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Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Social and Hobbies, Community and Service, Leadership and Professional, Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction
Discovery College (ESF) is an all-through IB school in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong, serving ages 5 to 18 (Years 1 to 13). Its campus opened in August 2008, located at 38 Siena Avenue on scenic Lantau Island. The school follows the IB continuum: PYP (Years 1-6), MYP (Years 7-11), and offers both the Diploma Programme (DP) and the Career-related Programme (CP) in the senior years. With around 1,400 students, Discovery College emphasises consistency in learning across levels. The language of instruction is English, and students also study Chinese (Putonghua) and may receive support in their mother tongue. The school operates bus services from Tung Chung, Tsing Yi, Kowloon and other parts of Hong Kong to cater to those living off-campus. Among its notable features are a compulsory Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) programme involving camps, regional trips, and “No Boundaries” initiatives. The arts are strongly supported through drama, music, and visual arts facilities and programs. Discovery College encourages parent involvement in learning partnerships and celebrates the diversity of student backgrounds through its mother tongue support.
Discovery College has 1,400 pupils, typical class sizes of 30, instruction in English.
Location
Discovery College sits in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, in a scenic residential area surrounded by hills and coastline. Many students live locally, but the school also runs bus routes from Tung Chung, Tsing Yi, South Lantau and parts of Kowloon to bring students in.
Stages
Discovery College is a Year 1 to Year 13 through-school, meaning children typically join at age 5 and continue through until around age 18. It delivers the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP, CP) across those years.
Type
The school is a co-educational day school.
Additional learning support
Discovery College runs a Learning Diversity Team that works with teachers to provide individualized planning, targeted support, curriculum adjustments, small-group work or short one-to-one withdrawal as needed. However, under ESF’s policy, Discovery College does not provide full Learning Support provisions; it only accommodates students up to Levels of Adjustment 1 and 2 per ESF’s framework.
Country affiliation
The school is part of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) in Hong Kong, and is not formally tied to any particular foreign country’s government or education system.
Religious affiliation
Discovery College is non-denominational and does not have a religious affiliation.
School day structure
Buses deliver students typically between 7:30 am and 7:50 am (with adjustments for Tuesday) and the school’s refectory and café are open from 7:15 am to 3:30 pm.
In the afternoon, the last lessons finish at 3:10 pm for primary and 3:25 pm for secondary, with buses departing between 3:30 and 3:40 pm after students are escorted to the waiting areas.
Bus service
The school provides a contracted bus service via Kwoon Chung Motors Co. Ltd. (KCM) for students who live outside Discovery Bay. Each bus has a bus supervisor who monitors student safety and behaviour.
Diving Deeper
The school has not added this information
Fees
Annual tuition at Discovery College ranges from HKD 162,100 to HKD 215,300 for 2026/27.
Application Fee A non-refundable Application Fee of HK$2,800 is charged per applicant for ESF and all-through schools. This fee covers the administrative cost of processing applications and must be paid online via credit card or PayPal at the time of submission. The fee payment does not guarantee an interview or a school placement.
Tuition Fees
Years 1–6: HK$162,100 per year Years 7–11: HK$213,600 per year Years 12–13: HK$215,300 per year Tuition fees are billed in 10 equal monthly instalments from September to June each academic year. Payments are typically made through direct debit from a Hong Kong bank account.
Non-refundable Building Levy (NBL) Each student pays an NBL of HK$8,060 per year, billed across 10 instalments of HK$806 alongside tuition fees
Additional Costs
Uniforms and learning materials are purchased separately through designated suppliers. Optional school bus services are billed independently via the contracted provider (Kwoon Chung Motors). There are no boarding fees, as Discovery College is a day school.
Refund Policy All fees, including the application fee and NBL, are non-refundable. Tuition fees are refundable only under ESF’s standard withdrawal policy, which requires written notice in advance of withdrawal.
Payment Methods Payments are accepted via direct debit, credit card, or PayPal, depending on the fee type.
Academics
Discovery College teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme) for students aged 5 to 18.
