๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ Shanghai ยท Schools

Schooling and childcare in Shanghai

A two-tier system where passport nationality decides which schools your child may attend, and fees at the top end rival anywhere in the world.

Get started in Shanghai

The thing people get wrongSchools for foreign passport holders are legally restricted to children who hold a foreign passport. Bilingual private schools admit Chinese nationals and follow a Chinese curriculum core. Which category your child falls into is a matter of documentation, not preference, so check it before you shortlist.

Indicative figures

  • International school feesยฅ150,000 โ€“ ยฅ390,000/yearEarly years at the bottom, IB and A-level years at the top; buses, levies and lunches extra.
  • Bilingual private schoolยฅ100,000 โ€“ ยฅ200,000/year
  • Full-time ayiยฅ6,000 โ€“ ยฅ12,000/monthVaries with hours, live-in status and childcare duties.

Checked . Ranges, not quotes โ€” your Insider confirms the current numbers in Shanghai before you commit to anything.

International schools

Shanghai has one of the largest international school markets anywhere, with British, American, IB, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Singaporean options spread across Pudong, Minhang and the western suburbs. These schools admit foreign passport holders and require documentary proof of it, usually the child's passport and the parents' residence permits. The concentration of campuses in specific suburbs is the main reason families end up living where they do.

  • Proof of foreign nationality for the child and residence permits for the parents are standard requirements.
  • Campuses cluster in Pudong (Jinqiao), Minhang (Hongqiao) and the western suburbs โ€” the commute drives the housing choice.
  • Most schools run their own bus networks with defined catchment routes; check yours is served.
  • Apply six to twelve months ahead; assessments and previous school reports are standard.
  • Budget for a non-refundable application fee and a deposit or debenture on top of tuition at many schools.

Bilingual and local private schools

A large and growing tier of private bilingual schools teaches the Chinese national curriculum alongside substantial English instruction, and these admit Chinese nationals as well as foreign pupils. They are cheaper than the international schools, more academically pressured, and a serious option for a family staying long enough for a child to become properly bilingual. Entry is competitive and usually involves assessment in both languages.

Public schools

Some Shanghai public schools accept foreign children, subject to district rules, a valid residence permit and a registered address in the catchment. Teaching is in Chinese throughout and the academic pace is demanding. It is free or close to it, and for a young child arriving with time to acquire the language it can work extremely well. For a teenager it is rarely realistic.

  • District education bureaus set the rules; they differ between districts and change.
  • Residence permit and registered tenancy in the catchment are the baseline requirements.
  • The academic year starts in September, with a long summer break.

Younger children and the ayi

Kindergartens run from roughly three to six and come in international, bilingual and public forms, with the international ones charging fees comparable to primary school. Below that, most working families employ an ayi โ€” a domestic helper who may cook, clean and look after children, engaged either full-time or by the hour. It is a normal, mainstream arrangement in Shanghai, usually found by word of mouth or through an agency, and it is what makes two full-time careers workable here.

In order

  1. Check your child's passport status: it decides which schools are open to you.
  2. Shortlist schools, then housing on their bus routes.
  3. Apply six to twelve months ahead with two years of reports.
  4. Sit assessments, often online from abroad.
  5. Pay the deposit by the deadline and register the child's residence permit with the school.