ESF Admissions Head Clarifies Hong Kong School Application Process

Julie Wong, Head of Admissions for the English Schools Foundation (ESF), has provided direct answers to common questions from Hong Kong parents handling the competitive school application process. The information was provided to Sassy Mama in September 2026.

Wong confirmed that some ESF schools are currently easier to get into than others. She identified Peak School and Glenealy School as having the shortest primary school waitlists, while Tsing Yi Kindergarten is the most accessible for early years. On the other hand, Renaissance College and Sha Tin Junior School are the most competitive primary schools, alongside Renaissance College Kindergarten. Waitlists are not static and change as families move or alter their plans.

School Preference Order Matters

When families list multiple ESF schools on an application, the order of preference has a real impact. Applicants are initially prioritised and waitlisted at their first-preference school. This means a family who lists a school as their second choice will be behind all the families who listed that same school as their first preference. Wong stated that applicants are interviewed by only one school where a place is available, moving sequentially through the listed preferences if the first choice is full.

There is no single strategy for ranking schools, as ESF says it depends on a family's priority. The choice is between securing a spot at a specific preferred campus or getting a child into the ESF system more generally. Importantly, Wong said it is not pointless to list a competitive school as a second or third choice. Waitlist dynamics shift, and including multiple options never negatively impacts an application.

The Waitlist and Priority System

ESF does not use a simple first-come, first-served queue. A priority system gives an advantage to certain applicants, including children of ESF staff, siblings of current students, some debenture holders, and alumni. However, Wong clarified that priority status does not guarantee a placement, as it remains dependent on seat availability and individual assessment results. Candidates with lower priority face more competition, but places do regularly become available as waitlists progress.

Parents cannot find out their child's specific numerical position on a waitlist. ESF does not disclose rankings because positions fluctuate continuously as new high-priority applicants are added and other families' plans change. If no places are available at any of a family's preferred schools, the application remains on the waitlist for the first-preference school. ESF will not proactively offer placements at schools not listed on the application.

Key Changes and Consistent Rules

The core admission criteria and priority guidelines apply consistently across all ESF schools, including the Private Independent Schools, Discovery College and Renaissance College. A significant change concerns entry at Year 1 for children not coming from an ESF kindergarten. While still possible, Wong said the number of Year 1 places for those applicants will become "significantly reduced" following the opening of two new ESF kindergartens in the 2026-27 academic year. For families seeking a guaranteed ESF pathway, "enrolling at the K1 stage is strongly recommended."

For children already in ESF kindergartens, allocation to an associated primary school considers parental preference and a computer-generated random number within each priority tier.