What Shenzhen International Foundation College does

Shenzhen International Foundation College (SIFC) is a private international high school founded in 2004 in Baoan District, Shenzhen, by Professor Fu Tengxiao, formerly Vice Dean of Shenzhen University Teachers College. It operates four parallel curriculum tracks — American (CCSS-based with 15+ AP courses, AP Capstone, MIT Digital Fabrication, Stanford Design Thinking), British (IGCSE/A Level with dual Pearson Edexcel and Oxford AQA accreditation), Art & Design ('Art + Technology' interdisciplinary program), and a newly established International Music Center (launched December 2024) — serving Chinese middle/high school students, expatriate and returnee families in the Greater Bay Area, and (via the 2026 Summer Camp) overseas students aged 14+.

The school's primary differentiator is its proprietary AI Study Abroad GPT (AI留学圈), launched in 2023 as China's first generative AI product developed independently by an international high school. Built on OpenAI's GPT-4-turbo and DALL·E 3, it offers five functional modules (essay drafting, study abroad advisory, immigration support, personalization, and image generation) accessible via WeChat mini-program to 10,000+ users. Supporting infrastructure includes a 720-degree VR campus tour, the Cialfo-integrated college counseling platform, a Victory Scholarship program with a 500,000 RMB special fund for Cambridge/Oxford/Ivy League admissions, a house system modeled on UK/US elite schools, 50+ student clubs, 8 themed cultural months, and 22 years of accumulated university placement outcomes.

SIFC generates revenue primarily through recurring annual tuition across its four academic divisions, with supplementary one-time revenue from the Greater Bay Area Summer Camp (RMB 29,800 per participant). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the school's official website, WeChat public account, phone hotlines, email inquiry, on-campus visit booking, VR tours, and event-driven summer camp programming. The school does not disclose revenue or funding and has no identified parent company or institutional investors; ownership and operating control appear to remain with the founder.

Name

Shenzhen International Foundation College

Legal name

深圳国际预科书院

Website

https://sifc.net.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Shenzhen International Foundation College is a private international high school founded in 2004 in Shenzhen, China, offering American, British, Art, and Music curriculum tracks to Chinese and expatriate students preparing for overseas university admission. It also operates a proprietary AI Study Abroad advisory tool and an annual summer camp program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International High School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• International high school
• Pre-university programs
• College counseling services
• Study abroad preparation
• International secondary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanshanqu

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: International high school education covering American, British, Art, and Innovation curriculum tracks. Revenue is generated through tuition fees charged per academic year. Scholarship programs (拏云奖学金/Victory Scholarship) are offered to attract high-caliber students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shenzhen International Foundation College is a private international high school delivering pre-university curricula across four parallel tracks — American High School (CCSS with 15+ AP courses and AP Capstone), British High School (Pearson Edexcel and Oxford AQA dual-certified IGCSE/A Level), Art & Design Center (interdisciplinary Art + Technology), and International Music Center — to Chinese and international students in Shenzhen. The school supplements classroom instruction with college counseling, a Victory Program scholarship pathway, an in-house AI advisory tool (AI留学圈), and an annual Greater Bay Area Summer Camp.

Product overview

Shenzhen International Foundation College (SIFC) operates as a comprehensive international high school offering four main educational programs: American High School (美式高中部), British High School (英式高中部), Art & Design Center (艺术学部), and International Music Center (国际音乐中心). The school has also developed its own AI product called AI留学圈 (Study Abroad GPT), China's first independently developed generative AI product by an international high school. Supporting programs include the Victory Program (拏云计划) for elite scholarship students, the House System (分院制) for cross-grade organization, and comprehensive College Counseling services. The curriculum integrates American CCSS standards with Chinese education, offering AP and A Level courses alongside innovative programs like MIT Digital Fabrication and Stanford Design Thinking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 美式高中部 (American High School): Shenzhen's first American high school, offering US Common Core State Standards (CCSS) curriculum with 15+ AP courses, AP Capstone, MIT Digital Fabrication and Stanford Design Thinking programs.
• 英式高中部 (British High School)
• 艺术学部 (Art & Design Center)
• 国际音乐中心 (International Music Center)
• 拏云计划 (Victory Program / 拏云V班)
• AI留学圈 (Study Abroad GPT)

