KIS

What KIS does

Korean International School (KIS) is a private, independent, tax-exempt non-profit international school located on Hong Kong Island in Sai Wan Ho. Originally established as a Korean School in 1988 under a license from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea, the institution was re-established as Korean International School in 1993 and moved to its current Sai Wan Ho campus in 1994. The school operates a dual-section structure: a Korean Section that delivers the Korean national curriculum (with the principal appointed by the Korean Ministry of Education and Korean as the medium of instruction), and an International Section that delivers the British/UK Cambridge International Programme (with English as the medium of instruction). KIS serves approximately 900 students drawn from over 25 nationalities, supported by 150+ staff, across the full Reception-through-Year-13 age range (approximately ages 4–18).

The school's curriculum portfolio spans the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) for Reception, International Primary Curriculum (IPC) for Years 1–6, Cambridge IGCSE for Years 10–11, and A-Levels for Years 12–13, supplemented by English Language Support (ELS) and English as a Second Language (ESL) tracks. A differentiated offering is the Springboard Programme, a specialized division for neurodiverse learners with mild to moderate learning differences that runs at a 1:3 teacher-to-student ratio with tailored instruction and therapeutic interventions. Technology stack is composed of commodity tools — Google Workspace for Education, a 1-to-1 Chromebook device program, and the Veracross school-management and admissions portal — rather than proprietary platforms. Extracurricular delivery is heavily outsourced through named partner providers covering badminton (Clubsmash HK), football (PSG HK Academy), taekwondo (Cheung Do Kwan), tennis (Morlotti Academy), swimming (Stanford Swim School), and language instruction (Berlitz HK).

Revenue is generated from three streams: recurring tuition (HK$101,500/year for Reception, HK$128,500/year for Primary, HK$143,200/year for Secondary, billed monthly over 10 months), a one-time non-refundable HK$2,000 application fee, and tax-deductible donations processed via a dedicated Fundraising Committee. KIS explicitly charges no debentures or capital levy, an unusual feature for Hong Kong international schools that anchors its value proposition on affordability. Governance rests with a Board of Directors chaired by Moon, Ik Seang, with Lee, Jong Seok as Supervisor of the School Management Committee; operational leadership is split between Daniel Hilton (International Section Principal) and Song, Byeong Geun (Korean Section Principal). Admissions operate on a rolling, direct-to-consumer basis with priority given to foreign passport holders and siblings.

Name

KIS

Legal name

Korean International School

Website

https://kis.edu.hk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Korean International School is a Hong Kong-based private non-profit school operating a Korean Section (national curriculum) and International Section (Cambridge/UK curriculum), serving approximately 900 students from over 25 nationalities across Reception through Year 13.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education (Private School)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAG

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

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

Keywords

• International school education
• British Cambridge curriculum
• Korean national curriculum
• Cambridge IGCSE A-Level
• Special education needs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue source from annual tuition fees charged to enrolled students. No debentures or capital levy required.
2. Application Fees: One-time non-refundable application fee of HK$2,000 charged during the admissions process
3. Donations & Fundraising: Tax-exempt non-profit organization that accepts donations. Donations of HKD 100 or above are tax deductible.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Korean International School (KIS) is a private, independent non-profit international school in Hong Kong providing all-through education from Reception to Year 13 across two parallel sections: the Korean Section (Korean national curriculum, Korean-medium instruction) and the International Section (British/UK Cambridge International Programme, English-medium instruction). The school offers curriculum products including IEYC, IPC, Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level programmes, supplemented by the Springboard SEN Programme for neurodiverse learners and English Language Support / ESL programmes for language learners. KIS enrolls 900+ students from over 25 nationalities and operates as a non-tax-exempt non-profit funded by tuition fees and donations, with no debentures or capital levy required.

