China, Guangzhou
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American International School of Guangzhou (AISG) serves foreign students from Pre‑Kindergarten through Grade 12 and delivers the International Baccalaureate continuum (PYP, MYP, DP). The school operates two campuses: an Ersha Island campus for Early Years and lower elementary grades in central Guangzhou, and a Science Park campus in Huangpu District (Science City) for upper elementary and secondary students. The Science Park campus includes a 499‑seat performing arts theatre, an athletic centre with an indoor 25‑metre pool and large natural‑grass soccer field, and innovation labs; Secondary students have a 1:1 laptop programme. Upper Secondary students take part in a Social Practice Program that links classroom learning with real‑world work and service opportunities. Annual tuition varies by division; the school states its fees per grade band on the tuition page. All statements above are taken from AISG's official site.
No 3 Yan Yu Street South, Ersha Island, Guangzhou, CHINA
American International School of Guangzhou has 1,079 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English.
AISG operates two campuses: the Ersha Island campus (Early Years and Lower Elementary, in central Guangzhou's Ersha Island / Yuexiu area) and the Science Park campus (Upper Elementary through Grade 12 in Guangzhou's Science City, Huangpu District). Public transit options and ferry/metro stops serve the Ersha area and the Science Park area is within Guangzhou's technology/Science City district—ask Admissions for typical commute times from your neighbourhood.
AISG covers Pre‑Kindergarten through Grade 12: Early Years (Pre‑K and Kindergarten) and Lower Elementary (Grades 1–3) are at Ersha; Upper Elementary (Grades 4–5), Lower Secondary (Grades 6–8) and Upper Secondary (Grades 9–12) are at Science Park. The school follows the IB continuum across these divisions.
AISG is a co‑educational, not‑for‑profit international school operating as an independent institution; tuition is reinvested into the school. The school does not offer boarding — students are expected to live with a parent or guardian in Guangzhou.
AISG provides a Student Support structure that includes Counseling (available to all students), an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program (Grades 1–10) and a limited Learning Support (LS) program for students with mild learning differences, using individualized plans and a Student Support Team (SST). The handbooks describe RTI/MTSS frameworks, weekly SST meetings and individualized Student Learning Plans.
AISG is an independent international school (American in name and offering American/IB pathways) but is not an official representative or arm of any national government; it admits foreign‑passport holders per Chinese regulations.
AISG does not have a religious affiliation; its community and policies emphasize inclusivity and prohibit harassment on the basis of religious belief.
Typical start time across divisions is 7:55am (students are generally asked to arrive 7:40–7:50am). Pre‑K runs roughly 7:55–3:00pm while Grades 1–5 are 7:55–3:10pm (Wednesdays are early‑release, ending about 2:00pm); Secondary also follows the same morning start with the regular day ending around 15:10. Recesses, lunch and staggered dismissals for youngest students are described in the divisional handbooks.
AISG offers an optional contracted bus service (PK–12); the school arranges and invoices the service on behalf of the bus company and parents pay per semester. Costs are published as a guideline (approximately RMB 9,600–19,200 per school year) and specific routes are not publicly posted for child‑protection reasons—contact Admissions to confirm whether your area is served.
Annual tuition at American International School of Guangzhou ranges from RMB 229,280 to RMB 303,900 for 2026/27.
American International School of Guangzhou teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 17.
AISG delivers an inquiry-based program across its divisions and is an IB World Continuum school authorized to offer the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes.
The Early Years (Pre‑K and K) programme is play‑based and framed by the IB PYP and the Creative Curriculum, while Elementary (K–5) follows the IB PYP and is mapped to AERO, Common Core and NGSS standards.
Lower Secondary (Grades 6–8) uses AERO and Common Core standards and its academic classes follow the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP).
Upper Secondary (Grades 9–12) uses AERO/Common Core in Grades 9–10 and moves to the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12; students may pursue the full IBDP and/or the AISG Upper Secondary Diploma and may mix IBDP and AISG course pathways.
Across all stages the curriculum is complemented by arts, athletics, co‑curricular activities, English‑as‑an‑Additional‑Language support and in‑school learning support services.
1. Prepare: Before you start the online application, review AISG's Grade Placement Guide and the Statement of Community so you understand typical age-based placement and the school's expectations; gather the Required Documents (passports, previous school records, medical records, any IEPs or therapy reports) so the Admissions Office can process your file without delay. Note AISG accepts only foreign passports (students holding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passports are eligible; PRC passports are not), so check passport eligibility before applying. There is a non‑refundable application processing fee (RMB2,000 / ~USD300) charged per child with each application, so have payment ready when you submit.
2. Apply: Complete and submit the online application form and upload the prepared documents; the Admissions Office will keep in regular contact and update you on each step of the process. Payment of the application fee is required to trigger further steps (for example, the school will confirm assessment dates once the application and fee are received). If your child has received learning or behavioral support in the past, include all learning support plans, IEPs, therapy reports or medical evaluations so AISG can assess whether it can meet your child's needs (the Learning Support program exists but has limited resources).
3. Review (assessments and placement): Once AISG has a complete application, the Admissions Office, the relevant grade‑level principal and counselors will review the file to determine placement; non‑native English speakers are likely to have English as an Additional Language (EAL) screening as part of the review. For applicants residing in Guangzhou, the school typically invites students with complete applications to attend in‑person admissions testing; AISG publishes recommended application timelines and typical group assessment windows by grade (for example, many grade assessments and interviews are scheduled between March and April—see grade‑specific timelines). Spaces for assessments are limited and are scheduled after your application and fee are received, so apply early if you are targeting a particular intake or assessment window.
4. Response and enrollment: After review and any required testing, AISG will inform you of its decision and next steps; AISG begins offering seats (seat assignment) in early April and monitors seat availability throughout the year. For families who accept an offer, note the financial commitments required: a non‑refundable enrollment fee is charged for new students (RMB10,000 for the 2026–2027 school year) and returning students typically pay a non‑refundable deposit (RMB30,000) by the school's specified deadlines; full tuition payment dates and deposit deadlines are listed in the school's Terms and Conditions. If you accept an offered seat, be prepared to follow the invoice/payment timelines to secure enrollment.
AISG has offered an IB Secondary School Scholarship for the 2026–2027 cohort (announcement on the school website). That scholarship is targeted at new students entering Grade 9 or 10, requires the student to reside in Guangzhou with a caregiver or legal guardian, and is limited to families who are self‑payers or partial self‑payers; applicants must meet standard AISG admissions requirements and hold a foreign passport. The program is described as merit‑and‑need based, competitive, and limited in number (the announcement stated up to five scholarships awarded annually), with a potential up to four‑year renewal based on conditions such as maintaining good academic standing; the announcement also referenced the scholarship value (noted as ¥1.3M+ when counted across the award period) and included an application deadline (the post cited Jan 30 for that cycle). The school's public materials do not present a broad, ongoing general financial‑aid program beyond this named scholarship announcement, so for current availability, application windows, selection criteria, or any other scholarships you should contact AISG Admissions directly.
AISG operates a waitlist. If your child qualifies for admission but there are no seats available in the desired grade or program, the school will place the student on its waitlist and offer seats to waitlisted students as they become available according to AISG's admissions criteria. You must submit a complete application and your child must meet admissions criteria before AISG will add them to the waitlist; if AISG cannot offer a place for the academic year applied for, families must submit a new application for the following year (with updated documents and payment of the application fee). AISG also monitors seat availability throughout the year and begins offering seats in early April, so applying earlier improves your chances of receiving an offer rather than remaining on the waitlist.
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