Mandarin preschools in Singapore: what bilingual means in class hours, fees, and how to choose a Mandarin preschool

A Mandarin preschool in Singapore can mean anything from one hour of Chinese a day to a classroom where teachers speak nothing else, so ask for the minutes, not the label. MOE Kindergartens give 1 hour of Mother Tongue a day in a 4-hour session for $160 a month for citizens. Bilingual centres such as Little Skool-House say they give English and Mandarin equal emphasis, from $650 a month before subsidies and GST. Full immersion, such as EtonHouse Zhong Hua, teaches only in Mandarin and costs about S$2,560 to S$2,660 a month before GST in 2026. Below: what each model means in class hours, the fees, what changes for a family that doesn't speak Mandarin, and a checklist for your visit.

What bilingual means in class hours

Nearly every preschool offers Chinese. Of the 1,796 centres that list a second language in ECDA's centre data, 1,726, or 96%, include Chinese. So the question is how much. No official definition of "bilingual" or "immersion" exists for preschools here; these are each centre's own labels. These are the models you'll meet, with what each operator says on its own website:

Fees and labels were read on each operator's site on 12 October 2026. Anchor and Partner Operator caps come from ECDA and apply to Singapore citizen children; check what a centre charges in our preschool directory, and whether a quote is within the cap with our preschool fee cap checker.

Why the hours matter for Primary 1

Mother Tongue is a compulsory subject in primary school, MOE says, and from 2025, Primary 1 and 2 pupils have 30 minutes of their Mother Tongue time set aside for reading and library activities. EtonHouse makes the case for immersion by pointing out that in P1 children are usually exposed to the language for only about an hour a day. That's the operator's argument, and the reason it's worth knowing how many hours your child gets before school starts.

If you don't speak Mandarin at home

Plenty of English-speaking, Malay, Indian and mixed families choose a Mandarin-heavy preschool. It works best when you know what the school expects from home, so ask:

• How do teachers talk to parents? Look for updates, newsletters and parent-teacher meetings in English.
• What comes home? Readers, songs and worksheets in Chinese are easier with an audio version or a pinyin guide you can follow.
• How does a child who speaks no Mandarin settle? Ask how long it usually takes before they follow instructions, and whether an English-speaking teacher is in the room for the first weeks.
• What does K2 do to prepare for P1 Chinese, such as reading and writing characters?

For primary school, MOE says students who are Eurasian or of other races, and whose mother tongue isn't one of the official languages, can ask to study any official Mother Tongue through their school, subject to approval. If your child struggles later, MOE's Mother Tongue Support Programme picks children out in Primary 2 to join small groups of 8 to 12 in Primary 3 and 4. Our P1 registration guide covers choosing a school.

Fees: from MOE Kindergarten to premium immersion

Fees climb fast with the hours of care and the share of Mandarin. All figures are monthly, for a Singapore citizen child, before subsidies, and read on 12 October 2026:

• MOE Kindergarten: $160 for citizens and $320 for permanent residents, for a 4-hour K1 or K2 day; KCare full-day care on site costs up to $425 more in 2026.
• Anchor Operator centres: capped at $610 for full-day childcare and $150 for kindergarten, before GST. My First Skool's childcare fees start from $610.
• Partner Operator centres: capped at $650 for full-day childcare from 2026, before GST. Little Skool-House's fees start from $650.
• Premium immersion: EtonHouse Vanda's Mandarin Immersion Programme costs S$2,412.10 for 5 full days before GST, with no extra fee over its regular bilingual programme; EtonHouse Zhong Hua costs S$2,563.99 to S$2,658.43, plus a S$654 registration fee including GST.

Subsidies cut the full-day fees, and how much depends on your household income; work out yours with our childcare subsidy calculator.

How to judge a Mandarin programme on a visit

A brochure says bilingual; the classroom tells you how. Visit in the morning, stay for a snack or play session, and take this list:

Our guide to choosing a preschool covers licence tenure, SPARK and staff ratios, and our MOE Kindergarten guide covers registration.

Mandarin outside preschool hours

If a full immersion fee isn't in the budget, an ordinary bilingual or Anchor Operator centre plus Mandarin at home and on weekends gives a lot of the same exposure. MOE's preschool framework sets three broad aims for Mother Tongue learning: communication, culture and connection. Public libraries carry Chinese picture books, and our guide to Chinese enrichment classes compares weekend options and what they cost.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between bilingual and immersion preschools?

In a bilingual preschool, English and Mandarin share the day, often about half each. In an immersion preschool, most or all teaching is in Mandarin, as at EtonHouse Zhong Hua. Ask each centre for the minutes per day.

How much Mandarin does an MOE Kindergarten teach?

One hour of Mother Tongue a day in a 4-hour session, though a pilot at MK@Hougang and MK@Elias Park raised it to 1.5 hours from the 2025 K1 cohort.

How much does a Mandarin preschool cost in Singapore?

From $160 a month at an MOE Kindergarten, through $610 to $650 at Anchor and Partner Operator centres, to about S$2,400 to S$2,700 a month before GST for premium immersion in 2026.

Can my child take Chinese in primary school if we're not Chinese?

Yes, subject to approval. MOE says Eurasian students and those of other races whose mother tongue isn't an official one can ask to study any official Mother Tongue.

Will an immersion preschool hold back my child's English?

Ask how English is taught and how K2 prepares for P1. Bilingual centres split the day; full immersion relies on English at home, so read in English together every day.