The international schools available in Singapore are generally outstanding and nearly all have very mixed international student bodies, though some have enrollment quotas for students that are of a certain nationality and schools like the American and Australian schools tend to be more homogeneous with respect to nationality. Many also have waiting lists, so you might need to consider a few different options and be flexible with availability and apply as early as possible to your targeted schools.
English is the language of instruction at the majority of international schools and entry requirements often dictate a minimum level of English proficiency in order to gain a place. There are no regulations in place regarding catchment area and you are free to apply for any international school that you feel is appropriate to meet your child’s needs. The school day runs from 08:30 until 15:30 Monday to Friday and some schools also offer lessons on a Saturday morning. The schools holidays vary from school to school, with many of the international schools choosing to follow the school calendar of their affiliated nation. The average class size in an international school is 25 children.
Annual schools fees range between $12,000 and $35,000 depending on the age of your child and the school they attend.
Australian International School
Curriculum: The curriculum encompasses all activities which involve teaching and learning including formal classroom activities as well as cocurricular activities. The Australian International School Singapore is a candidate school in the International Baccalaureate Organisation’s Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme which is supported by the New South Wales (Australian) curriculum. The curriculum follows a developmental continuum beginning with a play-centered approach to learning in the Preschool, leading into a strong emphasis on literacy, numeracy and inquiry units in the Primary years and becoming quite specialized in the senior years.
Age of students: 3-18
Size of School: 2250 students
Fees: Registration fee of $3160, refundable deposit of $5000, infrastructure fee of $6,420, semester fees are in accordance with the age of the child and range between $8627 and $21,219. Full fee information can be found here: http://www.ais.com.sg/admissions/fee-structure.html
Canadian International School
Curriculum: The Canadian School offers a full International Baccalaureate curriculum for grades 1-12 and an Ontario secondary school curriculum for their high school students.
Age of Students: The school has three campuses; an elementary school for children aged in grades 1-3, a Middle School for those in grades 4-8 and High School for children in grades 9-12.
Size of School: 1,300 children across all three sites.
Fees: An application fee of $1,784 (inclusive of GST) must accompany all applications, a refundable deposit of S$1,070 is also required. Tuition fee range from $7,129.75 to $35,206 per year. Full fee information can be found here: http://www.cis.edu.sg/page.cfm?p=382
Dover Court Preparatory School
Curriculum: The school follows a British curriculum.
Age of students: Pre-school to middle school education for children under 14.
Size of school: Approximately 900 students in total.
Fees: $2,500.00 registration, $481.50 termly building fund and termly fees between $2,675.00 and $10,186.40. Full fee information can be found here: http://www.dovercourt.edu.sg/fees
Eton House
Curriculum: The curriculum follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy of inquiry-based learning using a child-responsive, play-based, “inquire, think, learn” pedagogy for the Early Years Programme (Nursery to Kindergarten) and British National Curriculum for primary children. Eton House offers an extensive language programme including Mandarin as both a mother-tongue and 2nd language. Eton House also offers quality music, art and sports programmes provided by specialist teachers.
Age of students: Eton House offers education from pre-school of 18 months to primary 6 equivalent of 12 years olds.
Size of School: More than 500 students
Fees: $2000 registration fee, refundable one term fee deposit, annual schools fees range between $12,213 and $30,856 depending on the age of your child and the school they attend.
Excelssior International School
Curriculum: Formally known as the Emaar International School, this school was opened in 2007, it is managed by Raffles education group, one of the premier private education companies in the region with an enormous reputation to uphold. Their curriculum varies widely from pre-school to grade 12. For middle school from grade 1-5, students are taught using the Cambridge lower secondary program, leading eventually to the Cambridge IGCSE examinations. After completing the Cambridge IGCSE examinations, students can choose 1 of 3 programs, namely the GCE ‘A’ levels, the IB diploma programme, or switch to Raffles’ sister school to earn a Raffles Diploma.
Age of students: Vary widely from preschool of 3 years old to 16++ at grade 12.
Size of School: 44,000sq m with capacity for over 1500 students
Fees: $1988.21 registration and application fee, refundable deposit of $4000, annual schools fees range between $14,894 and $19,902 depending on the age of your child and the school they attend.
