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The Top 5 International Schools in Singapore

The Top 5 International Schools in Singapore

How We Chose

Expense

To see the total value of each international school, we’ll take a look at information about its tuition fees and other miscellaneous charges.

Curriculum

We’ll explore the curriculum of these international schools to help clients determine which one has an appropriate program for their child.

Campus and Facilities

We’ll examine each of the campuses, checking its facilities to see which international school can deliver valuable ventures.

Extracurriculars

We are also checking for diverse extracurricular programs to guarantee a holistic academic experience for students.

1. Overseas Family School

Overseas Family School Homepage

Services: Pre-K to Grade 12

Website: https://www.ofs.edu.sg/

Address: 81 Pasir Ris Heights, Singapore 519292

Contact Details: +65 6738 0211

Operating Hours:

Monday – Friday: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm

Facebook Reviews Score4.4/5
International School Advisor Reviews Score5/5
Total Reviews 4/5
Score Consistency4.4/5
Expense4/5
Curriculum5/5
Campus and Facilities5/5
Extracurriculars5/5

Pros

  • Accredited by the Western Association of Schools
  • Exceptional facilities
  • Expansive sports facilities
  • Holistic education
  • Rigorous academic programs
  • Provides school bus service
  • Graduating students receive I.B.D.P. qualification
  • Accepts students from pre-school to high school

Cons

  • Expensive tuition fees
  • Does not offer school bus services in the morning

Overseas Family School’s academic programs are rigorous, well-established, and thoughtfully designed. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools in Singapore.

It has built a reputation for providing holistic and modern education that makes its students globally competitive. Students are well-prepared to leave the school with an I.B.D.P. qualification.

It follows the International Early Years Curriculum at the nursery level, the International Primary Curriculum for Grades 1 to 5, the International Baccalaureate program for Grades 6 to 12, and the I.G.C.S.E. curriculum in Grades 9 to 10. 

Overseas Family School has a one-time registration fee of $2,000. Its semestral fees start at $26,000 and up to $41,000, depending on the student’s grade level.

We are impressed by this school’s sports facilities. It has 5 covered multi-sport courts, two swimming pools, and artificial turf for field sports. 

The variety of sports amenities and programs it can provide students is most definitely amazing.

Overseas Family School also offers plenty of facilities for arts, music, and design. The rooms are soundproof to not disturb other students studying.

This school also offers a nationwide school bus service at 3:45 pm and 5:15 pm to accommodate students who need a ride home after school hours.

2. Canadian International School

Canadian International School Homepage

Services: Nursery to Grade 12

Website: https://www.cis.edu.sg/

Address: 371 Tanjong Katong Rd, Singapore 437128

Contact Details: +65 6345 1573

Operating Hours:

Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Facebook Reviews Score4.7/5
International School Advisor Reviews Score5/5
Total Reviews 4/5
Score Consistency4.5/5
Expense4.5/5
Curriculum4/5
Campus and Facilities5/5
Extracurriculars5/5

Pros

  • Offers a bilingual program
  • Specialized S.T.E.A.M. program
  • Cultivates a close-knit community
  • Full International Baccalaureate program
  • Over 20 years in the industry
  • Affordable tuition fees

Cons

  • Expensive registration fee
  • Small campus
  • Relatively limited facilities

The Canadian International School’s specialty is that it offers a pioneering bilingual program in English and Chinese to pupils ages 4 to 10. This gives its students an edge and opens more opportunities for their futures.

This school has an amazing Outdoor Discovery Center for its kindergarten pupils where it teaches them a specialized S.T.E.A.M. program. S.T.E.A.M. is short for Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Arts, and Mathematics.

Canadian International School has excellent sports facilities, however, they are not as vast as what other schools have to offer. Although, it does have a great amphitheater and other learning spaces.

Its Tanjong Katong campus is relatively small, but it creates a more intimate educational experience for its pupils. This results in a close community that is both nurturing and challenging.

The Canadian International School has offered all three International Baccalaureate programs for over 20 years and counting. 

Other schools are usually shifting programs from I.B.D.P. to P.Y.P., which has its advantages for sure, but these do not have the same streamlined and focused outcome as a full International Baccalaureate program.

Canadian International School’s semestral fees start at $15,950 and go up to $19,550 which is more affordable than most international schools in Singapore.

3. Brighton College (Singapore)

Brighton College (Singapore)

Services: Pre-Nursery (18 months) to Year 8

Website: https://www.brightoncollege.edu.sg/

Address: 1 Chuan Lane, Singapore 554299

Contact Details: +65 6505 9790

Operating Hours:

Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm

Facebook Reviews Score5/5
International School Advisor Reviews Score5/5
Total Reviews 3.5/5
Score Consistency4.5/5
Expense3/5
Curriculum5/5
Campus and Facilities5/5
Extracurriculars5/5

Pros

  • Offers a strong Mandarin program
  • One of the largest campuses in Singapore
  • Ranked in the top percentage
  • Has a small and close community
  • Good after-school sports program

Cons

  • Significantly expensive
  • Lots of additional fees

Brighton College (Singapore) first opened in 2020, offering a very special primary school experience with its comprehensive facilities. It’s once again won “Best Small School of Singapore” (less than 700 pupils) in the Singapore Education Awards 2022.

