Say affordable international schools in Singapore, and people give a jaw-dropping look as it’s hard to believe that there are international schools in the city-state that are pocket-friendly and offer world-class education too. But, out of roughly 65 international schools here, there are quite a few with tuition fees in an affordable price range.
Before we dive in to elaborate on the international schools in Singapore that are budget friendly and reputed, let’s briefly understand the main components of the fee structure of international schools.
Most international schools charge the fee per 3 or 4 terms in a year.
Apart from the tuition fee, the fee structure includes components like infrastructure fees, building fees, development fees or miscellaneous fees, depending on different schools, and such components might change with the academic year.
A one-time registration fee is charged at the time of admission.
If you are lucky, you get to catch the promotions that international schools in Singapore keep running. For example, waivers or discounts on registration, discounts on bus fees or even a scholarship offer for your child if he or she is a genius in studies or any other field. So it’s worth it to be on the lookout.
Let’s have a look at our pick!
Top 5 pocket-friendly international schools in Singapore:
Global Indian International School (GIIS)
Annual Fee ranges from S$ 13,683 to S$28,227 depending on the grade.
Dual campus – East Coast campus@82 Cheviot Hill, SMART campus@27 Punggol Field Walk
Grades – Kindergarten to 12
Curriculum – The K-12 school offers multiple curricula to students, including IB PYP IGCSE, IBDP and CBSE (Indian curriculum). There are various scholarships available that further help students from all backgrounds in attaining international school education.
What’s noteworthy – The school is known for its hi-tech SMART campus in the digital district of Punggol, which provides nextgen learning facilities. One of the first schools in Singapore to start offering an IB Diploma Programme, GIIS has robust IB faculty with a wealth of experience. The school has a track record for fabulous IB results. Scholarships are available on the basis of merit and means.
Sir Manasseh Meyer International School (SMMIS)
Annual Fee ranges from $17,684 to S$ 27,958 depending on the grade.
Campus – Jalan Ulu, Sembawang.
Grades – Preschool to grade 10
Curriculum – The school offers British National Curriculum Literacy and Singapore Maths with the enquiry-based International Primary Curriculum (IPC). In Secondary School, students pursue International Middle Years Programme (IMYC) and the Cambridge IGCSE qualifications.
What’s noteworthy – The school is based on Jewish ethos and provides a nurturing environment to students in a close-knit set-up. SMMIS offers bursaries for those who are eligible.
Middleton International School
Annual Fee ranges from S$ 19,000 to S$ 25,000 depending on the grade.
Dual campus – Tampines campus@2 Tampines Street 92, West Coast campus@20 Harbour Drive
Grades – Nursery to grade 12 (grade 12 to start from 2024)
Curriculum – International Primary Curriculum for primary grades, International Middle Years Curriculum & Cambridge IGCSE for secondary and Cambridge A- Levels for the high school.
What’s noteworthy – Middleton International was launched by EtonHouse Group, a well-known international school chain in Singapore for two decades, as an affordable schooling option for expatriate families. Middleton offers a strong academic foundation for children in an international school environment. The school has a balanced mix of nationalities to bring the element of diversity that expats look for.
One World International School (OWIS)
Annual Fee ranges from S$19,881 to S$ 22,857, depending on the grade and campus.
Three campuses – Nanyang Campus@21 Jurong West Street 81, Suntec Campus@1 Raffles Blvd and Digital Campus@27A Punggol Field Walk (campus under construction)
Grades – Preschool to grade 12
Grade 12 is offered at Nanyang Campus
Curriculum – IB Primary Years Programme for primary grades, Modified Cambridge & IGCSE for secondary and IB Diploma Programme for high school.
What’s noteworthy – OWIS offers a multicultural environment suitable for expat families. The school is worth the fee for the IB PYP and the IB Diploma Programme that it offers, for which most of the schools charge a premium. Scholarship options are available.
Invictus International School
Annual Fee ranges from S$ 20,000 to S$24,150, depending on the grade.
Dual campus – Dempsey Campus@73 Loewen Road, Centrum Campus@Centrium Square, Serangoon Rd
Grades – Preschool to grade 12
Curriculum – Cambridge Lower Secondary for primary grades, IGCSE for secondary grades and Cambridge A-Levels for high school.
What’s noteworthy – Relatively a new entry in the list of international schools in Singapore, the school has made good progress by growing from 40 to 1000 students in 5 years. The teaching style at Invictus is individualised and focuses on each child’s strengths and interests.
Parents often equate high school fees with quality education. But the truth is that most international schools in Singapore offer programmes that are exclusively designed for expat students – holistic education, a student-centric environment and internationally renowned curricula. So, even affordable international schools in Singapore provide a nurturing and safe environment that focuses on students’ well-being, along with 21st-century educational programmes.
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