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Here’s where an education from Tianjin International School can take you
Tianjin International School (TIS) students walk many paths to success in university and beyond.
They pursue rigorous academics, backed by qualified foreign educators and a caring community. They have access to numerous Advanced Placement (AP) courses and university-level opportunities, taking place at facilities that are built to inspire, nurture and grow a generation of confident learners. They learn, love and lead in their many journeys to realise their big ambitions.
Central to it all are these qualities: purpose, curiosity, discernment, connection, compassion, courage, humility, service and persistence. Here’s how TIS high school students gain a holistic education that gets them admitted into the most competitive universities around the world.
Hear from the graduates
Abigael Kim née Williams
Class of 2014
At TIS, you’ll join a warm, welcoming, and dedicated community. Thanks to its personalised learning process, students get the most out of their enthusiastic and loving teachers. They learn better and are empowered to achieve their personal goals.
“Ms. Neuman (Ms. Strong now) was a huge support as just an ear to listen to what was going through my mind. She was a social/emotional support,” Kim shares. “Mr. Prescott was logical and down to earth. He was great at explaining things in life.”
Pair thoughtful teachers with academic excellence and vibrant extra-curricular activities, and it’s little wonder most TIS students become university-ready graduates. Kim also had the chance to visit the Yunnan province during her spring trips – an experience that she will never forget.
“It immerses you into the Chinese landscape and culture. The old buildings each have [an] incredible history behind [them],” she says. “You see how the land has been taken care of and cultivated. You just really appreciate China and what it has.”
Such experiences instilled a strong work ethic, keen focus and culture awareness in Kim -- preparing her for a global future. After TIS, Kim went to Biola University. She’s now pursuing a master’s program in elementary education, after which she plans to work at multiple schools around the world.
Jung Yoon Kim
Class of 2016
Jung Yoon Kim is one of many students who benefitted from how TIS challenges students to become critical thinkers as well as globally-minded future-leaders. "The high school curriculum was very flexible, allowing me to decide the general, honours, and advanced placement courses that I was interested in," he shares.
"Given that I always had a future career goal as a banker just like my father, I selected some relevant social science courses that trained myself to be suitable for relevant university majors that I wanted to pursue."
Kim quickly adapted to his new environment, thanks to TIS's buddy program. "I was studying in a local Chinese school in Beijing before I moved to Tianjin," Kim says. "The TIS teachers and fellow students were always eager to help me out warm-heartedly when I was facing difficulties. I believe that TIS is a very newcomer-friendly school given all the support systems that it has."
Supportive teachers instil confidence in these young learners, helping them thrive outside the classroom. "I liked how teachers always provided academic and career consultations for those who are in need, no matter [if] it was during the weekends or public holidays,” says Kim.
After TIS, Kim would go on to graduate from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with a BSc Economics and Finance as his major, and Economic and Political Development as his minor. He is now working in Citibank Korea as a corporate banking analyst.
“While it requires certain level of hard skills (financial knowledge, industry insights, etc.), it also requires a sophistication in person-to-person relationship,” says Kim. “The financial products provided by our competitors in the local markets and their terms are pretty much identical, so it requires an extra emphasis on networking and sales effort. I believe my experiences of encountering students from different backgrounds gave me the skill to interact and communicate with a diverse range of people, which is definitely helping out my career.”
Jessica Wang
Class of 2020
People and opportunities – these are the two things Wang loved most about her time at TIS. Joining the student council taught her how to communicate with the faculty, be a servant leader, and divide the workload based on one’s forte. “The student council is responsible for two student-run stores, school clubs, and activities such as Christmas and spring banquets,” she shares.
Like her peers, Wang learned from passionate and caring educators. “Mr. Luman is one of my favourite educators. He not only taught everyone math, but he also showed everyone around him how to be a good person and servant leader. As students, we can see that he wishes us to grow in our academics, but even more, he wants his students to be better human beings. He greatly influenced me through his patience, selflessness, and humility.” Wang says.
The school also encourages students to participate in various sports. “I played volleyball and other sports like badminton, but the environment at TIS encouraged me to try playing soccer. I made so many memories with our soccer team (because we were the best team!),” she enthuses. Today, Wang is majoring in biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame.
