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Living in Hong Kong brings about expat experiences about few other cities in the world can match. We examine some of the principle reasons why expats love it here in Hong Kong.

The Dramatic Contrasts

One of the biggest draws, and most significant advantages of living in Hong Kong are the vast range of attributes that it has. You could spend the morning with a coffee outside one of the largest shopping malls in the world on Lantau Island, hop on a ferry to one of Hong Kong’s stunning outlying Islands for some trekking and then return after dark to Hong Kong Island for rooftop cocktails among space-age skyscrapers.

The Travel Opportunities

Living in Hong Kong gives you prime position for some of Asia’s most spectacular travel destinations. China, India, Thailand and Singapore are just some of the top tourist destinations that are easily accessible from Hong Kong for expats. Use Agoda to find the best deals in the region.

The Career Opportunities

Historically, Hong Kong has been a global trading hub and it continues to hold heavyweight status for expats. You will find most Fortune 500 companies have a base in Hong Kong, giving you the scope to boost your career while enjoying life in Hong Kong. Visit our working guide for more.

The Expat Social Life in Hong Kong

With such a large volume of expats in the same boat, Hong Kong is an easy place to meet like-minded people. This makes social life in Hong Kong extraordinarily vibrant. An option for meeting people in a similar situation to you (and from the same country) is to look up your country’s Chamber of Commerce. There are often both social and networking events frequently organised by some CoCs.

If you play sport you’re already sorted: be it tennis, golf, rugby or anything else there are tons of clubs to join and all treat their members extremely well. Also, this is an excellent way to do some networking. There are also a number of social clubs available to those willing to pay. Find out more here.

If you have any questions, and any other reasons why you love living in Hong Kong, share them with us on our Facebook Page.

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International Schools in Hong Kong vary in curriculum and teaching style making it accommodating for most expat families. Most international schools use an English-based curriculum which can be divided into the British, American, Canadian and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.

Curricula at International Schools in Hong Kong

The majority of international schools in Hong Kong are using International Baccalaureate.  Many schools identify with a particular country (such as Singapore, Canada or France) and offer separate English and foreign-language sections. An increasing number of schools offer their students to study Mandarin Chinese, reflecting Mandarin’s growing influence in Hong Kong. This can be extremely beneficial to expat children in international schools as it serves as a strong competitive advantage when applying for third-level education, and especially when applying for jobs in Hong Kong or Mainland China.

International Schools in Hong Kong tend to be very competitive  and waiting lists can often reach just below 100 students per grade. Tuition for International School can be as high as almost  HK$200,000 a year (for senior year). This may be a negotiating point when taking an expat package from an international employer – getting a place at a top international school in Hong Kong would be a significant financial benefit.

Applications to International Schools in Hong Kong

Applications to International Schools should ideally be submitted as early as possible, preferable a year before matriculation, and usually in autumn. Some schools will ask for a reservation fee from expat families (which is normally refundable) and can he as high as 50% of the annual tuition, it is also common with smaller non-refundable application fees.

The most competitive schools often sell monetary “debentures” that give priority in the admissions process. Debentures can be issued to an individual or to a corporation to help secure. The debentures are used as capital to fund school maintenance and are reimbursed, without interest, after the child leaves the school. Schools usually cap the number of debentures they issue a year. There is however  no guarantee that the expat child will be accepted.

Here is a list of some of the private international schools in Hong Kong. For a complete overview please refer to the Government Education services web page  www.edb.gov.hk.

English Schools Foundation 
www.esf.edu.hk 

American International School

Tel: 2336 3812 / 2336 5276

www.ais.edu.hk

Australian International School 

Tel: 2304 6078

www.aishk.edu.hk

Beacon Hill School

Tel: 2336 5221

www.beaconhill.edu.hk

Bradbury School

Tel: 2574 8249

www.bradbury.edu.hk

Canadian International School 

Tel: 2525 7088

www.cdnis.edu.hk 

Carmel School

Tel: 2964 1600

http://www.carmel.edu.hk/

Chinese International School

Tel: 2510 7288

www.cis.edu.hk 

Christian Alliance International School

Tel: 2713 3733

www.cais.edu.hk

Clearwater Bay School

Tel: 2358 3221

www.cwbs.edu.hk

Delia School of Canada

Tel: 3658 0508

www.delia.edu.hk

Discovery Bay International School

Tel: 2987 7331

www.dbis.edu.hk 

Discovery College

Tel: 2987 7331

www.discovery.edu.hk

French International School

Tel: 2577 6217

www.lfis.edu.hk 

German Swiss International School

Tel: 2849 6216

www.gsis.edu.hk 

Glenealy School 

Tel: 2522 1919

www.glenealy.edu.hk

The Harbour School 

Tel: 2816 5222

www.theharbourschool.edu.hk

Harrow International School

Tel: 2824 9099

www.harrowschool.hk

Hong Kong Academy

Tel: 2575 8282

www.hkacademy.edu.hk

Hong Kong International School 

Tel: 3149 7000

www.hkis.edu.hk 

Hong Lok Yuen International School 

Tel: 2658 6935

www.hlyis.edu.hk

Independent Schools Foundation Academy 

Tel: 2202 2000

www.isf.edu.hk

International Christian School

Tel: 3156 1234 (Kindergarten) 3920 0060 (Elementary) 3920 0100 (Secondary)

www.ics.edu.hk

Island School 

Tel: 2524 7135

www.island.edu.hk

Japanese International School 

Tel: 2834 3531

www.jis.edu.hk 

Kellett School 

Tel: 3665 5300 (Secondary), 2551 8234 / 2875 0262 (Primary)

www.kellettschool.com 

Kennedy School 

Tel: 2855 0711

www.kennedy.edu.hk

Kiangsu-Chekiang Primary School and College

Tel: 2570 4594 (Lower Primary) 2570 1281 (Upper Primary & Secondary)

www.kcis.edu.hk

King George V School

Tel: 2711 3029

www.kgv.edu.hk

Kingston International School 

Tel: 2337 9031

www.kingston.edu.hk

Korean International School 

Tel: 2569 5500

www.kis.edu.hk  

Kowloon Junior School

Tel: 2714 5279 (Year 1 to 3) 2394 0687 (Year 4 to 6)

www.kjs.edu.hk

Li Po Chun United World College 

Tel: 2640 0441

www.lpcuwc.edu.hk

Norwegian International School

Tel: 2638 0269

www.nis.edu.hk

The Peak School 

Tel: 2849 7211

www.ps.edu.hk

Quarry Bay School 

Tel: 2566 4242

www.qbs.edu.hk

Renaissance College 

Tel: 3556 3556

www.renaissance.edu.hk

Sha Tin Junior School 

Tel: 2692 2721

www.sjs.edu.hk

Sha Tin College 

Tel: 26991811

www.shatincollege.edu.hk

Singapore International School 

Tel: 2872 0266 (Primary) 2870 6891 (Secondary)

www.singapore.edu.hk 

South Island School 

Tel: 2555 9313

www.sis.edu.hk

Victoria Shanghai Academy 

Tel: 2760 4324

www.vsa.edu.hk

West Island School 

Tel: 2819 1962

www.wis.edu.hk

Yew Chung Hong Kong International School 

Tel: 2338 7106

www.ycis-hk.com

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