German Swiss International School
Prior to your application, parents should obtain and read through an admissions pack with relevant school information. To gain access and retrieve the admissions pack, please kindly submit your initial enquiry by completing the Pre-Application form by clicking here. Parents who are interested in visiting the School will have an opportunity to join a guided tour to get an impression of GSIS (German Swiss International School). Please contact the respective Admissions Manager Ms Eva Ubowski by email admissionsecondary@gsis.edu.hk to arrange an appointment allowing at least two weeks notice. The School will acknowledge receipt of the application via email and, subject to all details being completed, the student will join the waitlist for their year group of application. Arrangements may be made for a future entrance assessment in line with the assessment schedules.
Annual tuition fees: HK$168,600-219,700 (depending on grade)
Refundable debenture: HK$500,000
Head's Up
The educational work in the two streams of GSIS has consistently been on a higher level that only a few schools in the world could be proud of. The resulting achievements of the students have been almost unparalleled. In partnership with the Board and the GSIS team, I will put my wholehearted efforts into further expanding our students’ educational opportunities to ensure that they continue to encounter formative experiences through both the academic and pastoral aspects of their time at GSIS. I will also focus on building on our relationships with external partners and all stakeholders for the benefit of the school community.
Have you always wanted to work in education? Why?
I have to admit that at the beginning of my scientific work at University, I was so fascinated by the scientific findings of Mathematics and Physics that I devoted myself completely to Science as a Theoretical Physicist. Through teaching at University, I found that it is even more challenging to get young people excited about Science than it is to fathom new knowledge. This is what inspired me to pursue a career in education and I have never regretted this decision.
Where did you grow up and how was your schooling experience?
I grew up in a suburb of Dortmund, Germany, and discovered my love for the natural sciences at an early age, attending a secondary school with a focus on Science.
To this day, my love of exercise has also remained. I believe that young people increase their cognitive possibilities through physical activity and therefore recommend that all parents make sure that their children also get the opportunity to play sports and enjoy outdoor activities.
Who had the greatest influence on you growing up?
My parents gave me strong foundations for everything that I am today. It is undeniable that without my nurturing childhood given by my parents and the freedoms granted, I would not have become the person that I am today. I would also like to make special mention of my PhD advisor, Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Thomas, who deeply impressed me with scientific excellence, outstanding empathy and especially with his sense of responsibility towards our environment.
The inside track from a current parent
GSIS lives up to its promise of a holistic education. The school day doesn’t end when the bell rings. Teacher-led extra-curricular activities include choir, orchestra, and big band in the field of music, a wide variety of sports including climbing and horse-riding, and social activities such as debating, the Model United Nations, and the Hong Kong Award for Young People. There is also a programme of paid-for afternoon activities. All lessons are put on hold during the annual Discovery Week, when students attend residential camps in Hong Kong, China, and Germany, and try out new skills and sports.
Parents are also expected to play an active role not only in their child’s education, but also in the running of the school. Far from taking a back seat, parents sit on the school board and engage in various committees; for example, you’ll find mums and dads running the school shop and organising fundraisers. There are also plenty of opportunities for parents to socialise with the Connect GSIS group organising monthly walks, coffee mornings, and events.
As parents we love...
- State of the art sporting facilities that give students the opportunity to excel in swimming, athletics, football, hockey, rounders, baseball, cricket, netball, biathlon, and cross-country.
- Inspiring teachers who encourage children to think and challenge conventional thinking.
- GSIS is the only school in Hong Kong providing a German curriculum, and it is certified as an Excellent German School Abroad by the German government’s Central Agency for Schools Abroad.
As pupils we love...
- The facilities are incredible. Primary school facilities include a new library with more than 20,000 resources in German, English and Chinese; a spacious multi-purpose atrium; a rooftop playground; and a primary gym. The secondary school features state-of-the-art laboratories; a senior library and senior study room; a new indoor swimming pool; and a renovated sports hall.
- The best thing about GSIS are the relationships you develop with teachers because of small class sizes and also the lasting friendships you build.
What makes us different
If bilingualism and a German education are a top priority for your child’s education, then GSIS has a lot to offer. Students here are learning German and its everyday use in an immersive environment from an early age.
English stream
Far from being an exclusively German school, GSIS also offers an English stream at both primary and secondary level. Here you’ll find a more international education, with teachers coming from the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, classes being taught in English, and lessons structured around the British curriculum. That said, there is a strong emphasis on the learning of German from Year 2, with students working towards the German Sprachdiplom I and II exams.
In the English secondary department, which the school describes as “a traditional English grammar school”, students work towards the IGCSE in 8 to 10 subjects, and then the IBDP.
German stream
Part of the German Schools Abroad and supported by the German government, GSIS is more than just an outpost of Germany. Anyone familiar with the German education system will appreciate its strict adherence to the Gymnasium curriculum. The German primary department is made up of classes K01 to K04, and the curriculum is based on Thuringia and includes the Antolin reading programme.
Moving up to the German secondary department, students in K05 to K09 continue with subjects taught in primary – German, English, Maths, computer studies, art (drawing/design and technology), music, RE/ethics, and PE. In K06 they start a second foreign language, which can be Mandarin, French, or Latin, and study history; students are also given the option to pursue either an academic or a vocational learning path. During senior high school, year groups K10 to K12 study for their Arbitur exams.
Admissions
Admissions Contacts
German Swiss International School – Peak Campus
11 Guildford Road, The Peak, Hong Kong SAR
German International Stream: Eva Ubowski (852) 2180 0511
Englsh International Stream: Prudence Kwok (852) 2180 0512
Useful Dates
We do not have a deadline for application. Applications are accepted from birth, so parents are advised to apply sooner rather than later especially as the date of the application can have an impact on the applicant’s position on the waitlist for a future assessment.
Candidates for the English Stream Kindergarten and Y01 will be assessed individually, but within a group of up to eight children. The assessment schedule begins in January for entry in August of the same year.
English Primary Y02 to Y06 applicants will be invited to attend a test between February to May. The interview for candidates for Y02 onwards will consist of a written test for English and Mathematics and verbal English.
Potential candidates of the English Secondary Department for the following school year will be invited for an entrance test and/or interview in January and February of the same year.