Affordable IB Education? It’s Possible at UWC

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One of the perks of expat life for families is that international schools tend to be exceptional. They are often lauded as the best in the world and the opportunity to study in these high-achieving environments is an undeniable advantage for third culture kids. But even among these elite institutions, certain names stand out. United World College (UWC) is one of those institutions whose reputation garners respect and admiration. Beyond its exceptional IB education, UWC is known worldwide for creating a richly diverse, student-centered campus that produces productive leaders with the desire to make a difference.

There are 18 campuses worldwide and as of 2015, China is counted among its locations. Tim Smith, the Director of Admissions at the Changshu campus, talked about what makes UWC Changshu China unique and the opportunities and financial aid available to international students.

Tim Smith

In the 90s Tim was working at an international school in the Balkans in south east Europe and he noticed a trend. All of his best students were getting poached by this program called UWC. He started doing a little digging and discovered his passions and ideals aligned strongly with the United World College movement.  “I thought, If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” He was drawn to the global mission of uniting for peace and sustainability, its educational inclusivity, and the diverse student population, “everyone is a minority on campus”. He also stressed the holistic nature of the program. Yes, academics are rigorous but a rich social life and a broad range of extracurricular, and civic programs are encouraged “no two days are the same for our students or faculty…it’s a community and that is reflected in how active our alumni network is.”

There are over 60,000 UWC alumni and Tim shared stories of how engaged and eager they are to give back to the community that helped shape them. Many end up finding each other again after graduation and it’s not uncommon for business and entrepreneurial endeavors or even marriages and partnerships to result years after they have graduated university and begun their careers.

When speaking with Tim about the students at UWC Changshu China, two themes emerged: passion and personality. UWC isn’t looking for cookie-cutter students. Yes, they need to be able to carry the academic load but UWC wants individuals with a diversity of thought and talent as well as a diversity of culture.

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“What do they contribute to the community?... How are they helping all of us to live outside our comfort zone?”

The idea of living beyond your comfort zone came up several times. The UWC community is comfortable having their perceptions challenged because they believe that’s where growth and learning happen. In addition, he observed that students who were comfortable being uncomfortable developed adaptability and resiliency that serve them in a changing world.  And ultimately that’s the goal. “We want our students to be able to create positive change.”

Tim’s passion for UWC and his students are clear. This is not a school that’s focused on tuition. And their financial support policies make that clear. UWC does not offer scholarships. Instead, any student who is admitted can apply for financial aid. They are adamant that the cost of tuition should not be a barrier to education.

UWC will assess each applicant individually with financial assistance offered to expat families living in China, where needed. This is a chance for students to attend a school commonly considered out of reach due to financial reasons.  Tim emphasized that in the current climate where travelling to study is difficult, expat students who are suited to studying at UWC will be welcomed and financial support will be available. And, UWC continues to support students well after graduation – many go on to attend some of the world’s best universities with scholarships. The UWC experience is the perfect precursor to university life as students become resilient, mature and independent having learned self-management through residential living.  

Because UWC is so diverse with some students able to easily pay full tuition and others in need of assistance they have a policy against excessive displays of wealth to guard against the tension that can arise when these kinds of disparities are present. This helps keep the focus on academics and community, not social one-upmanship. It’s a refreshingly egalitarian environment considering how broad the UWC socio-economic student body is.

One challenge in running an international school in China is that local parents often put pressure on programs to adapt to a more traditionally eastern educational philosophy, pivoting away from international standards. Especially in the current environment where more local families whose children have foreign passports make up the bulk of tuition payments, the pressure on schools can be intense.

UWC Changshu China has two things working in its favor on this score. First, as one of many worldwide campuses it has multiple financial resources, and secondly, and most importantly, the board that makes the educational decisions has no contact with parents. Because they are insulated, they can make purely academic decisions and adhere to the IB philosophy and curriculum, with student learning at the center of their focus.

It’s no secret that getting a visa for China is challenging at the moment. And that means that expat families currently inside China’s borders have an excellent opportunity. They have access to this world-class program and because they are already residing in China they will not need to go through the difficulty or uncertainty of the visa process again. Tim encourages students who are interested in their program to set up a tour. “Seeing is believing, come and visit our campus!”

To learn more and book a campus tour please contact us at:

Email: [e-mail]        
Tel: [phone] 
Website: www.uwcchina.org

Images: United World College

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