The Cost of Education in Singapore and How Parents Can Afford It

This was originally posted on Planner Bee.

As the global economic landscape evolves and competition intensifies, investing in education is now more crucial than ever.

For many parents, ensuring their children receive a quality education is a top priority. However, the rising education costs, from tuition fees to extracurricular activities, are becoming a significant financial burden for many.

In this article, we look at the various education costs in the country for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PR), and explore different financial planning options so parents are equipped with what they need to navigate the educational landscape.

Cost of education at different points in your child’s life

Affording a quality education is expensive — depending on the educational route your child takes, it can cost up to S$100,000 to fund one child’s education journey in Singapore.

Fortunately, Singaporeans and Singapore PRs are entitled to a range of subsidies based on their eligibility and household income. Also, education institutions themselves also offer financial support schemes should a child require aid.

Curious about a child’s education costs from preschool to tertiary education? Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Preschool and kindergarten

The early stages of your child’s education are particularly crucial because the environments they are exposed to play a pivotal role in shaping the cognitive, social, and emotional development in these young learners.

Singapore offers a variety of early childhood education options. These can be generalised into government and private childcare, with the former being a more affordable option.

Both have their pros and cons, but it all boils down to your personal preference (e.g., location, income, type of care or curriculum offered).

Government childcare costs

Government childcare centres offer a larger classroom setting with standard school facilities. The cost generally depends on your child’s age upon enrolment and the services you require from them.

Below are the price ranges for the top three childcare centres on the island, before subsidies. Feel free to visit the linked websites of each centre to learn more:

Keep in mind that these fees do not include miscellaneous fees such as registration, annual insurance and uniforms.

Private childcare costs

Private childcare is significantly more expensive than government facilities. However, parents may choose to register their children at such schools for reasons such as a more favourable student-to-teacher ratio or the specific methodology some private centres use to teach their kids.

On average, private childcare fees range from S$1,000 to over S$3,000 monthly. Some full-time private childcare centres in Singapore include Mindchamps, Odyssey, Pat’s Schoolhouse, House on the Hill and EtonHouse.

Primary school

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has made it compulsory for all Singapore citizens to complete their primary school education unless they are granted an exemption.

Primary and secondary school education in Singapore is heavily subsidised to ensure Singaporeans get an equal chance at learning. In fact, primary school is free for Singapore citizens. Parents only have to pay the miscellaneous fees that go into the school’s operating budget, ranging from S$6 to S$13 monthly. The total costs for six years of primary school education for a Singaporean will range from S$468 to S$936.

For Singapore PRs, the monthly fees for a primary school education range from S$230 to S$268. Total costs for six years of primary school education for a Singapore PR will range from S$16,560 to S$19,296

On top of these fees, there are additional costs such as textbooks, uniforms and other school necessities. Parents can reach out to their child’s school for financial aid if they need further help.

Secondary school

Again, how much you’ll have to pay for secondary education depends on your child’s nationality and the type of school they’re attending.

Government secondary schools generally cost S$5 to S$25 per month for Singapore citizens. The total cost for four years of secondary school education in a government secondary school for a Singaporean will range from S$240 to S$1,200.

For Singapore PRs, government secondary schools will cost $440 to S$520 per month. The total cost for four years of secondary school education in a government secondary school for a Singapore PR translates into a range from S$21,120 to S$24,960.

Apart from your usual government, government-aided, and independent schools, there are also autonomous, special assistance plan (SAP), specialised independent (SIS) and specialised schools:

• Autonomous schools: They follow the national curriculum but offer more programmes to further hone your child’s talents and development. Students who study there are subject to paying extra Autonomous School (AS) fees of $3 to $18 a month.
• SAP schools: These aim to nurture bilingual and bicultural students who appreciate the Chinese culture and harbour a global outlook. SAP schools cost S$300 – S$600 for Singaporeans, and S$600 – S$1,000 for PRs monthly.
• Specialised independent schools (SIS): Offer unique curriculum structures for students with a flare for Mathematics and Science, Sports, the Arts and applied learning. SIS costs S$300 – S$600 for Singaporeans, and S$600 – S$,1000 for PRs monthly.
• Specialised schools: Provide tailored programmes for students who are inclined towards hands-on and practical learning. School fees vary according to the different specialised schools.

