How to Apply

Sign in to the HKIS Admissions Portal (via OpenApply) to complete the application form before the application deadline.

After you submit your application, you will receive a list of additional required items in your OpenApply Checklist.

Your application will only be considered complete and ready for review once we have received the application fee, the completed Family Questionnaire, and all required documents.

Our Enrollment Management Team will review and verify your application and will notify you about the next steps.

Application Deadlines:

• Primary School (Reception 1 - Grade 5): October 1, 2026
• Secondary School (Grades 6 - 12): November 1, 2026

Once your application has been reviewed and approved, you will receive an email notification with instructions on uploading the additional supporting documents required in the HKIS Admissions Portal (via OpenApply).

The required supporting documents vary by grade level. Download the list of supporting documents.

Select applicants will be invited to a pre‑entry assessment, which varies by grade level. Invitations are based on applicant priority, the number of applications received, and the anticipated availability of spaces in each grade.

Families who are invited will receive an email notification directing them to the HKIS Admissions Portal (via OpenApply) to schedule their assessment date and time.

Complete applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Families will be notified of the admissions decision by the Office of Enrollment Management starting in March and continuing on a rolling basis.

Please note that applications with any outstanding required documents by the submission deadline will not be considered.

We encourage you to actively refer to the checklist on the HKIS Admissions Portal (OpenApply) to monitor the status of your application.

Each student’s ability to achieve success in an atmosphere of high expectations and an environment of self-discipline and responsibility to the school community is carefully assessed.

In making this assessment, HKIS will evaluate each applicant with regard to:

1. English Language Proficiency
2. Developmental Readiness Skills (Lower Primary) or Demonstrated Academic Achievement
3. Social and Emotional Development (Lower Primary) or Personal Characteristics
4. Fit to HKIS’ Student Learning Results (SLRs)
5. Proven Success in Similar School Environments
6. Support Documentation *Application materials such as report cards, teacher recommendations, assessments, and personal statements are reviewed to provide a holistic view of the applicant’s strengths and potential.

• Students must have valid proof of visa status/right of abode in Hong Kong (e.g., dependent visa, HKID card, Hong Kong birth certificate, Hong Kong passport) prior to the start of school.
• A student may not enter HKIS unless he/she will be living with at least one parent who is in full-time residence in Hong Kong.
• HKIS requires all of its students to be covered by personal health insurance. HKIS does not provide medical coverage for students when accidents occur during school-related activities.
• Students transferring from a country whose school year follows a different calendar than HKIS will generally be required to continue in the year they have just completed (For example: a student currently in Grade 2 in Australia would remain in Grade 2 at HKIS for the remainder of our academic year).
• For entry into Reception One – students must be aged 4 years on or before August 31, of their year of entrance. Parents are required to submit proof of birth date in the form of a birth certificate, passport, or other official government document.
• For entry into Reception Two – students must be aged 5 years on or before August 31, of their year of entrance. Parents are required to submit proof of birth date in the form of a birth certificate, passport, or other official government document.
• A student entering high school must submit records for all previous high school coursework. Credit for graduation cannot be given without a full high school academic history.

Qualified applicants are placed in a wait pool according to our Admissions Priority System when there is no space available in the selected grade.

Every effort will be made to inform the candidate's family about space availability so that the family can plan appropriately. Given the school's admission priority system, a student's waiting status may change if there are subsequent applications from families with higher priority.

Parents and Sponsors may choose to purchase non-interest-bearing debentures to support their child’s application. HKIS offers three types of debentures:

1. Family Debenture: HK$3 million
   Supports multiple children from the same immediate family. Click here for the policy and click here for the application form.
2. Standard Corporate Debenture: HK$3 million
   Corporations may use this to support one child’s application. Click here for the policy and click here for the application form.
3. Comprehensive Corporate Debenture: HK$5 million
   Corporations may use this debenture to support multiple children from one family. Click here for the policy and click here for the application form.

Important Information:

• Debentures are not mandatory and do not guarantee admission. All applicants must meet HKIS admissions requirements.
• Holding a debenture places qualified applicants at the top of the wait pool.
• Debentures retain their value and cannot be sold. Only the Family Debenture is transferable, and only to the purchaser’s children or grandchildren.

Debenture Application Deadline:

Debenture applications for the upcoming School Year must be submitted by November 1 of the current school year.  

Please contact [email protected] for further information. Click here to view the brochure.

Admissions Application Deadlines:

• Primary-aged students: October 1
• Secondary-aged students: November 1

Please ensure that you have applied for admission before these deadlines.

Please contact [email protected] for more details. 

HKIS implements a Dual Language Immersion program starting in the 2025-2026 school year. With this new program, HKIS expands our excellent language and cultural learning experience to meet an even more diverse student population and needs. 

While the academic philosophy, standards, and learning experiences are aligned with the mainstream programs of the Primary school, the Dual Language Immersion program aims to deliver academic content in both Chinese and English and develop literacy skills in both languages. 

The Dual Language Immersion program was implemented across two Reception 1 classes. Parents can express interest in this program via the student application form.

Click here for Dual Language Immersion Program details

HKIS accepts students with mild additional needs when space and resources are available. The Admissions Committee will consider all submitted information and determine, as best as possible if the student will be able to function in and profit from the regular classroom curriculum. Learning Specialists, at all divisions, work alongside regular classroom teachers to provide accommodations and interventions with the goal of enabling student learning within the context of the inquiry-based teaching and philosophy at HKIS. Students are supported with a combination of in-class and pull-out instruction depending on their specific needs.

Supporting documents for the admission of students with additional needs may include the child's most recent Educational and Psychological Assessment, Occupational Therapy reports, Speech and Language Therapy reports, additional outside services reports as well as the Individual Education Plan (IEP) from the student's current school, if applicable.

Parents whose child has additional needs are encouraged to consult directly with our office before applying to determine if the specific resources are available.