which one is the best international school in chengdu?

Posted in: Forums > Living in Chengdu • 25 posts • Newest

• • cdycy
    February 2, 2010
    4 posts
  • which one is the best international school in chengdu?my son is 4years old.I want to send him to the kindergarten.

    -there are two international schools:QSI(america international school)and Chengdu international school.which one is better?

    -Chengdu international school's Tuition fee is high.How can I get a discount?

• • invisible
    February 2, 2010
    494 posts
  • Maybe you should consider sending your 4-year old son to a Chinese kindergarten, it's cheaper and I'm sure he'll pick up the language in no time.

• • zafonic
    February 2, 2010
    2 posts
  • there's also Eton House (which I think has a Chinese section anyway if you want the language aquisition) - which I think is cheaper than QSI - no comment on the quality as not sending my daughter to school yet.

    We are considering a Chinese kindergarden, but my (Chinese)husband very wary of the Chinese approach to education - so really depends what your values are in relation to "education" - as well as price. Chengdu also has a number of Montessorri Kindergardens and a Steiner School.

• • saosao
    February 4, 2010
    8 posts
  • Eton House is very good, has both Chinese and international kindergarten so you can choose which language your son is educated in. Kindergarten fees there are much lower than school fees so you should contact them for more info. Otherwise there are numerous Chinese kindergartens all over the city - some are ridiculously expensive but lots are pretty cheap.

• • Ethan
    March 4, 2010
    7 posts
  • I must echo saosao's post about Eton house. My son and daughter are both enrolled there and the quality of the education is excellent!! My daughter is in their international K. The school is much better than what we had in the states at a private school in California. It is not cheap, but it is cheaper than the other choices you mentioned. It never hurts to ask if they can offer a discount -- regardless of the school you pick. Feel free to e-mail me at ethansinbox at gmail dot com (written out to avoid the spammers) if you want to talk about my kids experience there. -Ethan

• • CatPlatt
    March 30, 2010
    7 posts
  • We have one son at QSI and one at Etonhouse Chinese division and both are excellent. Etonhouse will offer you a discount on fees in the Chinese division if you want your child to attend on an international schedule (ie with Christmas and summer vacations) rather than the Chinese schedule, and also they pro-rate for half days. QSI has a scholarship program for 5 year olds and up. I suggest you visit both, speak with teachers and staff and decide which one will suit your child best.

• • berlydallas
    April 1, 2010
    20 posts
  • I have one of my children in QSI and last year one child in Etonhouse Chinese division. They are both at QSI now. Both are good schools, but I prefer QSI. My son is currently in the 4 year old class and the teacher there is from Puerto Rico and holds a Master's Degree in Preschool Eduction. She is an amazing teacher and in my opinion she not only educates the kids, but she has a great overall control and management of her classroom.

    Chengdu International School is a school that was originally set up for missionary families and from what I understand it is quite Evengelical Christian. Since I am not a Christian, I would not consider this school. If you are and are missionaries you could probably get a big break on tution. It is also far in the west.

• • Louise
    April 19, 2010
    1 post
  • My husband and I are seriously considering relocating from UK to Chengdu as part of a job move. We have two children aged 12 and 9, and I'm really keen that the schooling and also environment is suitable for them. I'm bemused by the number of international schools available and am interested in one which offers the best mix of environment, academic teaching, extra curricular activities as well as a healthy population of 'expats' so they feel they can make friends easier without the language barrier. I was concerned to hear that the classes may be of 'mixed ages' as there's not enough expats to make up the class sizes? Don't know how true this is, if anyone can throw some light but also give some insights as to the different schools, that would be much appreciated!

• • billyuan
    April 29, 2010
    1 post
  • some chinese kindergarten is good enough to you child, agree with Invisible.

