School guide
Excellent schools, long waiting lists and a second number every family underestimates: the debenture or capital levy.
Reviewed September 2026 by Celeste, Bridgeway Education Advisory.
In short
Hong Kong tuition runs roughly HKD 80,000 to 230,000 a year depending on the school, but the number that surprises families is the debenture or capital levy, which can run from HKD 100,000 to 500,000 and sometimes far higher. Waiting lists at popular schools are long. It suits relocating families with an education allowance, and families comparing Hong Kong with Malaysia.
Families relocating for work, usually with an education allowance. Ask your employer whether they hold a corporate debenture, because it can be worth more than the allowance itself.
Cantonese-speaking families returning to Hong Kong, or moving between Hong Kong and Malaysia. I speak Cantonese, so we can go through the school reports and the interview prep in the language you are most comfortable with.
Parents who need to understand waiting lists. At popular schools a place can take a year or more, and how each school moves its list matters more than the brochure.
Taught across the largest school network in the city and at several private schools, from the primary years to the Diploma.
IGCSE and A Levels at a number of well-known schools, several linked to UK names.
American curriculum with Advanced Placement, generally at the premium end of the fee range.
Schools teaching in Chinese and English, plus French, German-Swiss and Canadian streams, each with their own admissions rules.
Tuition is only half the story here. A debenture is a large, often refundable payment that secures or prioritises a place; families without one usually pay a non-refundable capital levy instead. Ask which applies before you fall in love with a campus.
Indicative ranges only, gathered from published school fees and fee guides. I check the current figures for every school on your shortlist.
| More accessible schools | HKD 80,000–100,000 |
| British and Canadian schools | HKD 100,000–160,000 |
| Top American and IB schools | HKD 160,000–230,000 |
| Capital levy or debenture | HKD 100,000–500,000, sometimes far higher |
| Bus, uniform, lunches and trips | HKD 40,000–70,000 a year |
At some schools a debenture is a condition of admission; at others it is optional and moves a child up the list, while everyone else pays a levy. The difference in upfront cash can be enormous.
Long lists are normal at the popular schools. What matters is how far the list moved last year in your child's year group.
Most schools assess English and maths, and many meet the parents too. This is the part I prepare families for.
Negotiate the education allowance before signing an employment contract. Allowances are often capped at figures set years ago.
If the numbers stop making sense, Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru can offer a comparable British or IB education for considerably less.
From years of reading applications on the school's side, these are the answers that tell you most.
Fee ranges checked against: Hong Kong fee and debenture guide 2026, iSchoolAdvisor, School-by-school fees 2026-27, Sassy Mama HK. Always confirm current figures with each school.
Compare other locations
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Weighing two places against each other is often the fastest way to decide. See what schools look for in the interview or Speak Up Camp.
Tell me your child's age and when you'd like to start, and I'll come back with schools worth a look.