If you’re interested to find out more about the monthly fees for the other categories of schools, try out the MOE website which has an easy-to-use calculator about such fees.

Additionally, to further support needy families and encourage students to work hard, MOE also provides a range of financial aid schemes and bursaries at all levels of primary and secondary education.

Pre-university education

Upon completion of their secondary school education, your child will move on to pre-university education. Here, people generally choose between attending a junior college (JC), polytechnic or Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

Junior college (JC)

The junior college route offers a faster way to university, and similar to secondary schools, such institutions can be loosely divided into government and independent schools.

For Singaporeans attending government JCs, school fees are S$6 monthly and S$640 monthly for PRs. Both will have to pay a monthly miscellaneous fee of S$27. Two years of JC education will cost S$792 for a Singaporean and S$16,008 for PRs.

In the case of independent schools, fees vary but average approximately $300 to $600 a month for Singaporeans and $600 to $1,400 a month for PRs.

Examples of independent schools are Anglo Chinese Independent, Hwa Chong Institution and Raffles Institution, all of which offer the Integrated Programme (IP) or the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Polytechnic

If your child is keen on pursuing a diploma after their secondary studies, they will most likely be attending one of the five local polytechnics. The polytechnic route, however, may be your first encounter with potentially higher fees.

Polytechnic students typically spend three years on their education and the fees annually are as follows:

• Singapore citizen: S$3,000
• Singapore PR: $6,200
• International: S$12,000

Singapore citizens are expected to pay S$9,000, and for PRs, S$18,600, for their polytechnic education. For international students, it will set them back S$36,000 for a three-year polytechnic education.

To help Singaporeans, PRs, and foreigners pursue a diploma education, the government’s tuition grant scheme is available to lend a hand. For PRs or foreigners, taking up the grant would mean that they will be bonded to work in Singapore for three years after graduation.

Other costs to consider: purchasing a laptop is a must for most polytechnic students, along with various course material fees and higher costs for food and transport.

Institute of Technical Education (ITE)

ITE schools offer over 90 full-time courses to potential students. These students can choose between the NITEC and Higher NITEC tracks, with the duration of study being either two to three years long.

The table below summarises the expected fees of ITE students in the respective tracks:

Likewise, these fees are exclusive of miscellaneous fees that may be incurred during their time at ITE, and the actual costs can be much higher.

Tertiary institutions

Whether your child has attended JC, polytechnic, or ITE, they can all move on to the tertiary phase of their education to obtain a degree. Here, they can choose between local public and private universities as well as overseas equivalents.

The costs of obtaining a degree vary according to your child’s choice of school and course of study. Courses like law, dentistry, and medicine cost significantly more than social sciences or business.

The common universities in Singapore are National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

For local public universities, Singapore citizens will naturally qualify for the MOE Tu

ition Grant Scheme, hence making them a slightly cheaper option than overseas courses.

As parents, you can also opt to pay for your child’s university education via the CPF Education Scheme, provided your child is studying at a local university. Among all the education loans available locally, the CPF Education Scheme presents the lowest interest rates.

As a general guideline, these are the estimated annual fees for a Singaporean or PR student attending a local public university with an MOE tuition grant:

For SIT, their 4-year total course fee ranges from S$22,500 to S$37,200 while for SUSS, their 4-year fees range from S$30,000 to S$33,640.

On top of these academic costs, most university students would opt to stay in campus dorms, which can cost from S$400 to S$700 a month before utilities.

Pro tip:__ Cultivating good financial literacy in your child from a young age can help ease the expensive costs of university and teach them important life skills.

Read more: The Value of Money – 5 Lessons for Your Child

For example, pre-U and university students often take up part-time jobs or internships so that they can shoulder miscellaneous fees by themselves. This teaches them financial responsibility and lets them familiarise themselves with the working world.

Of course, every parent has his or her own expectations and parenting style. Hence, if you prefer to fully fund your child’s tertiary school life so that they can study a little more worry-free, that’s perfectly okay too!

Private and overseas education options

From international schools which operate in Singapore to universities located around the globe, there are countless overseas education opportunities for your child at various stages in their education.

Private institutes like MDIS, Kaplan and Curtin Singapore offer courses locally and their annual fees vary greatly, ranging from S$20,000 to S$60,000.