Chinese International School (CNIS) (IB World School)
Curriculum: With IB Diploma authorization, CNIS has status as an IB World School. The School is working towards IB implementation at all levels, molding the curricula to meet the demands of IB PYP (Primary Years), MYP (Middle Years) and DP (Diploma) Programmes. Some students may not be able to meet the rigorous demands of the IB Diploma; therefore students of mixed learning abilities can either obtain a CNIS diploma or an IB Certificate. CNIS follows the IB curriculum strictly and offers education from kindergarten of age 3 to an IB diploma at 16-19 years old.
Age of students: 3 to 19 years old
Size of School: 5 hectares
Chatsworth International School
Curriculum: Chatsworth has 3 campuses; The Orchard campus, East campus and Jalan Kayu Campus. Each caters to a different age group. Orchard campus has students from 3 to 18, East campus has students from 3 to 10 and the Jalan Kayu campus has students from 3 to 5. Chatsworth allows a choice of curriculum; students can choose from the Cambridge IGCSE examinations, the IB diploma or the American high school diploma. This spectrum of choice is Chatsworth international schools’ best characteristic.
Age of students: 3-18
Size of School: More than 1000 students in 3 campuses, with more than half (about 720) in the Orchard campus.
Fees: $214 registration fee, $2140 confirmation fee, tuition fees from $21,234 to $24,794. See their fees page for up to fee structure.
ISS International School
Curriculum: The ISS curriculum follows closely to that of the IB program, encompassing the IB primary years program, middle years program and the IB diploma. It also offers the American high school diploma.
Age of students: 3-18
Size of School: More than 1000+ in 2 campuses
Fees: $3210 registration fee, refundable deposit of $6,000- $8,000, annual tuition fees from $15,810 – $31,620. Full details can be found on their fee pages.
Overseas Family School (OFS)
Curriculum: OFS Singapore is a IB World school, offering IB programs strictly for its entire curriculum. It has IB primary years program, middle years program and also the diploma. The school offers open entry admission and requires no testing.
Age of students: 4-18
Size of School: 3000+ Students
Fees: Two semesters, $10,000-13,750 per semester for Pre-K and kindergarten,
$14,750 -18,500 per semester for elementary through high school.
Tanglin Trust School
Curriculum: Tanglin Trust School has roots that go back to 1925 and is currently at the forefront of innovative British-style education in South East Asia. Tanglin Trust School provides British-based schooling for expatriate students aged 3 to 18. Tanglin Trust School is predominantly, both in style and organisation, a British school. While encouraging a mix of nationalities in the student body, a quota exists within the student enrolment system to maintain the proportion of students from Britain at between 60 and 70 percent. The School adopts the British Education system of national curriculum tests followed by the Cambridge Examinations. Students sit the National Curriculum Tests that are compiled and published by England’s Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The tests are taken at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2), Key Stage 2 (Year 6), and Key Stage 3 (Year 9). The Authority also oversees the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations taken in Year 11 and the A level examinations taken in Year 13.
Age of students: 3 to 18
Size of School: 2300+ students
Fees: For the 2014/2015 school year there is an enrolment fee of S$2675 applicable to all year groups plus a refundable deposit of $5600 – $9500 based on age. Term tuition fees (3 terms) run from $7918 at the nursery level to $13155.65 for the senior school. For more detail see their admission fee page on their website.
Singapore American School
Curriculum: SAS offers an American Education for expatriate students living in Singapore. Its curriculum is based on the American system incorporating the latest trends in American education and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The high school program fulfills the entry requirements for most American universities and colleges. It offers honor programs, advanced placement courses and a host of extra-curricular activities.
Age of students: 3-18
Size of School: Biggest international School in Singapore at 3800+ students
Fees: Application fee of $2500 plus registration fee of $12,840, annual school fees of $11,675 for preschool to $30,154 for high school. You can view an up to date fee schedule here.
United World College South East Asia (UWCSEA)
Curriculum: UWCSEA is another IB World School with curriculum closely following that of the IB program. Students graduating from UWCSEA will graduate with an IB diploma or certificate.
Age of students: 4-18
Size of School: 11 hectares with over 2900 students
Fees: Registration fee of $3210.00 and tuition per term (3 terms) of $9095 – $11,248 depending on age level, refundable deposit fee of $6500-8700. Current admission fees can be found here.
