Quick Answer: The English Schools Foundation charges HK$145,000 a year for Years 1 to 6 and HK$188,300 for Years 7 to 11 in 2026/27, and the independent British schools run from HK$182,493 to HK$279,100 depending on year group. Every school adds a capital levy, debenture or nomination right on top, from HK$35,000 a year at Nord Anglia to HK$500,000 for an ESF Individual Nomination Right. Central applications for ESF Year 1 and Year 7 places run from 1 to 30 September.
Two systems sit side by side in Hong Kong's British-curriculum sector. The English Schools Foundation charges HK$145,000 for Years 1 to 6 and HK$188,300 for Years 7 to 11 in 2026/27; the independent schools run from HK$182,493 for Harrow's Nursery and Reception to HK$279,100 in Kellett's Sixth Form. Every school adds a capital levy, a debenture or a nomination right on top of tuition, from HK$35,000 a year at Nord Anglia to HK$500,000 for an ESF Individual Nomination Right. This guide covers the ESF fee ladder, what nomination rights and levies actually buy, the independent schools with their published 2026/27 fees, and the September application cycle. Schools are listed under international schools and education on Portal Hong Kong, with early years under kindergarten.
How does ESF work and what does it charge for 2026/27?
ESF runs kindergartens, primary schools, five secondary schools, a special school and two all-through colleges. One correction is worth making early: ESF is not a British-curriculum system in the strict sense. Its own curriculum page sets out the IB Primary Years Programme from age 3 to 11, the IB Middle Years Programme in Years 7 to 11, IGCSE in Years 10 and 11, and the IB Diploma, IB Career-related Programme or BTEC in Years 12 and 13. It is the IGCSE years and the English-medium structure that put ESF on most families' British shortlist. Fees below are from the ESF school fees page, checked 16 September 2026, and are paid over ten monthly instalments by autopay.
| Stage | 2026/27 annual fee | Other charges |
|---|---|---|
| ESF kindergartens | HK$107,200 (Hillside) to HK$142,000 (Renaissance College bilingual) | HK$9,000 tuition deposit; Class A debenture HK$500,000 |
| Primary, Years 1 to 6 | HK$145,000 | Non-refundable capital levy HK$38,000 at Year 1 |
| Secondary, Years 7 to 11 | HK$188,300 (Year 11 becomes non-subvented in 2026/27) | Capital levy HK$26,000 at Year 7 |
| Secondary, Years 12 to 13 (subvented) | HK$174,200 | Capital levy HK$7,500 at Year 12 |
| ESF Discovery College | HK$169,900 (Y1-6), HK$223,900 (Y7-11), HK$225,600 (Y12-13) | Building levy HK$8,060 a year |
| ESF Renaissance College | HK$154,200 (Y1-6), HK$201,500 (Y7-11), HK$203,700 (Y12-13) | One-off building levy HK$50,000 at Year 1 |
New primary and secondary students also pay a deposit equal to two months of fees. Island School and South Island School are two of the ESF secondaries in the international school directory.
What is the ESF Nomination Right?
An Individual Nomination Right is a one-off purchase that gives one named child priority for an interview. ESF's 2026 Individual Nomination Rights document prices it at HK$500,000 for ESF primary and secondary schools and HK$400,000 for Discovery College and Renaissance College. A HK$50,000 deposit is refundable only if the child fails the interview; the balance falls due when a place is accepted. A maximum of 150 rights is issued across ESF primary and secondary schools each year. The fee is not set against tuition and is forfeited if the student withdraws. Nominees rank behind corporate nominees, staff children and siblings, and the school still decides. A Corporate Nomination Right does the same job for a company's senior employees.
Which independent British schools are there and what do they cost?
Every figure below comes from the school's own 2026/27 fee page, checked 16 September 2026.
| School | 2026/27 tuition | Capital levy or certificate | Application fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrow Hong Kong | HK$182,493 (Nursery and Reception) to HK$248,155 (Years 12-13); boarding HK$135,672 extra | HK$60,000 a year without a certificate or debenture | HK$1,500 |
| Kellett School | HK$218,200 (Reception to Year 6), HK$271,300 (Years 7-11), HK$279,100 (Sixth Form) | Annual capital levy HK$40,000, or a debenture from HK$1,000,000 | HK$2,000 to HK$2,500 |
| Shrewsbury Hong Kong | HK$189,900 (Reception), HK$219,400 (Years 1-6), HK$235,080 (Year 7); listed as the current academic year, subject to EDB approval | HK$50,000 a year, or a capital certificate at HK$200,000 or HK$300,000 | HK$2,800 |
| Nord Anglia Hong Kong | HK$206,700 (Years 1-6), HK$231,300 (Years 7-11), HK$237,200 (Years 12-13) | Annual capital levy HK$35,000 for new students from 2026-27 | HK$3,000 |
| Malvern College Hong Kong | HK$208,200 (Prep 1-6), HK$236,840 (middle years and Sixth Form) | Annual capital levy HK$42,000 | HK$1,800 |
| ESF Discovery College | HK$169,900 to HK$225,600 | Building levy HK$8,060 a year | HK$2,800 |
Two labels mislead. Malvern College Hong Kong carries a British school name but teaches the IB continuum, and Nord Anglia runs IGCSE in Years 10 and 11 then offers A levels, the IB Diploma and BTEC in the Sixth Form. If the IB is the goal, see IB schools in Hong Kong; for the US route, see American curriculum schools in Hong Kong.
