Admissions Overview
Please note that selected forms will open in a separate and secured Dulwich College International website.
Applying to Dulwich College Suzhou
Dulwich College Suzhou opened in 2007 and is recognised as a leading international school in the city of Suzhou - a city rich in culture and tradition. Our college is a co-educational day school for students from age 2 to 18.
Dulwich College Suzhou is academically selective and follows an enhanced British curriculum adapted for the needs of our international student body. Our academic curriculum is complemented by rich co-curricular programmes.
Students in Years 10 and 11 follow the IGSCE curriculum and the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12 and 13. Our graduates go on to study at leading universities around the world.
The primary teaching language is English, with a dual language approach in Mandarin and English in the early years (ages 2 to 7). To ensure our students will thrive, we assess the level of English of non-native speakers before an admissions decision is made. Our Mandarin programme is streamed and caters to all abilities.
The close collaboration among our Colleges and with the founding school, Dulwich College, gives our students unique opportunities to participate in network events and benefit from the group's relationships with leading educational and artistic organisations.
How to Apply
Please click on 'apply' above to complete an online application. Once you have completed your application, a member of the admissions team will contact you to guide you through the rest of the process.
If you are able to do so, we encourage you to visit our campus to learn more about the College and experience our thriving school community. Please click on 'visit campus' above and let us know when you would like to visit.
We are able to fully facilitate the admissions process remotely should you be unable to visit the campus. Please contact our admissions teams at admissions[email protected] or call +86 (512) 6295 7794 for further information.
Admissions Criteria
Students wishing to enrol into the College must hold a foreign passport and at least one parent must also hold a foreign passport. Both must also have a valid residence visa. Please enquire with our admissions team if you are unsure about eligibility.
In addition to the providing the application form and supporting documents, all students wishing to enrol are subject to the application criteria below. To determine which year to apply for, please refer to our age placement guide below. As a general rule, students should have reached the age indicated in the table before 1st September of the year of application.
Our Nursery is a mixed age provision, catering to our youngest students (2-4). Our highly trained teachers and support staff provide students with opportunities to explore their individual interests through a carefully designed, continuous and open provision, intersected by key teaching inputs. We understand that students make progress in different areas at different rates and we work closely with parents to support their child's unique learning journey. Dependent on age, students will spend up to 2 years in the Nursey unit before moving into our reception classes (turning 5 in a given academic year).
Applicants will be asked to participate in an onsite observation and/or online assessment depending on location and time of application.
All previous school reports, observations and assessments should also be made available to the College at this time. Where possible it is strongly recommended that the child spend a morning or day in either Reception or Year 1 in advance of admission so that the College can gauge the child’s level of readiness.
Applicants who cannot be assessed in person will be admitted on a provisional basis at the discretion of the Head of DUCKS.
Students applying for admission to the Junior School undertake assessments to ensure they can access the curriculum. Students are required to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) consisting of verbal, quantitative and non-verbal assessments. An English language assessment will also be administered for students who may benefit from English language support when entering the College.
The Admissions Office will arrange a time for the student to sit the assessments either onsite or online.
Students entering the Senior School are required to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) consisting of verbal, quantitative and non-verbal assessments. All students will be asked to complete a written English test as an additional language assessment, which is reviewed by the Head of Senior School EAL (English as an Additional Language).
Students entering the Senior School are required to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT), consisting of verbal, quantitative and non-verbal assessments. All students will also be asked to complete a written English test as an additional language assessment reviewed by the Head of Senior School EAL (English as a Additional Language).
Candidates applying for a place in Year 12 or 13 will be interviewed by the Head of IB or Senior Studies, who will make a recommendation to the Head of Senior School.
Special arrangements can be made for the assessments to be administered in an applicant’s current school. Please contact [email protected] to make arrangements.
Learning Support
We only enrol students whom we know we can support. We enrol students with learning challenges when the information available indicates that the student’s learning needs can be met by the services we provide.
Our team will consult students and parents to conduct all necessary assessments and review copies of all previous reports and records. We request that parents provide all information available to enable our admissions review team to make an accurate decision about learning support services and admission.
