Introduction
Hefei has grown from a quiet city into a thriving tech hub. The city now hosts over 4,900 foreign professionals. They work in semiconductors, electric vehicles, and display manufacturing. This growth has created a strong demand for quality international education.
Families moving to Hefei face a crucial question. Which international school offers the best fit for their children? The answer depends on your priorities. Curriculum type matters. Budget matters. Facilities matter. University placement records matter too.
This guide examines 13 international schools in Hefei. It compares curricula, fees, facilities, and admission results. You will find many options. Some offer full IB programmes. Others provide A-Level centres. Some are public international departments. Others are private bilingual schools.
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Overview of Hefei's International Schools
Hefei's international education landscape includes three main types. First are international schools for expats. Second are bilingual private schools. Third are international departments within public schools.
International Schools for expats
These schools serve expat families. They need foreign passports. The Canadian International School of Hefei (CISH) falls into this category. So does the International German School Hefei (IGS-HF). These schools follow international curricula only. They prepare students for overseas universities.
Private Bilingual Schools
These Schools accept Chinese and foreign students. Hefei Thomas School is one example. Kang Chiao International School Hefei Campus is another. Hefei Xinhua Academy also fits here. These schools offer diverse pathways. Options include American AP courses. British A-Level is available. IB programmes exist too. These schools charge higher fees. But they provide better facilities. They also offer strong university counselling.
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Public Schools’ International Departments
Public Schools’ International Departments operate in distinct ways. They operate within established Chinese high schools. Hefei No.1 High School runs international programmes. So do No. 6, No. 8, and No. 168 High Schools. These departments offer A-Level or AP curricula. Costs run lower. They integrate the Chinese National Curriculum with international curriculum standards and global educational values
Most schools cluster in specific zones. The High-tech Zone has many. Binhu New Area hosts several. The Economic Development Zone has some too. Transportation access varies. Some schools provide extensive bus services. Others need families to arrange their own transport.
Top 13 International Schools in Hefei
1. Canadian International School of Hefei (CISH)
Curriculum: Full IB continuum with PYP, MYP, and DP. This is the only complete IB World School in Hefei, Anhui Province.
Tuition: RMB 138,000–168,000 per year. The price depends on grade level.
Strengths: CISH serves over 500 students from expat families. The school focuses on inquiry-based learning. It emphasises intercultural understanding. Recent graduates did well. All got into the global top 100 universities. The Class of 2025 received 169 University of Toronto offers. Students also got into UCL and the University of Melbourne.
Facilities: Modern classrooms have smart boards. STEM labs are well equipped. The campus has a swimming pool. An indoor gymnasium exists. A golf practice range is available.
Best For: Expat families seeking mobile education. Students targeting top universities in North America, the UK, or Australia.
2. International German School Hefei (IGS-HF)
Curriculum: German Basic Education System for Grades 1–10. IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12.
Tuition: RMB175,000–278,000 per year. This covers kindergarten through to secondary school.
Strengths: Opened in September 2025. IGS-HF is Anhui's first German school for foreign children. The curriculum blends German standards with IB certification. All levels include Chinese language and culture courses. The school serves German enterprise employees. Volkswagen Anhui staff can enrol. XPeng Motors families qualify. Other foreign families are welcome.
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Facilities: The 5 acre campus holds 360 students. A professional theatre exists. A makerspace is available. The design follows the German Bauhaus style.
Best for: German-speaking families. Expats planning to return to Germany. Families seeking bilingual German-English education.
3. Hefei Thomas School
Curriculum: STEM-focused system based on Thomas Jefferson High School. AP and A-Level tracks are available.
Tuition: RMB54,000–90,000 per year. This covers primary to secondary school.
Strengths: The school offers advanced STEAM courses. PBL means project-based learning. University-level laboratory research is possible. The Class of 2025 achieved outstanding results. All students got into the world's top 80 universities. A quarter reached 20 schools. These include Cornell, Duke, and Imperial College London. The University of Cambridge also accepted students.
Facilities: The school sits on a large 38 acre campus. A molecular biology lab exists. An AI lab is ready. The team equips an engineering design lab. A smart sports hall serves students. A golf course is available.
Best for: Students passionate about STEM fields. Those seeking rigorous academics. Families prioritizing innovation and research skills.
4. Kang Chiao International School Hefei Campus
Curriculum: A-Level, Japanese EJU, and specialised Oxbridge Elite Class. The elite class has 10–15 students only.
Tuition: ¥68,000–109,000 per year. The price depends on the programme.
Strengths: Kang Chiao operates 12 campuses. Seven are in Taiwan. Five are in mainland China. The Hefei campus offers dual pathways. Domestic and international options exist. Students can take international exams in their local area. There is no need to travel abroad. The Class of 2025 achieved full success. All got into the global top 200 universities. Twelve percent entered Top 20 schools. UCL and the University of Melbourne accepted students.
