Schooling
Hong Kong offers a wide variety of schooling options for children from different nationalities. School admissions are highly competitive with long waiting lists and the application period usually starts a year prior to admission. It is recommended that you start looking for suitable schools and begin your applications as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition for your child(ren). You are also advised to apply to at least four to five schools to secure a school place.
Overview of HK Education System
The Hong Kong curriculum typically comprises 6 years of primary education and 3 years each for junior and senior secondary education. Kindergarten education usually lasts for 3 years and is not mandatory. During the final year of senior secondary education, students under the local curriculum will have to take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSEE). Those who are admitted to local universities will undergo a 4-year undergraduate programme.
Kindergartens
Although pre-school education is not mandatory in Hong Kong, children here usually study at kindergarten (KG) from 3 to 6 years old, with grades divided into nursery (K1), lower KG (K2) and upper KG (K3). The minimum age to start kindergarten schooling is 2 years 8 months by the time the children are admitted in September. There are private/ non-profit-making and half/ full-day KGs with fee variation. You can search for kindergartens based on criteria such as district, curriculum type and government subsidy (KG Education Scheme) here.
The medium of instruction adopted by most local kindergartens is Chinese. The Government has rolled out the KG Education Scheme which provides basic subsidy covering half-day service in local non-profit-making KGs. You may contact the schools directly for any enquiries.
International kindergartens in Hong Kong mainly cater to non-Chinese speaking children. Most schools’ medium of instruction is English with some integrating Putonghua into their programmes. Some international kindergartens are directly linked to international primary and/or secondary schools (i.e. all-through schools). You may view the list of English Schools Foundation (ESF) kindergartens, which is one of the largest international school organisations in Hong Kong.
Primary & Secondary Schools
It is more common for non-local families to opt for international and ESF schools instead of local ones. You can obtain information on the different types of schools and their profiles via Education Bureau’s website or further customise your search on the website of schooling agencies. Find more comments on international schools shared by other overseas parents here.
International vs Local Schools
International schools follow diversified curricula such as the International Baccalaureate, American and British curricula etc. Indeed, there is an increasing number of local parents enrolling their children in international schools which creates fierce competition and long waiting lists for school admission.
Characteristics of Curriculum
- IB is the most common curriculum
- Language skill is one of the main focuses, with less homework when compared with local schools
Tuition Fee
- Primary school HK$100,000 – 200,000 per year
- Secondary school HK$ 150,000 – 250,000 per year
Prospect
- Students usually continue their studies overseas or in local universities through non-JUPAS admission
Teachers
- Mainly foreign teachers or graduated from overseas universities
Class Size
- Less than 30 students per class
Language Level
- English is the primary medium of instruction while most students are native English speakers
- Schools may have varied emphasis on the Chinese language
- Putonghua teaching is more common than Cantonese
Characteristics of Curriculum
- Emphasises students’ discipline
- Relatively more homework and practice papers
Tuition Fee
- Government-operated Schools – free of charge
- Direct Subsidy Schools – HK$7,000 – 70,000 per year
- Private Schools – HK$30,000 – 200,000 per year
Prospect
- Students usually enter local universities
- With HKDSE being recognised internationally, some students may choose to continue their studies overseas
Teachers
- Mainly locals
Class Size
- 35-40 students per class
Language Level
- Some local schools would use English as the major medium of instruction for most subjects. While for Chinese-medium schools, English is taught as a second language
- Students are relatively less capable in spoken English when compared with international schools’ students
- Students are mostly native Cantonese speakers
- Non-Cantonese speakers may face challenges in Chinese-medium schools
