A Guide to Education & International Schools in Singapore

Jump right in:

• Education system in Singapore
• Daycare & kindergarten
• Primary & secondary Schools
• International schools
• Higher education
• Language schools

The  education system in Singapore is overseen by the Ministry of Education (MOE). They set details such as the mandated school year, which starts in January and ends in November.

School holidays

While international school holidays vary, public schools have four terms with breaks between them and they observe public holidays. In addition to National Day (August 9th) these include:

• Chinese New Year;
• Christian holidays of Good Friday and Christmas Day;
• Muslim festivals of Hari Raya Puasa and Har Raya Haji;
• Hindu festival of  Deepavali (Diwali);
• Buddhist festival of Vesak.

School Age System in Singapore

It’s useful to know that school years in Singapore are split by age. This is similar to the grading system in the US.

• Primary school is compulsory for children living in Singapore. Primary school lasts 6 years, after that, students have to take the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination).
• The PSLE results help to determine which secondary school students can enter. They can choose subjects with different difficulty levels. The subject levels are called G1, G2 and G3 (G3 is the greatest difficulty level). This secondary school system is called Full Subject-Based Banding.
• After secondary school, students go into junior colleges, Millennia Institute, polytechnics or the Institute of Technical Education. These prepare them for universities, applied diplomas, technical qualifications or employment training.

Main differences between public and private schools

• Curriculum: Public schools follow Singapore’s national curriculum, while private and international schools follow their own curriculum or the International Baccalaureate, British, American, or other international systems.
• Exams: Public school students take national exams, private school students may take IB, IGCSE, A-Levels, or other international exams.
• Fees: Private and international schools usually are much more expensive than public schools.

Autonomous vs Independent schools

There are also autonomous and independent schools within Singapore’s mainstream school system.

• Autonomous schools are government schools with additional flexibility and may charge extra autonomous school fees.
• Independent schools have greater autonomy over their programmes and fee structures, and their fees vary by school. It is best to check the relevant school’s website for the latest fees.

Costs

• Public: approx. 0 to 500 SGD (0 to 390 USD)
• Private: approx. 20.000 to 50.000 SGD (15.500 to 39.000 USD)

Competition for kindergarten and preschool places is high, however, daycare, kindergarten or preschool is not mandatory in Singapore.

Admission for international children with at least one Singapore citizen parent is not guaranteed due to limited vacancies. The first in line are Singapore citizens and permanent residents.

Access information on how to enroll your child to a MOE Kindergarten here.

When do kids start kindergarten in Singapore?

In Singapore, kindergarten is for children up to the age of 7.

• Kindergarten 1 (K1) is the first year of kindergarten for children who are 5 years old, it helps children to build early literacy, numeracy, social, and learning skills.
• Kindergarten 2 (K2) is the second year and prepares children for primary school.
• Younger children can go to infant care, childcare, playgroups, or nursery programmes.

If your situation requires that your children stay at home, you can consider hiring a babysitter or a live-in nanny.  A fifth of households in Singapore hire live-in help, though your employee will usually have a more domestic than educational focus towards childcare.

Daycare and kindergarten school costs and fees

Top kindergartens in Singapore

• HWA International Kindergarten
• Mulberry Learning
• Kinderland
• LeClare
• BRMC Little Lights

English is the main language of instruction in Singapore schools. Students take the Primary School Leaving Examination and later move toward GCE O-Level qualifications.

How to apply to primary and secondary school in Singapore

To join  a Singaporean local primary  school, you must sign up during the Primary 1 Registration Exercise in the year before your child starts school. International students can only register in the third registration phase.

• Primary 1 registration for international students
• If your child needs to be enrolled in Primary 2 to 5 and Secondary 1 to 3 they will need to complete the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS). To apply for AEIS you must create an account for your child in the Candidates Portasl (CP) and submit an online application. The AEIS Primary fee is 340 SGD (440 USD), Secondary 630 SGD (815 USD).

School costs

Local education is subsidized in Singapore for permanent residents.  The average costs  for these  are shown in the table below:

Top primary schools in Singapore

• Tao Nan School
• Nanyang Primary School
• Ai Tong School
• Pei Hwa Presbyterian
• Nan Chiau

Top secondary schools/highschools in Singapore

• Hwa Chong Institution
• Nanyang Girls’ High School
• Raffles Institution
• Catholic High School (has a primary section)
• Methodist Girls’ School (has a primary section)

In this section of the guide, we have gathered information about nine of the best international schools in Singapore, the languages that they teach in, and the qualifications they offer.

