Australian international schools in Hong Kong

Many Australians look to emigrate at some point in their lives, and one of the most popular locations chosen is Hong Kong. With over 100,000 Australians living there, Hong Kong has one of the largest Australian communities abroad.¹

If you’re an Australian thinking about moving to Hong Kong, you may be interested in the Australian international schools that will be available for your children.

In this article, we’ll talk you through all the facts, including the education system in Hong Kong, the benefits of enrolling your kids in an Australian international school, and what schools are available for you to consider.

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Life in Hong Kong

Life in Hong Kong is a great experience for Australian expats, with English being widely spoken and there being a large expatriate community.

It’s a country that’s proud of its heritage, and there are plenty of things to see and do including a trip on the Star Ferry, exploring Hong Kong Island by tram, as well as hiking around Victoria Peak.

The expat community is known to be welcoming and friendly, and there’s a prominent Australian international school which we’ll tell you about in some more detail shortly.

The education system in Hong Kong

The education system in Hong Kong is based on that of the British model and consists of primary, secondary, advanced, and undergraduate education.²

Subjects learned include mathematics, music, arts, science, and physical education, plus students are offered regular Chinese and English lessons. Only the first 9 years of the schooling system is compulsory, however, most students complete all 12 years of primary/secondary education.²

Australian education system

The Australian education system is not dissimilar from the process children follow in Hong Kong. In Australia, the education system consists of Early childhood, Primary, Secondary and Higher education, ranging from ages 4 - 18 and above.³

There are also many religious schools in Australia, with an estimated 30% of all Australian schools being linked to a religion. These are predominantly Anglican and Christian.³

Benefits of enrolling your kids in Australian schools in Hong Kong

Here are some key benefits of enrolling your children in Australian schools in Hong Kong⁴:

• Offers a ‘best of both worlds’ environment
• Home to children from many different nationalities
• Both Australian and Hong Kong curriculums followed
• Generally smaller student numbers of around 1,000 per school

Curriculums used by Australian schools in Hong Kong

Several curriculums are used by Australian schools in Hong Kong; take a look at the sections below to understand which curriculums are used and for what ages.

Australian Curriculum

For Australian schools in Hong Kong, the Australian curriculum is followed in primary education, and children are offered daily Chinese (Mandarin) lessons alongside their traditional lessons.⁵

Children are educated in classrooms that mirror those of Australia, and learn a range of subjects that children would be likely to learn in Australia from the Australian curriculum including English, mathematics, science, art, music, and drama.⁶

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is followed in Australian schools in Hong Kong to children in secondary education. They also have the choice of the Australian New South Wales Higher School Certificate as they go into senior secondary education.⁷

The IB is globally recognized and provides a range of qualifications in subjects such as English, mathematics, science and technology, social sciences, creative arts and physical education.⁷

Children in secondary education are also generally offered the opportunity to learn both French and Chinese in regular lessons.⁵

Can anyone apply to Australian schools in Hong Kong

Anyone can apply to an Australian school in Hong Kong, with the dominant Australian school in Hong Kong being an international school.

The Australian International School in Hong Kong is home to 1,100 students from over 25 nationalities, making it a school that anyone from around the world can apply to (subject to application requirements).⁵

Examples of Australian schools in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has one dominant Australian school which is the Australian International School Hong Kong.

Here are some details about this school that you should know if you’re planning on applying on behalf of your children:

Name of school	Australian International School Hong Kong
Location	3A Norfolk Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Ages catered to	4 years old - end of year 12⁵
Curriculum followed	Australian curriculum, New South Wales Higher School Certificate, and International Baccalaureate⁵
Average school fees	Application fee: $1,500 HSK (non-refundable)⁸ Application renewal fee: $500 HSK (non-refundable)⁸ Assessment fee: $500 HSK (non-refundable)⁸ Yearly tuition fees⁸: Reception: $109,600 HSK Preparatory - Year 6: $157,200 HSK Years 7-10: $181,400 HSK Years 11-12(HSC): $190,400 HSK Years 11-12 (IBDP): $228,700 HSK
Application requirements	The following requirements are required on application⁹: Copy of applicant’s birth certificate Recent passport photo Copy of passport photo page Copy of educational reports from last 2 years if available Copy of recent NAPLAN report if available Copy of specialist reports if relevant Copy of AEAS Test report if relevant Copy of passport page showing HK visa approval stamp Copy of applicant’s HKID card if available Copy of ID pages of passports from both parents/guardians Copy of HKID cards from both parents/guardians Copy of custodial consent document if relevant
Contact information	Phone: +852 23046078 Fax: 852 2304 6077 Online contact page

As seen on 27 June 2023

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Sources:

1. Hong Kong Brief - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade
2. Hong Kong Education System - Scholaro
3. Explore: The Australian Education System - FutureLearn
4. Homepage - Australian International School Hong Kong
5. At a Glance - Australian International School Hong Kong
6. Primary - Australian International School Hong Kong
7. Secondary - Australian International School Hong Kong
8. Tuition and Fees - Australian International School Hong Kong
9. Application Information - Australian International School Hong Kong

Sources checked on: 27 June 2023