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John Brennan

Though founded in 1966 as a private Christian institution, Hong Kong International School (HKIS) makes a point of welcoming students of all faiths.
The Tai Tam campus offers an American-style curriculum for middle school (Grades 6-8) and high school (Grades 9-12) students, with the stated goals of promoting personal growth in the areas of academic excellence, spirituality, character development, self-motivated learning, Chinese culture, and contributions to society.
Along with their qualifications, high school principal Patrick Hurworth wants students to gain a sense of the importance of service to others, a sense of compassion, and “an engagement with anything they turn their hands or their heads to”.
When gauging academic achievement, HKIS calculates each student’s grade point average (GPA) on a 4-point scale. Over six semesters, two-thirds of the “class of 2017” scored a GPA of between 3.33 and 4, while a further quarter scored between 3 and 3.32.
Between 2014 and 2016, almost 100 per cent of HKIS graduates went on to pursue studies at tertiary level, with more than 80 per cent opting for colleges or universities in the US.
“We have very low class sizes, with an average of 16 and a maximum of 22,” says Hurworth, who is proud of the degree of choice in terms of academic pursuits. “We are very well resourced, so students have access to numerous different classes, from robotics to fashion design, game design and the choir.”
As for sports facilities, he highlights the large all-weather playing field - relaid last summer - and its full-size swimming pool. Hurworth notes too the commitment to community service running through the entire high school. This runs alongside activities which are part of the regular timetable and includes week-long trips, which usually take place in March.
“Most are overseas to one of over 40 destinations,” Hurworth says. “They include trips to work in Mother Teresa’s home in Calcutta, and to Cape Town to work in townships and help educate students there. We have a special empowerment programme, in which our students teach others how to teach.”
Local projects involve working with the elderly and disabled in Hong Kong.
HKIS operates on a 180-day calendar divided into two semesters. The first runs from the third week of August until mid-January; the second runs from late January to early June.
Annual fees currently range from HK$196,900 for Grades 6, to 8 to HK$218,500 for Grade 12.
Applications are accepted throughout the year, but the chances of admission vary across grades and from one academic year to the next.
HKIS operates a “wait pool” rather than a waiting list. This means that when a place becomes available, it goes to the applicant seen as the best “fit” for the school rather than the candidate who has been waiting longest.
Even so, parents considering an application are encouraged to contact the admission office as early as possible.
Hurworth also believes that parents should look beyond academic results and other statistics when assessing which school would be right for their son or daughter.
“To an extent, they and their child should go with their gut feelings,” he says. “They should ask themselves how the community feels and if they get the sense the school is a community rather than just an academic environment.”
Parents and children should also consider if students are going to be looked after by the teachers, counsellors and school leaders; whether the child’s needs will be understood; and, therefore, if they will be able to satisfactorily achieve their full potential.


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HKIS focuses on producing students who flourish academically and personally. Though founded in 1966 as a private Christian institution, Hong Kong...


To strive and thrive

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}HKIS focuses on producing students who flourish academically and personally. Though founded in 1966 as a private Christian institution, Hong Kong...

HKIS focuses on producing students who flourish academically and personally. Though founded in 1966 as a private Christian institution, Hong Kong...