Cities / Guangzhou / ISA Science City International School
ISA Science City International School
A 2,200 place IB World School at the junction of Guangzhou Science City and Tianhe District, opened in August 2020 by ISA International Education Group. Authorised across PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme.
In brief
A 2,200-place IB World School at the junction of Guangzhou Science City and Tianhe District, opened in August 2020 by ISA International Education Group. Authorised across PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme.
Lee Sanders leads. The senior team was assembled from established names including Wesley, Harrow, Singapore UWC, Chinese International School and the English Schools Foundation, and prior head David Edwards brought 26 years of international leadership to the launch. Boarding sits alongside day. The Class of 2025 secured 149 university offers with around 721,000 USD in scholarships, including Pomona, UCLA, UCL, LSE, Tsinghua, Peking and the Hong Kong top three.
Parent comment runs warmly on facilities, IB delivery and the broader culture of the school. The Science City location is its own reason for choosing the school: families based in the Huangpu and eastern Tianhe corridor avoid the long bus run that comes with the Baiyun and Panyu campuses. Hurun ranked the school in its top ten for China in 2023.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| FS1 (Early Years 1) | 2 | CN¥220,000 |
| KG1 / FS2 (Early Years 2) | 3 | CN¥220,000 |
| KG2 / Year 1 | 4 | CN¥250,000 |
| G1 / Year 2 | 5 | CN¥270,000 |
| G2 / Year 3 | 6 | CN¥270,000 |
| G3 / Year 4 | 7 | CN¥270,000 |
| G4 / Year 5 | 8 | CN¥280,000 |
| G5 / Year 6 | 9 | CN¥280,000 |
| G6 / Year 7 | 10 | CN¥310,000 |
| G7 / Year 8 | 11 | CN¥310,000 |
| G8 / Year 9 | 12 | CN¥310,000 |
| G9 / Year 10 | 13 | CN¥320,000 |
| G10 / Year 11 | 14 | CN¥320,000 |
| G11 / Year 12 (IB DP Year 1) | 15 | CN¥328,000 |
| G12 / Year 13 (IB DP Year 2) | 16 | CN¥328,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | CN¥3,000 | |
| Admissions Deposit (refundable) | CN¥30,000 |
Reviews
Flagship of the ISA International Education Group, opened in 2020 on a purpose-built 78,000 square metre site in Knowledge City, Huangpu. Foreign-passport school running the full IB continuum from PYP through MYP to DP, with day places from age two and boarding for grades six to twelve. The site holds the first WELL Gold v2 certification for a K-12 international school in China and the campus is unusually generous: indoor pool, theatre, multiple sports courts, library, music and drama studios across a single block. Capacity sits at around 2,200 students drawn from forty-plus passports. Lee Sanders, previously executive principal of the IB programme at ISA's sister school in Guangzhou, took over as head of school in September 2025, so the current chapter is still settling in. Fees run from roughly RMB 220,000 to RMB 328,000 a year depending on grade and programme, placing it at the upper end of the Guangzhou market.
Positives
- Curriculum and programme. Full IB continuum, PYP, MYP and DP, all under one roof, with the site purpose-built around inquiry-based teaching rather than retrofitted from a national-curriculum school.
- Campus and facilities. 78,000 square metre purpose-built campus with indoor swimming pool, theatre, music and drama studios, courts and sports pitch. First K-12 international school in China to hold WELL Gold v2 certification for indoor environmental health.
- Boarding option. Weekly and full-time boarding from grade six, with around 500 boarding places. Useful for Greater Bay Area families and one of the few foreign-passport boarding options in the region.
- Recognition. Listed in the 2025 Hurun Education ranking of foreign-passport schools in China at number twelve nationally and second in Guangdong.
Considerations
- Location. Knowledge City sits in the far north-east of Huangpu, roughly forty-five minutes by car from Zhujiang New Town when traffic is moving. Families based in Tianhe or Yuexiu rely on the school bus or move closer.
- Fees. Tuition runs from around RMB 220,000 in the early years to about RMB 328,000 at diploma level, before transport, boarding, uniform and meals. Sits at the top of the Guangzhou foreign-passport bracket alongside AISG and BSG.
- Leadership transition. Lee Sanders took over as head of school in September 2025, succeeding the founding head. Too early to read the direction the new leadership sets, particularly on staffing and academic delivery as the first DP cohorts mature.
- Young school. Opened in 2020 and only graduating its earliest DP cohorts. The first DP results are framed by the school around university destinations rather than published diploma averages, so the academic track record is still being written.
Leadership
Lee Sanders
Lee Sanders is a visionary British educator and senior leader with over 25 years of experience driving excellence in state, private and international schools. Currently serving as Head of School at ISA Science City International School, Lee has a proven track record of transforming institutions—restructuring high school programmes, boosting college admissions, and reducing operational costs while maintaining high standards. Previously, Lee held leadership roles in various contexts and across the ability range of students. His first experience in China was at YK Pao School where he constructed the high school programme, leading IB, CIS and WASC accreditations, and pioneered blended Chinese and International curricula which has become recognised as one of the best schools in the country.
Academic results
- Result IB DP avg 37 points (out of 45)
- Result 95% Full Diploma Pass Rate
- Result 44% 38+ IB Points
- Result 5.8 Average Subject Score
- Result 44% Bilingual Diplomas (most recent published)