International School of Beijing

ISB's campus is in the Tianzhu / Capital Paradise area of Shunyi District at No. 10 An Hua Street, northeast Beijing — a neighbourhood that hosts several international schools and expatriate residential compounds. The campus is primarily accessed by car or taxi (Didi); event and visitor guidance refers people to the North Gate and notes limited on‑campus parking. It is roughly 25–35 km from central Beijing depending on route and traffic, so many families plan commute times around peak hours.

ISB serves Early Years through Grade 12 and is organised into Early Years, Elementary, Middle and High School divisions (EY2–Grade 12). Placement and age guidelines are set out in the school's admissions/placement information.

ISB is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school (no boarding). It is an IB World School offering programmes through high school.

ISB runs Student Support services that include Learning Support and English-as-an-Additional-Language (EAL) provision; the school publishes Learning Support and Language Support policies and assesses individual needs as part of admissions and ongoing support. For specifics about levels of provision or complex needs, the admissions or Student Support team should be contacted directly.

ISB does not have an official national affiliation — it operates as an international school serving an expatriate and international community. It is authorised to deliver IB programmes.

The school is non‑religious / nondenominational and does not have a faith affiliation.

A typical school day is reported to run roughly 08:20–15:20 (times can vary by division and year). ISB's academic year normally starts in early August and finishes in early–mid June; exact term dates and daily timetables are published on the school calendar each year.

ISB coordinates an optional, contracted school-bus service for families; routes, door‑to‑door coverage and annual fees vary by distance and are arranged through the school or its transport contractor. Bus places are optional, subject to route availability, and require parent sign-up and payment — families should check the current routes, fees and sign-up process with ISB Admissions or Transport.

ISB delivers an International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum from Early Years through Grade 12: Primary follows the PYP, Middle School follows the MYP (typically Grades 6–10), and Grades 11–12 offer the IB Diploma Programme. High school students may pursue the full IB Diploma in Grades 11–12 or take individual IB courses alongside ISB's own High School Diploma; graduation requires a minimum of 24 credits. ISB's High School Diploma is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS) and is recognized by China's NCCT. In Grades 9–10 students follow a broad academic program (English, mathematics, sciences, individuals & societies, world languages/EAL, PE) with room for electives to prepare for DP pathway decisions. Across all stages the school integrates Chinese language learning, STEAM, arts, service learning and extensive co‑curricular options, and the high school offers a Pathways program allowing combinations of DP and non‑DP courses with microcredentials/Impact Certificate opportunities.

ISB describes an EY–12 Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programme built around five competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social-Cultural Competence, Nurturing Relationships and Purposeful Action. SEL is delivered through classroom integration, Elementary morning meetings and a Middle/High School mentoring programme, and is intended to be embedded across subjects rather than taught as a separate ‘detour' from academics. The school references research and uses Tripod's 7Cs framework to guide teacher practice and care for students. ISB explicitly values student voice, partnerships with families, resilience and emotional safety as part of its SEL approach. These details are published on ISB's curriculum SEL philosophy page.

ISB's Student Support Services state the school enrolls students with mild, moderate and intensive learning needs and lists learning support teachers, EAL teachers, instructional assistants, a school psychologist, speech-language pathologists and an on-site private occupational therapist as part of the support team. The school describes targeted, evidence-based interventions, a comprehensive referral process, curriculum modification where necessary, and a Life Centered Education (LCE) class for students with intellectual disabilities in grades K–8 staffed by special education teachers and instructional assistants. ISB's FAQ and admissions guidance note that admission of students requiring support depends on available space and the school's ability to provide necessary resources. The Student Support pages also state that fees may apply for intensive-class tuition or a 1:1 teaching assistant. ISB's Student Support Services page provides these details.

ISB provides EAL support from Kindergarten through Grade 10 and, in High School, offers fully credited EAL courses aligned with Common Core ELA standards for reading, writing, listening, speaking and language. The high‑school EAL model is described as subject-specific and designed to foster independence, academic vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing skills; students exit EAL when multiple measures indicate a high level of English proficiency. EAL and classroom teachers collaborate to make grade-level curriculum accessible, and proficiency is assessed with multiple data points (for example WIDA and MAP are mentioned). These provisions are described in ISB's Student Support / High School course guide pages.

ISB's Counseling Department states it provides developmentally appropriate, student-centred counselling through classroom lessons, small groups and individual work, and that counselors lead SEL and health initiatives in each school section. Counselors also offer workshops, parent education, mediation and stress-management support, and they form part of the school's Crisis Response Team; the school notes that families may be referred to external services when more in-depth therapeutic support is required. The Student Support Services page frames these counselling services as part of a wider network (including SLPs and a school psychologist) that aims to promote students' social-emotional development. These counselling and student-support descriptions are published on ISB's curriculum and student support pages.