What is a debenture, exactly?
The Education Bureau treats capital levies, debentures and nomination rights as Other Charges: money raised for long-term school development rather than running costs. A levy is a fee for service and buys nothing but the place. A debenture is a larger instrument that usually carries nomination rights and may be redeemable. Kellett's ladder runs from a HK$1,000,000 Corporate Debenture, redeemable and depreciating over eight years, to a HK$20,000,000 Golden Jubilee Debenture that nominates up to three children indefinitely. Shrewsbury's certificates depreciate to nil by the fourth year. None of them guarantees admission.
How do you apply?
ESF runs a central application for Year 1 and Year 7 from 1 to 30 September for the following August, with Nomination Rights applications opening on 2 September and supporting documents due by the first Friday of October. Year 7 offers go out in early to mid-December and must be confirmed with a deposit and the capital levy by mid-December. The independents accept applications year round and assess by year group, so start 12 to 18 months out and expect waiting lists. Families arriving on a package should check what the employer covers before signing; see relocation companies in Hong Kong. If the plan is to top up at home, read tutorial centres in Hong Kong first, and for younger children preschools and pre-nursery in Hong Kong.
Frequently asked questions
- How much are ESF school fees in 2026/27?
- ESF publishes HK$145,000 for primary Years 1 to 6, HK$188,300 for secondary Years 7 to 11 and HK$174,200 for the subvented Years 12 and 13 in 2026/27, paid over ten monthly instalments by autopay. Year 11 becomes non-subvented in 2026/27. ESF kindergartens run from HK$107,200 at Hillside to HK$142,000 for the Renaissance College bilingual stream. The two all-through colleges charge more: Discovery College is HK$169,900 to HK$225,600 and Renaissance College HK$154,200 to HK$203,700.
- What is an ESF Nomination Right and is it worth buying?
- An Individual Nomination Right is a one-off payment that fast-tracks one named child to an interview. It costs HK$500,000 for ESF primary and secondary schools and HK$400,000 for Discovery College and Renaissance College, paid as a HK$50,000 deposit plus the balance when a place is accepted. It is not set against tuition and is not refunded if the child later withdraws. It buys interview priority only, ranking behind corporate nominees, staff children and siblings, and the school still decides whether to offer a place.
- What is a capital levy and why do Hong Kong schools charge one?
- Capital levies, debentures and nomination rights are what the Education Bureau calls Other Charges: money private schools raise for long-term development such as redevelopment and major building work, separate from tuition. ESF charges a one-off Non-refundable Capital Levy on a sliding scale, HK$38,000 entering Year 1 down to HK$3,800 in Year 13. Harrow charges HK$60,000 a year, Kellett HK$40,000 a year, Malvern College Hong Kong HK$42,000 a year and Nord Anglia HK$35,000 a year for new students from 2026/27.
- Is a debenture refundable?
- It depends on the instrument, and the school's own terms are the only reliable guide. Kellett's Corporate Debenture at HK$1,000,000 is redeemable and depreciates over eight years, while its HK$5,000,000 Foundation Certificate is not redeemable. Shrewsbury's Standard and Premium Capital Certificates cost HK$200,000 and HK$300,000 and fall from a refundable value of HK$150,000 on acceptance of a place to zero in the fourth year. ESF's Non-refundable Capital Levy, as the name says, is never refunded.
- When do I apply to an ESF school for Year 1 or Year 7?
- The central application window for both Year 1 and Year 7 runs from 1 to 30 September for entry the following August. Nomination Rights applications open on 2 September, supporting documents are due by the first Friday of October and acknowledgement emails go out in mid-October. Primary first-round interviews run from November to January; secondary interviews run from mid-October to the end of November, with Year 7 offers in early to mid-December. The application fee is HK$2,800 per applicant.
- Which British schools in Hong Kong offer A levels?
- Harrow International School Hong Kong and Kellett School both run a Sixth Form to A level, and Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong offers A levels alongside the IB Diploma and BTEC. Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong currently publishes fees up to Year 7 as it grows its senior school. ESF secondary schools do not run A levels; they teach the IB Diploma, the IB Career-related Programme and BTEC in Years 12 and 13.
- Do I need a debenture to get a place?
- Not always, but you normally need to pay something. At Harrow and Kellett every pupil must be covered by either a debenture or capital certificate or by the annual capital levy, so families without a debenture pay HK$60,000 and HK$40,000 a year respectively. Shrewsbury applies the same rule: an annual levy of HK$50,000, or HK$30,000 for half-day nursery, unless the family holds a capital certificate. Holding one buys assessment or interview priority, never a guaranteed offer.
