Despite the high fees, a place in one of Hong Kong's top international schools is more highly prized than ever. But demand currently far exceeds supply, a fact bemoaned by expat and local parents alike.
And this shortfall could affect the city's long-term prosperity. Recent surveys conducted by the British and Canadian chambers of commerce has found that the difficulty employee's face securing a place for their children at a first-rate institution makes it harder for overseas companies to develop in Hong Kong.
In the coming academic year, the highly regarded Hong Kong International School (HKIS) will teach over 2,600 students, from Reception 1 to Grade 12, at its two sites in Repulse Bay and Tai Tam. But despite its size, the school has still had to turn away over 70 per cent of this year's applicants.
'Each year, HKIS' Reception 1 class (pre-Kindergarten) offers places to 135 new students,' says Erik Dierks, Chief Advancement Officer with HKIS. 'This year, HKIS received 29 per cent more applications for the 2011/2012 school year than for the year previous.'
The school has been offering an American-style education to students for the last 44 years, and one factor accounting for its continued popularity is its impressive facilities.
'The school is comprised of over 1 million square feet of learning space spread over two campuses,' says Dierks. Within its grounds, he adds, 'the school has state-of-the-art arts, cultural, and sports facilities.'