• • CatPlatt
    April 29, 2010
    7 posts
  • Hi Louise, I am from the UK and have lived here for 5 years, we have 2 kids aged 9 and 4. The 9 year old is at QSI and 4 year old at Etonhouse Chinese division, but will move to QSI next year. Both are good schools but QSI has larger classes and many more kids in the age range of your children. It follows an international American curriculum but the teachers are from all over: US, UK, Australia etc. Etonhouse uses the Primary Years Program which is an international curriculum based on the UK curriculum, but they have a smaller student population and classes do combine different ages - however the teachers are excellent and do a good job with this. QSI has a separate age for each class but they used to have combined classes and I found it had a lot of advantages for my son. So I don't think it's necessarily a problem. There is a new school that opened this year in the south of the city: Leman International School - they are just getting started so still have small numbers and I don't think they teach 12 year olds. Anyway the only way to choose is to come here and visit the schools. I would recommend QSI but you really have to make the decision based on your personal impression when you visit the schools. One thing you can be sure of is that your kids would have a good education here in Chengdu, with plenty of friends and good access to extra-curricular activities. You can contact me via the Chengdu International Womens Club at chengduiwc@gmail.com if you want to ask any further questions - ask them to forward the email to Catherine Platt. See you in Chengdu!

• • radcookie2o12
    August 3, 2010
    4 posts
  • I have been to all of the international schools and have dealt with the people who teach there and go to school there, so here is an overview of everything you need to know about the schools, but nobody will tell you.

    + QSI - Good education for younger kids. (But the high school needs a LOT of improvement.) The only thing that draws back many people is the obsessive involvement of certain people in that school. They almost live there and know everything about the kids' and parents' lives. So if you want to send your kid to QSI, then either you have to join that clique of people who have nothing to do, or you prepare to be talked about like Britney Spears who just shaved her head.
    + CDIS/Chengdu International School - I actually go to that school. If you are a Christian, then go ahead and send your kid there. But if you are not, your kid is going to get brainwashed like a zombie without a brain. They're pretty orthodox and reserved Christians, mostly missionaries. However, their education is very high quality and very challenging. The teachers are very nice, friendly and attentive, especially to the littler kids. Their Chinese language is very extensive and tough, and pretty much all of the school is fluent in Chinese. They also offer a wide range of extracurricular activities. And in order to get a discount on the tuition, you either have to be a missionary or you can talk to Jim Belcher (the principal) and explain the budgetary problems.

    + EtonHouse - It's only an elementary school and the education is pretty good and fairly challenging. However, last year, the school got a new principal and then the school has started going downhill. The staff is irresponsible and you will have lots of problems contacting the school if something comes up. A lot of parents complain about that. Also, basing on the parents' complaints, their Chinese program is pretty mediocre, but I heard they're working on making it harder.

    I hope this helps you! :)

• • ADaringAdventure
    August 4, 2010
    3 posts
  • Hello,

    We will be relocating to Chengdu in about a year. I have a son who is in high school - he will be doing his junior and senior years of high school in Chengdu.

    Which international schools are best for an upper-grade high schooler? I know that QSI has very few high school aged students. I have enjoyed reading the reviews on here about Chengdu International School, but I am also wondering about Chengdu Meishi International Baccalaureate School:

    http://www.miscd.com/about_us.html

    From what I understand, they are the only IB certified school in all of western China. However, and I may be wrong about this, but it also seems to me that they are a school run by the Chinese government. However, Chengdu Meishi will be much closer to where we live than Chengdu International - Chengdu International will be a good 45 minutes away from where we will be living.

    I also have another son who will be in seventh & eighth grade during our time in Chengdu. Does QSI still have larger class sizes for seventh/eighth grades or should I probably send my 7th/8th grader to wherever I send my 11th/12th grader?

    Thank you for any advice or information.

• • radcookie2o12
    August 4, 2010
    4 posts
  • @ADaringAdventure - Meishi used to be a great school when it was lead by their old principal. However, the principal moved back to the States and Meishi lost a lot of their student population and drama was stirred up. Now, this school has a very bad reputation. Their students are commonly seen drinking, smoking and partying. Talking to real Meishi kids, I got the impression that their education is not very up to par either. When I first moved to Chengdu, I was considering attending that school. The (new) principal was very nice to me but he seemed overly desperate to have me come to that school. I knew something fishy was going on, so after having my mother talk to many people, we came to the decision that the school sucks. A lot. Also, the majority of the high school is Korean and other parts of Asian. So the whole Asian clique is going on. If your kids are not Asian, I do not advise you to send your high schooler to Meishi as he will be faced with a lot of groupings and it will be very tough for him to fit in. (I have interacted with many of those kids and they're not very... approachable.) Yes, they are the only IB certified school, but don't be too quick to jump to conclusion.

    When we first moved, our house used to be about an hour away from Chengdu International School. Luckily, they offered a bus that picked me up at 7:05AM every morning. (School starts at 8AM.)

