Korean International School in Beijing

KISB serves the Korean community in Wangjing, Chaoyang, where most of Beijing's Korean expat population lives. Originally founded in 1996 as a kindergarten and renamed in 1998, it runs Grades 1 to 12 with instruction split across Korean, Chinese and English.

This is a national-language school rather than a Western international school, and the curriculum is structured to feed graduates into Korean universities. More than half the senior cohort goes on to top Seoul universities, with regular placements at Yonsei, Korea University and Ewha Womans. The Chinese and English instruction sits alongside Korean rather than replacing it, suiting families planning a Korean-track future.

The Wangjing location is the practical advantage for most KISB families, who live close by. Facilities are decent rather than premium, with elementary, middle and high school sharing one building, so the campus can feel cramped at peak times. Fees are notably lower than the Western international schools, which is one reason KISB does not really compete with ISB or Dulwich for the same families.