School selection is one of the first practical decisions an expat family makes when relocating to Singapore — and it is also one of the most consequential. The wrong choice leads to a long commute, a mismatched curriculum, or a child on a waiting list for a year. The right choice, made six to twelve months before arrival, sets the family up for a smooth transition into Singapore life. Singapore’s education landscape offers three broad paths for expatriate children: international schools, local government schools, and a hybrid approach that starts in one and transitions to the other.
This guide walks through all three options for expat families arriving in Singapore in 2026, covering curricula, fees, admission processes, waitlists, and how school choice intersects with housing location and the eventual Permanent Residence application.
Singapore Schools for Expats: The Three Paths
Singapore has more than 60 accredited international schools alongside one of the world’s highest-performing public school systems. Foreign students on Employment Passes, Dependant’s Passes, or Long-Term Visit Passes are not automatically eligible to enrol in MOE government schools — enrolment in a local school requires the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) for primary and secondary levels. International schools, by contrast, admit directly on application and have open intake processes (subject to space).
Path 1: International Schools
For most newly arrived expat families, an international school is the default first choice. International schools in Singapore offer a wide range of curricula — International Baccalaureate (IB), British (IGCSE/A-Level), American (Advanced Placement), Australian, French, German, Japanese, and others. This continuity of curriculum is particularly important for children who have already completed several years of schooling in their home country and for families who may eventually return.
The leading international schools in Singapore — Tanglin Trust School, UWC South East Asia (UWCSEA East and Dover campuses), Dulwich College Singapore, Stamford American International School, Singapore American School (SAS), and Canadian International School — offer outstanding academic standards and are internationally recognised for university placement. Annual fees for 2025/26 range from approximately SGD 28,000 at the primary level to SGD 55,000+ at the secondary and pre-university levels per child.
The most important practical constraint with Singapore international schools is capacity. Popular schools have multi-year waitlists for certain year groups — Year 1, Year 7, and Year 12 (IB DP entry) are particularly constrained at the top schools. Families should submit school applications at least six to twelve months before the intended start date. Families relocating with children in Year 6 (transitioning from primary to secondary in the British system) or Year 11 (transitioning to IB from GCSE) face the tightest availability windows and should plan furthest ahead.
Path 2: MOE Government Schools
Singapore’s government schools (MOE schools) are widely regarded as among the best in the world. Singapore consistently ranks at or near the top of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) rankings across mathematics, reading, and science. A child who transitions successfully into an MOE school receives a Singapore-calibre education at a fraction of international school cost.
Per the Ministry of Education, non-citizen school fees in government schools for 2024–2026 range from SGD 550 per month at primary level to SGD 950–1,250 per month at secondary level, depending on whether the student holds a Permanent Residence or is on a work pass. These fees are well below international school costs, making MOE schools attractive for families willing to commit to local integration.
Admission to MOE schools for international students is through the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS), held annually in October for entry in January the following year. There is also a Supplementary AEIS held in February/March for mid-year entry. Both exercises involve standardised tests in English and Mathematics. AEIS is competitive — particularly at the secondary level — and children who have not been exposed to Singapore’s curriculum may need preparation. Some families engage tutors or preparatory classes before the AEIS attempt.
The Hybrid Path: Starting International, Moving Local
A growing number of expat families adopt a hybrid approach: enrol the child in an international school for the first one to two years to allow adjustment to Singapore life, then transition to an MOE school after a successful AEIS attempt. This approach works well for families planning to remain in Singapore long-term and who want their children to integrate more fully into Singapore society and gain access to the MOE school network for secondary and junior college.
The hybrid path has real advantages for PR applications. ICA views children enrolled in Singapore local schools as a strong integration signal: it demonstrates that the family is not merely a transient work pass household, but has made a deliberate commitment to Singapore’s social fabric. Our guide on the ICA holistic assessment for Singapore PR covers how children’s school enrolment contributes to the family profile factor.
The transition from an international school to an MOE school is not straightforward at all year levels. Year 1 (age 7) and early secondary transitions (Year 7) are the most manageable, as the child has not yet accumulated significant curriculum-specific knowledge gaps. Late secondary transitions — attempting entry to Year 9 or above after years in an IB or American curriculum — are significantly harder and require preparation.
