Schools in Singapore: British and international schools

Singapore is one of the best places in the world to educate a child, and one of the priciest. Most British families choose an international school with an English curriculum; a few go local. Either way, start early.

The short version

The big British names: Tanglin Trust School, Dulwich College (Singapore) and Dover Court International School teach the English curriculum through to (I)GCSEs, then A levels or the IB [1][2][3].
Fees for 2026/27 at those three run from about SGD 36,000 (about £21,000) in Reception to about SGD 59,000 (about £34,400) in Year 13, including 9% GST [1][2][3].
Joining fees add up: Tanglin and Dulwich both charge a capital levy of SGD 4,500 (about £2,600) on top of application and enrolment fees [1][2].
Local schools take international students through the AEIS test, and 2026 fees for non-ASEAN international students are SGD 1,035 (about £600) a month at primary level [4][5].
UK university: student finance and home fee status usually need three years' residence in the UK before the course, so children who've lived abroad may not qualify [7].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = SGD 1.7214).

How schooling works for British families

Singapore's school year at the international schools runs from August to June, much like home, while local Ministry of Education (MOE) schools follow the calendar year, starting in January. That matters if you're moving mid-year.

You have three broad choices:

A British international school, with the English National Curriculum, (I)GCSEs and A levels or the IB. This is where most British children go.
Another international school, with the IB, an American, Australian or other national curriculum.
A local MOE school, if your child can pass the entrance test and a place is available.

If your employer pays school fees as part of your package, the decision is easier. If not, it's often the biggest single cost of living in Singapore, bigger than rent for a family with two or three children. Our guide to the cost of living in Singapore puts it in context.

The British schools and their fees

Fees for 2026/27

All three schools publish fees including GST at 9% [1][2][3].

Year group	Tanglin Trust	Dulwich College (Singapore)	Dover Court
Nursery	36,300 (£21,100)	37,520 full day (£21,800)	30,198 (£17,500)
Reception	44,490 (£25,800)	45,240 (£26,300)	36,324 (£21,100)
Years 1–2	45,375 (£26,400)	45,240 (£26,300)	36,324 (£21,100)
Years 3–6	47,490 (£27,600)	46,760 (£27,200)	38,106 (£22,100)
Years 7–9	53,535 (£31,100)	53,850 (£31,300)	43,245–45,294 (£25,100–26,300)
Years 10–11	56,010 (£32,500)	56,540–57,540 (£32,800–33,400)	45,294 (£26,300)
Years 12–13	58,080 (£33,700)	58,470–59,220 (£34,000–34,400)	47,982 (£27,900)

Figures are annual SGD. Dover Court charges 43,245 for Years 7–8 and 45,294 for Year 9 [3].

The one-off fees

Fee	Tanglin Trust	Dulwich	Dover Court
Application (non-refundable)	SGD 1,000 (£580)	SGD 1,500 (£870)	SGD 920 (£530)
Enrolment or registration	SGD 4,500 (£2,600)	SGD 4,000 (£2,300)	SGD 3,555 (£2,100)
Capital levy or building fund	SGD 4,500 (£2,600), one-off	SGD 4,500 (£2,600), one-off	SGD 3,189 (£1,850) a year

So a new Year 3 pupil at Tanglin costs about SGD 57,500 (about £33,400) in the first year, before uniform, buses, trips and lunches [1].

The schools in brief

Tanglin Trust School, on Portsdown Road, runs from Nursery to Sixth Form, with (I)GCSEs and then A levels or the IB Diploma [1].
Dulwich College (Singapore), part of the Dulwich family of schools, takes children from 2 to 18: DUCKS for the early years, then Junior and Senior School, with the IB Diploma in the sixth form. It also has boarding, at SGD 46,700 (about £27,100) a year on top of tuition [2].
Dover Court International School, part of the Nord Anglia group, teaches ages 3 to 18 with I/GCSEs, the IB Diploma and BTECs, and is known for inclusion. It runs higher-support pathways for children with additional needs, at higher fees [3].

Other schools with a British or Cambridge curriculum include Invictus International School (Cambridge IGCSE and international A levels, with a primary campus at Dempsey Hill) and Middleton International School in Tampines. Check their own fee pages.

Waiting lists

The popular schools fill up, especially in the early years and in the years when classes naturally grow. None of the three publishes waiting-list numbers, so:

Apply as soon as you know you're moving, even before the job's signed off. The application fee is the price of a place in the queue.
Apply to more than one school.
Send school reports, any special needs reports and passports early. Assessments can usually be done from the UK.
Ask whether your employer has a corporate arrangement with a school. Some do, and it can help.

Local schools: the MOE route

Singapore's state schools are some of the best-performing in the world, and they teach in English. But places for international students come last, after citizens and permanent residents.

The AEIS test: to join an MOE school at Primary 2 to 5 or Secondary 1 to 3, international children sit the Admissions Exercise for International Students. Successful children start school the following January. The 2026 tests were held in Singapore from 1 to 3 September 2026, and applications have closed; the next round usually opens around July [5].

Fees: MOE has raised fees for non-citizens each year. Monthly school fees for international students from outside ASEAN are [4]:

Level	2025	2026
Primary	SGD 985 (£570)	SGD 1,035 (£600)
Secondary	SGD 2,050 (£1,190)	SGD 2,190 (£1,270)
Pre-university	SGD 2,400 (£1,390)	SGD 2,540 (£1,480)

Fees for international students include GST, and schools add small miscellaneous fees, so check your school's own fee page for the exact monthly total [6]. Permanent residents pay much less: SGD 330 (about £190) a month at primary in 2026 [4].

Local school is cheaper and a terrific way to put down roots, but it's a different experience. Expect a heavy focus on exams, Mother Tongue language lessons as a core subject, and a calendar-year school year that doesn't line up with the UK.

Coming home for university

This is where Brits abroad get caught out.

Fee status and student finance: in England, you usually need to have been living in the UK for the three years before your course to get student finance, with only "temporary absences such as holidays" allowed [7]. Children of parents working abroad can sometimes still qualify, but it depends on the facts, so use the student finance checker and ask the university early. Without home fee status, your child could pay international fees, which are far higher.

Applying from Singapore: British schools here are well used to UCAS, and A level and IB results are accepted by UK universities. Our guide to universities in Singapore for British students covers the local alternative: NUS, NTU and SMU, the MOE Tuition Grant and its work bond.

Before you sign

Check what your employer will pay, and whether it's taxed as a benefit.
Make sure your child's pass (usually a Dependant's Pass) is sorted before term starts. See our guide to the Dependant's Pass and LTVP.
Ask about buses: journeys can be long, and a school bus can add a lot to the bill.
If you're having a child abroad, see our guide to registering a child born abroad.

Parents in our community group for Brits in Singapore are the best source on what each school is really like day to day, and you can join here.

Schools in Singapore: British schools, local places and what it all costs in pounds