International schools in Singapore provide education for students in a largely international environment. The curricula offered are typically foreign, such as the UK system, American system or any other international curriculums like the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) or International Baccalaureate (IB). Students who attend international schools typically seek pathways into foreign universities in other parts of the world.
Fees of Private International Schools are higher than those of local schools because they are not entitled to subsidy from the government. Cost of curriculum, training, relevant facilities, salaries and many other costs subject to market forces are factored into the school fees. The question is, are international school fees in Singapore considered expensive?
An article by Study International in 2019 reported that international school fees in Singapore are amongst the lowest amongst popular expat destinations across the globe. International schools in Singapore strive to provide quality international education at a reasonable fee.
Below is a comparsion table from Study International (2019):
| RANK | CITY | MINIMUM | MEDIAN4 | MAXIMUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing | US$8,097 | US$31,353 | US$41,389 |
| 2 | Shanghai | US$4,830 | US$30,046 | US$38,853 |
| 3 | Zurich | US$8,052 | US$25,630 | US$31,406 |
| 4 | Shenzhen | US$11,365 | US$24,577 | US$31,679 |
| 5 | Lausanne – Vaud | US$14,840 | US$24,296 | US$35,296 |
| 6 | Geneva | US$14,840 | US$24,296 | US$35,296 |
| 7 | Toronto | US$14,840 | US$21,979 | US$25,283 |
| 8 | Seoul | US$8,008 | US$21,475 | US$30,887 |
| 9 | Singapore | US$4,406 | US$20,910 | US$37,859 |
| 10 | Guangzhou | US$11,231 | US$20,741 | US$29,818 |
Source: International Schools Database
References:
- Study International, (2019). Most and least expensive cities in the world for international schools. https://www.studyinternational.com/news/international-schools-expensive/. [Accessed on 12 Dec 2019]