The ISF Academy

What The ISF Academy does

The ISF Academy (弘立書院) is a non-profit private independent school founded in 2003 by the ISF Educational Foundation Limited (智立教育基金有限公司), a registered Hong Kong charitable organization established in 2000. The school delivers a through-train bilingual (Putonghua and English) education from Pre-Primary through Grade 12 to approximately 2,600 students and is supported by roughly 530 staff. It is authorized as an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP), and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS). Instructional delivery combines the IB framework with Chinese cultural studies, a dedicated Chinese Research Center, and a specialized STEM+Arts research stream called Shuyuan (書院) with laboratory facilities for biotechnology and molecular biology. Supporting programs include the Li Ren (立人) learning support service with educational psychology staff, a Li Ren-inclusive experiential learning program (BELL), 220+ co-curricular activities, and a University Guidance and Counseling service that placed the Class of 2026 into 140 universities worldwide with 735 offers and an average IB Diploma score of 38.5.

The school operates from two purpose-built campuses: a 56,759 square meter main campus at 1 Kong Sin Wan Road in Pokfulam (occupied since 2008) housing Primary and Secondary divisions with 60 classrooms, an indoor gymnasium, two libraries, and dedicated learning spaces; and a Kennedy Town kindergarten campus opened in 2020. The student-to-teacher ratio is 7:1.

The ISF Academy's revenue model is a hybrid of recurring tuition fees from enrolled families and philanthropic capital. Because the school does not receive government subsidies, operating funds come from tuition, endowment investment income, and corporate and individual donations. Donor recognition ranges from a HKD 100 bookplate contribution up to a HKD 10 million-plus Honorary Patron cumulative tier. Major multi-year fundraising campaigns include the Inspire Campaign (2018-2023, raising HKD 500 million-plus) and the active Insight Campaign (2023-2028, targeting HKD 200 million). The annual ISF Jam school fair has cumulatively raised over HKD 120 million since 2008. Customer acquisition is conducted via a formal admissions office under a Dean of Admissions using open days, school visits, virtual tours, community events, alumni referrals, and a community portal — the school does not use resellers or third-party distribution channels.

Name

The ISF Academy

Legal name

The ISF Academy

Website

https://academy.isf.edu.hk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The ISF Academy (弘立書院) is a non-profit, through-train private independent school in Hong Kong serving approximately 2,600 Pre-Primary through Grade 12 students with bilingual Putonghua-English IB World School education (PYP/MYP/DP), funded by tuition, endowment income, and philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK), Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• Bilingual day school
• IB World School
• Mandarin English instruction
• International college preparatory

Headquarters

HQ city

Pokfulam, Hong Kong

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

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: As a non-profit private independent school, ISF Academy generates primary revenue from tuition fees paid by students. The school does not receive government subsidies.
2. Fundraising and Donations: The school relies on charitable donations from individuals and corporations. Various giving programmes include general donations, annual fund, specific donations, named donation programmes, and endowment contributions.
3. Capital Contributions: A Capital Contribution Scheme exists as part of the admissions and fee structure, where families may make capital contributions to support school development.
4. Campaign Fundraising: Major multi-year fundraising campaigns such as the Inspire Campaign (2018-2023) and Insight Campaign (2023-2028) with specific financial targets for school development projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The ISF Academy is a non-profit, private independent day school in Hong Kong delivering bilingual (English and Mandarin) instruction from Pre-Primary through Grade 12. Its secondary curriculum is structured around the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP), and the school holds IB World School authorization.

Product overview

The ISF Academy is a private independent non-profit school offering a through-train bilingual education from Reception (Pre-Primary) through Grade 12. The institution operates as an IB World School providing the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The core portfolio includes the Primary School Curriculum and Secondary School Curriculum as foundational programs, supplemented by specialized offerings such as the Shuyuan STEM+Arts research program, Li Ren inclusive learning support, over 220 Co-Curricular Activities, Experiential Learning Program (BELL), University Guidance and Counseling, and the Chinese Research Center. All programs emphasize bilingual English-Chinese instruction rooted in Chinese culture with global perspective, preparing students for admission to top universities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISF Academy Day School (Pre-Primary to Grade 12)

Quantifiable outcome

• Average IB Diploma Score of 38.5 for Class of 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CIS (Council of International Schools)coreOthers · 1 January 2023ISF Academy is accredited by CIS (Council of International Schools). The accreditation demonstrates the school's commitment to meeting high international standards in education.
• IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization)coreOthers · 1 January 2023ISF Academy is an authorized IB World School offering the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and IB Diploma Programme (DP).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• German Swiss International School: HK private independent school offering bilingual education with strong German stream and IB DP. Competes for the same pool of internationally mobile, fee-paying families in Hong Kong.
• Chinese International School (CIS): Long-established HK bilingual international school offering IB curriculum from primary through Diploma. Direct competitor with overlapping bilingual (English-Mandarin) positioning and similar target families.
• Kellett School: Hong Kong through-train British-style independent school offering IGCSE and IB DP. Direct competitor for English-speaking and internationally mobile families in HK.
• Yew Chung International School (Hong Kong): Hong Kong branch of the Yew Chung network offering bilingual (English-Mandarin) education through IB curriculum. Directly comparable to ISF on bilingual positioning and target segments.
• Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS): HK international school offering IB PYP, MYP, and DP from K-12. Competes directly with ISF for fee-paying families seeking through-train IB education in Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong Academy: HK private non-profit school offering IB curriculum from early years through Diploma. Smaller scale than ISF but directly comparable on mission, structure, and target family segment.
• French International School of Hong Kong (FIS): HK private international school offering French-medium and IB stream through secondary. Competes for internationally mobile families and serves a similar through-train, multi-programme model.
• Hong Kong International School (HKIS): Leading HK private independent school offering a through-train American-style curriculum with IB DP. Competes directly with ISF for expatriate and affluent local families seeking K–12 international education in Hong Kong.

Regional players

• Singapore American School: Premier non-profit American international school in Singapore serving primarily expatriate families. Regionally comparable as a leading Asia-based, non-profit, premium through-train school, though not in direct HK competition.
• United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA): Singapore-based IB through-train school with a similar mission-driven, non-profit structure. Regionally comparable in scale, IB positioning, and college-preparatory outcomes, though geographically distinct.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ISFAcademy.HK
• Instagraminstagram.com/isf.hk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-isf-academy

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The ISF Academy