Besides being known for having a stellar record of world class public schooling, Singapore is also well known for providing quality and top-notch education for its expats. When adjusting to a new country and environment, things can be quite stressful and frightening. To compound this stressful situation, it is more often than not challenging for foreigners to get their children enrolled into Singapore’s public schools given that priority is given to Singaporean nationals and permanent residents. Fortunately, there is a thriving Private education system to cater to international students in Singapore. From having state of the art facilities to an all-rounded academic curriculum, expatriates in Singapore will be spoilt for choice. The number and quality of Singapore international private schools have increased significantly over the years and parents are spoilt for choice. International schools in Singapore are inclusive and multi-racial, a key tenet of Singapore’s multi-ethnic society. Students will have an opportunity to interact with people with other ethnic backgrounds and races. As such, gathering feedback and opinions from students in these schools is crucial in order to make an informed decision. Afterall, every parent would want the best for their child.
Understandably, parents can be overwhelmed with many great choices. Hence, I have compiled a list of recognised and highly reputable international schools that have garnered praises from students and parents alike.
International Private Schools in Singapore
1. Tanglin Trust school
Address: 95 Portsdown Rd, S 139299
Curriculum: A-levels, IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), International Baccalaureate (Diploma) and National Curriculum for England
Teaching language: English
Established in 1925, Tanglin Trust School (Singapore) is a private co-educational school offering National Curriculum for England, IGCSEs, A levels and IB Diploma. Tanglin Trust prides itself as a private, British-based international School in Singapore for students aged between 3 to 18 years of age.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
Tanglin Trust School is the oldest British international school in South East Asia. Given that British students make up the most common nationality in the school, this school is perfect for expats coming from the UK. This international school offers an in-depth curriculum for students aged 3 to 18 years. Firstly, students aged 3 to 7 years old will be placed in infant school and follow the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 as their main education curriculum. From ages 7 to 11, students will be placed under the Key Stage 2. Lastly, from ages 11 to 18, students will follow Key Stages 3 to 5. Afterwhich, they would have the option to pursue IGCSE, IB or A Levels. Tanglin Trust school aims to cultivate and nurture students to realise their cultural, intellectual and spiritual potential under the guidance of professional and dynamic staff.
Fees
School fees for students under the Infant school will range about $27,714 to $34,485 per annum. Junior Fees would be about SGD $36,294 and senior fees would be approximately SGD $41,874 to $45,828.
2. Nexus international school
Address: 1 Aljunied Walk, S 387293
Curriculum: IB, IGCSE
Teaching language: English
Nexus International School Singapore is well-known for its globally recognised IB programme. It is one of the top private international schools in Singapore. Having relocated from Ulu Pandan Road to Aljunied Walk in January 2020, Nexus International School Singapore caters its programme to over 900 students from 50 various countries. It has a long standing reputation amongst expatriates in Singapore and their all rounded education system is a key tenet of their curriculum. On top of that, the new campus at Aljunied has state of the art facilities such as an auditorium and an Olympic-sized swimming pool to support activities for holistic education.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
Nexus International School Singapore (NISS) has two semesters that commence in August and January respectively. For Nursery to Year 6 students, NISS follows the IB PYP curriculum that covers subjects such as music and art classes, languages, maths and health. Subsequently, the school will prepare Year 7 to 9 students for the IGCSE curriculum when they officially enter Year 10 and 11. Last but not least, Year 12 to 13 students will sit for the IB-DP curriculum.
NISS provides plenty of great opportunities for students to explore their hobbies and interests via extracurricular activities and competitions.
Fees
For new applicants, there would be a one time fee of SGD $856 as well as a one time fee of SGD $2500 for new applicants upon the acceptance of the offer. In addition, an annual development fee of SGD $1712 is to be paid yearly.
Annual tuition fees can range anywhere from SGD $21,666 to $38,584 depending on the child’s level of education.
3. Singapore American School
Address: 40 Woodlands Street 41, S 738547
Curriculum: American
Teaching language: English
Founded by a group of pioneering American parents in 1956, Singapore American School (SAS) has a history of excellence, producing 675 plus and counting colleges and universities students. SAS prides itself for its unmistakable culture of excellence and passion for nurturing their students to think intellectually and develop personal awareness.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
SAS caters to students aged 3 to 18 years of age. SAS follows the American curriculum closely and includes studies in core curricular areas such as maths, social studies, art, music and reading and writing. For instance, a daily schedule of an elementary student at SAS would entail studying core subjects like reading language arts, mathematics, world languages, science, and social studies. Academic curriculum aside, there is also experiential learning such as field trips and community services which inspires students to give back to society.