Curriculum
Discovery College offers the full IB continuum from Year 1 to Year 13. For Years 1–6, students study the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), working through transdisciplinary units around six themes. For Years 7–11, the school offers the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), with a focus on connecting learning to real-world contexts, student inquiry, interdisciplinary units, and a Personal Project in Year 11. IBCP students combine at least two DP courses with a career-related study and complete a IBCP core (Reflective Project, Service Learning, Language Development, Personal & Professional Skills).
1. Online Application Submission Families submit an online application through the ESF / DC admissions portal, selecting up to four ESF school preferences. The application includes the non-refundable administration fee.
2. Assessment / Interview / Testing Applicants (for years other than entry levels) are invited to attend assessments or interviews to evaluate their readiness for the English-medium curriculum. Shortlisted candidates are notified with schedules for testing and interviews.
3. Offer of Place & Acceptance If successful and if a vacancy exists, the school issues an offer of place. The family must accept by a deadline, after which a deposit or building levy may be required.
4. Onboarding & Entry Requirements Once accepted, the student is integrated into the school system, including orientation, registration, and payment of fees per the school’s billing schedule. Families may also be asked to submit supporting documents (previous school records, medical records, etc.).
5. Waitlist Consideration If no immediate place is available, the candidate may be placed into a waitlist or pool. Offers from the waitlist may be made when places become available.
Scholarships
Discovery College offers merit-based scholarships for secondary students (Year 7 and above) in areas including academics, community engagement, sport, music, drama, visual arts, and design. Scholarship applicants must also complete the standard admission process (assessment/interview) and meet Discovery College’s admission requirements. For academic scholarships, candidates must meet certain grade thresholds (e.g. MYP score of 46 across eight subjects; DP score of 35 across six subjects), sit an external scholarship examination in math, language, writing and academic potential, and possibly attend an interview. For athletics, arts or other domain scholarships, evaluation is based on evidence (e.g. portfolios, references, performance videos), auditions or interviews, and prior achievements. Once awarded, scholarships are reviewed annually and typically expected to continue through to Year 13, assuming the student maintains academic and co-curricular commitments. If a student leaves early or transfers, the scholarship may be revoked or require repayment of awarded fees.
Waitlist
DC (via ESF) does maintain a waiting list / pool system for school places when demand exceeds vacancies. Applicants are placed on the waitlist in priority order, and if a vacancy arises, offers may be extended from the waitlist by date of application and priority group.
School Events
The school has not added events
FAQs
What ages does Discovery College serve?
Discovery College serves students aged 5 to 18.
What curriculum does Discovery College follow?
Discovery College offers the full IB continuum from Year 1 to Year 13. For Years 1–6, students study the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), working through transdisciplinary units around six themes. For Years 7–11, the school offers the IB Middle.
Where is Discovery College located?
Discovery College sits in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, in a scenic residential area surrounded by hills and coastline. Many students live locally, but the school also runs bus routes from Tung Chung, Tsing Yi, South Lantau and parts of Kowloon to.
What are the tuition fees?
**Application Fee**
A non-refundable **Application Fee of HK$2,800** is charged per applicant for ESF and all-through schools. This fee covers the administrative cost of processing applications and must be paid online via **credit card or PayPal**.
How many students attend Discovery College?
The school has approximately 1300 students.
What languages are taught?
The school provides English language support through UNLOCK for Secondary Years 7–10, with intensive, assessed English language classes over six to twelve months to raise reading and writing proficiency. Chinese learning is part of the regular.
How does the admissions process work?
1. **Online Application Submission**
Families submit an online application through the ESF / DC admissions portal, selecting up to four ESF school preferences. The application includes the non-refundable administration fee.
2. **Assessment /.
What facilities does the school have?
Discovery College is located in Discovery Bay, Lantau Island. The campus includes dedicated spaces for Visual Arts, Design, Academics, Athletics, Music and Drama.
What extracurricular activities are available?
The school is an IB World School offering the IB program for Year 1 through Year 13. UNLOCK is a pathway for new secondary students providing intensive English language support (6 to 12 months) to bring reading and writing proficiency up to speed..
When was Discovery College founded?
Discovery College was founded in 2008.
What accreditations does the school hold?
* **International Baccalaureate (IB) World School**: Authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP)..