    I hope you read what I previously posted, but as I have said before, CDIS is a conservative Christian school. I have visited QSI numerous times and as a junior in high school, I'm glad I chose CDIS, even if I do have to deal with orthodox Christians and chapel once a week. I used to go to school at a large public school in the States and CDIS is the largest high school with about 100 kids in the entire high school. I do enjoy a lot of their extra curricular activities and clubs, and dances and mixers are a fun bonus as well. We also have week-long trips out of town every spring and fall. (We have went to E-Mei Shan, Xi'an, Lijiang, Yunnan, etc. It was a lot of fun.) So activities-wise, CDIS is very good. However, if your kid is not a Christian, he will struggle with a lot of principles the school imposes. (No dress codes or nuns walking around beating kids with a stick, though!) As a non-Christian, I had to speak out numerous times in order to be left alone by the missionaries. Another positive thing about CDIS is how challenging education is. Advanced Placement (AP) classes are a must and the environment is very competitive. Many of the kids have GPAs over 4.0s and the amount of homework and work in general that is assigned can be overwhelming. However, the education system is more advanced than it is in the States and about a year (and more) ahead than the American school system.

    As for your middle schooler, QSI is a good option. I have not heard any complaints about the middle school program.

    As for your high schooler, I feel sorry for the kid. To give you my honest opinion, he will be better off going to a boarding school because pretty much all of the international schools in Chengdu are not that great. They all have downsides and upsides.

    That was a lot of information to digest but I hope it helped you! I'm happy to help if you would like more information because I certainly have a lot of things to say, as someone who has had a lot of experience in the schooling part of Chengdu.

• • ADaringAdventure
    August 5, 2010
    3 posts
  • Radcookie2012~

    I am very, very grateful to you for all of your information and advice.

    A little bit more about our family...

    I have homeschooled my two children their whole educational lives... only because all we ever do is move around and homeschooling them is the only way to give my children educational continuity. This next year, they both will try school in the US for the first time ever. We'll see how this goes. If they don't like it, I will immediately pull them out and homeschool them again instead.

    A year from now, when we get to Chengdu, I was thinking that it would be *better* for them to go to school rather than being homeschooled. All I've ever heard about are the phenomenal, incredible international schools out there in foreign countries, blah blah blah. Perhaps this is not the case. Perhaps I can accomplish, with the help of tutors, far more than a school could. I was just figuring that since we actually would know that we would be in Chengdu for two years, that sending them to school would be a good option.

    One thing off the table is boarding school. Not that I judge anyone who has to do this for their own children - it's just that I've been successfully homeschooling them for so very long that to continue would be quite fine indeed. Truly, I had thought that continuing to homeschool them when we get to Chengdu would be cheating them out of some insanely wonderful International School experience or something. Perhaps this is not the case.

    We are, however, Christians. But truly - I'm sure our theology and Chengdu International's theology is different, so for us, while it's not a big deal that they're Christian, it's not like we'd believe the exact same that they do. The whole Christian thing would sort of be a wash for our boys, especially if the environment isn't tolerant of other differences in theology. Do you, by any chance, happen to know what denomination or theology Chengdu International espouses? Are we talking- baptism by immersion, "invite Jesus into your heart" Southern Baptist - ?? Do you know?

    Thanks so much! I've learned a ton from you! You have no idea how incredibly helpful this is. It's not just influencing what we may do when we get to Chengdu... it's also influencing what we may do with the boys this next school year in preparation for what we may do in Chengdu a year from now. I actually have my older son enrolled in an area International Baccalaureate (IB) school locally, but if Meishi is off the table, then maybe an AP school is a better local choice for this next year!

• • saosao
    August 5, 2010
    8 posts
  • I would just like to point out that, as far as I can tell, radcookie2o12 is a high school student at CDIS. Therefore he/she is not best-placed to offer an objective opinion of any of the international schools in Chengdu. In fact some of the statements this person has made are close to slander. So I wouldn't base any decision on their comments - the best way to choose what school your child attends is to visit all the options and evaluate what works best for your family.

    I'm sure you know this already. I'm just concerned, as a parent, that a teenager is making such derogatory statements about these schools. Even though I am sure there is some truth in what he/she says, there is also a lot of "personal opinion".

