International schools in Singapore

By the Editorial team · Checked October 2026

Singapore's government schools take only a limited number of foreign students, through a centralised admissions exercise, so most expatriate families use international schools. The sector is large, and the best-known schools have waiting lists.

Regulation

Private schools, including international schools, are registered with the Ministry of Education and, depending on the type of school, the Committee for Private Education. Most international schools also hold foreign accreditation.

Where schools are

Many large schools are outside the centre, where they have space for big campuses. The Singapore American School is in Woodlands in the north, the United World College of South East Asia has campuses at Dover and in Tampines, and Tanglin Trust School is near Portsdown Road. Commutes are shorter than in many Asian capitals, and school buses cover most of the island.

Curricula

The IB is common across the sector. British schools teach the English National Curriculum, American schools offer US diplomas with AP courses, and there are national schools for French, German, Japanese, Indian and other communities.

Admissions and waiting lists

Application fees are usually non-refundable, and several schools give priority to siblings, returning families and, in some cases, children of employees of corporate partners. Apply as early as you can, and apply to more than one school.

Questions to ask

• What is the waiting list for my child's year group, and how is priority decided?
• Does the school have a corporate debenture or priority scheme, and do we qualify?
• How large is the year group? Some Singapore schools are very large.
• What learning support is available, and at what cost?

Finding schools

For every international school in the city, see the International Schools DB guide to Singapore.