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Curriculum IB (PYP), IPC (International Primary Curriculum)
Taught languages English, Mandarin
Strengths STEM, Languages, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Early Years, Primary School
Introduction
Hiba Academy Bay Area is a private international independent school opening Fall 2026 in San Francisco. As the newest member of the Wellington College Education network, it draws on a 160-year UK heritage and a global footprint that includes schools in the UK, China, Thailand, India, and beyond. The school delivers a bilingual English–Chinese curriculum from Early Years through Primary Years, with Chinese used as an instruction language in the Primary Years and English and Chinese used across learning experiences. The IB Primary Years Programme framework emphasizes inquiry, creativity, collaboration, and empathy. In Early Years, learning is immersive and hands-on, developing mathematics, literacy, language, and the arts in both languages. Academic Enrichment includes STEM, coding, language, and math explorations, while arts, calligraphy, and cultural traditions reinforce creative expression. A range of after-school activities supports wellbeing, sport, and social belonging. The campus will offer modern facilities designed for bilingual learning experiences.
Hiba Academy Bay Area has instruction in English, Mandarin.
Location
San Francisco, California, USA. The school is located at 99 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA 94104. It sits in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is part of Wellington College Education, a global network with roots in the United Kingdom.
Stages
Early Years (PK3, PK4) and Primary Years (K, Grade 1)
Type
Private international independent school in the San Francisco Bay Area
Country affiliation
United Kingdom (via Wellington College Education network; UK roots)
Fees
Annual tuition - Annual tuition: USD 52,000.
Founding family discount - Founding Family Discount: 10% off tuition for families who enroll in the school's first two years; this discount applies throughout the child's enrollment and to siblings who enroll later.
Application and enrollment charges - Application fee (one-time, at time of application): USD 100. A means-based waiver is available on request. - One-time enrollment (registration) fee due at enrollment: USD 2,000 (this fee is waived for Founding Families). - Tuition deposit due on confirmation of enrollment: USD 4,000; this deposit is credited toward tuition. Families are expected to sign the enrollment contract and submit the deposit within the school's stated confirmation window.
Tuition by year group and per-term detail - Published tuition is shown as a single annual amount (USD 52,000) for the school year; the school is opening in Fall 2026 and initial intake is PK3, PK4, Kindergarten and Grade 1. There are no separate published tuition rates by year group available in the school's publicly posted materials. - The school's academic calendar lists the 2026–2027 key dates and term breaks; no per-term tuition schedule or fixed number of billing installments is published. As a result, no official per-term tuition amounts (for example, per semester or per term) are available in the public materials.
After‑school / extended day fees - After‑School Program: USD 3,500 per year. This program includes a 7:30 am drop-off option and runs until 6:00 pm.
Boarding - Boarding fees: Not applicable. Hiba Academy Bay Area operates as a day school (published school hours and an after‑school program are provided; no boarding program or boarding fees are published).
Other recurring or likely additional costs - Uniform: Students are required to wear a uniform; no uniform price list or mandatory uniform fee is published. - Lunch: Most children bring packed lunches; an outside lunch option will be available (no published price). - Incidental, optional and program fees (examples that are not listed with amounts in public materials): field trips, specialty classes, extra-curricular clubs beyond the included After‑School Program, supplies, and any optional vendor-provided services. No fixed public pricing for these items is published.
Billing schedule and payment terms - The publicly posted information specifies a USD 4,000 tuition deposit due at enrollment and that families confirm enrollment by signing a contract and submitting the deposit (families are given a short confirmation window once an offer is made). The school does not publish a detailed billing schedule (for example, number of installments per year, exact due dates for term payments, late-payment penalties, or finance charges) in the publicly posted tuition and admissions materials.
Refund information - The published materials indicate the tuition deposit is credited toward tuition. No complete refund policy, pro‑rata tuition refund schedule, or explicit statements about which fees (application fee, enrollment fee, deposit) are refundable or non-refundable under specific withdrawal or dismissal scenarios are published in the publicly available tuition and admissions pages.
Fee payment options - The publicly available materials do not list accepted payment methods (for example, credit card, ACH/bank transfer, check, or wire). No published details about transaction fees, online payment portals, or payment plan providers appear in the posted tuition and admissions pages.
Summary of what is published and what is not published - Published and specific: Annual tuition amount (USD 52,000), founding-family discount (10%), USD 4,000 tuition deposit (credited to tuition), USD 2,000 one‑time enrollment fee (waived for Founding Families), USD 100 application fee (with possible means-based waiver), and After‑School Program fee (USD 3,500). - Not published in the publicly available materials: separate tuition rates by year group, official per-term tuition or per-term billing amounts, a full billing schedule and payment timetable, a detailed refund/cancellation policy for deposit or tuition, uniform pricing, and the accepted payment methods and payment‑plan options. These items are not provided in the school's publicly posted tuition, admissions, FAQ, or terms pages.
Practical notes for recording these fees in an external database - Record the annual tuition as USD 52,000 and list the additional mandatory/one‑time charges separately: Application Fee USD 100, Enrollment Fee USD 2,000, Tuition Deposit USD 4,000 (credited to tuition), and After‑School Program USD 3,500. Indicate the Founding Family Discount (10%) as an available ongoing discount for eligible families.
Academics
Hiba Academy Bay Area teaches IB (PYP), IPC (International Primary Curriculum) for students aged 3 to 11.
Curriculum
Bilingual English–Chinese curriculum. Early Years uses immersive, hands-on activities to develop mathematics, literacy, language, and the arts in both English and Chinese. Primary Years delivers all learning in English and Chinese, with Chinese as a language of instruction; the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme framework emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, self-examination, and empathy.
