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Good Schools Guide
Special Reports

The ultimate guide to international school admissions in Hong Kong, for parents

From selection criteria and timelines to post-offer steps, here’s what you need to know to secure your child’s place

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Proactive planning is crucial to ensure a child’s admission to the right international school. Photo: Handout
Carmen Cao

Choosing the right international school in Hong Kong is a pivotal decision that shapes your child’s academic journey. With demand often exceeding the number of available places at leading institutions, proactive planning is essential. This guide aims to demystify the process, equipping parents with timelines, key criteria and actionable steps to secure their child’s place.

Key selection criteria

Understanding the process helps parents with the preparations for their child’s admission. Photo: Handout
Understanding the process helps parents with the preparations for their child’s admission. Photo: Handout
When navigating the admissions process, parents should consider several key criteria that influence acceptance decisions. Academic preparedness remains important, particularly for schools with rigorous curricula, but many institutions also emphasise holistic development, valuing creativity, critical thinking and communication skills. Extracurricular involvement and leadership potential can set candidates apart, especially at renowned international and elite local schools. Language proficiency, often in both English and Chinese, is typically assessed, alongside social and emotional readiness through interviews or group activities.

Schools may also prioritise sibling attendance, feeder school relationships and alignment with their educational philosophy. Understanding these criteria can help parents tailor their admissions preparation and applications effectively.

Application timeline

Parents should consider applying to multiple schools to ensure a place for their child. Photo: Handout
Parents should consider applying to multiple schools to ensure a place for their child. Photo: Handout

July – August: prepare application materials

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Finalise your target schools based on their curricula, fees and admission criteria. Check visa requirements, if applicable. Most schools require that students live in Hong Kong with a parent or guardian who is legally permitted to remain in the city.

September – November: submit applications

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Most schools launch their application portals during this period. Monitor school websites and apply as early as possible. After submission, verify receipt of documents via confirmation emails from the school. Remember to adjust your strategy based on application trends. If a top-choice school has intense competition, consider applying to additional schools to increase your chances of securing a place.

December – March: prepare for entrance tests and interviews

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