Quick answer: how much do international schools in Chengdu cost in 2026? Foreign-passport schools such as Leman, QSI and Chengdu International School charge roughly 180,000 to 300,000 RMB a year. Bilingual schools such as Malvern College Chengdu, SPGS and Dipont King's College charge roughly 120,000 to 260,000 RMB. Add application fees, a deposit, the school bus and exam fees, roughly 8 to 12 percent more.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by Catherine from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Chengdu has grown into western China's business hub, with the Hi-Tech Zone and Tianfu New Area drawing manufacturers, consulates and technology companies, and its international schools have grown with it. The good news for families is that international school fees in Chengdu remain well below Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen for comparable programmes. The complication is that China has two legally distinct kinds of school, foreign-passport and bilingual, with different eligibility, different fee levels and different regulatory constraints. This guide explains both, lists what the main schools charge, and sets out the extras.
Two kinds of international school, two fee levels
Foreign-passport schools, known in Chinese as schools for children of foreign personnel, may only enrol students holding a foreign passport or Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan documents. In Chengdu these are Leman International School, QSI International School of Chengdu and Chengdu International School. They teach a fully international curriculum, recruit most teachers abroad and price accordingly.
Bilingual private schools admit Chinese nationals and foreigners alike. Since the 2021 revisions to the Private Education Promotion Law, any school admitting Chinese citizens in the compulsory years from grade 1 to grade 9 must deliver the national curriculum, so their international programmes are strongest from age 15 upwards, in IGCSE, A Level or IB Diploma. Malvern College Chengdu, SPGS International School Chengdu, Dipont King's College School Chengdu, Chengdu Meishi International School and Oxford International College of Chengdu fall in this group. Fees are generally lower and the student body is majority Chinese.
Where the schools are
Almost every international school in Chengdu is in the south of the city, in the Hi-Tech Zone, Shuangliu or the Tianfu New Area, close to the expatriate housing around Tianfu Avenue, Jinjiang and the Global Center. Leman and Malvern are furthest out; QSI and Chengdu International School are closer to the older Hi-Tech Zone. Commutes of 30 to 50 minutes are normal, and the school bus is a standard line item.
International schools in Chengdu and what they charge
Leman International School Chengdu
A Nord Anglia school for foreign-passport holders offering the IB continuum from early years to Diploma on a large purpose-built campus in the south. It is the most expensive school in the city, roughly 220,000 to 300,000 RMB a year depending on grade, plus an application fee and a capital levy. Facilities and the IB Diploma track record justify the premium for many corporate families.
QSI International School of Chengdu
Part of the Quality Schools International network, with an American, mastery-based programme and a small, close community. Fees are quoted in RMB but structured like other QSI schools, roughly 180,000 to 250,000 RMB a year, with a one-off registration fee. It is a frequent choice for US consulate and NGO families.
Chengdu International School (CDIS)
An American-curriculum, foreign-passport school with a Christian ethos, established in 1997 and one of the longest-running in the city. Tuition is roughly 170,000 to 230,000 RMB a year, at the lower end of the foreign-passport group, with Advanced Placement courses in high school.
Malvern College Chengdu
The Sichuan campus of the English public school, a bilingual boarding and day school offering IGCSE and A Level in the senior years with a strong record of UK university placement. Day fees are roughly 200,000 to 260,000 RMB a year; boarding adds roughly 40,000 to 60,000 RMB. Chinese-national students dominate, which is a plus for families who want genuine language immersion.
SPGS International School Chengdu
A newer bilingual school developed with St Paul's Girls' School in London, co-educational and academically ambitious, with fees roughly 150,000 to 240,000 RMB a year. Ask about the size of the first graduating cohorts and the exam route in the senior years before committing.
Dipont King's College School Chengdu
A bilingual school affiliated with King's College School Wimbledon, combining the national curriculum in the compulsory years with a British-style senior school. Fees are roughly 150,000 to 230,000 RMB a year. Popular with returnee Chinese families and expatriates on long postings.
Fee ranges by age, and the extras
- Early years (ages 3 to 5): roughly 100,000 to 200,000 RMB at bilingual schools; roughly 160,000 to 220,000 RMB at foreign-passport schools.
- Primary (ages 6 to 11): roughly 120,000 to 230,000 RMB; roughly 180,000 to 260,000 RMB.
- Secondary, IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma: roughly 150,000 to 260,000 RMB; roughly 220,000 to 300,000 RMB.
Extras to plan for. Application fee: non-refundable, roughly 1,500 to 3,000 RMB. Registration or capital fee: a one-off charge at several schools on acceptance. Deposit: refundable, often one term. School bus: roughly 10,000 to 18,000 RMB a year, worth it given the southern campuses. Uniforms: compulsory at the British-branded schools. Lunches: usually included in the bilingual schools' quoted fee, often extra at foreign-passport schools. Exam fees: IB, IGCSE and A Level registrations at cost. Boarding: available at Malvern and some bilingual schools.
A regulatory point that affects cost and choice: Chinese law restricts foreign-passport schools to non-Chinese passport holders, so a family with one Chinese-passport child and one foreign-passport child may be forced into two schools or into a bilingual school for both. Ask early; it changes the budget more than any fee table.
Practical advice for families budgeting for Chengdu
Confirm which currency your employer's allowance uses. Fees are in RMB; many allowances are set in dollars or euros. Movements in the yuan have made Chengdu fees cheaper in hard currency over the last two years, but the reverse can happen.
Ask for the fee history, not just this year's sheet. Chengdu schools have raised fees by 5 to 10 percent in several recent years as they expand facilities. Three years of schedules tells you the trend.
Check refund terms for early departure. Postings to Chengdu are often two to three years and sometimes cut short. Schools differ widely on whether a term's fees are refunded with a term's notice.
Compare Chengdu schools side by side
Use the ranking of the best schools in China to compare the Chengdu schools in this guide on fees, curriculum and parent reviews before you request visits.
More guides to schools in Chengdu
Frequently asked questions
How much do international schools in Chengdu cost per year?
Roughly 180,000 to 300,000 RMB a year (about 25,000 to 42,000 US dollars) at the foreign-passport schools such as Leman International School, QSI and Chengdu International School, and roughly 120,000 to 260,000 RMB at the bilingual schools such as Malvern College Chengdu, SPGS and Dipont King's College. Chengdu is typically 20 to 30 percent cheaper than Shanghai or Beijing for a comparable programme.
Can Chinese passport holders attend international schools in Chengdu?
Only at the bilingual private schools. Foreign-passport schools in China, including Leman, QSI and Chengdu International School, are licensed to admit children holding a foreign passport or Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan documents. Bilingual schools admit Chinese nationals and, in the compulsory years from grade 1 to grade 9, must follow the national curriculum alongside their international programmes.
What extra costs should I expect at Chengdu international schools?
Budget for a non-refundable application fee of roughly 1,500 to 3,000 RMB, a one-off registration or capital fee at some schools, a refundable deposit, school bus fees of roughly 10,000 to 18,000 RMB a year given campus locations in the High-Tech Zone and Tianfu New Area, uniforms, lunches, external exam fees for IB, IGCSE and A Level, and residential trips.