China School Guideby China City Maps

Relocating to China, one clear step at a time

Official links, practical guides, and a plan your family can actually follow.

Start with the essentials

21 resources

Build a K–12 school shortlist20 tuition/admissions reviews · 27 profilesMatch city, child stage, curriculum, school type, and a tuition planning ceiling without synthetic rankings.Compare international and bilingual schools20 tuition/admissions reviews · 27 profilesPlace up to four schools side by side by curriculum, ages, languages, tuition, location, and transport notes—without synthetic rankings.Build a school application action planFree planner · your inputsTurn one school, intended start, and family readiness into a transparent sequence with planning targets and an official admissions handoff.Estimate international school and first-year family costsFree calculator · your inputsCombine school tuition planning ranges with your own housing, household, setup, and contingency assumptions in Chinese yuan.Your first week in ShanghaiChina City Maps · official sourcesAn eight-step arrival guide with saved progress, printable actions, and links to current official sources.Your first week in BeijingChina City Maps · official sourcesAn eight-step arrival guide for registration, airport support, connectivity, payments, transport, immigration, schools, healthcare, and housing.How to apply to international schools in BeijingChina City Maps · official sourcesAn eight-step, official-source-backed guide to school routes, eligibility, documents, assessments, fees, offers, and enrollment logistics.How to apply to international schools in ShanghaiChina City Maps · official sourcesAn eight-step, official-source-backed guide to eligibility, documents, assessments, fees, offers, and enrollment logistics.Family visas and residence permits for ChinaChina City Maps · official sourcesAn eight-step national guide to family routes, relationship evidence, accommodation registration, residence permits, and renewal timing.2025 guide to working and living in ChinaState Council of the PRCOfficialA national guide covering entry, residence, work, payments, transport, tax, and daily services.Residence permits for foreign familiesNational Immigration AdministrationOfficialOfficial eligibility, supporting-document, timing, and application guidance for foreign residents.Find K–12 schools in China20 tuition/admissions reviews · 27 profilesCompare international and bilingual schools by city, curriculum, ages, tuition, and logistics.Set up payments and a bank accountState Council of the PRCOfficialOfficial guidance for bank cards, cash, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and overseas payment methods.Book and use China RailwayChina Railway 12306OfficialEnglish-language ticketing, passenger, child-ticket, change, and refund information.Emergency numbers and public hotlinesShanghai municipal service portalOfficialKeep police 110, fire 119, medical emergency 120, and government service 12345 accessible.Compare schools with city contextChina City MapsMove from a city overview to school profiles and nearby family logistics.Family move-readiness dashboardFamily workspaceSee overdue, due-soon, upcoming, and unscheduled relocation actions across tasks, school applications, and family documents.Your first 30 days in ChinaPlanning guideA staged plan for registration, payments, healthcare, school, and housing setup.Family document readiness checklistPersonalized document planPrepare identity, immigration, school, housing, healthcare, and backup records in one personalized checklist.Family relocation timelinePersonalized checklistA personalized checklist organized around your destination and planned arrival date.School application trackerFamily workspaceKeep admissions next steps and document tasks together across your shortlist.

Everything here is free.

School research

Research with official links and practical guides.

  • Search schools in ChinaCompare schools by city, curriculum, ages, and tuition.
  • Explore city guidesUnderstand school locations and family logistics.
  • Access official resourcesOpen current government and public-service sources.
  • Compare up to four schoolsReview key information side by side.

Family planning tools

Turn research into a plan your family can follow.

  • Move-readiness dashboardSee overdue and near-term actions across the whole family move.
  • Personal relocation planWork through a destination and arrival-based checklist.
  • Application trackerKeep school next steps and documents together.
  • Family document checklistPrepare personalized identity, immigration, school, and household record sets.
  • Calendar-ready remindersExport relocation tasks and school deadlines with one-week reminders.
  • Account-synced family workspaceKeep your shortlist, applications, and plan progress across devices.
  • Printable relocation briefShare your current school, deadline, and checklist summary.
Open my family planNo payment or account is required. Sign-in only adds cross-device sync.

Useful official services

State Council working & living guideNational guidance for foreign residents and workers.National Immigration AdministrationEntry, visa, stay, and residence services.China Railway 12306Official English train information and ticketing.Shanghai public service hotlinesEmergency and municipal service numbers.

Information is for general guidance and can change. Always verify requirements with the relevant official authority before making decisions.

Official links last checked 15 July 2026.