American International School of Guangzhou vs ISA Science City International School
🇨🇳 Guangzhou · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
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.
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 →