Schools in Shanghai: American schools, international schools and getting to college

If you want a US-style education in Shanghai, you can have one, complete with AP classes and a homecoming vibe. Just budget for tuition that looks a lot like a private college back home.

The short version

• Most American families in Shanghai use schools for the children of foreign nationals, which follow American, British, IB or other foreign curriculums.
• Shanghai American School, founded in 1912, has campuses in Pudong and Puxi and offers both AP and the IB Diploma [1][3].
• Its 2026-27 tuition runs from CNY 246,000 (about USD 37,000) for pre-K to CNY 311,000 (about USD 46,700) for high school, plus enrollment and entry fees [2].
• Concordia International School Shanghai in Jinqiao offers an American-style education with AP, from preschool to grade 12 [4].
• College applications from Shanghai work much like they do stateside, but plan testing and FAFSA paperwork early.

USD conversions use the Federal Reserve H.10 rate of October 30, 2026 (USD 1 = CNY 6.6538) [7].

How schooling works for foreign kids in Shanghai

Shanghai has three broad options for an American child:

The first group is where most Americans end up. China licenses these as schools for the children of foreign personnel. Admission typically depends on a foreign passport, which is why the schools ask for your child's passport and your residence permit with the application. Shanghai American School describes itself as a private school for the children of foreign personnel [3], and one listing of Concordia is labeled as open to non-Chinese passport holders only [5]. Rules and enforcement change, so dual US-Chinese citizens in particular should ask each school directly.

Chinese public schools sometimes accept foreign children, especially in the lower grades, but places, paperwork and language support vary by district. If you're thinking about it, visit the school, ask for the documents list in writing and be ready for a full Chinese-language day.

American-curriculum schools

Shanghai American School (SAS)

SAS dates from 1912 [1]. Today it has two campuses [1][3]:

• Pudong campus, 1600 Lingbai Road, opened in 1998
• Puxi campus, 258 Jinfeng Road in Minhang, opened in 2000

The school offers both AP and the IB Diploma, and says it was the first school in Asia to offer the AP Capstone diploma [1]. It's accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Council of International Schools [3]. An encyclopedia entry lists enrollment of about 3,000 students and faculty from about 50 countries [3]. Check the school's own pages for current figures.

Fees for 2026-27, from the school's tuition page [2]:

On top of tuition [2]:

• Application fee: CNY 2,800 (about USD 420), nonrefundable
• Enrollment fee: CNY 32,000 (about USD 4,800) a year, nonrefundable, to hold a place
• Entry fee for new students: CNY 28,000 (about USD 4,200) for pre-K to grade 5, and CNY 33,000 (about USD 5,000) for grades 6 to 12
• Optional bus: CNY 12,150 (about USD 1,800) a semester

Tuition is paid in two installments, due June 1 and November 1 [2]. So tuition plus the enrollment and entry fees for a new high schooler come to about CNY 376,000 (about USD 56,500) before the bus, lunches and trips. That's sticker shock even by private-school standards back home.

Concordia International School Shanghai

Concordia opened in 1998 in Jinqiao, a Pudong neighborhood popular with expat families, at 345 Huangyang Road [4][5]. It describes its program as a comprehensive American-style education with Advanced Placement courses, from preschool through grade 12 [4]. It's a private Christian school, part of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod [5]. We couldn't open its current fee page, so ask admissions for the 2026-27 schedule.

Other international schools

Shanghai also has British, Canadian, Australian, French, German, Japanese and IB schools, plus bilingual schools. We list only the schools we could check against their own pages. When you compare, ask each one:

1. Which diploma does a graduate get, and is it accredited (WASC, Middle States, CIS, IB)?
2. How many graduates went to US colleges in the last few years, and where?
3. What are the full first-year costs, including enrollment, entry and capital fees?
4. Is there a waitlist for your child's grade, and when does the application window open?
5. Does your employer pay the school directly? Many expat packages do.

Applying: timing and paperwork

International schools in Shanghai run on an August-to-June year, like most US schools. To give yourself room:

1. Start 9 to 12 months ahead. Popular grades fill early.
2. Collect documents: passports, residence permits or visa plans, two or three years of report cards, standardized test results, teacher recommendations and vaccination records.
3. Apply and pay the fee. At SAS, the application fee only applies to the school year you apply for [2].
4. Assessments and interviews, often online if you're still in the States.
5. Pay the enrollment fee quickly once you get an offer. SAS gives new students five working days from the invoice [2].
6. Check bus routes against neighborhoods before you sign a lease. Where you live and where the kids go to school are really one decision.

US college applications from Shanghai

An American kid at an international school in Shanghai applies to US colleges much like a kid in Ohio does: Common App, essays, recommendations and a transcript. A few differences:

• The counselor matters. Good international schools have college counselors who know US admissions. Ask how many students they support each.
• Testing takes planning. If your target colleges want the SAT or ACT, check where and when tests are offered near Shanghai on the College Board and ACT sites well in advance.
• In-state tuition is tricky. Public universities set their own residency rules, and living abroad can cost you in-state rates. Check the rules in your home state.
• Federal aid still applies. US citizens, including those born abroad to US-citizen parents, can qualify for federal student aid. Students need a valid Social Security number and a high school diploma or the equivalent [6]. The FAFSA asks for your US tax return, so keep filing.

If your child was born abroad and doesn't have a US passport or Social Security number yet, sort that out years before senior fall. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is the starting point.

For candid reviews of schools and bus routes, ask other parents in our community group for Americans in China.

Sources

1. Shanghai American School: home page
2. Shanghai American School: Tuition and fees
3. Wikipedia: Shanghai American School
4. Concordia International School Shanghai: home page
5. Wikipedia: Concordia International School Shanghai
6. Federal Student Aid: Eligibility requirements (PDF)
7. Federal Reserve: H.10 foreign exchange rates

Keep reading

• Learning Mandarin in Shanghai
• Renting in Shanghai
• Cost of living in Shanghai vs New York
• Registering a child born abroad: the CRBA