Photo courtesy of Rightmind Kindergarten

All kindergartens in Hong Kong are privately run and are either:

- non-profit-making or
- private independents

All kindergartens are registered under the Education Ordinance.

When can my child ‘start school’?

Your child can start

- nursery at the age of two
- kindergarten (K1) at the age of 2 years and 8 months.

How much do they cost?

For half day programs, the range is a few hundred dollars up to HK$8,000/month or more.

Add-ons may include:

• Materials fee
• Uniform/school bag
• School bus service

Your child may be eligible to apply for fee assistance under the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme.

Under the subsidy plan, parents whose children study in non-profit making kindergartens will be able to apply their education voucher of HK$13,000/student each year towards the cost. This is provided the school fees do not exceed HK$24,000/year for half-day kindergartens or HK$48,000/year for whole-day kindergartens.

Details of the scheme at http://www.sfaa.gov.hk

When should I apply?

Kindergartens start accepting applications in September each year. Some schools charge an application fee; some don’t.

Popular schools have long waiting lists and they’ll also screen applicants with interviews where the children will be asked routine questions and asked to perform simple tasks.

Where can I find more details?

Full searchable list of kindergartens and nurseries in Hong Kong.

http://chsc.edb.hkedcity.net/kindergarten/?lang=e

Also, www.topschools.hk is launching in September 2011, with the ability to search, compare and share information on private pre-schools and fee-paying primary & secondary schools in Hong Kong.