Product overview

Korean International School (KIS) is a private, independent school offering a dual-curriculum structure with the Korean Section (following the National Curriculum of Korea) and the International Section (following the British/UK Cambridge International Programme). The school provides all-through education from Reception (age 4) through Year 13 (age 17), encompassing Primary and Secondary programs. Key curriculum offerings include the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC), International Primary Curriculum (IPC), Cambridge IGCSE, and A-Level programmes. The school also offers specialized support through its Springboard Programme for students with learning differences, English Language Support (ELS) and ESL programmes for language learners, and various partner extracurricular programmes including sports and language instruction. The institution emphasizes technology integration through its 1-to-1 Device Programme and utilizes Veracross as its school management portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Korean Section (Korean National Curriculum) A dedicated school section following the National Curriculum of Korea with Korean as the medium of instruction, serving Korean students from early years through secondary on the same Sai Wan Ho campus as the International Section.
• International Section (British/UK Curriculum, Cambridge International Programme) All-through British/UK curriculum programme with English as the medium of instruction, offering Cambridge International Programme from Reception through Year 13 to a multicultural student body.
• International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) Thematic curriculum for Reception students that meets statutory requirements while providing internationally-focused early childhood education within the International Section.
• International Primary Curriculum (IPC) Thematic curriculum covering Science, Social Studies, ICT, Physical Education, Art, and Music for Year 1 to Year 6 students, aligned with UK National Curriculum requirements.
• Cambridge IGCSE Programme International General Certificate of Secondary Education programme for Years 10-11, providing globally recognized qualifications in subjects including Business Studies, Economics, Accounting, and Sciences.
• A-Level Programme Cambridge Advanced Level qualifications for Years 12-13, offering subject-based education recognized for entrance to higher education institutions worldwide.
• Springboard Programme (SEN) Specialized division for neurodiverse learners with mild to moderate learning differences, offering a structured learning environment with a 1-to-3 teacher-to-student ratio, tailored instruction, and therapeutic interventions within the International Section.
• English Language Support (ELS) Small-group English language support for primary students using Cambridge University Press materials, covering phonics, grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• English Second Language (ESL) English as a Second Language support for secondary students (Years 7-9) with an additional IGCSE English as a Second Language option for Years 10-11.
• 1-to-1 Device Programme School-wide technology initiative providing each student with a personal Chromebook device to support integrated digital learning across the International Section.
• Partner Extracurricular Programmes External partner-led extracurricular programmes integrated into the International Section offering Badminton (Clubsmash HK), Football (PSG HK Academy), Taekwondo (Cheung Do Kwan, integrated into PE curriculum), Tennis (Morlotti Academy), Swimming (Stanford Swimming Program, weekly compulsory lessons), and Language courses (Berlitz HK).

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of all grades awarded at A* to C level in IGCSE results (2013)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ms Liu Chiha & Korean Women's AssociationminorOthers · 1 January 2022Donated funds for Mini Football Pitch construction as part of school facility development.
• YWS FoundationminorOthers · 1 January 2021Donated ICT Room Laptop (25 Sets) for student technology resources.
• Clubsmash HKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBadminton partner programme offering after-school badminton clubs and training for students.
• PSG HK AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFootball academy partnership providing professional football training as part of the school's sports programme.
• Berlitz HKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLanguage courses partnership offering Berlitz language programmes for student enrichment.
• Cheung Do KwancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaekwondo programme partnership integrated into the PE curriculum. Professional taekwondo training for all students as part of physical education.
• Morlotti AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennis academy partnership providing professional tennis coaching for students.
• Stanford Swimming ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly compulsory swimming lessons for all students with professional coaching from Stanford Swim School. Building strong swimming foundation and confidence through basic techniques.
• Global Safeguarding Collaborative (GSC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of international schools committed to highest standards of safety, well-being, and child protection. Provides expert-led training, best-practice frameworks, and research access.
• Mr. Park Byung WonminorOthersAcademic scholarship donor (Park Byung Won Scholarship / MTS Scholarship) of HKD 10,000 for students Years 7-10.
• Mr. Lee Nae KunminorOthersUniversity scholarship donor (Lee Nae Kun Scholarship) up to HKD 20,000 for Year 13 graduates entering HK universities.
• Mr. Park, Hee BongminorOthersAcademic scholarship donor (Park Hee Bong Scholarship) of HKD 20,000 for Year 11-12 students with outstanding external exam results.
• Ms. Harm, Young SilminorOthersTalent scholarship donor (Harm Young Sil Scholarship) for students with talents in arts, sports, or student leadership Years 7-13.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• International School of Beijing (ISB): Major non-profit international school in mainland China serving a multi-national, expat-heavy community with full K-12 programmes; structurally comparable in governance model, target customer, and tuition tier, though in a different regulatory environment.
• Singapore American School (SAS): Large, well-established non-profit American international school in Singapore serving ~3,800 students; comparable in non-profit governance, expat-family target market, and through-train model, though operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Chinese International School (CIS): Hong Kong Island-based private international school serving multi-national families with an English-medium curriculum and Chinese language programme, directly comparable in target market, tuition tier, and dual-language orientation to KIS.
• Hong Kong International School (HKIS): Leading American-curriculum international school in Hong Kong serving expat and local families from Reception through Grade 12; comparable in scale, fee level, and direct-to-consumer admissions approach to KIS.
• Discovery College: Hong Kong international school delivering IB PYP, MYP, and DP to a multi-national student body; comparable in Cambridge/IB exam orientation, expat-family target market, and non-profit governance.
• Yew Chung International School (YCIS Hong Kong): Bilingual (English/Chinese) international school in Hong Kong with through-train primary and secondary pathways, highly comparable in dual-language positioning, expat family focus, and Cambridge/IGCSE-style offerings.
• German Swiss International School (GSIS): Hong Kong international school offering German and English-medium streams under one campus, structurally analogous to KIS's dual-section (Korean/International) model serving multiple national curricula.
• Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS): Private non-profit international school in Hong Kong offering IB PYP/MYP/DP across an all-through campus; directly comparable in non-profit structure, parent-driven admissions, and tuition pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCddRKaXeoqCTO3qSA0yaBMw
• Facebookfacebook.com/KoreanInternationalSchoolHongKong
• Instagraminstagram.com/koreaninternational

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 KIS