Cities / Guangzhou / BASIS International School Guangzhou
BASIS International School Guangzhou
BASIS International School Guangzhou (BIGZ) runs the rigorous BASIS Curriculum for around 1,200 students from Pre-K through Grade 12 in Science City, Huangpu. Founded in 2017 as the first boarding school in the BASIS network, the Class of 2024 achieved…
In brief
The flagship China campus of the US BASIS network, opened August 2017 in Huangpu's Science City and now around 1,200 students from PreK to Grade 12.
The pitch is academic intensity. Students complete a minimum of eight AP courses by Grade 12, many doing twelve or more, and the China network's average AP score sits at 4.2 against a global 3.1. University outcomes are the headline: BASIS reports 78 percent of 2025 Guangzhou graduates admitted to US Top 30 or UK Top 5 universities, and the first 2021 cohort placed at Oxford, Cornell, Imperial and Toronto. Cognia accredited.
Families who thrive here are clear about what they signed up for: heavy homework load, exam-heavy assessment, less project-based work than the IB schools across town. BASIS has a waiting list for popular years, which speaks to demand from local Chinese families willing to trade pressure for outcomes. Best fit for academically driven students aiming at top US or UK universities. Families wanting a softer experience should look at AISG or one of the IB schools.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| K2 (Pre-K) | 4 | Annual | CN¥211,200 |
| K3 (Kindergarten) | 5 | Annual | CN¥236,580 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | Annual | CN¥258,020 |
| Grade 9 (AP Track) | 14 | Annual | CN¥280,500 |
| Grade 10 (AP Track) | 15 | Annual | CN¥280,500 |
| Grade 11 (AP Track) | 16 | Annual | CN¥280,500 |
| Grade 12 (AP Track) | 17 | Annual | CN¥280,500 |
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | One-time | CN¥2,000 | |
| Enrolment Deposit | One-time | CN¥50,000 |
Reviews
- The Guangzhou campus is the network's stronger reputation point in China among teachers. One long-time international teacher called it the best place he had worked at in China, framing it as high pressure and high reward. That view is contested in the same threads, with others noting school quality varies by individual experience.
- AP-led American curriculum with the two-teacher model and weekday boarding for older students. Reported outcomes for the first graduating class in 2021 included offers from Oxford, Cornell, Imperial College London and Toronto.
- Parents and applicants asking about the school online repeatedly Guangzhou is treated more positively than other BASIS sites in China. Several posts describe being unsure whether to take the school's positive reviews at face value given the network's wider reputation.
- Compensation comes up explicitly: one teacher reported being offered around twenty thousand US dollars more to accept the role, and recommended new candidates negotiate.
- ISD has no parent reviews. No substantive parent voices were located independently. Treat the moderate-positive direction as derived from teacher and applicant commentary, not parent verdicts.
Head of school
Jason Shorbe
Jason Shorbe has been part of the BASIS Curriculum Schools network since 2012. He began as the Head of School at BASIS Tucson where he led the team that developed the first primary school in the network. He then played a key role in the expansion of the BASIS Curriculum Schools network. In 2015, Mr. Shorbe moved to Shenzhen, China as the founding Head of School for the network's first international school. He first served as the Head of School at BASIS International School Guangzhou from 2018 to 2021. After a period leading BASIS Independent McLean in the United States, he returned to lead the Guangzhou campus again. He has extensive experience in starting and developing international student programs and western-style education in Asia.
Accreditations
- Cognia 01
Academic results
- Class of 2024 - US Top 30 acceptances 51%
- Class of 2024 - total university acceptances 267 (47 graduates)
- Class of 2024 - scholarships awarded US$1.12M