Language Support
At Dulwich College Suzhou, we appreciate the cultural diversity that non-native English speakers bring to our school and we are able to support a percentage of students who are non-native English speakers. Applicants who speak languages other than English should be able to demonstrate age-appropriate academic proficiency in their native tongue. Our admissions team may request that students be assessed on their ability to handle the academic challenges of English before an admissions decision is made.
Our Fees
*NOTE: Toddler class will no longer be offered. Instead, our Nursery class will be a mixed aged class with students from age 2-4 years old.
Tuition Fees
Examination fees for IGCSE and IB programmes are included in our tuition fees. However, fees do not cover personal expenditures for things such as uniform, any educational visits (day trips or residentials), private tutoring, private music lessons, school supplies, sports equipment, clothing, personal items, taxis, personal travel in school vehicles or medical expenses. A detailed statement of account is issued each month.
Payment Terms
Tuition may be paid annually or by term. Fees paid annually enjoy favourable rates compared to fees paid by term. Each term’s fees and all other sums for which the parent/guardian is liable must be paid before the beginning of the College term. Whether fees are paid by the parent/guardian or the employer of one of the parents/guardians, the parent/guardian shall take full responsibility to ensure that fees are paid in full before their child may begin classes at the College. Families with 3 or more children enrolled in full day programmes are entitled to a discount of 5% per student.
School Lunch
The cost of school lunch is not included in the tuition fee for all students (including boarders). School lunch is catered by Sodexo and works on a Smartcard system. This can be paid directly through Sodexo Wechat account and you can top up the credits online by Wechat Pay.
School Bus Service
The school bus service is also paid in addition to the tuition fee. One way bus riders are charged the same as round trip bus riders. Bus refunds for students withdrawing from the College are calculated in the same manner as tuition fee refunds for withdrawing students. Bus refunds for students who need to change their bus arrangements during the school year will be handled individually.
School Uniform
All students (excluding Year 12/13 students) at Dulwich are required to wear the school uniform. The school uniform is different for warm and cold weather, and students should adhere to seasonal requirements. Please be sure that all items are clearly marked with the student’s name. School uniform can be purchased from the online uniform shop.
Additional Expenses
Not included in the fees are expenditures of a personal nature such as uniform, pocket money, dry cleaning, private tutoring, private music lessons, purchases of school supplies, sports equipment, clothing or personal items from the school store, taxis and personal travel in school vehicles, medical expenses and prescriptions, as well as exceptional weekend activities and trips.
Payment Methods
• RMB cash. We regret that the College is not able to accept U.S. Dollar cash payments.
• Wire Transfer in RMB or U.S. Dollars. Bank account details are printed on all invoices and are available from the Finance Department.
When paying by wire transfer in U.S. Dollars, please use the prevailing People’s Bank of China approved RMB/USD exchange rate at the time of payment. Any shortfall in amounts received by the school for any reason will be due on demand or carried forward to the next invoice at the College’s discretion.
Frequently asked questions
Below are a number of questions that families often ask members of our admissions team.
If you do not find the answer to your questions here, please contact our Admissions team by calling +86 (512) 6295 7794 or email a[email protected]
Do you have a waiting list? If so, how are admissions prioritised?
We do have waiting lists. Placement on a waiting list is determined by the date the application and fee are received, and priority is given as follows:
- a child of a full-time faculty member
- a qualified sibling of a current student who has completed the application process
- a child transferring from another Dulwich College International school
If an applicant does not obtain a place during the term for which he or she has applied, the applicant will be automatically transferred to the waiting list for the following term. At the end of the academic year an applicant’s name will be transferred to the appropriate year level for the new academic year. Waiting list positions are not disclosed to parents. Waiting lists are common for entry into most year levels. We always advise early application.
What admissions testing do you do?
- Do you test all children before admission?
- What kind of test is it?
- How long does it take?
- How long does it take to get the results?
- I do not plan to visit Suzhou before we move. Where can my child be tested?
DUCKS
All applications to Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) are reviewed by the Admissions Committee before the child is offered a place. . Any previous school reports, observations and assessments should be made available to the College at this time. Where possible it is strongly recommended that the child spend a morning or day with their peer group class in advance of admission so that the College can gauge the child’s level of readiness. Applicants who cannot be assessed in person will be admitted on a provisional basis at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.
