International schools in Singapore: fees, curricula and who can enrol

International schools in Singapore charge roughly $28,000 to $45,000 a year for an early primary place and $41,000 to $58,000 for the final year. That is the range in the 2026/27 fee schedules that seven schools put on their own websites. On top of tuition come development levies and one-off enrolment fees of several thousand dollars. Most of these schools cater to expatriate families, and a Singapore Citizen child needs MOE's approval before an international school can admit them.

This guide sets out those fees side by side, explains the main curricula, covers the MOE rules for citizens and returning Singaporeans, and lists the questions worth asking before you sign. Every fee and rule comes from the school's or MOE's own page, read on 11 October 2026.

International school fees in Singapore, 2026/27

Fees rise as your child moves up the school, so look at the final-year figure as well as the entry year. Where a school says its fees include GST, we say so.

These are seven schools that publish full fee tables online, listed by early primary fee. Singapore American School, Stamford American and Dulwich College did not show a full fee table on the pages we read (Stamford American uses a fee calculator), so ask their admissions teams for the schedule in writing, and expect fees to be reviewed every year.

Can Singapore Citizens attend international schools?

Usually not for primary school. MOE's rule is that all Singapore Citizens born after 1 January 1996 and living in Singapore must attend a national primary school unless they are granted an exemption. MOE says Singaporean students are expected to attend national schools, though it may consider individual cases, such as children who have been overseas for a few years.

For returning Singaporeans, MOE's page says a child may apply to an international school if they studied overseas for a few years from Grade or Year One onwards. The process runs through the school, not the parent:

1. You apply directly to the international school. Apply to more than one, because some have no vacancies.
2. If the school is willing to offer a place, it submits the documents to MOE for approval.
3. MOE takes up to 4 weeks to decide when all documents are in, or up to 8 weeks for complex medical cases, and tells the school.
4. MOE processes only one application per child at a time, so if two schools apply for your child, you choose one.

Three privately funded schools follow a different rule: Anglo-Chinese School (International), St. Joseph's Institution International High School and Hwa Chong International School offer international curricula at secondary and pre-university level, and returning Singaporeans can apply to them directly without MOE's approval. If your child will go to a local primary school instead, our P1 registration guide explains MOE's phases and Phase 3, the one for international students.

The main curricula

The curriculum decides how your child is taught, which exams they sit and where they can go to university, so settle it before you tour campuses. Many schools offer more than one, for example A Levels and the IB Diploma side by side, so do not assume one school means one curriculum.

IB: the most common choice

The most common system here. It runs from the Primary Years Programme (about ages 3 to 12) through the Middle Years Programme (about 11 to 16) to the two-year Diploma Programme, with a Career-related Programme at some schools. The Diploma asks students to carry six subjects, write an extended essay and do independent projects. It suits children who like breadth, and families who may move again, because IB schools exist in most major cities. ISS and GESS, for example, list their IB programmes by grade on their fee pages.

The British route to A Levels

Early Years and primary, then IGCSEs at about 14 to 16, then A Levels or the IB Diploma in sixth form. A Level students usually narrow to three or four subjects, so a child who already loves science can go deep early. It fits families heading back to the UK or aiming at UK universities. Tanglin Trust and Dulwich College are among the long-established British schools.

American schools and AP courses

American schools lead to a US high school diploma, often with Advanced Placement courses, and some also offer the IB Diploma. Grades build up through continuous assessment into a grade point average, and sport and activities count for a lot. It fits families with ties to North America. Singapore American School and Stamford American are the best known.

Other national systems

Singapore also has schools teaching the Australian, German, French and Indian national curricula, plus bilingual streams. The Australian International School offers the IB PYP, Cambridge IGCSE, the IB Diploma and the Australian Higher School Certificate; GESS runs a German Section alongside its IB classes. These suit families likely to return home, or who want a child to keep a home language.

Costs on top of tuition

The fee table shows that levies and one-off fees can add five figures in the first year. Ask each school to list what tuition covers and what it does not. Expect some of these:

• Application and placement test fees, usually non-refundable and charged per child.
• An enrolment or confirmation fee on accepting a place: $3,250 to $4,992 at the schools above.
• A development levy or building fund, sometimes higher in the first year.
• English as an Additional Language or learning support. Chatsworth lists $5,050 a year for EAL; NLCS lists $14,000 to $18,000 for its EAL programme in some grades.
• Laptops for older students, uniforms, the school bus, lunches, camps and trips.
• External exam fees for IGCSE, IB or A Levels, which NLCS and others bill separately from tuition.

Build a spreadsheet with the senior-year tuition, add the extras, and multiply by the years you expect to stay. Our cost estimator helps fit schooling into the wider family budget.

How to choose a school

Work through these in order. The first two cut the list the most.

• Start from where your child will study next, and match the curriculum to the likely university or next country.
• Think about how long you will stay. A two-year posting and a ten-year stay point to different schools, especially around exam years you would not want to interrupt.
• Check the commute against where you will live, and whether your area is on a school bus route.
• Ask for the real average class size in your child's year as well as the maximum.
• Ask how English as an Additional Language is taught, by whom and at what cost, and whether home languages are offered.
• Learning support provision differs a lot between schools, so if your child has any learning or developmental needs, ask what the school can do and get it in writing.
• Visit if you can, because a campus tour tells you more than a brochure about whether your child will feel at home.

For the years before school, our guide to choosing a preschool in Singapore covers the options, and our guides to enrichment classes and kids' sports classes help fill gaps outside school.

Admissions and timelines

Most schools run their main intake in August, and popular year groups fill first. Start about 12 to 18 months before you want your child to begin, and earlier for sought-after years. Mid-year places do come up as other families leave Singapore.

1. Shortlist and apply. Most schools charge an application fee.
2. Send school reports, passport copies and any references the school asks for.
3. Sit an assessment or interview where needed. Young children usually have a play-based session, older ones a test.
4. Get an offer, or join a waitlist. For a Singapore Citizen, the school now applies to MOE.
5. Accept, pay the enrolment fee and term fees, and complete pass or visa formalities.

Questions to ask on a school visit

• What is the average class size in my child's year, and what is the cap?
• How do you settle a child who joins mid-year?
• How are EAL and learning support delivered, and what do they cost?
• What were your recent IB, A Level or AP results, and how do you help with university applications?
• Which year groups have waitlists, and how fast do they move?
• What is the all-in yearly cost in the senior years, and how much have fees risen recently?
• Which bus routes do you run, and how long is the ride from my area?

Frequently asked questions

How much are international school fees in Singapore?

From the 2026/27 schedules on seven schools' websites, early primary tuition ran from $27,748 at ISS to $45,375 at Tanglin Trust, and final-year tuition from $41,512 at Chatsworth to $58,080 at Tanglin Trust. Development levies and enrolment fees come on top.

Can a Singaporean child go to an international school?

Only with MOE's approval. Citizens born after 1 January 1996 and living in Singapore must attend a national primary school unless exempted, and an international school must get MOE's approval before admitting a citizen. MOE considers cases such as children who studied overseas for a few years.

How long does MOE approval take?

MOE says up to 4 weeks once the school has sent all the documents, or up to 8 weeks for complex medical cases. The school applies, and MOE tells the school the outcome.

How early should we apply?

About 12 to 18 months ahead for an August start, and earlier for popular year groups. Returning Singaporeans can apply before they come back, and MOE suggests doing so early with all documents ready.

Which curriculum is best?

None is best for every child. Start from where your child is likely to study next and how long you will stay, then weigh the IB's breadth, A Levels' early focus and the American diploma's continuous assessment against how your child learns.