Conversely, if you plan on sending your child to overseas universities, you should check the schools’ official websites for a clearer picture of your expected expenditure. Drop the schools an email for more information and ask about scholarships or financial aid for their international students.

Tuition and extracurricular programmes

If you grew up studying in Singapore, you would know how competitive and rigorous the education landscape is. Most Asian parents value a somewhat holistic education. Hence, scrambling to secure a position in a coveted tuition centre and signing up for various enrichment classes are commonplace in Singaporean culture.

But tuition for academic purposes in Singapore is costly, increasing in price based on your child’s education level, the subject to be taught as well as the tutors you choose to engage with.

Tuition rates for primary school children are usually set as S$20 to S$70 an hour and for secondary school students, $25 to S$90 an hour. For higher-level students in JC or IB, the fee ranges from S$40 to S$130 an hour. The fees are dependent on the frequency of classes as well as the class size.

Singapore also offers a wide range of after-school enrichment classes to hone your child’s talents. This could be in music, sports, arts, and more. To support your child’s extracurricular activities, you have to be ready to set aside even more funds to afford them.

Read more: Sports or Arts: Which Enrichment Classes Should My Kid Pick Up?

When should you start saving and how?

Now that we’ve mapped out a typical Singaporean child’s education pathway and its estimated costs, you’re probably wondering or even worrying about how you might go about affording it.

Many Singaporean parents tend to make the mistake of keeping the financial planning of their child’s education on the back burner, choosing to focus on other seemingly more urgent demands like the cost of daily necessities, car loans and more.

This often results in the child taking up numerous education loans, especially for their hefty university fees. This in turn places an additional burden on the parent and child’s future fiscal positions.

Start saving as early as possible and be realistic.

The secret to avoiding this would be to start saving as early as possible and be realistic. We all know that education costs are rising and in twenty years, you can only expect it to be even higher than what it is today.

Try to set a rational end goal for your child’s education fund and move towards it at your own pace, with discipline. Remember, the road to financial security is different for everyone. But the earlier you start, the smoother it will be.

To encourage a debt-free pursuit of education, you can start with small investments, insurance and savings plans. As with any financial portfolio, diversifying your assets is recommended. Start looking into the various insurance policies, savings, investment and endowment plans that align with your predicted financial needs for your child’s education and see how you can effectively combine them.

Read more:__ Our companion article on how to seamlessly plan for your child’s future education with investing.

Financial support available

The Singapore education system offers diverse financial support schemes to students who need it.

1. MOE’s Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS)

Singapore Citizens who fall within a certain income bracket can apply for this scheme. All you’ll need to do is to submit the application form which can be obtained from your child’s school or downloaded via MOE’s web portal.

The funds provided by MOE’s FAS will cover all miscellaneous fees as well as other schooling costs like uniforms, school shoes and transportation.

2. Edusave scholarships and bursaries

MOE also rewards Singaporean students who have performed well academically and/or shown excellence in their character.

Compared to FAS, the bracket is wider for Edusave scholarships and bursaries. Thus, most middle-income students can receive them as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

No application is required for this particular monetary aid and recipients are typically informed of their awards at the end of the year.

3. Tuition grant

As mentioned earlier, the tertiary education costs of all Singaporean students will be automatically subsidised by the tuition grant scheme. There is no need to apply for the scheme if your child is a Singaporean student.

On the other hand, Singapore PRs and international students are welcome to apply for the grant. Upon approval, they will be bonded to work in Singapore for three years after graduation.

4. Internal and External scholarships and bursaries

Students who have shown potential in their studies, leadership and extracurricular activities can also apply for various scholarships offered internally by their schools or from external organisations like companies, self-help groups or financial institutions.

Aside from schools’ financial assistance portals, Brightsparks is a great platform to get connected with local sponsoring organisations and apply for their seasonal scholarships.

5. Study loans

There are also a slew of education loans offered by banks and universities in Singapore. However, only take up the loans your child needs to avoid being buried in debt.

Before signing any loan agreements, take note of the repayment schedules and be very familiar with you and your child’s predicted financial capabilities to avoid penalties and poor credit scores should you fail to pay up on time.

Should you require any assistance in navigating the sea of investments and saving plans available, feel free to reach out to the Planner Bee team at [email protected]!