This year marks the ninth consecutive year that KingLead has published its China international school rankings series. As the world undergoes profound transformations and faces the impact of technological waves, international schools have entered a new phase centered on "high-quality development." In response to a rapidly evolving market environment and based on an assessment of ongoing industry upgrades, KingLead has carried out a strategic innovation and enhancement of its evaluation system: while continuing the annual brand value ranking, starting from 2026, a monthly rating has been officially introduced, establishing a dynamic tracking and evaluation mechanism.
On September 15th, 2026, the KingLead 2026 China International School Brand Value Top 100 · September Monthly Rating is officially released. Through the dynamic tracking and evaluation of international schools' brand value, this monthly rating aims to provide parents with timely, scientific, and robust evidence for school selection, while offering schools a dynamic benchmark for development, thereby supporting Chinese international schools in accelerating their progress toward a new stage of high-quality development. The vast majority of schools featured in this rating possess either a brand heritage spanning over a decade or strong institutional backing—precisely the solid foundation and core driving force behind the industry's high-quality advancement.
Background
International schools in China emerged in the late 1990s. According to 2026 statistics data of KingLead Research, after decades of development, international schools in China have grown from less than 100 to more than 1,200 now. Families with demands on international education have more elegant choices, and international schools are facing increasingly fierce competition. International schools have entered the era of branding, and the effect of top-brand international schools have become increasingly prominent. Brand building has become a strategic choice for the development of international schools.
Research Objects
The private international schools in China (except Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) that apply international high school curricular and whose students aim to study in overseas higher education institutions.
From a fairness perspective, KingLead Research adopts individual school campuses as the research cases. Schools that only provide group-level data and cannot distinguish campus-specific data are excluded from the rankings.
Evaluation Methods
Based on the KingLead dynamically updated big database of international schools, KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 Monthly Rating comprehensively evaluates international school brands in terms of certification, teachers, social influence, sustainable operations, and industry influence combined with KingLead Research experts' opinions in the field of international education and through field research, interviews with principals, parents' comments and quantitative evaluation.
Rankings
Evaluation System
KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 Monthly Rating includes five core indicators: International Certification Competitiveness, Faculty Competitiveness, Social Influence, Sustainable Operations and Industry Influence. The following is the brand value evaluation system of Chinese international schools:
1
Certification Competitiveness
International Certification contains two sub-indicators: Certificated Institutions Authorized by Mainstream Exam Committees and Certification by Mainstream International Certification Organizations.
1.1 Certificated Institutions Authorized by Mainstream Exam Committees
If IB courses have been certificated by IBO
If AP courses have been certificated by College Board
If IGCSE/A-Level courses have been certificated by CIE
If IGCSE/A-Level courses have been certificated by AQA
If IGCSE/A-Level courses have been certificated by Edexcel
1.2 Certification by Mainstream International Certification Organizations
NEASC: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
CIS: The Council of International Schools
WASC: The Western Association of Schools and Colleges
2
Faculty Competitiveness
Faculty-Student Ratio
Proportion of Highly Educated Faculties (With master's degree or above)
3
Social Influence
Parents' Comments
4
Sustainable Operations
Financial Soundness
Team Stability
5
Industry Influence
Industry Influence contains two sub-indicators: Industry Experts Evaluation and Academic Experts and Scholars Evaluation.
5.1 Industry Experts Evaluation
Brand History
Brand Investment
Brand Communication
5.2 Academic Experts and Scholars Evaluation
Educational Philosophy
School Culture
Characteristics of the School
Rating System
KingLead China International School Brand Value Top 100 Monthly Rating rates schools' brand value based on their rankings. The top 1-20 are rated as "5A", the top 21-50 are rated as "4A", the top 51-100 are rated as "3A".
Ranking Analysis
City Distribution
1
Shanghai
A total of 22 international schools in Shanghai are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, 4 schools have been awarded 5A rating—Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy, Shanghai Pinghe School, Shanghai United International School, Gubei Secondary Campus, Shanghai SMIC Private School.
7 schools have been awarded 4A rating—Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School, Shanghai Hongrun Boyuan School, Living Word Shanghai, Shanghai United International School Jiaoke Campus, Shanghai United International School Wanyuan Campus, Shanghai Southwest Weiyu Middle School International Division, Shanghai Qingpu World Foreign Language School.
11 schools have been awarded 3A rating—Shanghai New Epoch Bilingual School, Shanghai HD Bilingual School, Shanghai Tianjiabing High School International Curriculum Center, Yew Wah International Education School of Shanghai Gubei, Shenghua Zizhu Academy, Shanghai Wanke Bilingual School, Yew Wah International Education School of Shanghai Lingang, Nord Anglia Chinese International School Shanghai, Shanghai Nanyang Model Private School, Vanke School Pudong, Shanghai Gold Apple Bilingual School.
2
Beijing
A total of 16 international schools in Beijing are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, 6 schools have been awarded 5A rating—Keystone Academy, Beijing Haidian Foreign Language School, Beijing New Talent Academy, Beijing International Bilingual Academy, Beijing City International School, Beijing Huijia Private School.