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Facilities: The 38 acre campus cost ¥1.2 billion. A 24-hour heated swimming pool exists. A golf driving range is ready. The campus has a fresh air system.
Best For: Students targeting UK universities. Families interested in Japanese pathways. Those seeking small-class instruction.
5. Hefei Xinhua Academy
Curriculum: IB-PYP for kindergarten and primary; IB-MYP concepts for junior high. A-Level and AP for high school. Japanese and Korean language tracks exist.
Tuition: ¥128,000–168,000 per year. This covers kindergarten through high school international programmes.
Strengths: Xinhua Academy serves over 2,200 students. Education spans 15 years. The school is WIDA-certified. IBO authorised it for PYP. The Class of 2025 achieved complete success. All got into global Top 100 universities. A quarter reached Top 20 schools. The University of Cambridge accepted students. So did UC Irvine.
Facilities: The 23.9 acre campus is spacious. An International Youth Orchestra performs. ABRSM music programmes run. An all-season heated pool exists. Golf and fencing facilities are ready.
Best for: Families seeking continuous K-12 education. Students interested in Japanese or Korean pathways. Those valuing arts and music programmes.
6. Shanghai United International School Hefei Campus (SUIS)
Curriculum: Chinese National Curriculum base. A-Level, AP, Hong Kong DSE, and Singapore A-Level pathways are available.
Tuition: ¥56,000 per year for primary and junior high; ¥108,000 per year for senior high.
Strengths: Part of Shanghai Xiehe Education Group. The group has 30 years of experience in cross-cultural education. The Class of 2025 did well. All got into global Top 100 universities. Sixty percent reached Top 30 schools. Strong results in Hong Kong universities. HKU accepted students. So did HKUST and PolyU.
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Facilities: Harvard designed the 20 acre campus. An 800-seat theatre exists. An indoor heated pool is ready. Extensive arts studios are available.
Best for: Families seeking a balanced East-West education. Students targeting Hong Kong universities. Those preferring lower tuition than pure international schools.
7. Hefei High-tech Sino-Canadian School
Curriculum: Sino-Canadian dual diploma. This means BC curriculum plus Chinese courses. A-Level and HKDSE programmes are also available.
Tuition: RMB66,000–86,000 per year. This covers primary to secondary school.
Strengths: Established in 2014, Zhongjia offers 15 years of continuous education. Dual enrollment exists in Chinese and Canadian systems. The Class of 2025 received almost 300 offers. UCL gave 2. The University of Toronto gave 35. McGill University gave 9. Total scholarships exceeded ¥12 million.
Facilities: A modern campus has a VR classroom. A drama classroom exists. A makerspace is ready. Complete sports facilities are available.
Best For: Families targeting Canadian universities. Students seeking dual diploma systems. Those valuing continuous K-12 education.
8. Hefei Zhongrui School
Curriculum: A-Level with Edexcel authorisation. Japanese EJU available. Schools offer AP and OSSD (Canadian) programmes.
Tuition: ¥30,000–34,600 per semester. This equals ¥60,000–69,200 per year for international programmes.
Strengths: Founded in 2000, Zhongrui is one of Anhui's oldest international schools. It serves 3,000 students. Anhui's only A-Level examination centre operates here. Diverse pathways exist. UK, US, Canada, Japan, and Australia options are available. The Class of 2025 performed well. Almost 90% have got into QS Top 100 universities.
Facilities: The 25 acre campus is large. Professional A-Level classrooms exist. An arts centre has a 500-seat theater. The complete sports complex is ready.
Best For: Students seeking A-Level education in Anhui's only exam centre. Families interested in Japanese pathways. Those who value established track records.
9. Hefei No. 168 Middle School
Curriculum: British A-Level. Cambridge and Edexcel have both authorised this.
Tuition: ¥84,500 per year.
Strengths: Public school backing provides stability. Management is strict. The Class of 2025 achieved historic results. One Oxford offer came. Two Cambridge offers arrived. Full admission to UK G5 universities happened. Small classes help. Twenty students or fewer per class. This ensures personal attention.
Facilities: Province-leading resources exist. A digital campus system works. A 400-metre Class I athletics field is ready. A 1,000-seat lecture hall exists.
Best For: Students targeting UK universities. Especially Oxbridge and G5. Families seeking public school stability with an international curriculum. Those prioritising rigorous academic management.
10. Hefei No. 8 High School
Curriculum: Sino-US AP and Sino-British A-Level dual tracks. They provide dual diplomas.
Tuition: RMB 80,000 per year.
Strengths: Established in 2009. This is Anhui's earliest public international department. Over 80% get into US Top 50 universities. Strong UK G5 placement happens too. Students receive both Chinese and U.S. high school diplomas. Lyndon Institute provides the U.S. diploma.
Facilities: New Canal Campus opened in 2024. High-standard laboratories exist. On-campus test centres for TOEFL, ACT, and A-Level are ready. Modern smart classrooms work well.
