Quick answer: How do international school admissions work in Foshan? The four Foshan international schools profiled here generally take applications all year, with the main intake for a September start. Expect an enquiry, campus visit, online application, passport and school records, an English assessment, then an offer and deposit. Annual fees run roughly RMB 150,000 to 300,000. Foshan EtonHouse accepts children from age 2.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Getting a place at an international school in Foshan is usually less competitive than in Shenzhen or central Guangzhou, but the paperwork is more specific than many families expect. This guide to international school admissions in Foshan walks through each stage, from the first email to the deposit, and explains the one question that shapes everything else in mainland China: which passport your child holds.
We focus on four schools with profiles on International School Advisor, covering British, IB and mixed programmes, day and boarding places, and ages from nursery to the end of secondary. Timings below are typical rather than fixed, so treat them as a planning guide and check each school's current calendar before you book flights.
Foshan for international families: where schools are and how people get around
Foshan sits immediately south west of Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta, and the two cities are so closely linked by metro and expressway that many families live in one and work in the other. Manufacturing, logistics and the wider Greater Bay Area economy bring in engineers, managers and returning Chinese families with children who have studied abroad. Some relocate to Foshan for more space and lower rents than central Guangzhou.
The city is large and spread across five districts: Chancheng, Nanhai, Shunde, Sanshui and Gaoming. International schooling is concentrated in two of them. Nanhai, and particularly Guicheng around Qiandeng Lake, is home to Foshan EtonHouse and much of the newer housing popular with expatriates. Further west in Nanhai, Xiqiao town near Xiqiao Mountain is where Nord Anglia School Foshan has its campus. Shunde, in the south, hosts Guangdong Country Garden School, a large boarding campus, while Lady Eleanor Holles International School lists its address on Jingping Road.
Commute matters more than the map suggests. A drive from Guicheng to Xiqiao or into Shunde can take 40 minutes or more at rush hour, and school bus routes rarely cover every compound. Before you apply, ask each school for its current bus map and the pick-up time from your likely address. For boarding schools, the weekly drop-off and collection on Sunday evening and Friday afternoon is the commute to plan around.
Curricula available at Foshan international schools
- British curriculum, IGCSE and A level: Lady Eleanor Holles International School teaches an enhanced British curriculum leading to IGCSEs and A levels. Guangdong Country Garden School also offers IGCSE and A Level.
- International Baccalaureate: Guangdong Country Garden School offers the PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme as a continuum. Foshan EtonHouse describes a curriculum inspired by the IB approach of inquiry, action and reflection.
- American Advanced Placement: available at Guangdong Country Garden School alongside its IB and Cambridge routes.
- Bilingual English and Mandarin teaching: Nord Anglia School Foshan lists both English and Mandarin as languages of instruction.
Foshan international schools and what their admissions look like
Foshan EtonHouse International School
Located at Fufeng Square in Guicheng, Nanhai, Foshan EtonHouse takes children from nursery through to senior years, roughly ages 2 to 18, with English as the language of instruction. Its curriculum is inspired by the IB inquiry approach, and the campus includes 62 classrooms, a swimming pool and a large English children's library. For the youngest children, admissions tend to centre on a parent meeting and a short play-based observation rather than a formal test. Tip: if you are applying for nursery or reception, ask how the school handles settling in and whether a phased start is offered.
Nord Anglia School Foshan
Nord Anglia School Foshan is at No. 55 Dongxi Avenue, West Bank, Xiqiao Town in Nanhai District. It covers nursery to high school and teaches in both English and Mandarin. Its profile notes that primary classes hold up to 24 students and that the secondary building includes science laboratories, design studios, a photographic darkroom and two theatre rooms. Tip: because teaching is bilingual, ask early which track your child would join and what language assessment applies, since the answer can depend on nationality and prior schooling.
Lady Eleanor Holles International School
LEH Foshan, on Jingping Road, is a British curriculum day and boarding school for students aged 6 to 18, linked to its sister school in the UK. It teaches IGCSEs and A levels, and its profile states that around 90% of teachers are British and that scholarships are available. Older applicants should expect academic assessments in English and mathematics and an interview. Tip: if you are interested in a scholarship, raise it at the enquiry stage, as scholarship assessments may follow a separate timetable from ordinary entry.
