A thriving global port with the soul of a coastal town, Ningbo consistently surprises teachers who arrive for a job and end up staying for the life. Advanced manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce, and international logistics fuel a dynamic economy, while daily life moves at an easy, unhurried pace. Rents run a reasonable 1,500–4,000 RMB a month, the seafood is extraordinary, and the tree-lined streets are among the most walkable in China. Ningbo doesn’t try to impress. It just grows on you, until one day you realize it has quietly become home.
The school where HD Schools began, HD Ningbo has grown into one of Zhejiang’s most respected bilingual international communities, now home to more than 2,000 students from early years through high school. Its two purpose-built campuses sit in Yinzhou District, with state-of-the-art laboratories, arts studios, and world-class sports facilities — all just 30 minutes from downtown Ningbo, so dining, shopping and cultural experiences stay within easy reach.
The Paris of the East wears its contradictions effortlessly: Art Deco grandeur along the Bund, artisan coffee in shikumen alleyways, Michelin restaurants a street away from beloved noodle shops. For international educators, Shanghai makes the practical side easy — an extensive metro network, established international communities, international medical care, and housing that ranges from heritage townhouses to sleek riverfront apartments. A fulfilling teaching career and a rich personal life aren’t in competition here. You get both.
Set in Songjiang District, Shanghai’s cultural and creative heartland, HD Shanghai opened in August 2016 with the ambition of becoming a world-class K12 bilingual campus for 2,000 students aged 3 to 18. Phase 2, completed in August 2020, added high school facilities and fully equipped on-campus boarding residences, giving international faculty a professionally rewarding base in one of China’s most storied districts.
To live in Beijing is to live with history and modernity at once, and to find, somewhat unexpectedly, that they’re inseparable. Ancient hutong courtyards give way to gleaming CBD galleries; century-old Peking duck houses sit alongside gourmet imported grocers. Backed by an expansive metro, world-class international healthcare, and a thriving expat community, Beijing is the posting that culture-minded overseas educators rarely want to leave.
Set in Dongba, Chaoyang District, one of Beijing’s most coveted international enclaves, HD Beijing puts faculty at the heart of an area rich in international-grade shopping, dining, and leisure. The original campus opened in August 2017 for up to 600 K12 students; a second campus followed in September 2021, ten minutes away, adding about 13,000 square meters and bringing combined capacity to 1,300 students. Together they form a well-established bilingual school in Beijing’s most internationally connected district.
Blue skies, clear seas, red-tiled rooftops and the faint smell of salt in the air... Qingdao is a rare coastal city that feels both polished and genuinely relaxed. A UNESCO Creative City of Film with a booming tech and biotech economy, it draws global talent while keeping a close-knit, welcoming international community. After school: cold Tsingtao straight from the source, cobbled lanes through the historic German quarter, and golden beaches stretching as far as you can see. For educators who treat quality of life as non-negotiable, Qingdao is hard to beat.
HD Qingdao sits within the Oriental Movie Metropolis in Huangdao District — a Wanda Group landmark and one of the world’s largest integrated film and entertainment complexes, with a seven-star hotel, luxury residences, and international-standard medical care on the doorstep. Since opening in September 2018, the school has grown into a K12 bilingual community of up to 2,000 students aged 3 to 18, with the city’s celebrated coastline just beyond the campus gates.
The capital of six imperial dynasties, Nanjing unfolds across the seasons like a living scroll: cherry blossoms at Jiming Temple in spring, golden sycamores along Yihe Road in autumn. Safe, immaculately kept, and free of megacity frenzy, the city pairs deep cultural history with dependable modern infrastructure — a comprehensive metro, nationally acclaimed hospitals, world-class universities. For international educators, Nanjing offers something increasingly rare: the space to think, breathe, and build a life abroad.
HTNIA (HT Nanjing Impact Academy) sits in Jiangning District’s Airport Hub Economic and Technological Development Zone, a government-backed aviation economy pilot zone. The school opened in September 2021 with capacity for 2,000 K12 students aged 3 to 18. The surrounding district is maturing quickly, with new commercial, healthcare, and leisure facilities opening season by season — giving international faculty the calm of a well-planned new district, with the cultural depth of one of China’s most historic cities close at hand.
Yes. The school provides support for dependent visas, recommendations for local international schools (if you have school-age children), and a local living guide.
Yes. Children of staff members receive priority admission to our school, with a staff tuition discount.
Yes. The school provides premium private health insurance for all full-time international teachers, covering outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and some dental care. Accompanying family members are also covered.
It is very convenient to get around. Options include the subway (with English station names and announcements in all cities), ride-hailing apps (DiDi has an English version), taxis, bike sharing, and car rentals.
The subway systems in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Ningbo, and Qingdao all have English station names, signs, and announcements. Some buses have English signage; we recommend using a map app for navigation.
Bring your passport and work visa. The school will organize group appointments during onboarding week.
Yes. Near each campus you'll find supermarkets and a variety of Western restaurants (Italian, French, American, Mexican, etc.).
Ningbo: Dongqian Lake, Tianyige Library, Old Bund
Shanghai: The Bund, Disneyland, Xintiandi, West Bund Museum
Beijing: Great Wall, Forbidden City, 798 Art District, Sanlitun
Qingdao: Golden Beach, Badaguan, Beer Museum
Nanjing: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Confucius Temple, Xuanwu Lake
In addition, each city has an international teachers’ community that organizes regular social events.
The most common options are WeChat Pay and Alipay. Both support linking international credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard.
It is helpful but not necessary. Many signs and staff members in your city and school community offer English-language support. However, learning some basic Chinese will enrich your daily life and help you connect with local colleagues.