Higher Education Progression
Graduates have studied at Johns Hopkins University, California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, Parsons School of Design (The New School), Oxford University, and Brown University.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school prioritizes social-emotional learning, moral integrity, and resilience to foster confidence, empathy, and belonging. The IB Primary Years Programme emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, self-examination, and empathy to help students develop the skills to contribute positively in a connected world.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school teaches in English and Chinese, with Chinese language as a language of instruction. A 50:50 dual-language model ensures seamless transitions between languages, and the school welcomes children from all language backgrounds. For PK3–Grade 1, no prior Chinese knowledge is required, with individualized guidance to help learners catch up if needed.
Mental Wellbeing
Personal well-being is central: the program focuses on social-emotional learning, resilience, and a sense of belonging, helping students feel safe, supported, and engaged. The Student Services Department provides counseling using evidence-based techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy and art, and safeguarding policies ensure a nurturing environment free from all forms of harm.
Safeguarding
Holistic Counseling and Safeguarding for Every Child describes safeguarding as a thorough policy to ensure learning in a nurturing environment free from all forms of harm or abuse; the Student Services Department provides counseling to support healthy psychological development.
Admissions
Admissions
1. Create a Ravenna profile to start your admissions journey. Ravenna manages your admissions checklist, event registrations, and booking your parent interview and your child's assessment visit. If you already have a Ravenna profile, log in and select Hiba Academy Bay Area to continue.
2. Attend an Open House and complete the application components. Attend an Open House to learn about the bilingual program and to hear from school leaders. Parent/guardian interviews are scheduled after you submit the application, and students do not attend. Your child will participate in a Student Visit Day & Assessment, and you will complete the written application by answering the questions and submitting a Student Evaluation Form from your child's current teacher.
3. Review the timeline and age requirements. Hiba Academy Bay Area opens in Fall 2026 with PK3, PK4, Kindergarten, and Grade 1; applications remain open for founding families through the summer. Age requirements are: PK3 3 years by September 1; PK4 4 by September 1; Kindergarten 5 by September 1; Grade 1 6 by September 1. Admission decisions are typically released citywide in March, and families have one week to enroll by signing a contract and submitting a deposit.
4. Admission Decision and Enrollment. Independent schools in San Francisco typically make admission decisions in mid-March 2026; decisions are posted on Ravenna and families have one week to enroll by signing the contract and submitting a deposit. Founding Families will participate in onboarding events, including a ribbon cutting ceremony at 99 Rhode Island Street and orientation before the school year begins; Admitted Family Reception is also held for new families.
5. Optional admissions activities and financial aid information. Heart-to-Heart conversations with the Head of School are optional. Monthly Open Houses are offered in-person or virtual. Admitted families are invited to an Admitted Family Reception. Financial aid is need-based and determined via the Clarity platform, with awards synchronized to enrollment contracts. Founding Families receive a 10% tuition discount in the first two years.
Scholarships
Financial aid is need-based and determined via the Clarity platform, which analyzes a family's ability to pay. Clarity reports inform financial aid awards that are synchronized with enrollment contracts. Founding Families receive a 10% tuition discount in the first two years of operation.
FAQs
What curriculum does Hiba Academy Bay Area follow?
Bilingual English–Chinese curriculum. Early Years uses immersive, hands-on activities to develop mathematics, literacy, language, and the arts in both English and Chinese. Primary Years delivers all learning in English and Chinese, with Chinese as a language of instruction; the International Baccala.
What are the tuition fees at Hiba Academy Bay Area?
Annual tuition fees range from USD -1 to USD -1 depending on the year group. **Annual tuition** - Annual tuition: USD 52,000. **Founding family discount** - Founding Family Discount: 10% off tuition for families who enroll in
What age range does Hiba Academy Bay Area serve?
The school serves students aged 3 to 7. Early Years (PK3, PK4) and Primary Years (K, Grade 1)
Where is Hiba Academy Bay Area located?
San Francisco, California, USA. The school is located at 99 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA 94104. It sits in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is part of Wellington College Education, a global network with roots in the United Kingdom.
What wellbeing support does Hiba Academy Bay Area offer?
The school prioritizes social-emotional learning, moral integrity, and resilience to foster confidence, empathy, and belonging. The IB Primary Years Programme emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, self-examination, and empathy to help stude
What sports facilities does Hiba Academy Bay Area have?
The site overview mentions campus facilities as part of a private school network but does not provide details about specific sports facilities.
How do I apply to Hiba Academy Bay Area?
1. Create a Ravenna profile to start your admissions journey. Ravenna manages your admissions checklist, event registrations, and booking your parent interview and your child's assessment visit. If you already have a Ravenna profile, log in and select Hiba Academy Bay Area to continue. 2. Attend an
What type of school is Hiba Academy Bay Area?
Hiba Academy Bay Area is a Co-educational school with 10000 students. Private international independent school in the San Francisco Bay Area
What languages are taught at Hiba Academy Bay Area?
English and Chinese are the languages taught. Early Years exposes students to both languages through immersive activities in English and Chinese. Primary Years delivers all curriculum in English and Chinese, with Chinese as the language of instruction.
What is the history of Hiba Academy Bay Area?
Enrolling PK3, PK4, K, and Grade 1. Hiba Academy Bay Area is a private international school in San Francisco that opens Fall 2026. It is the newest member of Wellington College Education, a global network with a 160-year history of academic excellence rooted in the United Kingdom. The Wellington Col
What extracurricular activities are available?
Art club is offered as part of after-school clubs. The program provides opportunities for visual arts and creative expression through projects. After-school activities emphasize collaboration and shared creative achievement through creative projects.