Guangdong Country Garden School
Founded in 1994 in Shunde District, Guangdong Country Garden School is a K to 12 boarding school with more than 4,800 students and around 100 international teachers among roughly 700 staff. It offers PYP, MYP and DP, plus IGCSE, A Level and AP, and its profile describes it as a CIS member school. With so many programmes on one campus, admissions staff will want to place your child in the right stream. Tip: bring recent reports and any external test scores so the school can advise on IB versus Cambridge or AP pathways before you commit.
Fees, deposits and the legal framework for admissions
None of these four schools publishes a single fee figure on its profile, so the ranges below are indicative. In our experience, international school tuition in Foshan runs roughly RMB 150,000 to 220,000 a year in nursery and early years (about USD 21,000 to 31,000), roughly RMB 190,000 to 260,000 in primary, and roughly RMB 220,000 to 300,000 in secondary and pre-university years (about USD 31,000 to 42,000). Boarding adds a significant sum on top, often roughly RMB 50,000 to 90,000 a year.
The legal background matters for admissions. China's revised Regulations for the Implementation of the Private Education Promotion Law took effect on 1 September 2021; schools for children of foreign personnel admit holders of foreign passports, while Chinese-passport children usually follow a separate, licensed bilingual track. In practice, a school's answer to "can my child apply?" depends on the passport your child holds, so mention nationality in your very first email.
- Application fee: usually non-refundable, often roughly RMB 1,000 to 3,000.
- Enrolment or registration fee: commonly a one-off payment after an offer.
- Deposit to hold the place: typically required within a short window after the offer, partly refundable or credited against fees.
- Development or capital levy: charged by some schools, either once or annually.
- Uniforms, meals and school bus: usually billed separately; bus fees vary with distance.
- Exam entries: IGCSE, A level, IB or AP registration is extra in the exam years.
- Devices: many secondary programmes expect students to bring a laptop.
Admissions step by step: timeline, documents and practical advice
Start eight to twelve months ahead for September. The usual sequence is enquiry, campus visit or virtual tour, online application with the fee, document submission, assessment, offer and deposit. For an August or September start, aim to enquire the previous autumn and apply by January or February, when popular year groups begin to fill. Offers often arrive two to four weeks after assessment, and deposits are normally due within one to two weeks of an offer. Age cut-offs follow each school's curriculum: British schools typically group children by age on 1 September, while other programmes may use different dates, so check before assuming a year group.
Prepare documents before you apply. Expect to provide the child's passport and visa or residence permit, both parents' passports, a birth certificate, the last two years of school reports, a teacher reference, a vaccination record and passport photos. Documents not in English or Chinese may need certified translation. For residence permits, the school can usually provide an enrolment letter once the deposit is paid, which helps families who are still finalising their own work permits.
Mid-year entry and waiting lists are workable. Foshan's schools generally accept students during the year if a place exists, and families relocating in January or after the Chinese New Year break are common. If your preferred year group is full, ask to be placed on the waiting list and to complete the assessment anyway, so you can accept quickly when a place opens. Keep a second school in progress at the same time, especially if your start date is fixed by an employer.
Compare Foshan with the wider province
If you are also weighing schools in Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Dongguan, our ranking of the best international schools in Guangdong lets you compare curricula, locations and family reviews across the province in one place before you start applications.
More guides to schools in Foshan
Frequently asked questions
Can Chinese passport holders attend international schools in Foshan?
Schools for children of foreign personnel admit foreign passport holders. Children with Chinese passports usually join a separately licensed bilingual school or track instead. Some Foshan campuses run both types of programme, so tell the admissions office your child's nationality in your first message and ask exactly which programme and assessment would apply.
When should I apply for a September place in Foshan?
Aim to enquire in the autumn of the previous year and submit an application by January or February. Assessments usually follow within a few weeks, offers arrive two to four weeks later, and a deposit is due soon after. Popular entry years such as Year 7 and the start of IB or A level fill first.
Do Foshan international schools accept students mid-year?
Yes, most will consider mid-year entry if a place is available in the right year group, and January starts after the winter break are common for relocating families. You still need the full document set and an assessment, which can often be done online before arrival. Ask to join the waiting list if the class is full.