BASIS International School, Shenzhen

In Brief

BASIS Shenzhen is the standout American curriculum school in the city - academically serious, well resourced and operating from a purpose-built campus since 2023. Families drawn to the AP pathway will find little to argue with here, as long as the fees fit.

BASIS International School Shenzhen opened in 2015 as the first BASIS campus outside the United States and has since become one of the larger international schools in Nanshan, with around 1,500 students. The 2023 move to a purpose-built campus resolved the space pressures that came with rapid growth - the school now has 68 classrooms, a double-decker gymnasium, auditorium, observatory and dedicated science facilities. Within the BASIS network, the Shenzhen Nanshan site has consistently been regarded as one of the stronger campuses.

The academic model is demanding by design. AP courses form the core of the secondary curriculum, and the university placement record - primarily US institutions, with some UK and European destinations - reflects the rigour families sign up for. Pre-K through Grade 5 follows a structured American primary framework before the AP pathway builds from middle school upward. Families moving from British or IB schools should think carefully about whether the switch suits their child.

At CNY 264K to CNY 327K, BASIS sits at the top of the Shenzhen fee range. Families who have been in the city a few years note the fees have risen steadily. There is no full IB Continuum here - if an IB Diploma is the target, ISNS is the more natural fit. BASIS makes sense for families with a clear appetite for the American AP route and who are likely to head to a US university.