A unique feature of this international school is that SAS places a strong emphasis on supporting social and emotional needs of their students. It is definitely a move in the right direction to have school counselors provide a strong support system given that school life can be stressful at times. Receiving counseling can provide a strong support foundation for the students’ social and emotional needs.
Fees
Tuition fees for preschoolers would be at $21,334 and increase accordingly as they grow older.
4. United World College of SouthEast Asia (UWCSEA)
Address: 1207 Dover Rd, Singapore 139654 (Dover campus)
Address: 1 Tampines Street 73, Singapore 528704 (East campus)
Curriculum: IB, IGCSE
Teaching language: English
Established in 1971, United World College of SouthEast Asia (UWCSEA) has two campuses in the West and East respectively. Unlike the above international schools, UWCSEA accepts students from ages 4 to 19. It welcomes students from almost 100 different nations as they believe strongly in diversity and inclusion.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
UWCSEA Dover Campus is catered towards combining high levels of academic achievement coupled with an emphasis on community service and environmental stewardship. UWCSEA aims to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace. Being an international school, UWCSEA is a dynamic school with a vibrant community of students from a multitude of nationalities.
UWCSEA has three terms instead of two. The term begins every August, January and April as UWCSEA follows the northern hemisphere school year. Here is an in-depth look into its curriculum. UWCSEA has categorised the academics by school, Primary school (K1-G1), Primary School (G2-5), Middle School (G6-8) and High School (G9-12). Academic curriculum of schools in UWCSEA is based on an inquiry-based approach to learning and holistic developmental growth of its students.
Applications open on 1 September each year for entry in August of the following year. Given that there are strict entry criteria, applicants have to be able to meet the entry criteria to be eligible for a place in the school.
Fees
As there are three terms for UWCSEA, tuition fees are collected on a term basis. There is also a one time payment of $4900 upon successful enrollment of your child into the school.
5. Chatsworth International School
Address: 72 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289760 (Bukit Timah Campus)
Address: 37 Emerald Hill Road Singapore 229313 (Orchard Campus)
Curriculum: IB
Teaching language: English
Chatsworth International School is yet another school that has 2 main campuses. The establishment of 2 main campuses is to cater to the burgeoning student population. It is a co-educational international school in Singapore for students aged 3 to 18 years of age. Chatsworth was established in 1995 and is known for its strong community spirit and non-selective nature that emphasizes the holistic development of each individual.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
Chatsworth aims to inculcate social values in their students and as such their education experience extends beyond pure academic success. Recognising that the arts is an important asset to the holistic education experience, Chatsworth offers abundant opportunities for students to be exposed to the Arts. For instance, students can explore their artistic inclinations through musicals, school bands and vocal ensembles. Other than the Arts, they are also big on athleticism. Students will hone their athletics skills and learn values such as determination and grit through sports activities.
In addition, there are programmes in place to cater to students who are not conversant in English. Additional Language Programme (EAL) is one such programme that provides support to students struggling to be fluent in English.
Fees
Tuition fees range from $23,463 to $32,303 per annum according to the grade that the student is in. There will be a mandatory one time confirmation fee of $2400 which parents need to pay.
6. GEMS World Academy
Address: 2 Yishun Street 42, S 768039
Curriculum: IB. IGCSE
Teaching language: English
GEMS World Academy Singapore is one of the leading international schools in Singapore. Students in GEMS World Academy will be offered a truly international experience with the opportunity to make friends from all over the world. Situated in Yishun, GEMS World Academy has world class facilities to provide the best educational experience for its students.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
GEMS World Academy is truly one of a kind. Prospective parents and students are in the good hands of exceptional educators. Teachers in GEMS World Academy hail from over 20 different nationalities and are equipped with the expertise to educate students.
GEMS World Academy caters to students aged 2 to 18 years of age. Students aged 2 to 3 years old will be placed in the Nursery School, after which they can join the Early Years Pre-K to KG2 programme during 3 to 6 years old. 6 to 11 years old will be enrolled into Grades 1 to 5, otherwise known as Primary Years. Subsequently, students will proceed onto Grades 6 to 10, which is the Secondary Years. Lastly, students will enter Grades 11 to 12 and start preparing for IB DP, IB CP and High School Diploma.
