Admissions:
School Fees

Schools
School fees for the academic year 2023/24
ESF Abacus International Kindergarten
English stream: HK$89,300 | Bilingual stream: HK$103,800
ESF Hillside International Kindergarten
HK$88,500
ESF Tsing Yi International Kindergarten
HK$94,000
ESF Tung Chung International Kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten: HK$124,900
K1 & K2: English stream: HK$96,900 | Bilingual stream: HK$112,500
ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten
HK$95,600

Tuition fees are payable over ten months of the year and are deducted monthly by autopay.

An application fee of HK$1,000 applies to all K1 and K2 applications for this academic year.

The application fee for the pre-kindergarten class at ESF Tung Chung International Kindergarten and ESF Language & Learning Centre (Wan Chai) is HK$40.

The fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable for each application and the collection of fee constitutes no assurance that a school place or interview will be offered. The fee does not provide any priority over the allocation of a morning or afternoon session, which is randomly allocated in order to ensure equal opportunities for all successful applications.

Income from application fees, as a whole, is intended to cover the administrative cost of the online application system as well as the staff cost of the play visit and parental interview for admission assessment purposes. Children may be invited back to the kindergarten for a second visit if the school needs further information on the child. The kindergarten may involve the special educational needs advisor in this visit.

Starting from 2020/21, new students are required to purchase either a CLASS A or a CLASS B debenture when a place in a kindergarten is accepted.

The nominal value of CLASS A and CLASS B debentures are HK$500,000 and HK$7,000 respectively. The debenture is non-transferable and will be refunded within 30 days of the child’s last day of attendance at the kindergarten, subject to one calendar month advance notice of withdrawal in writing.

The CLASS B debenture will be redeemed on the earlier of: (a) the date the child (for whom this debenture was acquired) graduates from the kindergarten, which is normally at the end of K2, or (b) the expiry of one month’s withdrawal notice via the ESF App provided that all fees due to ESF Educational Services Limited have been fully paid at that date.

Download Kindergarten Debenture Application Procedures

The securing of a place after an offer has been made requires (1) the purchase of either a CLASS A or a CLASS B debenture (at a cost of HK$500,000 and HK$7,000 respectively) and (2) payment in advance of the first month’s school fees.

If a child is withdrawn from the kindergarten prior to the commencement of the academic year, the first month’s school fees will not be refunded and the debenture will not be redeemed unless one month’s advance written notice is provided to the kindergarten.

Fees are due on the first day of each month and are paid monthly by direct debit. Direct Debit Authorisation forms are available from ESF Centre or your child’s kindergarten.

Statements of account and receipts are not sent to parents as fees are paid by monthly direct debit. However, payment receipts can be issued upon request. Please contact the Billing Section at billing@esfcentre.edu.hk if receipt is required.

Please note that parents are held responsible for payment of school fees regardless the fees are actually paid by their employers or by any other third parties.

If fee payments are overdue, students may be excluded from school. Once excluded, students will not be permitted to re-enrol into any ESF kindergartens, primary, secondary and all-through schools unless all outstanding fees have been fully repaid. All the fees, levies, deposits and charges in relation to student admission are applicable to the students re-applying or returning ESF kindergartens, primary, secondary and all-through schools. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that an excluded student will be returned to his or her former class.

Fees remain payable if a student goes on leave during term time; closure of the Kindergarten as a result of a government recommendation or directive, of any kind of force majeure incident or for operational reasons.

If a student leaves or is admitted part-way through the school year, attendance on any day in a particular month renders school fees payable for the entire month.

Please ensure that the Kindergarten and/or ESF Centre are notified promptly of any change of address, telephone numbers or designated bank account for direct debit.

If you have any queries about fees, deposits or debenture, please contact our billing hotline at:

Tel: +852 3762 2422
Email: billing@esfcentre.edu.hk

Please quote your child’s student account number, which is shown on all receipts.

