Best International Schools in Singapore, 2023

To start with, this is not a complete list of international schools in Singapore, as there are over 50 reputable international schools on the Island; including 3 American, 18 British, and 36 International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools.

In addition to that, there are also a handful of Indian, German, Japanese, Australian, Swiss, Korean, Dutch, and French Schools in Singapore. In this article, however, we’re going to review only the top 10 best international schools in Singapore…and yes, these schools are unarguably the leading international schools in the Island nation.

With that said, Singapore is a country notable for its academic exploits, hence, regarded by its neighbours as an education powerhouse. However, despite housing, a large pool of foreign and local institutions, finding the best international schools in Singapore can still be an uphill climb due to high application rates and enrolment policies.

EDUCATION IN SINGAPORE

The Ministry of Education (MOE) oversees the overall education affairs in Singapore.

Education in Singapore starts from Preschool which is made up of “Playgroup”, and “Kindergarten”; and then the Primary, and Secondary stages.

Preschool is the first stage of education in Singapore and can run for up to three years. The typical age for Preschool education is between the age of 3 to 6 years. In the course of Preschool, pupils are exposed to a social and friendly environment with various learning patterns and methods that’d better prepare, and get them set for the next big stage.

Primary school on the other hand provides a more demanding and challenging six years of education to learners from the age of 6 to 12. Primary education in Singapore is compulsory and typically runs for six years.

Check Also: Top 10 Best Secondary Schools in Singapore

Lastly, like Primary, Secondary school education runs for six years and caters to pupils between the age of 12 to 18 years. This level of education is very important, although not compulsory.

However, to qualify for secondary school education, students will have to sit for the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) upon their completion of the six years of primary education.

In Singapore, secondary school is assigned to students based on their choice, and most importantly their PSLE results.

The following is a list of top 10 best international schools in Singapore, including their tuition fees and contact information.

LIST OF TOP 10 BEST INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE

1. SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL (SAS)

Singapore American School, or SAS, is a private, mixed-gender, international school located in Woodlands, Singapore. It is one of the first international schools in Singapore, established in 1956. SAS in the early days of the establishment started with just 100 students on the register, and now it has an enrolment of over 4,000 from more than 60 nationalities, with over 50 percent of the students’ population being United States citizens.

Enrolments at the school aimed towards foreign nationals. Reasons why only a limited number of Singaporean citizens are allowed to attend international schools in Singapore.

At Singapore American School, 100 percent of teachers and staff members come from the United States and twenty other countries.

SAS offers a US-based curriculum for pupils in Preschool through secondary school, and the English language is the primary medium for instruction from Preschool through high school.

Another remarkable thing about SAS is the small student class size, with a teacher-student ratio of 1:16 and 1:22 for Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten through Year 12, respectively. In addition to keeping a small class size, students at all levels offered deep and personalised learning that provides them an environment to learn and thrive.

To maintain the culture of excellence and quality learning, SAS invests nearly 70 percent of all tuition and fees on finding and retaining the best teachers…that’s a massive investment if you ask me, and Singapore American School takes pride in that.

2. TANGLIN TRUST SCHOOL (TTS)

Tanglin Trust School, abbreviated as TTS, is a private, co-educational, international school situated on Portsdown Road, Singapore. TTS is the second-oldest international school in Singapore.

It was established in 1925 with only 25 students and soon began to grow exponentially. The school now has an enrolment of approximately 2,720 students from 54 nationalities.

However, as in all international schools in Singapore, only a limited number of Singaporean students are allowed to attend this school.

That said, the majority of students in TTS are British nationals—in other words, pupils with British passport make up a large proportion of TTS’s students.

So, you’d be forgiven to refer to the school as a British school. TTS is indeed British by curriculum; however, holding a British passport isn’t a prerequisite to gaining admission.

With that said, admission on TTS is purely base on two criteria. Firstly, the student must possess some level of English proficiency. Secondly, prospective students whose siblings are already attending the school and children of staff are that given priority.

3. GLOBAL INDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SINGAPORE (GIIS)

Global Indian International School, abbreviated as GIIS, is an independent, co-educational, international school headquartered in Singapore.

Founded in 2002, GIIS is one of the newest international schools in Singapore, with a network in over seven countries including, India, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, UAE, and Thailand.

GIIS has two campuses in Singapore: SMART Campus Punggol and East Coast Campus Singapore. These campuses jointly cater to thousands of students from Preschool to Year 12.

As an international school, GIIS aims to provides quality and inclusive education in a safe, stimulating environment. At GIIS, students have access to a plethora of learning materials in 5 different languages, including Hindi, Tamil, English, Spanish, and French.

In addition to providing quality and yet, cheap education to international families in Singapore, GIIS offers five curricula—Global Montessori (GMP), IB Primary Years (PYP), Cambridge (CLSP), CBSE, and Bilingual Programme—which spreads across Grade 1 through Grade 12.

Global Indian International School is one of the best international schools in Singapore. It is equipped with digital classrooms, an audio-visual room, Mathematics, Science, and Montessori labs.

4. AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SINGAPORE

Australian International School, abbreviated as AIS, is a private, co-educational, international school in Singapore. Founded in 1993, AIS is divided into sub-schools: Early Years (Age: 2 months to 6 years); Elementary School (Preparatory to Year 5), and a Secondary School (Year 6 to Year 12).

As an international school, AIS offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) for students in Prep to Year 5, and it’s one of a few international schools in Singapore that offers an International and Australian curriculum-based education for learners from Early Years to Secondary School.

At AIS, students are encouraged to take part in various co-curricular activities such as Music, Drama, Swimming, etc.

Presently, AIS has approximately 2,800 students enrolled from over 50 nationalities. However, more than 60 percent of these students come from Australia and New Zealand.

