Schooling and childcare in Singapore

Local schools and the AEIS route

Singapore's national schools are excellent and heavily oversubscribed, and the registration process gives priority to citizens, then permanent residents, before international students are considered. Foreign children generally enter through the Ministry of Education's Admissions Exercise for International Students, a centralised test held annually, with placement offered where vacancies exist rather than at a school of your choosing. Fees for international students are set on a separate, much higher monthly scale.

• Priority order in admissions favours citizens, then PRs, then international students.
• AEIS is a centralised test; passing it means a place may be offered, not a school chosen.
• International student fee rates are set monthly and are far above citizen rates.
• Children need a Student's Pass unless covered by a Dependant's Pass; the school applies through ICA.

The international sector

Singapore has one of the deepest concentrations of international schools anywhere, covering British, American, IB, Australian, French, German, Japanese and other national curricula. The largest are institutions in their own right with waiting lists for popular entry years. Apply early, expect an assessment and previous reports, and budget for the extras — application fee, a refundable deposit or building levy at some schools, buses, devices and trips.

• Apply as far ahead as you can; the strongest schools hold waiting lists for entry years.
• Assessment plus two years of school reports is the standard requirement.
• Non-refundable application fee, plus a refundable deposit or levy at many schools.
• A term's written notice is normally required to withdraw.

Preschool and childcare

Childcare centres and kindergartens are regulated by the Early Childhood Development Agency and are plentiful, but the government subsidies that make them affordable are for citizens, so foreigners pay full rate. Full-day childcare at that rate is a meaningful monthly cost, comparable to a large slice of the rent. Popular centres in central districts run waiting lists, so register early.

• Childcare subsidies apply to citizens; foreigners pay the unsubsidised fee.
• International schools' early-years sections are an alternative and cost more again.
• Waiting lists in central and expatriate-dense areas run months long.

Where you live, and the school bus

Most international campuses sit in the west, north and east rather than the centre, and school buses with fixed routes do the commute. A flat on your school's bus route saves an hour a day for a child, and bus fees rise with distance. The Dover and Bukit Timah areas, the east around Tampines and Changi, and the north around Woodlands each have clusters of schools, which is why families end up where they do.

• Ask each school for its bus map before choosing a flat.
• Bus fees run by zone, typically S$250–S$500 a month.
• Local primary schools give priority by distance from home, for those eligible.

In order

1. 1Decide between AEIS for a local school and the international sector.
2. 2Shortlist international schools and apply as early as possible.
3. 3Pay application fees and sit assessments.
4. 4Choose housing on the school's bus routes.
5. 5Arrange the Student's Pass or Dependant's Pass the school needs.