Introduction
Shenzhen Academy of International Education (SAIE; 深圳市博纳学校) is opening its English and Math entrance exam to international students worldwide. Score well, and you can win a full or partial tuition scholarship to SAIE’s 4-year American high school program. That’s a complete Grades 9–12 curriculum with 30 AP courses, taught entirely in Shenzhen, China.
You don’t need to live in China to apply. You don’t need to speak Chinese. You just need to sit one online test.
Key Takeaways
The scholarship plan covers full or partial tuition for eligible students admitted to SAIE’s Grades 9–12 American high school program. Scholarship duration and annual renewal conditions will be confirmed in the written scholarship offer.
The assessment process: online MAP Growth assessments in Mathematics and an English-related subject, plus an online interview with SAIE’s principal — 100% online, sat from anywhere in the world.
The cost: a $150 USD fee (Alifa’s current scholarship arrangement) covering the MAP Growth assessments and online interview. Confirm refund and availability conditions before payment.
Who can apply: international applicants may take the assessment. Final admission depends on grade level, age, academic records, documentation, visa eligibility and available places.
Why SAIE specifically: WASC institutional accreditation, multiple international programme authorizations, and one of Shenzhen’s few AP Capstone programs.
Why SAIE
SAIE has been WASC-accredited since 2019, one of the first international schools in Shenzhen to earn that distinction. The WASC directory shows accreditation records for 2019 and 2025. SAIE also maintains several international programme and examination authorizations: it is an ACT GAC-authorized school and test center, College Board-authorized (Authorization Code: 694141) to teach AP courses, and a Pearson Edexcel-authorized examination centre (centre code 94558). Few schools in Shenzhen hold this combination of institutional accreditation and programme authorizations.
SAIE is also one of the few schools in the city offering the demanding AP Capstone program. In 2025, two SAIE students became among Shenzhen’s first AP Capstone Diploma recipients.
Admission results speak for themselves. SAIE alumni have earned places at Ivy League and equivalent universities worldwide. A 2023 graduate was admitted to Oxford. That same year, another SAIE graduate won an 85% scholarship to Amherst College.
In 2024, Alex Bai became SAIE’s first student admitted to Cambridge. He got into its history department — the only offer from that department nationwide that year. His profile: a 1590 SAT, a 118 TOEFL, and five 5s across seven AP exams. SAIE now describes itself as having placed students at both Oxford and Cambridge. It’s a distinction the school says fewer than 40 schools nationwide can claim.
SAIE students had their creative writing added to the British Library’s permanent collection. This happened after they won a UK youth poetry competition in 2016.
The Program: 4 Years, Nearly 30 AP Courses
This is the core of what you’d be winning: a full four academic years, Grades 9–12 American-style high school program, taught entirely on SAIE’s Shenzhen campus.
SAIE offers multiple AP pathways across close to 30 AP courses, spanning areas that include the following:
That last one is the standout. AP Capstone — built from the yearlong AP Seminar and AP Research courses — is a College Board diploma programme that develops research, analysis, collaboration and presentation skills. SAIE is one of the few Shenzhen schools offering it at all.
Who Can Apply
Students from any country are welcome to sit the entrance exam. Students do not need a Chinese-language foundation. You need solid English and math skills — that’s the whole bar.
How to Win Your Scholarship
Admissions Overview
Registration and Testing
| Registration Deadline | Currently rolling — subject to scholarship campaign availability and remaining places. Confirm before paying. |
| Test Date(s) | Rolling while scholarship places and assessment slots remain available. Confirm availability before payment. |
| Entrance Exam Fee | $150 USD — covers the Math and English MAP assessments plus an online interview with SAIE’s principal. Wire transfer charges are the payer’s responsibility. |
| Format | Online MAP Growth assessments in Mathematics and an English-related subject, followed by an online interview. Confirm whether the English component is Reading, Language Usage or both. |
| Register Through | Alifa Education Services |
Applications are currently accepted on a rolling basis while scholarship places and assessment slots remain available. Register, pay the $150 USD fee, then schedule your MAP Growth assessments and interview. Confirm availability before paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Alifa Education Services
Want the full picture on SAIE before you commit to the exam?
Read the complete guide to Shenzhen Academy of International Education — accreditation, curriculum, fees, and admissions eligibility for international families. Register through Alifa Education Services.
📅 Book a Free Consultation Today →Disclosure: Alifa Education Services is an independent education placement consultancy. We may earn a referral fee from partner schools when families enroll, at no extra cost to the family. Our recommendations are based on fit, not fee structure.
Sourcing note: Accreditation details and the AP Capstone program are confirmed via SAIE’s official website (usapschool.com). A Yuanbao verification pass completed July 2026 confirmed three more details, each sourced to the school’s own WeChat announcements:
- The 2023 Oxford and Amherst outcomes
- The 2024 Cambridge admission
- The British Library detail
The “fewer than 40 schools” Oxbridge claim is the school’s own characterisation; no independent list publisher was found.
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