the city's first full time international curriculum high school and is well known for university placement. We do not publish a rating, so ask the college for recent A Level results and university destinations and judge the fit for your child.
When do SCIE applications open?
Entry is mainly into Year 10 for the start of the academic year in late summer, with an admissions assessment. Apply ahead of the entry year and confirm eligibility with the college, as places are competitive.
Where is Shenzhen College of International Education?
SCIE is on Antuoshan 6th Road in the Futian District, the central business district of Shenzhen, near Antuo Hill, having moved into a purpose built campus in 2020.