Thanks to its diverse population, Singapore is home to a huge range of international schools.  Such institutions are incredibly popular and are the first choice of schools for international students and their parents. This means that they often have long waiting lists. They are also some of the most expensive schools in the world.

British Schools

• Tanglin Trust School
• Dover Court International
• Dulwich  College

French and German speaking  schools

• Lycée  Francais  de  Singapour
• German European School
• Swiss School Singapore

Other countries

• Canadian International School
• Stamford American International School
• Australian International School

International school requirements and admission

Students who hold a foreign passport  and are not on a long-term visitor  or student pass  are eligible for admission to international schools in Singapore. Exceptions can be made for Singaporean citizens, for example, if you are an alumnus of a certain school or transferring from abroad. These  cases need approval from  the Ministry of Education.

Most schools require that students can thrive in a high achieving academic environment. If your child requires extra learning support, you should contact the school of your choice and confirm that this is available.

Language and other requirements

An age-appropriate level of fluency in English or Mandarin will be required for most schools. If your child speaks a different mother tongue, the schools listed above with bilingual courses should be accommodating. If your child is older, evidence of national test results may be required.  Schools can also ask you to submit  previous school reports.

International school tuition fees

Annual tuition fees usually range from around  30,000 to 59,000 SGD (approx. 23,000 to USD 46,000. USD) per year. Keep in mind that costs can add up as there are often one-time application, enrollment and examination fees involved.

The country is recognized as a global leader in university research and innovation. With six autonomous universities, there is a range of degree  subjects across the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral  levels.  Considered to have one of the best education systems in Asia, the country is a popular destination for foreign business and engineering students.

Foreign universities

The nation is also a popular location for branches of foreign universities. Technology TUM Asia, and INSEAD all have a presence in the area, alongside private institutions offering partner courses with many British and American universities.

Singapore also offers polytechnic education that trains adults to gain specific workplace skills. They are popular continuing education institutes and offer diplomas and work experience.

Best universities for international students in Singapore

• National University of Singapore
• Nanyang Technological University

There are five polytechnic institutions in Singapore:  Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore, and Temasek.

Top faculties

Singapore is known for its prestigious master’s in business administration (MBA) degrees. These degrees are an important next step for international business professionals. It is not a requirement to have previously studied business in order to obtain one of these degrees. The most popular business and MBA courses in Singapore are at the following universities:

• Nanyang Technological University
• National University of Singapore
• Singapore Management University (Lee Kong  Chian  School of Business)
• INSEAD

How much does it cost to study in Singapore  for international students?

• Cost of living:  1,800–2,800 SGD (approx. 1,400–2,200 USD) per month.
• Undergraduate without MOE Tuition Grant:  33,500–190,200 SGD (approx. 26,000–150,000 USS) per year.
• Postgraduate master’s:  38,000–84,000 SGD (approx. 29,500–65,000 USD) in total.
• MBA programmes:  71,000–100,000 SGD (approx. 55,000–77,400 USD) in total.

Scholarships

International students are able to get subsidized tuition through Singapore’s MOE Tuition Grant Scheme. In return, they usually need to work for ain Singapore for three years after graduation. You can find more information about application process here.

Language schools are available across Singapore and are a great way to meet fellow expats. More importantly, being able to speak with your fellow residents  is  an  important  part of cultural integration. In Singapore,  learning a local language  can seem like a hard task  as a diverse population means that many languages are spoken.

Official  Languages of Singapore

• English (with British spelling);
• Mandarin (with simplified characters);
• Malay;
• Tamil.

Locals  will  also speak “Singlish,”  a  distinctly  accented version of English that  ignores standard grammar and  uses  many slang words.  Foreigners are not expected to speak  this unofficial language, and it is not used for business. Every Singaporean citizen must learn English as well as one of the other three official languages. Understanding and speaking English is therefore an important element in your relocation.

Which are the best language schools?

Reputable language schools include:

• Inlingua: offers full/part time courses in English and Mandarin and part time courses  in  Malay.
• Lingo: 1-2-1, group and online classes for many languages.
• Elite Linguistic Network has: beginners and professional courses in Mandarin and English.
• If you are looking to learn sign language, the Singapore Association for the Deaf offers courses in Singapore, Shanghainese, and American sign language.

Language school fees vary based upon the type of course you are looking for and the length of your course. You can expect to pay around 550-1,600 SGD (425-1,200 USD) for a group course.