Resources/School choice

Hong Kong Schools Explained: Government Local, DSS, Private, Aided and International

I had to piece the school system together one acronym at a time. Here’s the path from Nursery to S6, what the EDB says about fees and language, and what you still need to ask.

Kanwal · Last updated 28 September 2026 · 6 min read

Hong Kong’s school system, from nursery to S6

After Nursery (N) come K1, K2 and K3: three years of kindergarten. Then it is six years of primary and six years of secondary. That’s 12 school years from P1 to S6.

Nursery (N)

N · Duration: usually 1 year

Around ages 2–3

Optional. Nursery is separate from K1.

Kindergarten

K1–K3 · Duration: 3 years

Around ages 3–6

Three kindergarten years. Optional too.

Primary

P1–P6 · Duration: 6 years

Around ages 6–12

Six years. Compulsory schooling usually starts here, at age 6.

Secondary

S1–S6 · Duration: 6 years

Around ages 12–18

Six years. Attendance is compulsory until 15, around S3; most students continue to S6.

These stages follow the Education Bureau’s overviews of kindergarten. See its overviews of primary and secondary education. For the compulsory school-age rules, see the EDB’s primary and secondary guidance. Kindergarten is optional; compulsory attendance starts at age 6 and applies until 15.

The school types, and what they cost

The labels can tell you who funds a school. They don’t tell you the language your child will learn in or what you’ll pay. I checked the EDB records; here’s what they actually say.

Government

Funding: Run directly by the government.
Curriculum: Local curriculum. Ask what your child will study and, for secondary, which qualification they can take.
Language: None of the 63 government records in our EDB import lists a teaching language. Ask the school.
Fees: No tuition for primary or secondary. Budget separately for books, uniform and transport.

Aided

Funding: Government-funded and run by a sponsoring body.
Curriculum: Local curriculum. Ask what your child will study and, for secondary, which qualification they can take.
Language: Only 1 of 959 aided records lists a teaching language. That is not enough to estimate the split.
Fees: No tuition for primary or secondary. Budget separately for books, uniform and transport.

Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS)

Funding: Government subsidy; schools may charge fees.
Curriculum: More choice. Ask which curriculum and qualification the school offers.
Language: EDB lists English for 19 of 21 DSS entries; 2 list English with Putonghua or Cantonese.
Fees: Random EDB example: Creative Secondary School, HK$93,450–103,210 a year.

Private independent

Funding: Private independent schools are generally fee-funded.
Curriculum: Local or non-local. Check what the school teaches and which qualification it offers.
Language: EDB lists English for all 8 entries; 4 also list Putonghua and/or Cantonese.
Fees: Random EDB example: International Christian School, HK$148,400–328,500 a year.

International

Funding: “International” is a school model, not a complete funding answer. Check the school’s own fees.
Curriculum: Usually non-local. Ask which programme and qualification your child would follow.
Language: EDB lists English for 56 of 76; 12 list English with Putonghua. The other 8 list French, German, Japanese or Korean.
Fees: Random EDB example: FIS English stream, Blue Pool Road, HK$161,373–217,599 a year.

Check a school in the Education Bureau’s school register. Its international schools directory publishes fee, curriculum and teaching-language details for the schools listed there.

Four things to check

Before you shortlist or visit, get clear answers to these:

What will my child study? Ask which curriculum and qualification the school follows.
What language are lessons in? Ask about your child’s year group and stream, not just the school’s headline answer.
What will it really cost? Add tuition, transport, books, uniform and every required charge.
How do we get a place? Check deadlines, tests, catchment and priority rules.

Names, addresses and funding types are in the Education Bureau’s official school register. For language and fees, if the school page does not answer you, ask the school directly.

Common questions

What is the order of school stages in Hong Kong?

The path is Nursery (N), then K1, K2 and K3, then P1–P6 and S1–S6. Nursery and kindergarten are optional. Primary runs for six years, then secondary for six. Compulsory attendance starts at age 6 and continues until 15, roughly through S3.

Is kindergarten compulsory from K1 in Hong Kong?

No. Nursery (N) and K1, K2 and K3 are optional. Compulsory school attendance starts at age 6, usually when a child begins P1, and continues until age 15.

How long are primary and secondary school in Hong Kong?

Primary is six years, from P1 to P6. Secondary is six years, from S1 to S6. That is 12 years after kindergarten.

Does the EDB publish the teaching language for every school?

No. In the EDB register data used here, none of 63 government records and only one of 959 aided records lists a teaching language. In the EDB International Schools Directory, 56 of 76 international-school entries list English, 12 list English with Putonghua, and eight list French, German, Japanese or Korean. The directory figures are not a count of every school in Hong Kong.

What do tuition fees look like at DSS, private independent and international schools?

I picked one school at random from each category. The EDB directory lists these annual fee bands: DSS: Creative Secondary School, HK$93,450–103,210; Private independent: International Christian School, HK$148,400–328,500; International: Lycée Français International, English stream (Blue Pool Road), HK$161,373–217,599. These are examples, not averages. EDB fee bands can cover multiple year groups or programmes, and fees vary by school.