Hurun Education's 2026 Top 100 International Schools in China: Keystone Academy rises to No.1, YK Pao School drops to 2nd. 42 Shanghai schools lead. Includes separate Top 30 for foreign children. See the full ranking shifts.
Tags:Source: OT-Team(G), 胡润百富
The 2026 Hurun Education Top International Schools in China has been released, with this year’s rankings showing a major reshuffle among leading international schools across the country.
The biggest change came at the very top: Keystone Academy in Beijing moved up from fourth place last year to claim the No. 1 position for the first time, replacing Shanghai’s YK Pao School, which fell to second. Shenzhen College of International Education remained in third place.
The ranking, published by Hurun Education, is now in its eighth edition and includes the Top 100 International Schools in China and the Top 30 Schools for Children of Foreign Personnel.
Keystone Academy Takes the Top Spot
Keystone Academy’s rise to No. 1 marks the first time since the ranking was launched in 2017 that YK Pao School has not held the top position.
The top 10 of the 2026 Hurun Education Top 100 International Schools in China are:
Keystone Academy — Beijing
YK Pao School — Shanghai
Shenzhen College of International Education — Shenzhen
SDSZ International Department — Beijing
Shanghai Pinghe School — Shanghai
Beijing National Day School International Department — Beijing
UWC Changshu China — Suzhou
Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy International Department — Shanghai
Guangdong Country Garden School — Foshan
International Curriculum Center of RDFZ (ICC) — Beijing
Several established schools remained firmly among the country’s leading institutions. Shanghai Pinghe School, Beijing National Day School International Department, UWC Changshu China, Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy International Department and Guangdong Country Garden School all stayed within the top 10.
International Curriculum Center of RDFZ (ICC) climbed one place from last year to enter the top 10.
Other notable performers included Qinglan Mountain School, which rose from 34th to 25th, and Chongqing Depu School, which jumped from 40th to 30th. Daoxiang Lake School also moved sharply upward, from 71st to within the top 50.
Shanghai Qingpu Pinghe School made its debut in the top 50 after previously being outside the top 100.
Eight schools entered the Top 100 for the first time this year, including Nord Anglia International School Shanghai Pudong, Fettes College Guangzhou, Dystar Academy, Olive Tree International Academy and other new entrants.
Shanghai Remains China's International Education Hub
Shanghai continues to dominate the national landscape by school count.
A total of 42 schools in Shanghai made the 2026 rankings, including 29 Chinese international schools and 13 schools for children of foreign personnel.
Beijing followed with 34 schools, including 26 Chinese international schools and eight schools for children of foreign personnel. Guangzhou and Shenzhen each had 12 schools, while Suzhou had 10.
Shanghai also had three schools in the top 10 of the Top 100 Chinese international schools and six schools in the top 10 of the separate Top 30 ranking for schools serving children of foreign personnel.
Hurun Chairman and Chief Research Officer Rupert Hoogewerf said the concentration of highly ranked international schools can also reflect a city’s broader level of internationalization, particularly as local governments increasingly focus on attracting and retaining talent.
Foreign-Children Schools: Beijing Shunyi Remains No. 1
In the separate Hurun Education Top 30 Schools for Children of Foreign Personnel in China, Beijing Shunyi International School retained the top position.
Dulwich College Beijing remained second, while Shanghai High School International Division climbed two places to third.
Other schools that remained in the top 10 included Beijing Yew Chung International School, Shanghai American School, Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai United International School, Wellington College International Shanghai and Yew Chung International School of Shanghai.
Tsinghua University High School International Department rose two places into the top 10.
Two schools entered the ranking for the first time: Shekou International School in Shenzhen and Shanghai British School.
What Is Driving the Changes?
The 2026 ranking comes at a time when China's international education sector is moving away from rapid expansion and toward consolidation and quality improvement.
By the end of 2025, the number of officially recognized international schools in the Chinese mainland had fallen to 928, from a historical peak of 972 in 2024. Private international schools accounted for 523, or 56.4%, while public-school international departments or classes accounted for 248, and schools for children of foreign personnel 157.
New school openings also dropped sharply. Only single-digit numbers of new schools were established in 2025, compared with 13 in 2024 and 41 in 2021. At the same time, dozens of schools were closed, merged or converted, particularly smaller private institutions facing operational or compliance difficulties.
Large education groups, however, continued to expand, accounting for more than half of planned new campuses in 2025–26.
The changing overseas study landscape is another factor. Demand for the US, UK and Canada has softened, while destinations including Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia have gained popularity among Chinese students and families.
How the Ranking Was Compiled
Hurun Education based the ranking primarily on an expert peer-review survey. A total of 304 valid questionnaires were collected from international education professionals, including school leaders, administrators, experienced teachers and industry experts.
The evaluation also considered three factors — graduates’ destinations, extracurricular activities and school reputation — with their combined weighting increased from 10% to 20% this year.
International accreditation and curriculum recognition, including those from WASC, NEASC, CIS, IBO, CAIE and the College Board, were also taken into account.
The ranking covers schools in 20 Chinese cities. The Top 100 Chinese international schools have an average international curriculum launch year of 2011 and a combined enrollment of about 95,000 students.
The separate Top 30 schools for children of foreign personnel span 10 cities, with an average founding year of 2000 and nearly 40,000 students in total.
More Than a Ranking
The latest results also reflect a broader shift in what families expect from international education.
Hurun noted that international schools generally offer smaller classes, higher teacher-to-student ratios and more diverse extracurricular opportunities, while many are increasingly combining international curricula with Chinese national curriculum requirements.
At the same time, the cost of international education remains a major consideration for families. With overseas tuition and living expenses also rising, destinations such as Hong Kong and Singapore are becoming increasingly attractive alternatives to traditional US and UK routes.
The DSE curriculum has also emerged as a growing option. In 2026, the number of mainland universities recognizing DSE results increased from 145 to 165, including a number of leading Double First-Class universities.
Artificial intelligence is another area drawing increasing attention. International schools are experimenting with AI-related courses, interdisciplinary programs and project-based learning, suggesting that technology could significantly reshape international education over the next five to ten years.
For parents, however, the ranking should be viewed as a reference rather than a definitive guide. A school’s position on a national list does not necessarily determine whether it is the right fit for an individual child. Curriculum, teaching style, boarding arrangements, university destinations, costs and even distance from home can all matter when making the final decision.
As Hoogewerf put it, the schools on the list represent institutions highly recognized by their peers, but the best school is ultimately the one that best fits the child.
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