6 schools have been awarded 4A rating—Chaoyang KaiWen Academy, Beijing Aidi School, Beijing SMIC Private School High School, Beijing 21st Century School, China Beijing Bacui Bilingual School, HD Beijing School.
4 schools have been awarded 3A rating—Beijing World Youth Academy, Beijing Royal School, Beijing Xin Fuxue International Academy, Beijing Lize International Academy.
3
Suzhou
A total of 11 international schools in Suzhou are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, three schools have been awarded 5A rating—United World College Changshu China, Suzhou Foreign Language School, Overseas Chinese Academy of Concord Suzhou.
Two schools have been awarded 4A rating—China World Academy Changshu, Soochow Foreign Language School.
6 schools have been awarded 3A rating—Suzhou Foreign Language School Kunshan Campus, Suzhou International Academy, Suzhou Foreign Language School Wuzhong Campus, Ulink High School of Suzhou Industrial Park, Living Word Suzhou, Kang Chiao International School, East China.
4
Hangzhou
A total of 5 international schools in Hangzhou are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 5A rating—Olive Tree International Academy. One school has been awarded 4A rating—Huili School Hangzhou. Three schools have been awarded 3A rating—Hangzhou Wickham International School, Wycombe Abbey School Hangzhou, Hangzhou World Foreign Language School.
5
Chengdu
A total of 4 international schools in Chengdu are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 5A rating—Chengdu Foreign Language School. One school has been awarded 4A rating—Chengdu Experimental Foreign Languages School International Department. Two schools have been awarded 3A rating—Chengdu Meishi International School, Cogdel School Chengdu.
6
Guangzhou
A total of 4 international schools in Guangzhou are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, two schools have been awarded 4A rating—Fettes College Guangzhou, Guangzhou SCA School. Two schools have been awarded 3A rating—Yew Wah International Education School of Guangzhou, Guangzhou Huawen Senior High School.
7
Foshan
A total of three international schools in Foshan are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, two schools have been awarded 5A rating—Guangdong Country Garden School, Guangdong Shunde Desheng School (International). One school has been awarded 4A rating—Stellart International School of Arts.
8
Wuhan
A total of three international schools in Wuhan are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 5A rating—Wuhan Britain-China School. One school has been awarded 4A rating—Wuhan Jingkai Foreign Language School. One school has been awarded 3A rating—Cogdel Cranleigh School Wuhan International Section.
9
Tianjin
A total of three international schools in Tianjin are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 4A rating—Haileybury Tianjin. Two schools have been awarded 3A rating—Fayao High School, Maple Leaf School —Tianjin TEDA.
10
Ningbo
A total of three international schools in Ningbo are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, two schools have been awarded 4A rating—Boyi ONE, HD Ningbo School. One school has been awarded 3A rating—Ningbo Havos Kent School.
11
Wuxi
A total of three international schools in Wuxi are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 4A rating—Wuxi United International School. Two schools have been awarded 3A rating—Wuxi Foreign Language School International Department, Wuxi Big Bridge Academy.
12
Zhuhai
A total of two international schools in Zhuhai are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 5A rating—Zhuhai Yifu Experimental Secondary School. One school has been awarded 4A rating—Dulwich College International High School Programme Hengqin.
13
Shenzhen
A total of two international schools in Shenzhen are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating. Among them, one school has been awarded 5A rating—Shenzhen Vanke Meisha Academy. One school has been awarded 4A rating—Shenzhen (Nanshan) Concord College of Sino-Canada.
14
Hefei
A total of two international schools in Hefei are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and have been awarded 3A rating—Shanghai United International School Hefei Campus, Sino-Canada Concord School of Hefei High Tech Zone.
15
Qingdao
A total of two international schools in Qingdao are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and have been awarded 3A rating—HD Qingdao Wanda School, Malvern College Qingdao.
16
Changsha
A total of two international schools in Changsha are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and have been awarded 3A rating—Ningxiang Country Garden School, Cogdel Cranleigh School Changsha.
17
Nanjing
A total of two international schools in Nanjing are on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and have been awarded 3A rating—HT Nanjing Impact Academy, Nanjing Jiangning Binjiang Foreign Language School.
18
Xiamen
One international school in Xiamen is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 4A rating—Chiway Repton High School Xiamen.
19
Dongguan
One international school in Dongguan is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 4A rating—Affiliated School of JNU for Hong Kong & Macao Students · Dongguan.
20
Huizhou
One international school in Huizhou is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 4A rating—Country Garden Silver Beach School.
21
Wenzhou
One international school in Wenzhou is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Wenzhou Semir United International School.
22
Zhenjiang
One international school in Zhenjiang is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Jurong Country Garden School.
23
Zhuji
One international school in Zhuji is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Hailiang Education Astra College.
24
Chongqing
One international school in Chongqing is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Chongqing Bashu Ivy Academy.
25
Dalian
One international school in Dalian is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Dalian Huamei School.
26
Changzhou
One international school in Changzhou is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—WAS Changzhou.
27
Lanzhou
One international school in Lanzhou is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Lanzhou Country Garden School.
28
Xi'an
One international school in Xi'an is on the Brand Value September Monthly Rating and has been awarded 3A rating—Kang Chiao International School Xi'an Qujiang Campus.