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· Reviewed by Aziza Francienne · B2C Marketing Manager
Shenzhen Foreign Languages Greater Bay Area Academy (SGA) opened in 2017 and is established and managed under the Shenzhen Municipal government and Shenzhen Foreign Languages School group. The school delivers a blended curriculum that integrates the Chinese National Curriculum with the International Baccalaureate (PYP, MYP and DP) and teaches in English as the primary language of instruction while maintaining Chinese language studies. The campus is described on the website as covering about 140,000 m² and the school publishes a teacher:student ratio of 1:7 and a Chinese/foreign teacher ratio of 4:3. Boarding is provided for middle and senior students (dorms are two-person rooms; boarding fee is published on the site). SGA also reports more than 200 after-school activities, Student-Led Clubs and School Teams, and lists notable STEM, music and arts achievements by students. (All points above are taken from the school website.)
No.30 Xiangtang Rd, Bantian Street, Longgang, Shenzhen
Shenzhen Foreign Languages GBA Academy has 900 pupils, typical class sizes of 7, instruction in English, Mandarin.
Address: No. 30 Xiangtang Road (Xiangtang Lu), Bantian sub-district, Longgang District, Shenzhen. The campus is in the Bantian/Longgang area (city outskirts with road and local-bus connections); parents relocating should check specific transit options and journey times from their housing area.
SGA is a 12‑year, continuous school covering primary, middle and high school. It delivers the IB continuum: PYP for primary, MYP for middle years and DP for the final two years.
The school is a co‑educational, government‑run (municipal) school operated by the Shenzhen Foreign Languages School Group; it is a publicly authorised integrated/“multi‑path” school and admits students of different nationalities.
SGA states it provides short‑term English language (EAL) support for students who need it and has school counselling/pastoral services; third‑party listings note a growing learning‑support team (a Learning Support Coordinator and trained staff) and access to external specialists when required. Parents with specific SEN requirements should contact admissions to discuss individual provision and assessment.
The school is run under the Shenzhen Foreign Languages School (group) and Shenzhen municipal education authorities; it is not affiliated to any other country.
SGA does not advertise any religious affiliation; its programmes are secular and curriculum‑focused.
The school follows age‑appropriate daily timetables for PYP (primary), MYP (middle) and DP (senior) with lessons, a mid‑morning break and a lunchtime, plus after‑school co‑curricular activities. Exact start/end times and break lengths vary by year group and are published to families (contact the school or check the Parent Handbook for the current term schedule).
Public listings indicate SGA operates a school‑bus service for families (routes/availability are adjusted each year and places are typically by application/registration). Many schools in the area contract private bus providers, so parents should confirm current routes, pickup points, safety arrangements and fees with admissions before relocating.
Annual tuition at Shenzhen Foreign Languages GBA Academy ranges from RMB 165,200 to RMB 210,000 for 2026/27.
Shenzhen Foreign Languages GBA Academy teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Chinese National Curriculum for students aged 6 to 19.
Shenzhen Foreign Languages GBA Academy delivers an IB continuum: Primary Years Programme (Grades 1–5), Middle Years Programme (Grades 6–10) integrated with China's national curriculum, and the IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12) for students pursuing the IB Diploma. The MYP fusion curriculum maps national content into eight subject groups (language & literature, language acquisition, individuals & societies, sciences, mathematics, the arts, design, and physical and health education) while using IB assessment criteria. The PYP is delivered through six transdisciplinary Units of Inquiry that weave language, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts and physical education, and includes a second‑language program. In Grades 11–12 students follow the IB DP structure (three Higher Level and three Standard Level subjects plus Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS), with course options listed including Chinese and English Language A and Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches. SGA states it is authorized across PYP, MYP and DP and holds CIS, WASC and BSA accreditations, and describes its curriculum as a three‑pillar fusion of foundation subjects, integrated competencies and career/frontier elements.
SGA describes social and emotional learning as part of its IB-based curriculum: the PYP explicitly develops social skills and self‑management, and the MYP highlights affective (emotional) skills and the IB Approaches to Learning. The school also embeds teamwork, reflection and identity development through its PE programme and co‑curricular activities (over 200 ASA/club/team options), which are presented as part of the school's student development offer. These curriculum elements and after‑school programmes are described in the Student/Parent Handbook and the school's activities pages. The school website does not list a named SEL team or dedicated pastoral staff in the publicly available handbook text.
The school's publicly available Student/Parent Handbook and policy pages do not provide specific information about Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision, named learning‑support staff, or which categories of SEN the school can support. The site describes SGA as a “多元融合” (diverse/integrated) school but does not publish a formal SEN policy or details of specialist SEN resources on the pages reviewed. Therefore there is no explicit, verifiable public statement on the school website about specialist SEN provision or whether SGA is a specialist SEN institution. If you would like, I can contact the admissions office (OpenApply) or search third‑party listings for additional information—please confirm.