Being an Australian School, AIS offers Australian Curriculum couple with IGCSE, International Baccalaureate (IB), and HSC. In addition, Chinese, French, Indonesian, and English languages are the only recognized medium for communication.

If you’re looking for a top international school in Singapore that offers Infant Care classes, then you can find that at AIS. This school provides quality education for children from the age of 2 months to 18 years.

5. GESS – GERMAN EUROPEAN SCHOOL SINGAPORE

German European School Singapore, often abbreviated as “GESS” or “GESS Singapore”, is a co-educational, international school in Singapore. As a European school, GESS emphasizes more on promoting European languages and cultures.

Established in 1971, GESS Singapore provides top-notch education to approximately 1,750 students from more than 65 nationalities. As an international school, GESS offers all three International Baccalaureate Programmes including, PYP, MYP, and IBDP. These programs are offers in English.

GESS is among the leading international schools in Singapore. GESS, over the past few years, has been consistent in the quest to nurture and develop the best students who would easily integrate and become a future leader in their respective societies.

At GESS Singapore, different opportunities are offered to students in an environment where they can learn and thrive. Also, learners are well taken care of by professionals and enthusiasts.

As a fee-paying school, GESS Singapore school fees depend on the choice of the curriculum (German Curriculum or IB Curriculum) and the child’s grade level (Preschool, Primary, or Secondary).

However, school fees are subject to adjustment, hence, termly and yearly tuition and fees may vary from year to year.

6. SJI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SINGAPORE

St. Joseph’s Institution International, commonly referred to as “SJI International”, is a private, co-educational, international school in Singapore.

SJI International was founded in 2006 and it is part of Lasallian Catholic schools in Singapore. The school is made up of a Primary and Secondary School.

The Primary School caters to children from the age range of 4 to 12 years; while the Secondary School caters to the student within the age of 12 to 18 years. SJI International also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students.

SJII is a high-performing international school in Singapore. A lot of its students have won various prizes including the International Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship for studies at the University of British Columbia, and a host of others.

At SJI International, students are encouraged to participate in co-curricular activities, given the immense opportunities of representing SJII at both intra- and inter-school level competitions.

7. DULWICH COLLEGE SINGAPORE

Dulwich College Singapore is a private, international school in Singapore. Founded in 2014, it provides quality education for more than 2,500 students aged 2 to 18.

Dulwich is divided into three schools: DUCKS, Junior School, and Senior School. Pupils aged 2 to 7 are then put in a multilingual environment where classes in both English and Chinese are held.

In addition to offering multilingual classes to students, the teacher-student ratio is relatively small—around 1:22. In other words, the average class size is 22 students. However, that class size is quite small when compared to some in top international schools in Singapore.

With that said, Dulwich College Singapore often takes into consideration the welfare and academic performance of every child inside and outside the classroom. The reason why class size is usually kept small so as to establish an environment where everyone knows everyone.

Admissions into Dulwich College Singapore are selective, and parents who wish to send their children to the school must ensure that they have a foreign/international passport.

8. NPS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

NPS International School is a co-educational international school located on Chai Chee Lane, Singapore. Founded in 2008, NPS Singapore is one of many international schools in Singapore established in the 2000s, and it has proven time and time again to be among the leading international schools in the country.

NPS Singapore focuses on academic excellence, hence, has consistently achieved impressive examination results over the past years. At NPS Singapore, students are offered different language options including Spanish, French, Hindi, and Mandarin.

NPS Singapore is a place where children are nurtured and develop to become future leaders. However, in order to fast track student development, the school allows only a class size of 25 students.

The flexible and broad curriculum allows students to choose between the International and Indian curriculum for high school.

9. CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN SINGAPORE

Canadian International School, also referred to as “CIS”, is a co-educational international school in Singapore. Founded in 1989 with only six students and six staff; CIS currently caters to over 3,000 students from Nursery to Grade 12, representing over 70 nationalities.

In order to accommodate the steady increase in student population, CIS operates via two campuses in Singapore. In the west, Lakeside campus (Nursery to Grade 12, or aged 2 to 18), and the Tanjong Katong campus in the east – for Nursery to Grade 6, or aged 3 to 12.

Students from Primary to Secondary offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes—Primary (IB PYP), Middle Years (IB MYP), and Diploma (IB DP).

At CIS, English is the first language used for instructions, however, Spanish, French, and Chinese are also used. CIS strives to nurture and equip the students with 21st-century skills that will enable them to thrive and achieve goals.

10. STAMFORD AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (SAIS)

Last but not least on the list of top 10 best international schools in Singapore. Stamford American International School, abbreviated as SAIS, is a private, co-educational, IB World International School in Singapore.

SAIS opened its doors to the students in 2009 and is gradually becoming a force to be reckoned with in the education sphere. SAIS offers more than 40 International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and 19 Advance Placement (AP) courses.

In addition, students from Primary to Secondary offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years (MYP), and lastly the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP).

SAIS has two campuses in Singapore. The Early Learning Village, located at Chuan Lane caters to children from Pre-Nursery to Kindergarten 2; while Elementary and Secondary Campus caters to students from Grade 1 to Grade 12, and it’s located at Woodleigh.

As an American school, a large proportion of its students come from the United States. However, the application is open to students from other parts of the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Of more than 50 well respectable international schools in Singapore, only 10 of those actually caught our attention. And our review only covers the top ten international schools in Singapore.

Even though our views on these schools is subjective, it isn’t biased either. We have used a lot of factors, ranging from the quality of learning, students’ performance to ease of enrolment, and the school facilities.

This post will definitely help parents who are interested to send their children to the best international schools in Singapore. Not only that, but you will also find up-to-date international schools in Singapore fees which is quite important.