Junior School
Students applying for Junior School (Years 3 to 6) undertake assessments to ensure they can access the curriculum. Students are required to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT), consisting of verbal, quantitative and non-verbal assessments. The Admissions Officer will arrange a time for the student to sit the assessments and communicate this to parents. You should allow at least half a day for your child to complete these assessment tests.
Senior School
Students applying for Years 7 to 11 in Senior School are required to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT), consisting of verbal, quantitative and non-verbal assessments. Applicants will be interviewed by the Head of Admissions. All students will sit an English as an additional language assessment. The Head of IB will interview all candidates applying for a place in Year 12 or 13 and make a recommendation to the Head of Senior School.
Overseas Candidates
Special arrangements can be made for overseas candidates for the assessments to be administered in an applicant’s current school. Contact our admissions team to make the arrangements.
Assessment Results
We will usually be able to tell you within a few days whether we will make the offer of a place. We do not release the results of the assessment tests. Students are permitted to re-sit the assessment tests after 6 months have passed.
What are your class sizes?
The maximum number of students in each class is as follows:
|
Nursery |
24 |
|
Reception |
20 |
|
Years 1 and 2 |
22 |
|
Years 3 to 6 |
22 |
|
Years 7 to 11 |
22 |
|
Years 12 to 13 |
22 |
The College reserves the right to increase the maximum number of students in each class under special circumstances with approval from the Head of College.
Can my child eat lunch at school?
Yes. DUCKS, Junior School and Senior School each have their own restaurant facilities.
Who are your caterers?
Sodexo
How much do lunches cost per day?
- DUCKS: 28RMB
- Junior School: 29RMB
- Senior School: 32RMB
Do you serve food with nuts?
No. We are a nut free school.
Can my child bring lunch to school?
Your child may bring their own packed lunch to school if you prefer but please remember that it must be nut free.
What kind of food do the children eat?
We serve a wide variety of healthy dishes with a mix of Western and Asian choices.
Do you have a school uniform?
All students (excluding Year 12/13 students) at Dulwich are required to wear the school uniform. The school uniform is different for warm and cold weather, and students should adhere to seasonal requirements. Please be sure that all items are clearly marked with the student’s name. School uniform can be purchased from online uniform shop.
The following is a guide to the amount of homework your child can expect to get each week. This does not include reading time.
|
Year Group |
Hours per Week |
|
Year 3 |
1 hour |
|
Year 4 |
1.5 hours |
|
Year 5 |
2 hours |
|
Year 6 |
2.5 hours |
|
Year 7-9 |
5-7 hours |
|
Year 10-11 |
10 hours |
|
Year 12-13 |
12-15 hours |
What are your school hours?
Students are expected to be in school for registration at 8.10am and school finishes at 3.30pm.
Do you offer bus service?
Yes, school bus service is available with pick-up locations across Suzhou.
What if my child stays at school late for activities? Can he or she still get a bus home?
If you have paid for school bus transportation for your child, a late bus service is provided when they have after-school activities.
How much are the bus fees?
Please refer to the School Bus Fees table in the Fees section of this page. The cost of bussing is not included in the tuition.
We only enrol students whom we know we can support. We enrol students with learning challenges when the information available indicates that the student’s learning needs can be met by the services we provide.
Our team will consult students and parents to conduct all necessary assessments and review copies of all previous reports and records. We request that parents provide all information available to enable our admissions review team to make an accurate decision about learning support services and admission.
At Dulwich College Suzhou, we appreciate the cultural diversity that non-native English speakers bring to our school and we are able to support a percentage of students who are non-native English speakers. Applicants who speak languages other than English should be able to demonstrate age-appropriate academic proficiency in their native tongue. Our admissions team may request that students be assessed on their ability to handle the academic challenges of English before an admissions decision is made.
Application Form
To apply, please complete the Application Form.
New Family Information Hub
For our new families, please click through to our Information Hub to help you get started on your Dulwich College Suzhou journey.