ISB publishes a Child Safeguarding Handbook and describes a safeguarding system that includes rigorous staff recruitment and vetting, criminal-background checks, an employee Code of Conduct, annual safeguarding training for staff and contractors, and policies for identifying and responding to children in need of protection. The school links its safeguarding work with its SEL curriculum and describes access and campus‑use guidelines for parents and visitors. ISB's safeguarding pages also reference external accreditation feedback (an independent accreditor's 2023 comment) and provide downloadable child-protection information. These safeguarding measures and policies are set out on ISB's Safeguarding page.

1. Start the online application and create an account: Begin by clicking the school's Apply Now link (the application is managed through ISB's online application portal). When you create your account and submit the online application you will be assigned a dedicated Admissions Officer who will be your main contact through the process. Parents should review ISB's School Age Placement Guide first so they understand which grade the child will be considered for before submitting materials.

2. Speak with your Admissions Officer and check required documents: Before or immediately after you submit the application, schedule a call or email exchange with your assigned Admissions Officer to confirm which documents are required for your child (transcripts, passport/visa documentation, proof of residency or visa status where applicable). For high school applicants note that original sealed transcripts will be required on arrival to finalize course scheduling and to confirm credits-to-graduation. Keep scanned copies ready (translated if necessary) so you can upload them promptly when asked.

3. Request confidential school recommendation form(s): In the application platform there is a section to provide teacher names, school names and email addresses so ISB can send Confidential School Recommendation Forms to current/previous teachers. Inform the nominated teachers to expect an email from ISB and to complete the recommendation promptly — missing or late recommendations slow the admissions review. This step is required for most applicants and is used together with transcripts and assessments during the committee review.

4. Pay the application fee and any entry fee invoiced: After submitting the online application you will receive an invoice; ISB's non-refundable application fee for the academic year is RMB 2,800 and (for new students in the 2025–2026 year) there is also a one-time entry tuition fee (listed on the Tuition & Fees page). These payments must be completed to move the application forward — keep proof of payment for your records. If your employer will be paying fees, mention that to the Admissions Officer early so the finance/agreements process can be coordinated.

5. Language testing and placement assessments: ISB arranges English language proficiency testing for non-native English speakers and Chinese testing for applicants to the Dual Language Program; these assessments are used for placement and to determine EAL support needs. Expect the Admissions Officer to schedule tests or to request recent assessment results; additional academic assessments may be requested by the Admissions Committee in order to ensure an appropriate placement. Families should be ready to provide past assessment reports and to allow time for any ISB-administered tests.

6. Family Introduction Meeting and committee decision: The final step before a decision is a Family Introduction Meeting (on campus or virtually via Microsoft Teams) with your Admissions Officer or a member of the team — this meeting gives the school context about the student and family. Once ISB has the completed application, recommendations, testing/assessments and the family meeting, the Admissions Committee typically completes its review approximately two weeks from the date the application is fully complete; the Committee may request extra documentation or assessments if needed. If admitted, the Admissions Office will issue offer details and invoicing; if a place is not immediately available the application may be placed in the school's wait pool in accordance with ISB admissions policies.

Additional practical points parents should be aware of: ISB uses priority categories and visa/documentation rules (for example, Chinese nationals permanently resident in mainland China are not eligible under current regulations), so you should confirm your family's priority status with Admissions early. Sibling status, returning families and strong English proficiency can affect priority within categories; if you are applying for a start in August aim to complete steps early in the admissions cycle and, for sibling priority in some cases, complete the application by March 15 of the intended year of entry. Always keep originals (sealed transcripts) for arrival and be prepared for placement differences when moving between systems.

ISB's public materials do not advertise a general, school-wide tuition scholarship or need-based financial-aid program on the Admissions or Tuition & Fees pages. The school does operate advancement-funded programs — for example, the Student Empowerment Fund (SEF) and the Annual Fund — which provide grants for student projects and for targeted program support, but these are project/initiative grants rather than tuition scholarships or bursaries. If you need information about any occasional donor-funded opportunities or specific support, contact the ISB Advancement or Admissions offices directly; Advancement runs the SEF (for student project grants) and the Annual Fund which supports programs and grants. Parents needing tuition-assistance options should discuss this directly with Admissions so the school can confirm whether any limited, case-specific arrangements exist.

ISB operates a wait pool (sometimes described as a wait pool rather than a formal ranked “waiting list”) for applicants who meet the school's admissions criteria but for whom no place is immediately available. A student can be placed in this wait pool after the Admissions Committee has reviewed the application; when places open they are offered according to ISB's Admissions Policies and priority categories. The FAQs note a specific practical point: siblings of enrolled students who have completed the application process prior to March 15 of the intended year of entry are given priority in times of limited places. If you are placed in the wait pool, stay in contact with your Admissions Officer and ensure the school has up-to-date documents and contact details so they can offer a place quickly if one becomes available.