French International School of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Founded in 1963 when French engineers arrived to build the Shek Pik dam, FIS has grown from 30 students to become one of Hong Kong's respected international schools. Operating across four campuses on Hong Kong Island and New Territories, the school serves 2,700 students from 45 countries through both French and International streams. Under Principal Marion Coupat, FIS maintains formal links with the Agency for French Teaching Abroad (AEFE) while holding IB World School authorization since 1988 - making it the first international school in Hong Kong to achieve this status.

The school offers dual pathways with French students pursuing DNB and BAC qualifications while International stream students complete IGCSEs and IB Diploma. With an IB average of 34.0, academic performance remains solid within Hong Kong's competitive international education market. FIS pioneered Mandarin instruction in 1973 as the first international school in Hong Kong to offer Chinese language classes, reflecting its forward-thinking approach to multilingual education that now includes multiple European languages alongside French and English core instruction.

Strengths

Genuine bilingual French-English education with multicultural student body from 45 countries
Strong academic pathways offering both French qualifications (DNB/BAC) and International options (IGCSE/IB)
Historical significance as Hong Kong's first IB World School (1988) and first to offer Mandarin classes (1973)
Four well-distributed campuses across Hong Kong Island and New Territories
Solid IB performance with 34.0 average score
Formal links to French Ministry of Foreign Affairs through AEFE network

Considerations

Limited recent parent feedback available in public sources
Fee structure information not readily available for budget planning
Large student population across multiple campuses may affect individual attention
French stream requirements may not suit all international families
Campus locations may require consideration for daily commuting logistics

Academics

The French International School (FIS) reports strong academic performance across its dual streams. For the Class of 2025, the pass rate for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) was 94%, while the French Baccalauréat and the Diplôme National du Brevet (DNB) both achieved a 100% success rate (FIS Results & Exams). In 2024, 70% of IGCSE students achieved 7 or more A /A grades, with 93% passing with 5 or more A -C grades (FIS IGCSE Results).

School life

FIS offers over 80 extracurricular activities with more than 185 sessions per week. Activities for primary students include arts, robotics, Mandarin, drama, choir, chess, sewing, gardening, gymnastics, fencing, swimming, football, and judo. Secondary students can participate in coding, FIS Orchestra, debate team, World Scholar's Cup, basketball, cross-fitness, mixed martial arts, badminton, indoor climbing, and rugby (FIS Extracurricular Activities).

The school operates across four campuses: Blue Pool Road (Secondary), Jardine's Lookout (Primary), Chai Wan (Primary), and Tseung Kwan O (Early Years to Lower Secondary). Facilities include swimming pools at the Tseung Kwan O and Jardine's Lookout campuses, the latter featuring a 25-meter pool. There are auditoriums at Tseung Kwan O (300 seats) and Jardine's Lookout (310 seats), as well as gymnasiums, basketball courts, art and music rooms, multimedia rooms, libraries, and an eco-garden (FIS Our Campuses, Wikipedia).

Student body

FIS enrols approximately 2,900 students across its two streams (FIS School Profile 2025-2026). The student body is multicultural, representing over 40 to 45 different nationalities (EDB Guide). The school serves students from age 3 to 18 (Petite Section to Terminale/Year 13).

Fee	Age	Type	Amount
Nursery and Reception	3	Annual	HK$151,984
Year 1 to Year 6	5	Annual	HK$161,373
Year 7 to Year 11	11	Annual	HK$202,000
Year 12 and Year 13	16	Annual	HK$217,599
Assessment Fee		One-time	HK$1,000
Application Fee		One-time	HK$2,200
Registration Deposit		One-time	HK$25,000
Private Debenture (refundable)		One-time	HK$120,000
Corporate Debenture (refundable and transferable)		One-time	HK$250,000

The French International School of Hong Kong, founded 1963, runs four campuses (Blue Pool Road in Happy Valley, Jardine's Lookout, Chai Wan, Tseung Kwan O) and around 2,800 students. Two parallel streams: a French stream to the Baccalauréat, and an International stream on the English National Curriculum to IGCSE then IB. FIS was the first IB World School in Hong Kong.
Outcomes parents cite: a 100% Baccalauréat pass rate with around 40% mention très bien; an IB Diploma average around 35; roughly 60% of IGCSEs at A* or A. The IB and IGCSE pool is consistent rather than spectacular, and one ISD reviewer felt the scores were not great and that the school lacked community feel.
Mumsnet and ISD parents praise the International stream's primary as strong academically, with smaller classes than ESF and a good national mix. "Classes are smaller than ESF and have a good mix of nationalities" recurs as the headline. The flip side: the second language is French, not Mandarin, so families expecting Cantonese exposure should look elsewhere.
Campus quality is uneven. Tseung Kwan O is praised for facilities; one parent called Chai Wan "great" with spacious outdoor space; the Blue Pool Road secondary site is the most criticised, with reviews flagging limited space, an overcrowded cafeteria and average science equipment.

Bertrand Ferret