Established in 1912, Shanghai American School (SAS) is an independent, non-profit and non-sectarian school offering an exemplary core American education program for expatriate students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. The school is located on two purpose-built campuses - one on the west side of Shanghai (Puxi) and the other on the east side of Shanghai (Pudong). Shanghai American School is China's largest international school with over 2,600 students from almost 40 countries.

Shanghai American School is a private, non-profit, co-educational international school. The school is owned by the SAS Parent Association and is governed by a Board of Directors elected from and by the parents of the school. Located on both sides of the sprawling city of Shanghai, the two SAS campuses serve as educational and cultural centers for much of the expatriate community in Shanghai. Although it first opened in 1912 and has an illustrious group of alumni, Shanghai American School is in many ways a young school. From 1949 to 1980 the school was closed. For the first twelve years after it reopened, it operated a limited program for less than 100 students. However, since 1993 growth and enrollment have been dramatic and the school has developed rapidly. In the past six years the school has grown from a student population of about 800 to its current enrollment of over 2600 students from almost 40 countries. The first graduation of SAS high school students in 50 years took place in 1995 with a class of six students. The 2006 graduating class at Puxi Campus included 130 students. The growth has mostly come as a result of the rapid increase in Shanghai's expatriate business community.