Year Group / School
School fees for the academic year 2023/24
Primary schools (Years 1 – 6)
HK$126,200
Secondary schools (Years 7 – 8)
HK$167,100
Secondary schools (Years 9 – 11)
HK$145,400
Secondary schools (Years 12 – 13)
HK$152,900
ESF Jockey Club Sarah Roe School
Year 1 – 6: HK$126,200
Year 7 – 8: HK$167,100
Year 9 – 11: HK$145,400
Year 12 – 13:HK$152,900

 Tuition fees are payable over ten months of the year and are deducted monthly by autopay.

The application fee is HK$2,800 per applicant for ESF and all-through schools. This is a non-refundable, non-transferable fee which covers the cost of admissions administration.

Due to the high number of applications, the collection of this fee does not constitute any assurance that an interview or a school place will be offered.

All application fees will be settled by credit card through PayPal, our online payment service provider.

The amounts of deposit for an ESF primary and secondary school place are HK$10,000 and HK$16,000 respectively, which have to be paid when a school place at an ESF primary or secondary school is accepted. This includes students who are transferring from an ESF primary school to an ESF secondary school. Payment details can be found on the ESF enrolment form.

New students joining ESF schools in August 2015 and after are required to pay a one-off non-refundable capital levy (NCL). The NCL has replaced the refundable capital levy (RCL) from the academic year 2015-16 onwards.

The cost of the NCL will be HK$38,000 for students entering Year 1 and will be reduced, on a sliding scale, for students who join the system in later years as follows:

Year Group

One-off Non-refundable Capital Levy(HK$)

Year 1

HK$38,000

Year 2

HK$36,000

Year 3

HK$34,000

Year 4

HK$32,000

Year 5

HK$30,000

Year 6

HK$28,000

Year 7

HK$26,000

Year 8

HK$22,300

Year 9

HK$18,600

Year 10

HK$14,900

Year 11

HK$11,200

Year 12

HK$7,500

Year 13

HK$3,800

If NCL has already been paid when the student enrolled to ESF primary school, the student is not required to pay NCL again when he/she transfers from ESF primary school to ESF secondary school.

Tuition fees are due on the first day of each month. Please note that parents are held responsible for payment of school fees regardless of the fees actually paid by their employers or by any other third parties.

Effective August 2011, direct debit is mandatory in paying school fees for all students attending ESF schools.

Statements of account and receipts are not sent to parents as fees are paid by monthly direct debit. However, payment receipts can be issued upon request. Please contact the Billing Section at billing@esfcentre.edu.hk if a receipt is required.

Please note that if fee payments are overdue, students may be excluded from school. Once excluded, students will not be permitted to re-enrol to any ESF schools/ private independent schools (PIS) unless all outstanding fees have been fully repaid. All the fees, levies, deposits and charges in relation to student admissions are applicable to the students re-applying or returning to ESF schools/ PIS after exclusion. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that an excluded student will be returned to his or her former class.

Fees remain payable if a student goes on leave during term time. Years 11, 12 and 13 students, who may not attend normal classes during April, May and June, are still required to pay the full annual fee.

If a student leaves or is admitted part way through the school year, attendance on any day in a particular month renders school fees payable for the entire month.

Please ensure that the school and/ or ESF Centre are notified promptly of any change of address, telephone numbers or designated bank account for direct debit.

If you have any queries about fees, deposits or debenture, please contact our billing hotline at:

Tel: +852 3762 2422
Email: billing@esfcentre.edu.hk

Please quote your child’s student account number, which is shown on all receipts.

School Name
School fees for the academic year 2023/24
ESF Discovery College
Year 1 – 6: HK$144,000
Year 7 – 11: HK$189,800
Year 12 – 13: HK$191,300
ESF Renaissance College
Year 1 – 6: HK$134,600
Year 7 – 11: HK$176,700
Year 12 – 13: HK$178,700

Tuition fees are payable over ten months of the year and are deducted monthly by autopay.

The application fee is HK$2,800 per applicant for ESF and all-through schools. This is a non-refundable, non-transferable fee which covers the cost of admissions administration.

