ESF International Kindergartens provide an inquiry- and play- based education for 3-5 year old boys and girls in the medium of English.

The majority of children complete a two year programme in an ESF International Kindergarten before moving on to an ESF primary school. We actively encourage children to enrol for two full years of kindergarten so they can enjoy all the benefits of the programme.

Admission Criteria

Priority for places will go to children who are from families whose first or alternative language is English but do not speak Cantonese (Category One). All other children will be regarded as Category Two, and places can be offered to such children should places be available after the Category One applicants have been admitted.

Within Categories, priority is given to:

• Siblings of children attending an ESF school, including the ESF Private Independent Schools (Renaissance College and Discovery College)
• Siblings of children attending an ESF International Kindergarten or returning students of an ESF International Kindergarten
• Children with a parent who is a full-time employee of ESF or ESF Educational Services Limited
• Children of former ESF students

Application Procedures

K1 aged children commence kindergarten in August each year. Each kindergarten will receive applications for K1 in accordance with the table below:

No child will be able to attend kindergarten prior to their allocated academic year.

Applications to K1 are invited from 2 October to 31 October of the year prior to admission. Applications submitted before 2 October will receive no advantage or priority. All applications will be processed after the end of October. Places will be offered first to applications received during October. Applications for K1 received after the end of October will be allocated a place on the waiting list in accordance with Category and priority within Category.

Applications for K2, or for K1 outside the October admissions period, may be made at any time. Places are limited, but may become available during the academic year. If no place is immediately available your child's application will be added to our waitlist in accordance with Category and priority within Category.

A non-refundable Application Fee of $300 applies to all applications for the academic year 2011/2012 (see Fees). The fee is non-refundable and does not guarantee a place at the kindergarten or provide any priority over the allocation of a morning or afternoon session, which are randomly allocated in order to ensure equal opportunities for all successful applicants.

Kindergarten Online Admissions System

Applications to kindergarten are to be made through the Online Admissions System.

When applying to an ESF International Kindergarten, parents are requested to advise the kindergarten whether their child has any developmental, educational and/or medical needs.

Allocation of places at the kindergarten

• All applications received during October will be processed and sorted according to Category and priority within Category
• The kindergartens will prioritise applications according to priorities within Category by computer-generated random number (for the October application period) and by date of application at any other time, in order to determine the order by which places will be offered.
• Applications will be allocated either a morning or an afternoon session. Care will be taken to ensure that twins and siblings of attending children are allocated the same session. The kindergartens will take account of the needs of the overall kindergarten community when making offers.
• The process for making offers for K1 will start in December. Offers of places will continue to be made until all places are filled.
• Parents and children will be invited to attend an informal visit to the kindergarten to hear about the kindergarten and the curriculum, to view the premises, and to enable staff to meet the children.
• Successful applicants will be issued with a contract after the visit. The session, either morning or afternoon, will be advised in the contract.
• Unallocated applications will remain in their designated place on the waiting list.
• Applications received after the deadline of 31 October will be allocated a place on the waiting list in accordance with Category and their priority within that category, and by date of application. In this way, new Category One children would take precedence over Category Two children already on the waiting list.

Selecting a Kindergarten

You may only apply to one kindergarten. There is no geographical zoning of the kindergartens, however, the following guidelines can be followed in identifying a suitable kindergarten. Families living on Hong Kong island should apply to Hillside Kindergarten. Families living in the Clearwater Bay, Tseung Kwan O, Hang Hau and Sai Kung area should apply to Abacus Kindergarten. Families living in Kowloon should apply to Tsing Yi Kindergarten. If you live in the New Territories, you may apply to either Tsing Yi or Wu Kai Sha Kindergarten.

ESF Primary Schools

There is increasingly strong demand for places at ESF Primary and Private Independent Schools (PISs). Attendance at an ESF International Kindergarten gives your child priority for an interview at these schools, although there can be no guarantee that an interview will be offered and no guarantee of a place. Attendance at kindergarten for a minimum of two terms is usually required to be eligible for priority for an interview, within Category (where applicable) at an ESF Primary/ESF PIS school. A minimum period of attendance does not apply to families newly arrived in Hong Kong, where an ESF International Kindergarten is the first kindergarten or pre-school attended.

First round interviews for ESF/ESF PIS Year One places are generally held in January of the calendar year in which the child turns five years of age.

Learn more about ESF primary school Admissions. Hyperlink to English Schools Foundation - Overview.