• • radcookie2o12
    August 5, 2010
    4 posts
  • @ADaringAdventure - Reading about your background, I recommend CDIS for both of the kids. Seeing as how you are Christian, you will have no problem at that school. There isn't one particular division at CDIS, as long as you're Christian, it's fine. There are many different divisions of Christianity at that schools, so it's very diverse. The reason I had problems at that school was because as a non-Christian who came from a public school, I struggled to fit in. Also, if your kids were homeschooled, that is great because pretty much 75% of students at CDIS have been homeschooled in the past.
    If you choose to put your younger kid in QSI, that sounds pretty good. However, only this summer, there was a case with a parent who switched her 12 year old from QSI to CDIS because the kid would come home and have nothing to do (no homework at all), so he would watch his younger sister doing her homework. (She goes to a different school.)

    The last choice you have is continuing to homeschool your kids. I personally know many expat students who live in Chengdu, but are homeschooled.

    @saosao - It IS my personal opinion. Based on my and other people's experiences. And if you have a problem with it, don't read it or listen to what I say.
    Why is it that everything that I said is an open subject within everybody in Chengdu and everybody knows it, but when I actually say it, it's such "slander?" Wouldn't it be more of a "common knowledge?"

    The bottom line is, when you visit the school, you will have the first impression much different than if you would spend a few days at those schools and actually interact with the people there. When I was visiting those schools, everything seemed great and perfect, but it really wasn't.
    If you don't want to listen the person who has actually experienced all of this trouble with international schools, then don't.
    Thank you. :)

• • CatPlatt
    August 19, 2010
    7 posts
  • To claim a statment like "if you want to send your kid to QSI, then either you have to join that clique of people who have nothing to do, or you prepare to be talked about like Britney Spears" as "common knowledge" as opposed to slander is laughable. I actually laughed out loud reading it. Common knowledge? This statement is the personal opinion of one person of high-school age who does not even attend the school. In the experience of people who actually attend QSI, the school community is varied and friendly and welcoming. "Radcookie" cites a 12 year old at QSI who had no homework? The 12 year olds I know there have plenty of homework, so who knows what this child was doing. I know several people who moved in the opposite direction: there are examples of people moving their children between schools in all directions if you look at the overall situation.

    Furthermore, my experience of Etonhouse was completely the opposite of what "radcookie" says: if anything the school improved when the new principal started and I found the staff responsive and helpful without fail. They are moving to an impressive new campus this year and they are a great school, definitely worth considering for elementary level.

    People reading these statements can take them into account, but there is no sensible way to make a decision about schools apart from visiting them in person, speaking with staff and principal and assessing your own family's needs and preferences. It's also worth noting that Chengdu's international community is not currently large enough to support 5 international schools, so there is a certain amount of competition between them for new students. Fortunately the schools mostly rise above this and have established a sports league and other cooperative events.

• • doninchina
    August 31, 2010
    1 post
  • Just thought I'd add a word about the Leman International School in Chengdu as well - and as a matter of transparency I'll state first that I work for the school. We opened in the South of Chengdu in 2009 and have grown to about 65 students in one year. We anticipate continued growth and now serve students in grades PK (3 year olds) through grade 8 (12 year olds). We will continue to add one grade level each year. The school was built to serve some 1,000 students and the campus includes a large gym, 25 meter heated indoor pool, 2 large synthetic turf soccer pitches, soft surface track, tennis courts, dance and fitness studios, a large, bright art studio, music studio and practice rooms and a beautiful dining hall. Every facility one would expect in a large international school is available. As there was sufficient interst we opened in 2009 with about 30 students in grades K-5 and opened our middle school this year. All faculty members are international, fully certified and incredibly expereinced professionals. We are a member of the Meritas Family of Schools - 19 great college preparatory schools on three continents. None of the schools in Chengdu are large by any means in terms of enrollment - Leman certainly has the largest and most modern campus and a growing enrollment. We are located in the South near Luxe Hills Country Club - a very nice, upscale Western housing area. Our faculty includes a full time athletics director, Director of Music, and a fine arts teacher as well as specialists in IT and Chinese. While we are owned by a U.S. company, the curriculm is international in nature. If you want to learn more visit us at www.lis-chengdu.com. Good luck in your search, there are several fine schools available in Chengdu.

