Cities / Guangzhou / Canadian International School of Guangzhou
Canadian International School of Guangzhou
CIS Guangzhou is the first Alberta-accredited Pre-K to Grade 12 international school in mainland China, founded in 2012 in Panyu. It runs the Alberta curriculum with IB PYP and AP, and the school reports 100% of its graduates received university…
In brief
An Alberta-curriculum K-12 school in Panyu District, the first Alberta Accredited International School on the Chinese mainland. Around 500 to 600 students from over 40 nationalities, with boarding from Grade 6 upwards.
Alberta curriculum end to end, with IB PYP candidacy in primary and Advanced Placement in senior school. Dean Croy leads. Teaching staff are mainly Alberta-certified Canadians, average eight years of international experience. The newer purpose-built campus from 2018 includes indoor pool, auditorium, science labs and an early years play facility.
Public parent comment is sparse but warmly positive on community feel, the Cantonese opera and family-event programme, and university destinations. Class sizes average around 20. Fees sit in the mid-to-upper bracket for Guangzhou. Natural fit for Canadian families wanting a clean route to Alberta diploma and onwards to Canadian universities, and for families already settled in Panyu who want a Canadian alternative to the British and American campuses further north.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler | 1 | Annual | CN¥98,000 |
| Nursery 2 | 2 | Annual | CN¥188,000 |
| Kindergarten 1 | 3 | Annual | CN¥188,000 |
| Kindergarten 2 | 4 | Annual | CN¥188,000 |
| Kindergarten 3 | 5 | Annual | CN¥204,000 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | Annual | CN¥204,000 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | Annual | CN¥204,000 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | Annual | CN¥204,000 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | Annual | CN¥224,500 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | Annual | CN¥224,500 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | Annual | CN¥224,500 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | Annual | CN¥245,200 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | Annual | CN¥245,200 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | Annual | CN¥245,200 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | Annual | CN¥265,800 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | Annual | CN¥265,800 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | Annual | CN¥265,800 |
| Application Processing Fee (non-refundable) | One-time | CN¥2,000 | |
| Enrolment Fee | One-time | CN¥10,000 |
Reviews
- Reddit-side teacher signal is the strongest negative. A 2025 Internationalteachers thread on burnout schools listed CISGZ alongside other Canadian Independent Education Organisation (CIEO) schools, and one teacher said the admin and owner were incredibly racist toward Black teachers. That post was the single most-cited recent signal on the school in international forums.
- The school is the first K-12 Alberta-accredited international school in mainland China and graduates 100 percent with an Alberta diploma. Marketing emphasises university acceptances and the 2018-built campus with indoor pool, gym and learning commons.
- Directory pools are thin. Facebook records a 94 percent recommendation rate across nine reviews; ischooladvisor and other directories carry no parent commentary.
- Faculty profile is consistent: Alberta-certified teachers averaging eight years of international experience.
- The most useful read for parents is the gap between strong outcome marketing and an unverified but specific staff-side accusation about leadership conduct. Both should sit in front of a family weighing the school.
Head of school
Mr. Dean Croy
Mr. Croy, a native of Alberta, Canada, has a Bachelor degree in Political Science from Simon Fraser University. Following this, he completed his teaching and master’s degrees from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He has nearly 15 years of experience in K-12 education, leadership, and a commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment.
Accreditations
- CN_MOE 01
Academic results
- 100% of Graduates Accepted to Top Universities 2025