Orientations for new students entering Grade 6 and 11 commence when the school term starts, which is every August of the new academic year. Students will officially start the IB studies programme upon reaching Grade 6. Subsequently, Grades 9 and 10 students will take their IGCSE examinations and Grades 11 and 12 students will sit for the IB Diploma examinations.
Fees
Fees usually range from SGD9,000 to 33,000 according to the grade your child is in.
7. Canadian International School
Address: 7 Jurong West Street 41, S 649414 (Lakeside Campus)
Address: 371 Tanjong Katong Road, S 437128 (Tanjong Katong Campus)
Curriculum: Canadian, IB
Teaching language: English
Canadian International School Singapore is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. It aims to enable students to be independent learners and leave them with an enriching learning experience. CIS has two campuses in Singapore, thereby providing convenience for students. Students aged 2 to 18 years old are eligible to study in the Lakeside campus and students aged 3 to 12 years old have the option to study in the second Tanjong Katong campus.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
Canadian International School Singapore has multiple school programmes in place to cater to students. CIS Foundation Programme is a preparatory English programme for students aged 10 to 14 years of age. It is a one-year programme for students in grades 5 to 8 who only possess rudimentary knowledge in English to be equipped with essential reading, writing and listening skills.
As CIS is an IB school, they follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students in the Pre-Kindergaten to Grade 6 ages. Subsequently, the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) equips students with the skill sets and knowledge to be ready for the IB Diploma Programme (DP). The IB DP is a rigorous and demanding yet enriching pre-university course for students aged 16 to 19 years. It is a certified university entry programme requiring students to sit for examinations and assessments.
Fees
Fees usually range from SGD31,720 to 37,950 according to the grade your child is in.
8. Dover Court International school
Address: 301 Dover Rd, S 139644
Curriculum: IB, English National Curriculum, International Primary Curriculum, Edexcel and ASDAN.
Teaching language: English
Dover Court International School is another highly reputable international school offering a wide array of academic curriculum and is one of the leading inclusive British international schools in South East Asia. The school is registered with the Committee for Private Education and is part of the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).
Curriculum and the school’s vision
Dover Court International School is a highly inclusive international school offering curriculums such as the English National Curriculum, International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, International Primary Curriculum, Edexcel and ASDAN.
One key tenet of Dover Court International School’s curriculum is their performing arts. Their music education curriculum involves a collaboration with The Juilliard School, and extensive curriculum in the music and dance arenas.
Fees
Fees usually range from SGD21,810 to 42,820 according to the grade your child is in.
9. SJI International School
Address: 490 Thomson Rd, S 298191
Curriculum: IB and IGCSE
Teaching language: English
St. Joseph’s Institution International is a Lasallian Catholic School that is managed by the Ministry Education of Singapore. However, it is privately funded and has the autonomy to set its own curricula and school fees.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
SJI International School starts its school term in January and ends in December, similar to our local education system. Students in Prep 1 and 2 as well as Grades 1 to 6 will follow the International Primary Curriculum and SJI International Elementary School Curriculum. After which, high school students aged 12 to 18 will have to work towards preparing for the Cambridge International Examinations and Full IB examinations.
Fees
The detailed list of school fees breakdown can be found on the school’s website.
10. One World International School
Address: 21 Jurong West Street 81, S 649075
Curriculum: IB , IGCSE and CIE
Teaching language: English
Just like the international schools mentioned above, One World International School is a reputable international school offering both primary and secondary schooling education. There are external audits checks frequently conducted and It is recognised by the International Baccalaureate for the IB PYP and IB DP and the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) for the IGCSE.
Curriculum and the school’s vision
One World International School has IB PYP for 3 to 6 year olds, IB PYP for 7 to 11 year olds and IGCSE and IBDP for 12 to 18 year olds. In addition, they implemented a Chinese-English Bilingual Programme to help students achieve fluency in both English and Mandarin.
A school year commences every August and ends in July. There is attention given to students as each class size is limited to a maximum of 24 students.
Fees
Fees usually range from SGD17,793 to 20,457 according to the grade your child is in.