The Student/Parent Handbook states that English is the main language of instruction and that the school provides short‑term English language learning support for students who require English as an Additional Language (EAL). This is described as temporary language learning support rather than a long‑term, named EAL programme on the publicly available pages. No detailed EAL programme outline or staffing structure is published on the school website pages reviewed.
The school's published curriculum materials state that the PYP and MYP include social, emotional and physical development (PYP) and affective skills (MYP) as part of learning objectives, indicating wellbeing is addressed through the curriculum. Co‑curricular activities and the PE programme emphasise personal growth, teamwork and reflection, and the boarding facilities description notes an on‑site medical room and residential care arrangements for boarding students. The website does not publish a separate mental‑health or counselling policy nor list named counsellor posts in the public handbook text. For specific counselling services or referrals the school uses, parents are advised to contact admissions or the school directly.
There is no child protection or safeguarding policy text published on the pages of the school website reviewed (Student/Parent Handbook and Policy Announcement pages do not contain a public safeguarding statement). The school's public pages describe boarding care facilities and general student welfare through curriculum and boarding arrangements, but a formal, detailed safeguarding/child‑protection policy is not available on the site. Therefore the school does not publicly disclose a standalone safeguarding policy on the pages reviewed; for official safeguarding policy and named safeguarding officers you should contact the school directly.
1. Submit an online application through OpenApply. All applications to SGA must be completed via the school's OpenApply portal (sga.openapply.cn/apply); SGA does not accept paper applications. When you register, choose the correct form for your child's grade (Primary G1–G5, Secondary G6–G8 or G9–G11) and keep your OpenApply login details handy for follow-up requests.
2. Provide the required documents listed in the application checklist. The school's admissions page specifies that an Admission Application Form, a Family Statement and a School Report are minimum required items; the Admissions Office will not start processing until required materials are received. Parents should prepare scanned academic reports (two most recent years if available), any translated or certified documents, the student's passport or ID, and any teacher references the portal requests.
3. Application review and document integrity check. After you submit, the Admissions Office reviews all documents against SGA's admissions policy; the school explicitly reserves the right to withdraw an offer if information is found to be false or misleading. Make sure dates, school names and grades on transcripts match and that school reports are authentic to avoid delays or rescinded offers.
4. Entrance assessment invitation is issued to candidates who clear the document review. SGA's published process says successful applicants will receive an invitation to an Entrance Assessment; the website does not publish a public, detailed breakdown of assessment content or format, so expect the Admissions Office to provide the assessment schedule, format (online or on-campus) and any preparation instructions by email. Parents should confirm time-zone differences for remote assessments, bring the required ID to in-person assessments, and ask Admissions in advance if accommodations are needed.
5. Admissions decision and response window. The school states that a decision is normally sent by email within 10–15 working days after the Entrance Assessment; offers will include instructions and a deadline for confirming the place. Parents should watch the email account used on OpenApply, read the offer letter carefully (it will state any conditions) and meet the confirmation deadline to secure the place.
6. Fees, boarding and other cost information you should check before confirming. SGA publishes its official fee policy (2025–2026 school year) on the school website: Tuition for Grade 1–5 is RMB 165,200; Grade 6–10 RMB 178,400; Grade 11–12 RMB 210,000. Boarding (Grades 6–12) is RMB 12,000 for the year; meal rates are listed per grade band and tuition excludes meals, uniforms, school bus and some extracurricular or trip costs. Parents should read the school's policy page carefully to confirm what is included in tuition, ask about the payment schedule and whether there is an enrollment deposit or refund policy stated in the offer letter.
The school's official pages (admissions, policy and related site sections) do not list scholarships, bursaries or formal fee‑remission programs. SGA's published fee policy gives tuition, boarding and meal rates but does not describe merit or need‑based awards. If you need information about financial assistance, sibling discounts, or any temporary subsidies, ask Admissions directly (OpenApply contact or the school phone listed on the Shenzhen municipal school directory) because any such programs would be administered case-by-case and are not described on the public site. For accuracy when planning, request written confirmation from Admissions about whether any scholarships or fee reductions are available and the eligibility/application process.
SGA's public admissions documents and the school's admissions procedure do not describe an explicit waitlist or pool system. The published process shows application review, an entrance assessment, a decision and a confirmation step but does not explain what happens to applicants who are not offered a place. If you are not offered a place, contact the Admissions Office (via OpenApply or the school's admissions contact) to ask whether the school maintains a waiting list, how candidates are ranked, and whether you must reapply for a later intake; the school runs regular Open Days where Admissions staff can address these questions in person.