Singapore international school fees: tuition and additional costs

Start with comparable totals

For 2026–27, OWIS Nanyang lists S$27,774 tuition for Grades 7–12, while Tanglin lists S$53,535 for Years 7–9 including its Building Fund. Stamford’s Grades 6–8 tuition is S$53,210 before its technology fee. These examples have different inclusions and grade systems; they are not a lowest-to-highest ranking.

Request an itemised quote for your child’s grade. Separate annual charges, one-time joining fees, refundable or credited payments, and optional services. Advance payment affects when money is due, not necessarily the annual cost.

The numbers

Every profiled Singapore school: tuition and joining charges

These are the most recent schedules we found, with the year and source type shown for each row. Grade names and age cut-offs differ; the middle-years column is a guide to the relevant bands, not a confirmed placement for every twelve-year-old. Annual totals may already contain levies, so read the stated inclusions before adding charges.

UWCSEA’s tuition and levy bands come from Oak Education; the official school figures cover only application and enrolment. SAS’s annual totals are secondary figures and must not be treated as tuition-only. Dulwich’s row is historical 2025–26 pricing, not a current quote. AIS’s aggregator uses a 2026/27 label although the school runs a calendar year; confirm the applicable period. Nexus’s 2026–27 official schedule supersedes the older mixed-year figures previously shown here.

Charges beyond tuition

• GST. The quoted schedules include 9% GST where stated, so do not add tax again to a GST-inclusive total when comparing it with an employer’s allowance.
• Annual levies. UWCSEA’s secondary-sourced development levy is about S$5,166–9,537. GESS lists S$6,130, reduced by half from the second year or for a qualifying third child. Dover Court’s S$3,189 annual Building Fund is already included in its table totals. SAS’s facility fee is S$7,770–9,030; ask which charges are included in any quoted annual total.
• English support. AIS’s EAL bands are S$4,478–7,358 per semester, with the fee year to confirm. Two semesters at the upper rate total S$14,716. Stamford’s S$8,480–13,880 annual figures are from 2024–25. GESS lists S$3,090–6,180 per semester; OWIS Nanyang lists S$7,085–8,175 annually. OWIS’s preparatory programme is separately priced and should not automatically be added to mainstream tuition. SAS’s S$7,230 Foundational EAL charge applies to Kindergarten–Grade 3. See the support guide for questions to ask.
• Payment timing. Tanglin collects two terms in advance, both part of annual school fees. CIS bills by semester. AIS’s non-proration terms are dated 2025 and need confirming; Nexus charges the full semester for entry before mid-semester. Obtain the rule for the actual start date.
• Placement rights. Tanglin’s published Guaranteed Placement Right costs S$179,850 including GST for seven years, additional to school fees. The child must meet normal admissions criteria. Rights cannot be traded or sold back, expire at the end of their term and must be obtained separately for siblings.
• Examinations and devices. Tanglin guides families to S$1,000–2,500 for external examinations and requires an approved device from Year 7. Stamford’s annual technology fees are S$1,020 in Grades 1–5 and S$1,270 in Grades 6–12; devices remain school property. SAS’s laptop estimate of S$1,500–2,800 is from 2024–25.

Fee increases and admissions-related charges

Singapore Citizen applicants may need an MOE exemption. This requirement should not be extended to Permanent Residents solely because they hold PR status. Dover Court lists a S$300 exemption application fee and an estimated six-to-eight-week process; approval rests with MOE. Dulwich’s reviewed policy refunds its enrolment fee if MOE rejects the exemption; other schools’ refund terms differ. See the admissions guide.

Two children over three years

These examples start from 2026–27 schedules. Tanglin’s combined tuition and Building Fund, and GESS’s tuition, rise by an assumed 3.5% annually in years two and three. GESS’s levy stays at its published amount, with the second-year reduction applied. These assumptions are illustrative, not forecasts. Both children remain within the same fee bands for the three years.

Tanglin: children entering Years 7 and 3. Annual school fees are S$53,535 and S$47,490, including the Building Fund and GST. Joining fees total S$10,000 per child.

• Year 1: S$101,025 school fees plus S$20,000 joining charges = S$121,025.
• Year 2: S$104,561.
• Year 3: S$108,221.
• Three-year subtotal: S$333,806, rounded to the nearest dollar.

The two advance terms plus joining charges total S$87,350 before starting. This is part of the first-year subtotal, not an additional cost. Devices, transport, trips, examinations, support and any placement right are excluded.

GESS IB section: children entering Grades 6 and 3. Tuition is S$40,545 and S$35,770, with a S$6,130 development levy and S$3,950 entrance fee per child.

• Year 1: S$76,315 tuition + S$12,260 levy + S$7,900 entrance = S$96,475.
• Year 2: tuition plus a combined reduced levy of S$6,130 = S$85,116.
• Year 3: S$87,881.
• Three-year subtotal: S$269,472, rounded to the nearest dollar.

GESS’s separate loyalty discount is excluded because its current amount was not publicly available. Materials, trips, transport, activities and any support charges are also excluded. These subtotals compare selected charges only. Joining fees often make the first year higher, but later grade changes, support needs and fee increases can change that pattern.

Questions for an employer-funded package

• Does the allowance cover GST, joining charges, annual levies and assessed support, or only tuition?
• Will the employer pay the school directly or reimburse the family? Will payment arrive before the school’s deadline?
• Does the allowance adjust for later grade bands and fee increases?
• Are transport, devices, examinations and compulsory trips covered?
• If a placement right is funded, who holds it and what happens if employment ends? Tanglin’s right cannot be resold, so do not assume it has a recoverable resale value.
• What happens to paid fees if admission, an exemption or a relocation falls through?