family · 12-18 months before arrival (urgent)
Enroll your children in a Singapore school
International school waitlists are 12-18 months. Local schools are brutal for foreigners (P1 phase 3). Start applying BEFORE you arrive.
Source: MOE — International Students · verified 2026-04-07
Why this matters
Get your kids legally enrolled and physically attending school in Singapore so the family can settle into a normal routine, you can work without childcare panic, and the kids stop missing school.
Singapore offers two main paths for foreign children: international schools (private, SGD 25k-50k/year per child, easy admission, English-language curriculum) and government schools (public, SGD 750-1000/month for foreigners, requires AEIS exam, much harder). Most EP holders pick international schools because (a) waitlists vary but admission is offer-based not exam-based, (b) curriculum continuity matches their home country (IB, IGCSE, US, UK, French, German, Japanese systems all available), (c) the AEIS exam route is highly competitive and only opens twice a year.
If you skip it: If kids miss the school year start they lose 6-12 months of academic progress, struggle socially, and you spend the year doing patchwork tutoring. International school waitlists can be 6-18 months for top schools — starting late means accepting your second/third choice.
When to do it
Earliest
6-12 months before move (apply from home country)
Optimal
3-6 months before arrival
Deadline
Before the school year starts (Aug for most international schools, Jan for some)
If late: Kids miss the start of the academic year, top schools are full, you accept your 4th choice
How to do it
For the applicant
- 1
Decide curriculum: IB, IGCSE/Cambridge, American (AP), British (A-level), French (Lycée), German, Japanese, Indian (CBSE), or Singapore MOE
Pick the curriculum closest to your home country to ease transition. International school curricula are NOT interchangeable mid-year.
- 2
Shortlist 3-5 schools by curriculum, location (commute < 45min), fee budget, and waitlist length
Top tier (UWCSEA, SAS, Tanglin Trust, Dover Court, Australian International) tend to have long waitlists. Mid-tier (Stamford, GIIS, EtonHouse, OWIS) have shorter waitlists.
- 3
Contact each school admissions office for application packs
Most schools accept enquiries year-round and will tell you waitlist status for your child’s year group within 1-2 working days.
- 4
Submit application with documents + application fee (SGD 500-2000 per child, non-refundable)
- 5
Schedule and attend assessment / interview — most schools test reading, writing, math at the child’s grade level
Younger kids get a play-based assessment; older kids get standardized testing. The point is to PLACE the child correctly, not gatekeep.
- 6
Receive offer letter — typically within 2-4 weeks of assessment
- 7
Pay enrollment fee (one-time, SGD 2,000-5,000 per child) and term fee in advance
Most schools want first term paid before the start date. Some have a "facilities fee" or "capital levy" that’s additional.
- 8
Apply for the child’s Student Pass via the school (school sponsors it through ICA)
The school files the Student Pass on your behalf. Takes 2-4 weeks. Until then your child uses their DP for school attendance.
- 9
Attend orientation day — parent + child
- 10
Send the child to school. Pack lunch, bottle, indoor shoes, the right uniform
Common mistakes
- · Underestimating waitlists for top schools (UWCSEA, SAS, Tanglin) — 6-18 months for some grades
- · Picking a school far from your home — daily 60-min commute is brutal on a 7-year-old
- · Waiting until you sign your lease to start school applications — do school first, lease second
- · Forgetting vaccination records — some schools require translated, certified records
- · Assuming the academic year matches your home country — SG international schools mostly run Aug-Jun, but some run Jan-Dec
What you need
- · child_passport — Identity verification for the child
- · child_dp_card — Visa proof for the child (DP / Student Pass)
- · birth_certificate — Proof of age and parentage — needs translation if not in English
- · previous_school_records — Last 2-3 years of report cards / transcripts — schools place children based on this
- · vaccination_records — Many schools require certain vaccines before first day
- · parent_passport — Parent identity verification
- · parent_ep_card — Sponsorship proof
For the child
- 1
Attend assessment day with parent
- 2
Complete reading / writing / math placement tests
- 3
Attend orientation
What you need
- · previous_school_records — For grade placement
Cost
SGD 25,000 – 60,000
- · Application fee per child: SGD 500 – 2,000
- · Enrollment / one-time facilities fee per child: SGD 2,000 – 5,000
- · Annual tuition fee per child (mid-tier school): SGD 25,000 – 35,000
- · Annual tuition fee per child (top-tier school: UWCSEA, SAS, Tanglin): SGD 35,000 – 55,000
- · Bus + uniform + meals + activities (annual, per child): SGD 3,000 – 6,000
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Related steps
family
Apply for Dependant's Pass
EP holders earning SGD 6,000+ can sponsor a DP for spouse and children under 21. Apply via EP Online. Processing time 3-8 weeks.
home
Find and sign a lease
Singapore rentals require 1 month deposit + 1 month advance. Lease 12-24 months. Agent fee usually employer-paid. Check stamp duty deadline.
This is one of 13 things you need to do when moving to Singapore.
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