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International schools in Singapore

Discover international schools in Singapore

Singapore has one of the most established international school markets in Asia, with IB, British and American programmes across the island. Tell us your children's ages, curriculum, budget and where you will live, and start a private school search.

No account needed. Tell us you are moving to Singapore and our team will email your recommended schools.

Singapore at a glance

Oversight
Ministry of Education; CPE for private education providers
Main curricula
IB, British, American, and other national systems
School year
August to June at most international schools
Ages served
3 to 18

One search

Tell us about your family once instead of enquiring school by school.

Focused shortlist

Start with schools recommended for your requirements, so you have somewhere to begin.

Explore and compare

Other suitable schools stay available to explore, compare and add.

Direct contact

Choose which admissions teams to contact and message them directly.

Start your school search for Singapore

Tell us your children's ages, the curriculum you are considering, your budget and where you will be living. Our team will review your request and email a recommended shortlist of Singapore schools worth looking at.

Your school search is private to you. Nothing reaches a school until you choose it and send your message.

Illustrative example of a private school search showing recommended schools, key information for comparison and the option to choose which admissions teams to contact.

Your schools

Your search

Illustrative example
1

International School A

North campus

Curriculum

British / IGCSE

Ages

3-18

Location

Example location

Fees

Within your budget

Why this school may fit: British curriculum with places in the entry year you need.

2

International School B

City campus

Curriculum

International Baccalaureate

Ages

3-18

Location

Example location

Fees

Within your budget

Why this school may fit: IB continuum with mid-year entry support.

3

International School C

Main campus

Curriculum

American / AP

Ages

4-18

Location

Example location

Fees

Upper end of your range

Why this school may fit: American curriculum and transfer-credit recognition.

Select up to 3 schools to contact

What shapes the choice in Singapore

Curriculum choice is genuinely wide

IB, British and American routes are all well represented, along with French, German, Japanese, Indian and other national schools serving specific communities.

Compare the main curricula

Demand and waiting lists

The most established schools maintain waiting lists in popular year groups, and places can depend on timing as much as profile.

Waiting lists and availability

Fees are high by regional standards

Tuition sits at the upper end for the region, and application, enrolment and facility fees are normally additional.

Understanding school fees

Where you live changes the shortlist

Commutes across the island are manageable but not trivial. Bus routes and travel time should be part of the decision.

Questions to ask a school

How schooling works in Singapore

Most children of expatriate families in Singapore attend international or foreign-system schools, which operate alongside the national school system overseen by the Ministry of Education.

How the sector is organised

Singapore's national schools follow the national curriculum, while international schools serve mainly expatriate families and follow IB, British, American or other national programmes.

Private education providers are registered under the Committee for Private Education framework, and schools publish their registration and programme authorisations.

The school year and applications

Most international schools run an August to June year, though some follow a January start aligned to the southern hemisphere.

Applications for the main August intake often open around a year in advance at the most in-demand schools.

Fees and what sits outside tuition

Expect an application fee, an enrolment or facility fee and, at some schools, a refundable deposit or debenture in addition to tuition.

Ask for a written schedule showing every compulsory charge for a full academic year.

Assessment and entry

Many schools assess English language ability and prior attainment, particularly for entry into senior years.

Ask what evidence is required from the current school and how the assessment affects year-group placement.

Explore international-school curricula

We explain each system once, in the curricula library.

How matching works for Singapore families

Results are based on fit, not on payment. Schools cannot buy a position in your shortlist, and nothing you write reaches a school until you choose to contact it.

Ages and entry year

Where each child would be placed in the systems available locally, including age cut-off differences.

Curriculum

The systems you are open to, and how easily a later move would carry across.

Budget

Tuition alongside the fees that are commonly billed separately in this market.

Location and commute

Where you will live or work, and what the daily journey realistically looks like.

How matching works

There is no single best school in Singapore

Singapore's best-known schools are large, long-established and heavily oversubscribed, which tells you about demand rather than fit.

The right shortlist depends on year-group availability, the curriculum you want your children to continue, the total annual cost and the daily journey from your housing.

Define those first, then talk directly to the admissions teams you choose.

Common questions about searching in Singapore

Planning a move to Singapore?

Start your search and tell us you are moving to Singapore. Our team will match you against the schools we cover and email your recommendations.

No account needed. Tell us you are moving to Singapore and our team will email your recommended schools.