American International School of Guangzhou vs ISA Science City International School
🇨🇳 Guangzhou · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Reviewed by Priscilla Han
Which should you choose?
Both run IB, so the difference is inspection rating, boarding, and fees rather than the curriculum itself; ISA Science City International School offers boarding while the other is day-only. The choice comes down to target curriculum, whether you need boarding, and budget — verify fees against each school's own figures.
Neither American International School of Guangzhou nor ISA Science City International School sits in a market with a public inspectorate, so both are assessed on verifiable accreditation, curriculum authorisation, and published data rather than an official quality rating. One practical difference: ISA Science City International School offers boarding while the other is day-only — decisive for families who need a residential option. Verify current fees against each school's own figures (see the table below).
Key Facts
| American International School of Guangzhou | ISA Science City International School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | American / IB | IB |
| Ages | 3–18 | 2–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English |
| Annual fees | RMB 229,280–303,900/year (2026–27) | approx. RMB 220,000–328,000/year (year unconfirmed) |
| Enrollment | 1,027 | — |
| Boarding | Day only | Yes |
| Accreditations | IB World School, APAC, ACAMIS | IB World School, CIS |
Strengths
- ✓Oldest international school in Guangzhou (founded 1981)
- ✓Only not-for-profit international school in the city — 100% revenue reinvestment
- ✓IB continuum (PYP + Diploma) with a long DP track record (authorized 2001)
- ✓Highly international — 50+ nationalities, low ~11:1 student-teacher ratio
- ✓Two purpose-built campuses (Ersha Island and Science Park)
- ✓Full IB continuum (PYP + MYP + DP) on one large purpose-built campus
- ✓Substantial boarding capacity (~500 places, Grades 6–12) — rare in the GBA
- ✓CIS membership (2024) adds an external-review layer
- ✓Major facilities — ~78,000 m² campus designed for ~2,200 students
- ✓Flagship of the established ISA (爱莎) education group
Trade-offs
- !Foreign-passport-only — most mainland Chinese families are ineligible
- !Premium fees (RMB ~229k–304k/yr) plus one-time fees
- !No published IB score average — outcomes cannot be verified
- !Two-campus split means relocation between Grade 3 and Grade 4
- !WASC/CIS accreditation not confirmable from a reachable source at research time
- !Foreign-passport-only — mainland Chinese nationals ineligible
- !Opened 2020 — no long IB DP results track record
- !Official fee schedule not externally retrievable (site WAF-blocked) — fees approximate
- !Easily confused with the group's bilingual ISA Liwan/Tianhe campuses (different category)
- !Bilingual emphasis referenced but not fully verifiable from public sources
Best Fit For
- • Expat families holding foreign passports relocating to Guangzhou
- • Families wanting an established American + IB continuum
- • Families valuing a not-for-profit structure and strong international community
- • Students seeking US and international university pathways
- • Foreign-passport families in the GBA wanting a full IB continuum plus boarding
- • Families needing boarding for Grades 6–12 in southern China
- • Families valuing large modern facilities and CIS membership
- • Students seeking an IB pathway near the Science City tech corridor
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: AISG cites offers from 100+ universities across 10+ countries but publishes no IB score average or verifiable placement statistics.
No DP score data publicly retrievable; as a 2020-opened school it has no mature results history. Any placement claims would be school-reported, unverified.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose American International School of Guangzhou or ISA Science City International School?
American International School of Guangzhou is best for: Expat families holding foreign passports relocating to Guangzhou. ISA Science City International School is best for: Foreign-passport families in the GBA wanting a full IB continuum plus boarding. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities — the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between American International School of Guangzhou and ISA Science City International School?
American International School of Guangzhou: RMB 229,280–303,900/year (2026–27). ISA Science City International School: approx. RMB 220,000–328,000/year (year unconfirmed). Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do American International School of Guangzhou and ISA Science City International School offer?
American International School of Guangzhou: American, IB. ISA Science City International School: IB.
Do American International School of Guangzhou or ISA Science City International School offer boarding?
American International School of Guangzhou: day school only. ISA Science City International School: offers boarding.
Questions parents ask
This comparison is BrightKey's independent assessment using verifiable public data only. University-placement figures are school-reported and not independently verified. BrightKey takes no payments from schools. Our method →