Choosing Your School Location First, Then Your Housing
The most common planning mistake made by relocating families is choosing housing before choosing a school. In Singapore, the school placement decision should precede the housing decision. The top international schools are geographically concentrated: Tanglin Trust, SAS, and several others cluster in the Buona Vista/Holland Road/Dempsey area; UWCSEA has two campuses (Dover and East); Dulwich is in Buona Vista; many families living in Districts 9–11 (Orchard, Newton, Novena) have access to this school corridor without a long school bus commute.
Our guide to renting in Singapore by neighbourhood covers the districts favoured by expat families at each school corridor, including East Coast (near Stamford American), Holland Village and Buona Vista (near Tanglin and SAS), and Bishan/Ang Mo Kio (near some MOE schools with strong academic reputations).
Key International Schools: A Quick Reference
Tanglin Trust School offers the British National Curriculum from Foundation Stage through to A-Levels, with approximately 2,800 students from over 50 nationalities. UWCSEA (United World College South East Asia) offers the IB Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme across two campuses and is particularly known for its pastoral and community focus. Dulwich College Singapore offers the British curriculum through IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme. Stamford American International School offers an American-aligned curriculum from pre-K through Grade 12 with AP and IB Diploma options. Singapore American School, the largest international school in Singapore, follows the US curriculum with AP courses.
For families from Germany, France, Japan, Australia, or other countries with national international schools, Singapore has well-regarded German, French (Lycée Français de Singapour), and Japanese (SIJS) schools. These are generally smaller and serve primarily the relevant national communities.
School Fees and What Is Not Included
Headline tuition fees at Singapore’s top international schools range from SGD 28,000 to SGD 56,000 per child per year. These figures typically exclude: a one-time capital levy or development fund contribution (SGD 2,000–10,000, charged once on enrolment); school bus (SGD 350–700 per month per child, depending on route); uniforms, books, and stationery (SGD 500–1,500 per year); extracurricular activities (many schools include basic ECCAs; enrichment programmes carry additional fees); and school trips.
A family with two children at a mid-tier international school should budget SGD 80,000–100,000 per year in total school-related costs. At the top-tier schools, that figure can reach SGD 115,000–130,000 per year for two children. These costs should be factored into the overall relocation budget and, where possible, negotiated as part of the employment package for the primary earner.
Application Timelines and Practical Steps
Apply to international schools as early as possible — ideally 12 months before your intended start date for the most popular schools and year groups. Most international schools require a completed application form, academic transcripts or most recent school reports (translated into English if necessary), a school reference or recommendation letter, and a registration fee of SGD 200–500 (non-refundable). Some schools conduct an assessment or interview for upper secondary entry.
For MOE school entry via AEIS, register on the MOE website when registrations open (typically August for the October sitting). Prepare your child with practice papers for the English and Maths tests, which are set at the Singapore curriculum level. The AEIS result is announced in November; successful students receive a school posting in December for January entry.
For a broader view of what family relocation to Singapore involves beyond schooling — housing, healthcare, the Dependant’s Pass, and banking — see our complete family relocation guide for 2026.
Plan Your Move Around the School Calendar
Singapore international schools follow a January–November academic year (aligned with the British system) or an August–June year (aligned with the American system), depending on the school. Families moving from the UK or Commonwealth countries typically find a January start (Term 2 in the British model) or August start most natural. Families from North America typically aim for the August intake.
Mid-year entry is possible but harder. Many schools do admit students mid-year if space exists, and some year groups have a higher turnover rate due to expat family mobility. Always contact schools directly about mid-year availability before planning your relocation timeline around school start dates.
Little Big Employment Agency (LBEA) is a MOM-licensed employment agency (Licence 19C9790) helping families with the full Singapore relocation — from the Employment Pass and Dependant’s Pass applications to coordinating school placement, housing, and the eventual Permanent Residence journey. Contact us at Singapore Employment Agency to start your family’s Singapore plan.
For Singapore company incorporation, secretarial, and accounting services for the accompanying earner, our partner firm Raffles Corporate Services provides end-to-end support.
— The Editorial Team, Little Big Employment Agency