Due to the high number of applications, the collection of this fee does not constitute any assurance that an interview or a school place will be offered.

All application fees will be settled by credit card through PayPal, our online payment service provider.

Discovery College

Discovery College charges a monthly Non-refundable Building Levy (NBL), which is HK$8,060 per student per year. The NBL is paid over 10 equal instalments of HK$806 alongside the monthly school fees (September to June each year).

The NBL will be used to pay for repair, maintenance and improvement of the school facilities for the benefit of all existing and new students. The NBL is reviewed and adjusted annually to match any percentage school fee increases.

Renaissance College

From the 2013-14 school year onwards, the one-off non-refundable building levy payable by every new incoming Year One student is HK$50,000. New students entering Year 2 to Year 12 are required to pay a pro-rated contribution.

Year GroupOne-off Non-refundable Capital Levy (HK$)
Year 1HK$50,000
Year 2HK$45,800
Year 3HK$41,700
Year 4HK$37,500
Year 5HK$33,300
Year 6HK$29,200
Year 7HK$25,000
Year 8HK$20,800
Year 9HK$16,700
Year 10HK$12,500
Year 11HK$8,300
Year 12HK$4,200
Year 13

Tuition fees are due on the first day of each month. Please note that parents are held responsible for payment of school fees regardless of the fees actually paid by their employers or by any other third parties.

Effective August 2011, direct debit is mandatory in paying school fees for all students attending ESF schools.

Statements of account and receipts are not sent to parents as fees are paid by monthly direct debit. However, payment receipts can be issued upon request. Please contact the Billing Section at billing@esfcentre.edu.hk if a receipt is required.

Please note that if fee payments are overdue, students may be excluded from school. Once excluded, students will not be permitted to re-enrol to any ESF schools/ private independent schools (PIS) unless all outstanding fees have been fully repaid. All the fees, levies, deposits and charges in relation to student admissions are applicable to the students re-applying or returning to ESF schools/ PIS after exclusion. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that an excluded student will be returned to his or her former class.

Fees remain payable if a student goes on leave during term time. Years 11, 12 and 13 students, who may not attend normal classes during April, May and June, are still required to pay the full annual fee. If a student leaves or is admitted part way through the school year, attendance on any day in a particular month renders school fees payable for the entire month.

Please ensure that school and/ or ESF Centre are notified promptly of any change of address, telephone numbers or designated bank account for direct debit.

If you have any queries about fees, deposits or debenture, please contact our billing hotline at:

Tel: +852 3762 2422
Email: billing@esfcentre.edu.hk

Please quote your child’s student account number, which is shown on all receipts.

Admissions Enquiry

We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Admissions Hotline: +852 3762 2411

Email:

kindergarten.admissions@esfcentre.edu.hk
primary.admissions@esfcentre.edu.hk
secondary.admissions@esfcentre.edu.hk

 

Year 1 Central Application for 2024/25 - Key dates
(For children born in 2019 and for entry in August 2024)

1-30 September, 2023
1 September, 2023  Nomination Rights applications open
6 October, 2023 Deadline for receipt of supporting documents
11 October, 2023 Acknowledgement email sent to parents to advise admission process
November 2023 to January 2024 First round interviews conducted at primary schools
March to August, 2024 Further interviews conducted by primary schools as necessary

Year 7 Central Application for 2024/25 - Key dates
(For children born in 2013 and for entry in August 2024)

1-30 September, 2023
1 September, 2023  Nomination Rights applications open
5 October, 2023 Deadline for receipt of supporting documents
9 October, 2023 Acknowledgement email sent to parents to advise admission process
Mid-October to the end of November, 2023 Interview period
8 December, 2023 Offer for Year 7 places sent out
15 December, 2023 Deadline to confirm places offered by payment of a deposit and non-refundable capital levy

ESF Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS)

2B Tin Kwong Road, Homantin, Hong Kong

About Our School

Everything we do at ESF Jockey Club Sarah Roe School is based on an understanding that every child is unique, with their own skills and passions. We offer our students some wonderful facilities to keep them happy, engaged and always learning. Our bespoke curriculum puts our students at the centre.