Abigael Kim née Williams
Class of 2014
At TIS, you’ll join a warm, welcoming, and dedicated community. Thanks to its personalised learning process, students get the most out of their enthusiastic and loving teachers. They learn better and are empowered to achieve their personal goals.
“Ms. Neuman (Ms. Strong now) was a huge support as just an ear to listen to what was going through my mind. She was a social/emotional support,” Kim shares. “Mr. Prescott was logical and down to earth. He was great at explaining things in life.”
Pair thoughtful teachers with academic excellence and vibrant extra-curricular activities, and it’s little wonder most TIS students become university-ready graduates. Kim also had the chance to visit the Yunnan province during her spring trips – an experience that she will never forget.
“It immerses you into the Chinese landscape and culture. The old buildings each have [an] incredible history behind [them],” she says. “You see how the land has been taken care of and cultivated. You just really appreciate China and what it has.”
Such experiences instilled a strong work ethic, keen focus and culture awareness in Kim -- preparing her for a global future. After TIS, Kim went to Biola University. She’s now pursuing a master’s program in elementary education, after which she plans to work at multiple schools around the world.
Jung Yoon Kim
Class of 2016
Jung Yoon Kim is one of many students who benefitted from how TIS challenges students to become critical thinkers as well as globally-minded future-leaders. "The high school curriculum was very flexible, allowing me to decide the general, honours, and advanced placement courses that I was interested in," he shares.
"Given that I always had a future career goal as a banker just like my father, I selected some relevant social science courses that trained myself to be suitable for relevant university majors that I wanted to pursue."
Kim quickly adapted to his new environment, thanks to TIS's buddy program. "I was studying in a local Chinese school in Beijing before I moved to Tianjin," Kim says. "The TIS teachers and fellow students were always eager to help me out warm-heartedly when I was facing difficulties. I believe that TIS is a very newcomer-friendly school given all the support systems that it has."
Supportive teachers instil confidence in these young learners, helping them thrive outside the classroom. "I liked how teachers always provided academic and career consultations for those who are in need, no matter [if] it was during the weekends or public holidays,” says Kim.
After TIS, Kim would go on to graduate from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with a BSc Economics and Finance as his major, and Economic and Political Development as his minor. He is now working in Citibank Korea as a corporate banking analyst.
“While it requires certain level of hard skills (financial knowledge, industry insights, etc.), it also requires a sophistication in person-to-person relationship,” says Kim. “The financial products provided by our competitors in the local markets and their terms are pretty much identical, so it requires an extra emphasis on networking and sales effort. I believe my experiences of encountering students from different backgrounds gave me the skill to interact and communicate with a diverse range of people, which is definitely helping out my career.”
Jessica Wang
Class of 2020
People and opportunities – these are the two things Wang loved most about her time at TIS. Joining the student council taught her how to communicate with the faculty, be a servant leader, and divide the workload based on one’s forte. “The student council is responsible for two student-run stores, school clubs, and activities such as Christmas and spring banquets,” she shares.
Like her peers, Wang learned from passionate and caring educators. “Mr. Luman is one of my favourite educators. He not only taught everyone math, but he also showed everyone around him how to be a good person and servant leader. As students, we can see that he wishes us to grow in our academics, but even more, he wants his students to be better human beings. He greatly influenced me through his patience, selflessness, and humility.” Wang says.
The school also encourages students to participate in various sports. “I played volleyball and other sports like badminton, but the environment at TIS encouraged me to try playing soccer. I made so many memories with our soccer team (because we were the best team!),” she enthuses. Today, Wang is majoring in biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame.
This preparation starts as early as the ninth grade where students start mapping their curriculum and extracurriculars towards their intended major. By their 10th and 11th grades, they start shortlisting universities, learning how to write personal statements and getting references and recommendations. During 12th grade, TIS students are well-prepared strong university candidates.
The track record of past students is proof that this approach is effective.
TIS graduates have been accepted to Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, Korea University, Seoul National University, University of Hong Kong, University of Melbourne, and more.
It takes a team to get a student into some of the best universities in the world. And at TIS, the college counsellors play a big role in guiding and preparing students during this important stage in life.
The goal is to help each student find a field of study that best prepares them for their future career. Counsellors not only meet with students individually and regularly, they also systematically monitor students to encourage improvement in their academics and standardised assessments.
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