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Ningbo British International School (NBIS)

China, Ningbo

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· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees RMB 12,000 - 200,000
Ages 2 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 500
Type Co-educational
Opened 2005
Bus Service Yes
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge International AS Levels
Taught languages Mandarin, English
Strengths STEM, Visual and Creative Arts, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Preschool, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Ningbo British International School (NBIS) is an international school for children of foreign personnel in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. The school follows a British International curriculum and is a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS). NBIS is an authorised examination centre for Cambridge International Examinations and serves as both a SAT Centre and Chinese Proficiency Test Centre (HSK). The school aims to provide a warm, friendly, and safe environment for effective learning.

No. 365 Guanghua Road, National Hi-Tech Zone, Ningbo 315000

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

Ningbo British International School (NBIS) has 500 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
NBIS is located in Ningbo National Hi-Tech Zone, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. The campus sits in the heart of the Hi-Tech Zone, a developing economic district with good transport links and local amenities. A local report lists the campus address as No 1188 Yangfan Road, Ningbo National Hi-Tech Zone.

Stages
NBIS offers education from Early Years (Pre-School) through Year 13.

Type
NBIS is a co-educational international school. Boarding is available for students in Years 7–13.

Additional learning support
NBIS provides English language support and inclusion services through an Inclusion Team. In Early Years and Primary, classes are taught by an international homeroom teacher and a Chinese co-teacher to provide bilingual support; in Secondary, subjects are taught by specialist teachers.

Country affiliation
NBIS has no formal country affiliation.

Religious affiliation
NBIS does not publish a religious affiliation.

School day structure
Exact start and end times are not published on NBIS pages. The school day includes a lunch break, with morning and afternoon sessions under the Cambridge curriculum.

Bus service
NBIS provides a Yellow School Bus Service with eight buses on fixed routes. The Bus Administrator is Ms Vicky and the Bus Supervisor is Chris Black; each bus has a dedicated Bus Teacher responsible for safety.
Diving Deeper
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Fees

Annual tuition at Ningbo British International School (NBIS) ranges from RMB 12,000 to RMB 200,000 for 2026/27.

Application fee
- A one-time non-refundable application/registration fee is commonly charged; third‑party listings for NBIS report an application fee of RMB 5,000.

Tuition fees (detailed by school stage)
- Early Years (Early Years / Kindergarten): RMB 60,000 – RMB 70,000 per semester.
- Primary (Years 1–6): RMB 70,000 – RMB 90,000 per semester.
- Secondary (Years 7–13): RMB 90,000 – RMB 100,000 per semester.

- Alternative published breakdowns from independent school guides show the same order of magnitude for NBIS tuition and report comparable semester ranges (Early Years ≈ RMB 55,000 – RMB 60,000; Primary ≈ RMB 68,000 – RMB 73,000; Secondary ≈ RMB 78,000 – RMB 84,000), which aligns with the semester ranges above.

- Approximate annual cost (inference): NBIS quotes tuition per semester; if an academic year is calculated as two semesters, an approximate annual tuition range would be:
- Early Years: ~RMB 120,000 – RMB 140,000 per year (approx.).
- Primary: ~RMB 140,000 – RMB 180,000 per year (approx.).
- Secondary: ~RMB 180,000 – RMB 200,000 per year (approx.).

Other costs and typical additional charges
- Lunch: The school provides lunch service; the cost for lunches is additional to tuition and is billed separately.
- School bus / transportation: A Yellow School Bus service is provided; bus service is an additional charge.
- Uniform, textbooks, exam fees and extra‑curricular activities: these items are typically additional costs at international schools. NBIS materials indicate curricular/examination activity (IGCSE, A‑Level) and extra‑curricular programmes but do not publish a consolidated list of uniform or textbook charges.




Academics

Ningbo British International School (NBIS) teaches Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge International AS Levels for students aged 2 to 18.

Curriculum
NBIS follows the Cambridge International Curriculum from Early Years through Year 13, with Cambridge Progression Tests from Year 3, Cambridge Checkpoint in Year 9, IGCSE in Year 11, and Cambridge AS/A-Levels in Years 12–13. In Early Years NBIS uses the UK Early Years Foundation Stage framework, with seven areas of learning and prime areas (communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development) plus four specific areas (literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, expressive arts and design). In Primary, the Cambridge Primary Curriculum is taught in English across English, Maths, Science, Global Perspectives, and Digital Literacy & Computing, with Chinese lessons and specialist Music, Art and PE; class sizes are small and there is bilingual support with an international homeroom teacher and a Chinese teacher. In Secondary, Years 7–9 follow Cambridge Lower Secondary with core subjects English/ESL, Maths, Science, Chinese, Humanities, Computing, Drama, Music, Art and PE and Cambridge Checkpoint at the end of Year 9; Years 10–11 study the Cambridge IGCSE with core English, ESL, Maths, Chinese and a Science option, plus a range of electives such as World Literature, Additional English, Art & Design, Travel & Tourism, Computer Science, Music, Business, Drama, History and Geography; Years 12–13 offer Cambridge AS and A-Levels with a selection of subjects and exams scheduled May/June and October/November. NBIS also runs a Chinese Language and Culture Programme across all stages with two pathways (Mandarin as Native Language and Mandarin as a Foreign Language) and a strong Cambridge Chinese results track (A/A* or higher since 2019).
Wellbeing
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Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
1. Visit NBIS by appointment. Campus tours will be focused on the relevant age range. This initial visit is the first step in the admissions process, and staff can outline the NBIS program and entry points during the tour. A scheduled visit is required to start the process.

2. Assessments. For Pre-school to Reception, assessments are conducted through group-based interactive games that observe a child's ability to understand and follow instructions. Primary-level entrants undergo the Cambridge assessment, while Secondary entrants complete CAT4 assessments that examine verbal, quantitative, non-verbal, and spatial abilities. A School Report from the previous school is requested for students who are not in Pre-school/Nursery.

3. Interview. After the assessments, the student will have an interview with the Head of the relevant section or a delegated staff member. At least one parent or legal guardian must attend the interview with the Head. This step provides an opportunity for families to discuss the child's readiness and for the school to understand family expectations.

4. Enrolment Application and registration. The Enrolment/Application Form should be completed, relevant materials submitted, and the student registered. Documentation required includes a School Report from the previous school for non-preschool entrants. NBIS notes that the school is popular and oversubscribed for some classes, so early application is advised.

Scholarships
NBIS does not publish information about scholarships or financial aid on its admissions materials.

Waitlist
NBIS does not publish a formal waitlist or pool system in its publicly available admissions materials.
School Events
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