We reach our goals alongside our students through personalised, progressive and challenging lessons that offer students multiple opportunities for repeated, frequent experiences. Parents are an important facet of this team, since nobody knows your child better than you. Our teachers and therapists work with you to help establish suitable and practical goals for each student and how to support this learning at home. By helping each child to develop their own interests and personality, we help them to be the best they can be.

Meet the Principal

Anna Smakowska

Anna has almost 20 years of experience as a teacher and leader – with a strong focus throughout her career on helping students reach their full potential, regardless of any and all challenges that they may face.

School Bus Routes

The bus service for JCSRS students is managed by ESF Centre and JCSRS. School staff work as Bus Escorts and they are First Aid trained.

*The stops along the school bus routes may be subject to change. For more information, please contact the school.

K1 Central Application for 2024/25 - Key dates

1-30 September, 2023
1 September, 2023 at 1pm ESF Kindergarten Class A Debenture application opens 
First Friday of October Deadline for receipt of supporting documents
October 2023
November, 2023

Parents receive Play Visit status notification letters

November, 2023 to January, 2024 First round Play Visits conduct at kindergartens
January to Early March, 2024 Parents receive letter with Play Visit result
March to August, 2024 Further Play Visits conduct by kindergartens if necessary

ESF Year 6 students transferring to secondary school for August 2024

ESF’s all-through education, K1 to Year 13, enables a seamless transition from kindergarten to primary and from Year 6 to secondary. The close links our primary schools have with their associated secondary schools play an important role in delivering a positive experience and a good start to the year, for our Year 7 students.

ESF will process and allocate according to an ‘associated secondary school’ for Year 7 placement. Below are the associated secondary schools for each primary school.

ESF primary schoolAllocated ESF secondary school
Bradbury SchoolSouth Island School
Quarry Bay SchoolSouth Island School
Glenealy SchoolIsland School
Peak SchoolIsland School
Kennedy SchoolWest Island School
Beacon Hill SchoolIsland School
Kowloon Junior SchoolKing George V School
Clearwater Bay SchoolKing George V School
Sha Tin Junior SchoolSha Tin College

All Year 6 families complete the Gateway Y7 Transfer application to secondary school form during the first 2 weeks of September. 

All Year 6 students enrolled in an ESF primary school by 1 December are guaranteed a place in an ESF secondary school on completion of Year 6.

For Year 6 students in Learning Support (LS): the child’s placement will be managed and allocated through a different process that takes account of the availability of Year 7 LS placements across all secondary schools. The student’s Year 7 placement will be confirmed by the end of November.

A student joining Year 6 from 1 December onwards can not be guaranteed a secondary school place at their corresponding ‘associated secondary school’ but offered a Year 7 place at an alternative secondary school where there is availability.

For Renaissance College and Discovery College Year 6 students

The guarantee of Year 7 place is with the corresponding secondary sections. Transfer requests to an ESF secondary school may be considered based on availability and date of written request starting from 1 September to your school’s admissions office. There is no guarantee of transfer to Year 7 in an ESF secondary school.

Please note transfer between a private independent school and an ESF school and vice versa will mean payment of deposit and capital/building levy to take up the school place.

Please note the following key dates:

1-15 September 2023 Parents complete the Gateway Year 7 transfer form
End November 2023 Year 7 offer letters are sent via email from ESF Centre
4 December 2023 Deadline to confirm places the Year 7 places offered. ESF primary students are requested to pay the deposit to confirm the place.

ESF K2 students transferring to primary school for August 2024

Students who are attending ESF kindergartens will complete the Year 1 transition process. Information from ESF kindergartens will support the transition process.

Students in ESF kindergartens identified as needing additional learning support may be recommended to apply through the Admission and Review Process. This is a separate application process managed centrally at ESF Centre. This process also applies to all students applying from outside ESF. There are limited resources for placement within Learning Support and Jockey Club Sarah Roe School. Not all students going through the Admission and Review Process may be placed, as the demand is often greater than the number of places available.