Best For: Students applying to US or UK universities. Families valuing dual diploma systems. Those seeking good value public school options.
11. Hefei No.6 High School International Department
Curriculum: Cambridge A-Level with dual authorisation. Oxford AQA also authorises this. American AP courses are available.
Tuition: RMB78,000 per year.
Strengths: First Anhui institution with triple authorisation. Cambridge, Oxford AQA, and the College Board all approve it. The Class of 2022 received 25 UK G5 offers. Full admission to world Top 50 universities occurred. The dual-track system serves both Commonwealth and North American applicants.
Facilities: New Linghu Campus opened in 2024. A science innovation centre exists. STEAM classrooms are ready. VR labs work. Traditional Chinese culture reading areas are available.
Best for: Students seeking flexibility between UK and US applications. Families valuing strong curriculum authorisation. Those targeting UK G5 universities.
12. Hefei No. 1 High School
Curriculum: American high school curriculum with 16 AP courses. Small-class stratified teaching occurs.
Tuition: RMB78,000 per year.
Strengths: Established in 2012. Backed by Anhui's oldest modern school. The Class of 2024 did very well. Almost 85% got into US Top 30 universities. The average was over 8 offers per student. A very high teacher-student ratio of 1:5. This enables personal scheduling.
Facilities: Binhu Campus has modern laboratories. Language labs exist. A gymnasium is ready. A complete library serves students.
Best For: Students targeting US universities. Especially Top 30 schools. Families seeking small-class personal instruction. Those valuing established public school reputation.
13. Canada British Colombia International Schools-Hefei
Curriculum: BC（British-Columbia) Dogwood Diploma. American curriculum with AP. The IB Diploma Programme is available.
Tuition: RMB70,000 per year.
Strengths: Established in 2011. The BC Ministry of Education authorised this. It has led Anhui in University of Toronto admissions for 11 straight years. The Class of 2025 has 171 Toronto offers. This is the only IB World School authorisation among Hefei No. 1 programmes.
Facilities: Shares Binhu Campus resources. Modern teaching facilities exist. Living facilities work well.
Best For: Students targeting Canadian universities. Families seeking IB education in a public-school setting. Those prioritizing University of Toronto and other Canadian schools.
Which one is the best?
No single school ranks best for all families. Your choice depends on specific needs.
For Expat families and International Mobility: CISH offers the complete IB continuum. Strong global recognition exists. IGS-HF provides specialised German-international dual education. It opens in 2025.
For STEM excellence: Hefei Thomas leads here. University-level research facilities exist. Thomas Jefferson curriculum integration occurs. Recent Cornell and CMU placements show strength.
For UK university applications: Hefei No. 168 International Department achieved something unique. They have got the only dual-Cambridge offers in Anhui for 2025. Full G5 admission has happened. Hefei No. 6 and No. 8 also show strong UK results.
For US university applications: Hefei No.1 High School performed best. Almost 85% got into US Top 30 universities. They led Anhui in the UC system placement.
For Canadian universities: Canada British Columbia International Schools-Hefei Program secured 171 University of Toronto offers. This is for the Class of 2025. Eleven straight years of provincial leadership.
For budget-conscious families: public international departments cost less. No. 1, No. 6, No. 8, and No. 168 charge ¥70,000-84,500 per year. Private schools charge ¥100,000-278,000 per year. Public schools maintain strong university placement. Public school stability exists.
For Japanese University Pathways: Hefei Kang Chiao offers the Japanese EJU curriculum. So does Hefei Zhongrui. Both have experienced native teachers. Direct pathways to top Japanese universities exist.
For Continuous K-12 Education: Xinhua Academy offers 15 years, Hefei High tech offers 15 years, and CISH offers K-12. Seamless progression occurs. No transition stress exists.
For Facilities and Campus Environment: Kang Chiao invested ¥1.2 billion. Ambright has a 38 acre campus with university-level labs. These provide the most complete facilities.
Conclusion
Hefei's international education landscape offers real diversity. Families can choose between full IB programmes and specialised STEM curricula. Dual-track A-Level and AP options exist. Japanese pathways are available. Public international departments provide quality education at half the cost of private schools. They maintain strong university placement records too.
Consider your priorities with careful thought. Curriculum type matters for university applications. IB works globally. A-Level suits Commonwealth countries. AP fits North American applications. The budget makes a big impact on choices. Public schools offer excellent value. University placement records show each school's strengths in specific regions.
Visit many schools before deciding. Observe teaching styles in action. Meet faculty members. Check campus culture firsthand. Talk with current parents about their experiences. Check whether schools offer your preferred curriculum authorisation. Verify that they maintain proper accreditation.
The right school match depends on your family's unique situation. Consider your child's learning style. Think about your budget limits. Know your target countries for university. Understand your timeline for staying in Hefei.
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