Western Academy of Beijing, known as WAB, is a non profit independent international school in Beijing, founded in 1994 and one of the longest established international schools in the city. It is an authorised IB World School that runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum, the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, on a large campus in Laiguangying in Chaoyang District. With a roll of around 1,400 students from more than fifty nationalities, it has the scale to offer a broad subject range and extensive sport, arts and technology facilities.
Western Academy of Beijing at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and programmes | IB Primary Years Programme; IB Middle Years Programme; IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 to 12 |
| Stages | Early years to Grade 12 |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Status | Non profit, independent |
| Authorisation | IB World School (all three programmes) |
| District | Laiguangying, Chaoyang |
Curriculum and academics
Western Academy of Beijing is a through school built entirely around the International Baccalaureate. Younger children follow the Primary Years Programme, an inquiry led framework that runs to the end of the lower school, students then move into the Middle Years Programme through the middle years, and the final two years are the IB Diploma Programme, the broad sixth form qualification recognised by universities worldwide. That unbroken IB pathway, rather than a switch between systems, is what distinguishes WAB from schools that teach a national curriculum lower down and add the Diploma only at the top. English is the language of instruction, with Chinese, French and Spanish offered as additional languages and several home language programmes available.
As an authorised IB World School running all three programmes, WAB carries the external standing of full IB authorisation, and its scale supports a wide Diploma subject choice and a well staffed senior school, which matters when a student's subject combination is unusual. To weigh it against the other IB and international options in the city, read our guide to the best international schools in Beijing, and ask WAB for its most recent Diploma results and university destinations.
Comparing Beijing's IB schools?
Put WAB side by side with other Beijing schools on curriculum, stage and district.
Western Academy of Beijing fees
WAB sits in Beijing's premium fee band, alongside the city's other established full continuum schools. Our Beijing international school fees guide sets out the bands across the city, and at WAB tuition rises stage by stage, with the Diploma years at the upper end, so treat the band as a guide rather than a quote for a single year group.
Beyond tuition, premium Beijing schools typically carry a registration fee, a refundable deposit and optional bus and meal charges, and because fees are set in renminbi while many families are paid in another currency, the figure in your home currency moves with the exchange rate. Model the full annual cost with our fee calculator before you apply, and confirm the current schedule with the school.
Admissions
The academic year begins in August and the main intake aligns with it, with rolling admission where places allow. As an international school in China, WAB primarily serves families who hold a foreign passport, so confirm eligibility and the supporting documents before applying. Admission considers prior school reports and an age appropriate assessment, and for the Diploma years a record that shows a student can access a demanding IB programme.
With enrolment around 1,400 and a settled expatriate community, popular year groups can carry waiting lists, so apply early and ask the admissions team about current availability for your child's grade.
Location and who goes there
Western Academy of Beijing sits in Laiguangying in the north east of the city, the broad arc of Chaoyang and neighbouring Shunyi where embassies, multinational offices and international housing cluster, and it runs bus routes to reach families across that spread. Its large site, with extensive sport, performing arts and technology facilities, reflects a school built for a sizeable, settled international population rather than a small community setting.
The community is broadly international, drawn from the diplomatic and corporate families who make up much of Beijing's expatriate population. To weigh WAB against the other premium and IB schools in the city, start with the Beijing city hub, or compare it with the International School of Beijing and the Haidian based Tsinghua International School.
Western Academy of Beijing reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Western Academy of Beijing. 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 the 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 admissions, teaching, the IB programmes, 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 Western Academy of Beijing follow?
WAB is an IB World School running the full International Baccalaureate continuum: the Primary Years Programme in the lower school, the Middle Years Programme in the middle years, and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12. English is the language of instruction, with Chinese, French and Spanish offered as additional languages.
When was Western Academy of Beijing founded?
WAB was founded in 1994 and has grown into one of the city's largest and most established international schools, with a roll of around 1,400 students drawn from more than 50 nationalities.
Where is Western Academy of Beijing located?
The school occupies a large campus in Laiguangying in Chaoyang District, in the north east of Beijing where much of the expatriate community and many embassies and multinational offices are concentrated.
Is Western Academy of Beijing an IB school?
Yes. WAB is an authorised IB World School and runs all three International Baccalaureate programmes, the PYP, the MYP and the Diploma, making it a full IB continuum school rather than one that offers the Diploma alone.
How much are Western Academy of Beijing fees?
WAB sits in Beijing's premium fee band alongside the city's other established full continuum schools, with tuition rising through the school and the Diploma years at the top. We keep the live bands in our Beijing international school fees guide, so confirm the current schedule and any extras with the school.