All ESF K2 families complete the Gateway Y1 Transfer application to primary school form during the first two weeks of September.

All K2 students enrolled in an ESF kindergarten before 1 December are guaranteed a place in an ESF primary school on completion of K2.

A new student joining K2 on or after Year 1 offers to go out cannot be guaranteed a primary school place but will be given high priority on the waitlist for a Year 1 place.

Allocation for primary school is based on priority order plus EDB requirements (when necessary), and computer-generated random numbers. K2 children may be directed to an alternative primary school if there is an oversubscription at their first preference school. There is no guarantee of the school of first preference. All ESF primary school offers are accepted with a two-year commitment before any transfer request, regardless of residential address.

Please note the following key dates:

1-15 September 2023Parents complete the Gateway Year 1 transfer form
End November 2023Year 1 offer letters are sent via email from ESF Centre
8 December 2023Deadline to confirm places the Year 1 places offered. ESF kindergarten students are requested to pay the deposit to confirm the place

ESF Levels of Adjustment Framework​

The ESF Levels of Adjustment (LOA) provide a framework for identifying and documenting the adjustments and accommodations for students who require support for learning.

ESF uses LOA 1 to 6 to describe the amount and type of support a student requires in order to access the curriculum. The LOA also reflects the level of provision required.

Outlined below are the most common placements for students with LOA 1 to 6. Occasionally, placements may differ depending on the profile of the individual student.

LOA 1

Mainstream with support
Additional Differentiation:

Additional, ongoing class-based teaching and learning adjustments led by the class or subject teacher, in liaison with the IN department and/or short-term small group or individual intervention in 1 or 2 dimensions of schooling.

LOA 2

Mainstream with support
Additional Differentiation:

Regular, individualised teaching and learning adjustments of objectives, outcomes, materials or equipment, in multiple dimensions of schooling, as a result of class-based assessments and teacher judgement.

A combination of additional small group support, for minimum 2 cycles of intervention, in multiple areas. The student has an IEP, there is an ongoing liaison between class/subject teachers and the IN department, and there is regular contact with parents. These students often sit well below age-related expectations in one of the dimensions of schooling.

LOA 3-4

Learning Support
Daily, continuous differentiation:

Daily, individualised teaching and learning adjustments of objectives, outcomes, materials or equipment.

Access to daily push-in support in mainstream lessons and pull-out support focusing on skill development, concept reinforcement, and functional life skills teaching. Access to alternative curriculums at the secondary level.

LOA 5-6

Jockey Club Sarah Roe School
Continuous individualised differentiation:

Continuous, individualised support. Systematic interventions and highly individualised teaching programmes through multidisciplinary approaches with a high staff-to-student ratio.

Learning Support

Mainstream with Support

Many students who require less extensive, class-based teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within mainstream classes in all kindergartens and schools.

Learning Support

Students who require more extensive, daily teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within learning support (LS) within ESF primary schools and secondary schools.

Entry to this level of provision is through a central process called the Admissions and Review Process, not through the local school.

Jockey Club Sarah Roe School

Students who require the most extensive teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS).

JCSRS has a bespoke curriculum that is designed to be broad and balanced to meet the needs of our diverse learners. The curriculum is taught through subjects but has significant elements of project based learning that enhance transdisciplinary application of knowledge and skills.


The JCSRS curriculum is divided into six pathways, each with its own distinct learning approach and priorities. The pathways are determined by age and also by the needs of students.

Secondary School (Year 12-13)

IB Diploma Programme:

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is a course designed for students aged 16 to 19. Students can choose to follow either the full IB Diploma Programme or their choice of individual IB Diploma courses. Widely recognised as the best possible preparation for study at university, the IB DP builds research skills, promotes personal responsibility and encourages independent learning.

The full IB DP core comprises six subjects and the following key components:

Students can choose one subject from each of the groups below, three at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL).

