The International Schools charge annual tuition fees that are substantially higher than local schools. This is not all. There are also other miscellaneous fees that need to be considered for the total education cost for children of foreigners studying in Singapore.
For a start, international schools charge an application fee for school admission and this could be at least a thousand dollars. After a place has been allocated for the student, the school charge an additional fee such as enrollment fee and could even ask for a security deposit. In addition to these fees, the school also charges a facility fee, insurance, and other development fees.
Besides these one-off fees, there are also recurring fees and these could go up to a few thousand dollars. For instance, there are fees needed for school trips, swimming lessons, exams, and school uniforms.
We list some of the fees below:
One-off miscellaneous fees
- Application fee
- Registration fee
- Enrollment fee
- Security Deposit
- Uniform fee
- Psychometric Assessment fee
Annual miscellaneous fees
- Development fee
- Technology fee
- School trips
- Exam/test fee
- Miscellaneous fee
- Bus transportation fee
- Contribution into School Fund
- Medical Insurance
All these fees are painful for one’s wallet but they provide a rich experience for the child. The students are engaged in a wide variety of activities such as music classes, out-of-school trips, swimming lessons. It helps to develop the child beyond the textbook into a more holistic education.
For the Local Schools, the miscellaneous fees are substantially lower compared to International Schools. However, facilities and school activities are often less comprehensive. Nevertheless, they offer an immersive experience for foreign students to interact with the locals. It also helps foreigners to build a greater connection to the culture and customs in Singapore.