It offers a strong Mandarin program and observes the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stages and the National Curriculum for England. 

Brighton College (Singapore) was ranked as the Top Co-educational School in England. This ensures a high standard of education for pupils and faculty alike.

Like its counterpart school in United Kingdom, it regulates classes to only 3 per year with a 22 pupil limit per class. This approach ensures each pupil gets proper attention from teachers.

This school also has a significantly large sports facility and also offers a strong after-school sports program every 5:00 pm.

Brighton College (Singapore) shares its after-school sports program with other Cognita Schools, which provides pupils an opportunity to meet new friends and learn with a larger group of like-minded pupils.

Brighton College (Singapore) is also in the top 15 list of most expensive schools in Singapore with annual tuition fees of $34,000 to $36,350. 

There is also a $1,000 application fee, a one-time developmental fee of $3,500, as well as an annual facility fee of $3,250.

Brighton College (Singapore) is somewhat a contradiction because it follows a tight community and nurturing learning experience with only over 230 pupils while having one of the largest campuses in Singapore.

4. XCL American Academy Singapore

XCL American Academy Singapore Homepage

Services: Nursery, kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school 

Website: https://www.xaa.edu.sg/

Address: 2 Yishun Street 42, Singapore 768039

Contact Details: +65 6850 5131

Operating Hours:

Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm

Facebook Reviews Score4.5/5
International School Advisor Reviews Score5/5
Total Reviews 3.5/5
Score Consistency4.3/5
Expense5/5
Curriculum5/5
Campus and Facilities5/5
Extracurriculars4/5

Pros

  • Offers an excellent bilingual program
  • Offers plenty of flexibility to pupils
  • Has a special Pioneer Town project
  • Dynamic approach to education
  • Has an Olympic-sized swimming pool
  • Significantly affordable fees

Cons

  • Relatively new in Singapore
  • Relatively fewer after-school programs

XCL American Academy is a K-12 education group, and taps the growing demand for a United States-based education in Singapore. It follows the A.E.R.O. Curriculum and Common Care standards set forth by the U.S. Department of Education.

This school offers a bilingual program that helps pupils transition to other U.S. curriculum schools globally. This provides plenty of opportunities for its pupils down the road.

When the students of XCL American Academy reach Grade 8, they have the option to choose 3 different tracks — Advanced Placement, the International Baccalaureate Career-related Program, or International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

XCL American Academy also offers a special Pioneer Town project that focuses on entrepreneurship — this is what separates its curriculum from other international schools in Singapore.

In the Pioneer Town project, pupils participate in a simulation of a town and engage in role-playing. They take on responsibilities in a simulated economy and learn about concepts in economics, negotiation, and leadership.

The facilities available are quite diverse. It has a multi-use sports field, tennis courts, and even a 50-meter Olympic-sized swimming pool. 

This school also has specialized classrooms for other activities in music and arts.

The Nursery annual fee is $22,370 and up to $30,900 for Grade 8. 

This makes XCL American Academy in the average range in terms of admission cost. It is significantly more affordable compared to most international schools in Singapore.

5. Global Indian International School

Global Indian International School Homepage

Services: Kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, high school

Website: https://singapore.globalindianschool.org/

Address: 27 Punggol Field Walk, Singapore 828649

Contact Details: +65 6914 7000

Operating Hours:

Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5:30 pm

Saturday: 9 am – 1 pm

Facebook Reviews Score4.3/5
International School Advisor Reviews Score4/5
Total Reviews 4.5/5
Score Consistency4.2/5
Expense5/5
Curriculum5/5
Campus and Facilities5/5
Extracurriculars4/5

Pros

  • Technology-focused school
  • Offers a multi-faceted curriculum 
  • State-of-the-art facilities and classrooms
  • Top-performing C.B.S.E. school
  • Provides a Nine Gem method
  • Affordable tuition fees
  • Dynamic technology application
  • Integrating Eastern and Western education models

Cons

  • Less focus on sports and other extracurricular activities

The Global Indian International School is the pioneer international school in the Punggol Digital District. It is a technology-focused institution that follows a multi-faceted curriculum.

This school offers International Baccalaureate, International General Certificate of Secondary Education, and Central Board of Secondary Education. It is able to provide a multi-curriculum because of its modern facilities and next-gen infrastructures.

The technology-focused infrastructure is built to fully provide the best equipment and facilities to technology-centric subjects. It has facial recognition machines, support robots, and “smart” classrooms.

Because of these advancements, it is able to accommodate a larger class size with 35 pupils per class. The results speak for themselves too, as Global Indian International became the top-performing C.B.S.E. school in Singapore.

This school follows a Global Schools Foundation method and calls it the Nine Gems. The Nine Gems equips pupils with skills such as problem-solving, critical, analytical, and creative thinking, and teamwork. 

Global Indian International School is aiming to fuse the best of Eastern and Western education models and become a pioneer of this in the country.

The fees are also significantly more affordable compared to most international schools in Singapore. The registration fee is only $445 and the term fees are $4,037 to $8,552.

FAQs on International Schools in Singapore