International Schools in Singapore

Choosing the right international school in Singapore is an important decision for your family. With a thriving expat population, wait lists at the top schools can be very long. So, be sure to put your name on the wait lists of your favorites during your look-see trip.

Your school decision typically impacts where you decide to live. To learn about the different neighborhoods and where to live in Singapore, read our article, 10 Tips for Living in Singapore.

Singapore American School

Singapore American School is a pre-school through Grade 12 school with over 3900 students, 70% holding US passports. It is located on a beautiful 36-acre campus in the Woodlands area of Singapore (approximately 35 minutes from the central business district). A parent with children at Singapore American School said, "the majority of the students go to school by bus, but many live within walking distance. The facilities are excellent. There are tennis courts, swimming pools, gyms, theatres and the library is fantastic. There are also plenty of clubs that are student run, as well as after school sports. The PTA organizes events and provides plenty of opportunities for parents to get involved in their children's education, as well as to socialize with other parents and teachers.

Stamford American International School

Stamford American International School welcomes students from nursery through 12th grade. It is located at 1 Woodleigh Lane and a short drive from most expat communities. It was recently updated and the campus features state of the art academic and athletic facilities including swimming pools, cluster-style classrooms, underground parking, climbing walls, golf facilities and more. "Stamford has a real family feel about the school. My daughter is very happy and has met great friends through the school," said one parent with a child at Stamford American International School.

Overseas Family School

The Overseas Family School welcomes over 3,800 K-12 students from 73 countries. One parent with children at Overseas Family School said, "the school is very interested in ensuring that a variety of activities are in the program. They have a soccer field, swimming pool, playground area, organized sports teams, drama programs, and annual concerts for the children to participate in. The environment is very enriching for the students and the families are encouraged to participate as well. This is a truly international school, with children from a wide variety of cultures, religions and creeds. They spend a lot of time reviewing the various countries around the globe, the focus being on understanding differences in culture and lifestyles in the various countries. Students are encouraged to share their experiences about living abroad, and this helps to prepare the children for the next move."

German European School Singapore

German European School Singapore is an multi-lingual school that serves students from 18 months to 18 years old. German students follow a German curriculum and English students follow the IBO Curriculum. A parent with children at German European School Singapore described the school saying, "if your child is comfortable in a small, family oriented environment then consider GESS in Singapore. Students in the European section have lessons in English and learn German as well as a third language (e.g. French, Mandarin) up till Grade 11, when they do the Diploma Programme of the IB. The student community is fairly diverse, the German speaking students cannot switch to the European section until they reach a good proficiency in English, so your child will not be in classes with weak English skills. Have a look, it is not the radar for many parents compared to other well known Singaporean schools." Another parent said, "parents describe this school as the best kept secret in Singapore. Many families do not take it in on their school rounds as they think it is German (the name implies this of course). In fact, the English speaking half is bigger I believe. It is an IB World School, good, happy teachers, parental board of governors - visit and see . My two children love it."

Chatsworth International School

Chatsworth International School is a K-12 international school with several locations: East (25 Jalan Tembusu) Campus, Orchard Hill (37 Emerald Hill Road) Campus and a kindergarten program located on Piccadilly Circus. One parent said, "because of the excellent location (for those who live in the center of the city), the space is so limited. The swimming pool is the size of the bath tub!! I do like the school, but I can not stand the facilities. The building is very old. You would feel that the ceiling is going to fall on you. They participate in many sports events outside. I think they are trying to compensate for their poor facility. If your child is still in kindergarten or lower primary, this school is very good. The teachers are warm, the atmosphere is very family like. I do like this school, I think we made a right choice, but many students will change schools once they are accepted to their first choice. As you may know, all the international schools here in Singapore are full. Some of the prominent schools have a waiting list of 2 years. Chatsworth is a good school to stay at temporarily."

Canadian International School

Canadian International School (CIS) serves students from ages 3 to 18, from over 70 nationalities. A parent with children at Canadian International School said, "check it out. The teachers and admin are what makes the school. They are warm, friendly, and very professional. There may be bigger, sexier, and more famous names in Singapore but no one educates children better than the Canadian School."

Other Schools

ISS Singapore serves students from ages 3 to 19, has two campuses and welcomes over 750 students from over 50 countries. Australian International School serves students from 2 to 18 and offers an Australian-based global curriculum. Tanglin Trust School offers a British-based curriculum and serves students from infant through Sixth Form College. SJI International School (St. Joseph's Institution International School) welcomes students from 4 to 18 and is a co-ed Catholic school. For a longer list, view Wikipedia's List of International Schools in Singapore.

If you would like to add your school to this list, please [email protected] e-mail us.