An international school or English Schools Foundation (ESF) education is usually the default choice for expatriate families in Hong Kong. But this may not be the case for much longer. More progressive local schools have begun offering international curricula, and their lower fees coupled with solid academic standards make them a compelling choice for many families.

The broadening of education choices for expatriate families stems from the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS), a programme set up to enhance the quality of private school education. DSS colleges enjoy greater autonomy than government or aided schools and are free to decide on areas such as the medium of instruction, class sizes and curricula. And in the past couple of years they have begun teaching international programmes too. Seven of the city's 61 DSS secondary schools now offer international curricula such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), up from just five schools in 2010-11.

More non-Chinese families are turning to these schools as a cheaper alternative to international schools and educators find both local and expatriate students are benefiting from the greater diversity.