  1. Studies in Language and Literature (Language A);
  2. Language Acquisition (Language B or ab initio), or a second Language A;
  3. Individuals and Societies (Humanities);
  4. Experimental Sciences;
  5. Mathematics;
  6. Arts (or a second Science, or a third language).

Specialised Pathways:

Our personalised pathways allow students to focus on creative projects and inquiries and reflect on their achievements. Students whose strengths are in applied learning are often practical and goal-oriented. Courses are routed in practical and real-world situations and are made relevant to the world of work. The courses are modular with no external examination element.

ESF schools currently provide Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC ) courses which are recognised by many universities worldwide. These courses can be studied alongside other subjects and provide a varied learning experience for students.

A number of ESF schools are also developing the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) to offer opportunities for those students who have a particular career path in mind. The IBCP allows students to specialise and dedicate themselves to a career path that they know they want to pursue. The IBCP encompasses some elements of the IB Diploma Programme within its structure. It also encompasses the IB’s educational philosophy and mission.

Secondary School (Year 7-11)

IB Middle Years Programme:

The Middle Years Programme (MYP) prepares students to become active, caring, lifelong learners who demonstrate respect for themselves and others and have the capacity to participate in the world around them. Learning focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in and beyond the classroom and encourages students to be critical, creative and reflective thinkers. The MYP is a framework on which to hang a challenging and rigorous curriculum, which provides authentic, real-world connections to the learning in the classroom.

The curriculum consists of 8 subject groups integrated through 6 interactive areas providing global contexts for learning.

Our MYP centres around and is underpinned by the following five key components:

 

As a further means of developing autonomous, self-directed learners, students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through completing a project, which encourages reflection on their learning and outcomes of their work. This is a long-term project, which is embedded within a global context and generates a synthesis of creative and critical thinking and approaches to learning through an in-depth investigation.

MYP Projects
Students who complete the MYP in Year 9 or Year 10 complete the community project, enabling them to develop their commitment to service as action within the community. All students who complete the MYP in Year 11 complete the personal project.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
(Years 10 & 11):

The IGCSE is a two year course of study with an externally set syllabus with assessment criteria for Years 10 to 11. The five ESF secondary schools design courses to meet these criteria. This includes a range of language courses available in foreign, second and first languages. The examinations are externally set which is similar to the IB Diploma final examination period. Grades are awarded with students typically taking between seven to ten subjects.

Students will also be able to access a range of co-curricular courses in the creative, community service and physical domains. Some of these activities have qualifications associated with them.

Primary School Curriculum

IB Primary Years Programme (Age 5-11):

International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) is an international, trans-disciplinary programme designed to foster the development of the whole child, not just in the classroom but also through other means of learning. The PYP focuses on the total growth of the developing child, encompassing academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs.

We provide a wide range of curricular and co-curricular programmes and opportunities. The curriculum is expressed in three interrelated ways:

Examples of co-curricular activities include: Our schools aim to develop internationally minded students by encouraging the development of the traits described in the IB student profile. We support children to become inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers and to be knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective.

Kindergarten Curriculum

ESF Pre-Kindergarten (Age 2-3):

Our approach to learning is through play based theory. Across five key areas of enquiry; Wellbeing, Belonging, Communication, Contribution, and Exploration, each toddler’s voice will be heard, their progress celebrated, and their language and knowledge nourished. Our curriculum centres on the premise that everything that occurs with or for the child is curriculum. It is inquiry based and concept driven. It is designed to be stimulating yet flexible to provide for the children’s desire to explore and investigate.

IB Primary Years Programme (Age 3-5):
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is built on 6 Transdisciplinary Themes through which students explore and engage in the different subject areas. The core of the PYP model shows the 5 Essential Elements which are common to all teaching and learning: concepts, skills, knowledge, attitudes, and action. The PYP Curriculum provides: Mandarin Chinese is the specialist language and is integrated into the PYP programme, forming a core aspect of the curriculum. At Abacus and Tung Chung International Kindergartens, there is a choice between an English stream and a bilingual English and Mandarin Chinese stream.