• • aluashhh
    September 5, 2010
    2 posts
  • I have been contacted because of the controversy this post has caused, so I feel the need to say my opinion. All international schools in Chengdu are good and bad. I attend cdis, just like radcookie, but I would have to disagree with some things she/he said. I dislike the school I go to because I am Muslim and going to a Christian school is horrible, but education-wise, it's great. But I do not recommend cdis because I really don't like it myself and I have a lot of problems there. The tuition is sky high and they get grants from Intel, but they spend that on MacBooks for all of the teachers and it makes me so angry because I'm the editor in chief of our yearbook and we don't even have working computers for the students!! GRRR!! It makes me very angry. QSI is good from what I heard but I don't go there, so I cannot say much. Also, I know a lot of students who go there and the only thing they don't like is how small the school is. As for EtonHouse, my brother goes there. We had a few problems but they're improving. The new principal is a nice lady from Australia. I don't know anybody who goes to Meishi, so i don't know how that school is. I heard LeMan is a great school. It's newly established and everybody likes it.

• • Sandy10
    September 8, 2010
    1 post
  • Good on ya mates, for trying to give information to people who are asking for honest opinions. Opinions are by their very nature SUBJECTIVE!! CatPlatt, don't whine that someone's opinion is not "right" or not objective....no, it is not objective, it is very personal— as in, this happened to me or someone I know and so now I'm telling you how it could be for you.....

    If you don't want to hear interesting stories of agony and defeat, challenges and adversity....don't listen to people brave enough to express their opinions. Just gather together those glossy brochures and visit the schools.

    On another note, once you've put your opinion out there...it's only one personal opinion....prepare yourself to hear other sides of the same issue....in an open forum that happens....it is suppose to happen...and if it doesn't, well....it's just not much of a "forum" is it?

• • CatPlatt
    September 16, 2010
    7 posts
  • Oooookaaay - but don't whine at me for expressing my opinion about other opinions! This is getting a little bit silly.....

    Anyway I just wanted to add another fact, as opposed to opinion, which is that QSI now has 50 plus students in their middle and high schools, so they are also getting up there in terms of numbers. Plus they are the only secular middle/high school program in Chengdu. As pointed out above, CDIS is a conservative Christian school, which some people want and others do not want integrated into their education. It depends what you are looking for.

• • katwalk
    February 17, 2011
    1 post
  • I would go in chengdu school(boarding schools girls/boys). The tuition for a whole term including registration fee is around 8000 yuan (1200 Dollars), for a summer course it's gonna be less. And the living expenses here are also quite low. The environment is generally nice, the air in chengdu is relatively clean for China and the food is among the best in the country - as long as you like spice.

    http://www.teen-boarding-school.com/

• • Mugwhamp
    January 10, 2012
    1 post
  • The misinformation on this board is rampant, particularly as it relates to Meishi International School, more particularly as it relates to its IB Diploma program. Meishi graduated its first IB Diploma class last year (authorized since 2009), had a 100% foreign university placement with acceptances to places like Southern Cal, New York University, Penn State University, Lehigh University, University of Miami, etc. Meishi is, I believe, the only international school licensed to accept both foreign and domestic students, which I'm guessing is a strength rather than a deficit. Looking at the website, I see the school is IB authorized and accredited by NCA (North Central Association of Schools and Colleges), the National Council for Private School Accreditation, and Accreditation International. As far as I know, there is no other international school in Chengdu with matching credentials. I would suggest that parents visit the schools and talk to administrators, teachers, and parents at the schools before accepting opinions of students on this board.

• • greengirl
    January 19, 2012
    1 post
  • Hello there Chengdu international community!
    We are looking at the possibility of moving out from the UK. We have two children; a 5 yr old and a 9 yr old. They have not had any immunisations as we are strongly against them.
    Can you tell me if it's compulsory for children attending international and/or Chinese schools to have immunisations/vaccinations etc?

    Many thanks
    greengirl

• • ADaringAdventure
    January 19, 2012
    3 posts
  • Greengirl,

    Without even getting into the medical/philosophical debates that can rage (on both sides) regarding vaccines, I would very much urge you to look into what outbreaks there are/have been recently in China. It is much different than the UK. For example, there have been active outbreaks of polio recently in China.

    And yes, international schools require standard proof of vaccination. This can be read directly on their websites. I do not know about Chinese schools, but my semi-educated guess would be that they require them, as well. But, again, you may wish to research and deeply re-consider the topic for yourself (in light of your moving to a much different environment). None of the diseases that the available vaccinations cover are anything you would wish for your children.

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