Complete the application form and pay the application fee, around HKD1000-3000

Identity Documents:

• Birth Certificate
• Passport (if available) – page with photograph
• Hong Kong Visa (if available)
• Hong Kong Identity Card (if available)

School Report(s)/Other information:

• For applicants to Reception: latest report, if available.
• For Applicants to Years 1-11: previous year, plus current year if available.
• For applicants to Years 12-13: previous 2 years, plus current year if available.
• One page activities/achievement resume (for applicants to Year 7-Year 13 only) A one page activities and achievement resume should include a list of the recent activities and achievements of the applicant. This can include: Sporting achievements; Sports teams participated in; Community Service participation; Leadership opportunities; Musical instruments played - levels achieved etc; Drama Productions etc involved in; Other activities/achievements.

TIP:

Have originals ready to show. You do not need to mail or submit them, but schools usually like to see the original document next to the copy.

Save all your copies as PDF documents and have them ready on a portable device. If you ever need another copy, you can easily download/print from most Hong Kong photo shops, or even simply download/email it to the school’s administration.

Attend the test/assessment/interview

You must be in Hong Kong for this step. Some schools may allow for a virtual assessment, but this is rare. No school will pay travel expenses

Some schools charge a fee for the testing

Assessments could be a group activity or an individual interview

Parents are generally not allowed to be present during the assessment. Some kindergartens/pre-schools will allow toddlers aged 2-3 to be accompanied by their parent(s)/guardian

You may also be required to do placement testing to measure your child’s academic ability. See Interview Formats under the Resources, Admissions tab for a more detailed overview of the interview/testing format. In general, schools will look at.

• Birth Certificate
• Passport (if available) – page with photograph
• Hong Kong Visa (if available)
• Hong Kong Identity Card (if available)

School Report(s)/Other information:

• English Proficiency: Most schools (including kindergartens/pre-schools) require proficiency in English. Some schools assess the child’s English proficiency during the assessment/interview, while others require formal English proficiency testing.
• Maths and English: In older primary school years and above, schools usually require placement testing in Maths and English.
• Mandarin (Putonghua): Most schools do not require Mandarin testing. However, in some (bilingual) schools Mandarin will be formally tested starting in the older primary years. Mandarin is spoken widely in China and Singapore, while in Hong Kong Cantonese is spoken. International schools tend to teach Mandarin, not Cantonese.
• History, Science, other subjects: Some schools may require placement testing in these subjects in the secondary years.

TIP:

Schools seem to like confident children. Try to prepare your child so they can answer questions in a strong and clear voice. Manners are important, so polite greetings and farewells are well-received.

Receive an Offer

Once an offer is extended, schools generally require a response from you within 1-2 weeks.

If you decide to accept the offer you will need to pay the debenture and deposit or first month tuition fees within 1 week of accepting. Payments are non-refundable.

You generally cannot reserve or defer a place for your child.