Hong Kong Schools FAQ (English)
What types of schools are there in Hong Kong?
Government and Aided schools are free; DSS charge ~HK$30k–70k/yr; Private and International/ESF ~HK$100k–300k/yr. International schools and ESF teach in English (IB / IGCSE).
My child doesn't speak Chinese — what are our options?
International schools / ESF (English, no Cantonese); English-medium (EMI) DSS / private schools; or aided / government schools with non-Chinese-speaking (NCS) support. Most children pick up basic Cantonese within 6–12 months.
What is the non-Chinese-speaking (NCS) student policy?
The Education Bureau classifies students whose first language isn't Chinese as NCS. Schools admitting them get extra government funding (about HK$10,000–20,000 per student per year) for Chinese-language support and bilingual materials.
What does English-medium (EMI) mean?
English as the Medium of Instruction — most subjects are taught in English. Not only international schools are EMI; many DSS, private and some government / aided secondary schools are too.
What is mid-year admission and how do vacancies work?
Beyond the standard P1 / S1 intake, schools open places mid-year when seats free up. OKSchool tracks these vacancies daily from official school websites; they are often first-come and close within days.