[KnowItAll]

Good news for expats who are planning on moving to Hong Kong and would like to secure admission to the ESF schools for their kids, BEFORE they arrive.

More information on ...

http://www.esf.edu.hk/index.aspx?nod...e=False&Page=1

In response to concerns about a shortage of international school places in Hong Kong, ESF has introduced a new scheme to enable companies to secure school places for expatriate employees before their arrival in Hong Kong. The scheme runs from 2 April until 30 June and allows an employer to secure places for the children of incoming employees for the next school year ? subject to availability.



?Until now, parents could only apply for places at ESF schools once they had arrived in Hong Kong,? explained Chris Forse, Head of Parent and Student Services at ESF. ?This added to the stress of relocating. Where places are available, an employer will now be able to remove that uncertainty.?



The Corporate Surety is a non-refundable payment equivalent to a maximum of three months? school fees (if paid in April) or a minimum of one month?s fees (if paid in June). If a place is available in the required year group and in the relevant school zone, it may be booked ahead of an expatriate family taking up residence in Hong Kong during the summer months. Children are required to pass a language test upon arrival in Hong Kong.

[back2HK]

would like to secure admission to the ESF schools for their kids, BEFORE they arrive.

Not exactly "secure" the admission. One can go on the waiting list earlier. Wish they had done it last year..

[alexander Bundt]

at the same time, they have announced that current students must pony up a $5000 deposit by the end of the school year to reserve a place for next year. OK, I suppose in isolation, this seems only fair. However, one has to wonder how much it was related to the impending announcement of another fee hike 30 days later !!

[LushMum]

Regarding Expats being able to secure places before they arrive - How does that work exactly? I'm just curious because the option is only available from April to June but won't all of the local interviews already have been carried out by then and acceptance letters been sent out? So does this mean they will keep a number of places free? I thought they always did?

[discobay]

It is really the ESF making a business decision rather than helping parents.
Now they are proposing a further increase in school fees starting August. When will it (ever) end?