Both the international schools and some local schools may offer the IB program, which may give non-Chinese-speaking students another choice.

If you plan to be here for a long time, learning Chinese or Shanghai dialect is very useful. Some parents may send their children to local schools or kindergartens, which offer international courses in English and Chinese, so that they may enjoy the positive aspects of two education systems and won't lag behind in study because of the language barrier.

Otherwise, international schools are more suitable for kids whose parents are diplomats or senior executives, who move from place to place all the time and want their kids to receive a continuous education. The governments and the companies they work for may also pay education expenses.