Products and services

• American High School (美式高中部) Full American-style high school program based on US Common Core State Standards, offering 15+ AP courses, AP Capstone diploma pathway, MIT Digital Fabrication and Stanford Design Thinking modules. Designed for Chinese and international students in grades 9–12 seeking US university preparation with individualized course schedules.
• British High School (英式高中部) British curriculum program with dual Pearson Edexcel and Oxford AQA certification, offering IGCSE and A Level courses across mathematics, further mathematics, English language/literature, physics, chemistry, biology, economics, and psychology. Students select 5–7 subjects and participate in EPQ research projects plus MIT Digital Fabrication and Stanford Design Thinking innovation programs.
• Art & Design Center (艺术学部) Interdisciplinary art program featuring an 'Art + Technology' curriculum spanning interaction design, product design, spatial design, film production, game and animation design, painting, graphic design, digital art, sculpture, and fashion design. Uses PBL group collaboration and Stanford Design Thinking methodology, designed for students aiming at top global art and design universities.
• International Music Center (国际音乐中心) Greater Bay Area's first international music education center implementing modern applied professional reform, combining practical teaching with digital innovation and VR/AI technology. Covers music production, improvisation, pop vocals, and jazz piano, building a full industry-chain education loop from creation through production to professionalization for students targeting top music conservatories.
• Victory Program (拏云计划 / 拏云V班) Elite scholarship and cultivation program providing tailored pathways to world top universities including Cambridge, Oxford, and Ivy League schools. Features dedicated mentorship, specialized curriculum, and Victory Scholarship support including a 500,000 RMB special fund for '牛剑藤' (Cambridge, Oxford, Ivy League) admissions.
• AI Study Abroad Circle / AI留学圈 (Study Abroad GPT) SIFC's self-developed generative AI product built on GPT-4-turbo and DALL·E 3, accessible via WeChat mini-program to over 10,000 users. Provides five functional modules — Essay Assistant, Study Abroad Assistant, Immigration Assistant, Personal Assistant, and Image Generation Assistant — with multimodal processing, web search, and automated data parsing for academic records and financial documents.
• College Counseling (升学指导) Comprehensive four-year college counseling service running from Grade 9 through Grade 12, providing academic planning, university preparation, career planning, and psychological counseling. Uses the Cialfo platform for personalized university application management and career resource access.
• Greater Bay Area Exploration Summer Camp (2026) 10-day immersive summer program for overseas middle and high school students (aged 14+) offering cultural immersion, Chinese language learning, STEM exploration, and Greater Bay Area technology and cultural tours. Fee of RMB 29,800 per person covers courses, materials, twin-share accommodation, meals, in-program transportation within Guangdong Province, entrance fees for scheduled visits, and insurance; does not include international airfare, visa fees, or personal expenses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% overseas university admission rate maintained annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jeremy Lin-Li Qun Basketball League (林书豪-李群篮球联盟)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 December 2024Collaborated to establish the 'Jeremy Lin-Li Qun International Basketball Training Center' at SIFC. The league provides elite coaching staff and basketball education concepts, with coaches serving as SIFC basketball teachers. The center selects talented students to form school teams for domestic and international competitions, creating an intramural training + extramural competition joint development model.
• World Champion Wang Guan and Team (世界冠军王冠先生及其团队)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to establish the SIFC Modern Pentathlon Sports Center. The world champion's coaching team provides professional instruction aligned with national team 'high standards and strict requirements.' SIFC is the first international high school in China to host modern pentathlon programs, combining elite sports training with academic education.
• Shapu Community / Greater Qianhai International Youth Cultural District (沙浦社区/大前海国际青少年文化街区)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIFC serves as the core educational support unit for the 'Greater Qianhai International Youth Cultural District' initiative in Baoan District. This community co-building project aims to create the first youth-centered 'International Cultural Innovation Demonstration Zone' in the Greater Bay Area. SIFC opens educational resources to community youth and leads cultural exchange activities.
• Stanford University (Design Thinking Methodology)coreTechnology or IntegrationSIFC's Art & Design Center integrates Stanford University's Design Thinking methodology into its interdisciplinary curriculum and PBL group collaboration approach, helping students develop innovative capabilities for future art-related careers.
• Pearson Edexcel & Oxford AQA (UK Exam Boards)coreTechnology or IntegrationSIFC's British High School has obtained dual certification from both Pearson Edexcel and Oxford AQA examination boards, granting the school official qualification to offer and assess IGCSE and A Level courses including mathematics, further mathematics, English language/literature, physics, chemistry, biology, economics, and psychology.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Digital Fabrication)coreTechnology or IntegrationSIFC integrates MIT Digital Fabrication programs alongside AP Capstone and Stanford Design Thinking into its innovative curriculum offerings, providing students with cutting-edge STEM research and hands-on project experiences.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Shenzhen College of International Education (SCIE): Direct Shenzhen competitor offering US/UK curricula to Chinese students targeting overseas universities. Operates in the same city, same target families, and similar 100% placement-focused value proposition — the most direct comparable for SIFC.
• BASIS International Schools China: Premium international K-12 chain with strong Shenzhen presence, known for rigorous STEM curriculum and US university placement. Competes for the same high-achieving Chinese families pursuing top US universities.
• UWC Changshu China: United World Colleges branch in mainland China offering IB curriculum with elite global university placement. Comparable as a premium Chinese international school with selective admissions and global university outcomes focus.
• Vanke Meisha Academy: Shenzhen-based international school offering multiple curriculum tracks (IBDP, AP, A-Level) with strong overseas placement record. Direct geographic and curriculum peer in Shenzhen's premium international school market.

Broad incumbents

• Dulwich College International (Beijing/Shanghai): Established international K-12 chain from a UK heritage school operating premium campuses in major Chinese cities. Broader portfolio and brand but comparable premium positioning and British curriculum lineage.
• Nord Anglia International Schools (Shanghai/Beijing): Global premium K-12 chain with strong Chinese footprint. Broader scale and brand (MIT, Juilliard collaborations) make it a broader incumbent, but directly comparable as a high-tuition international school targeting wealthy Chinese families.
• Harrow International School Beijing: UK-heritage premium boarding school in China with British curriculum and elite university placement focus. Comparable as a premium international school, though Harrow's boarding model and global brand differ in scale.
• Wellington College International Shanghai: UK-heritage international school in Shanghai with British curriculum and selective admissions. Comparable premium positioning and target demographic — wealthy Chinese families seeking UK/US university pathways.

Others

• Cialfo: EdTech platform used by SIFC's college counseling department for university applications. Adjacent technology partner / ecosystem player enabling study-abroad workflows; not a competitor but a comparable touchpoint in the international admissions stack.

Emerging players

• EF Education First (International Schools Division): Global education company with international school operations and language pathways. Comparable as a global education provider with cross-border student mobility offerings, though broader and more commercial in orientation than SIFC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shenzhen International Foundation College