Singapore Government School

Introduction to Government Schools

The official spoken and teaching language in Singapore is English, and one of its most distinctive features within the education system is the competitiveness of bilingual educational practices. This allure is a primary factor prompting many parents to send their children to study in Singapore. Other than learning English, students also need to learn their native language in the school.

International students seeking to enroll in Singapore’s government primary or secondary schools must pass the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) entrance examination, administered by MOE of Singapore.

Currently, only students applying for first grade (primary school entrance) do not need to take the AEIS exam. (The AEIS examination, conducted by the MOE Singapore, has a passing rate that has fluctuated around 20% over the years, indicating a relatively challenging admission process.)
The AEIS exam is divided into English and Mathematics. After passing the exam, admission is determined by the student’s residential address and the availability of vacancies at nearby government schools.

Curriculum

Singapore’s government schools use the Cambridge GCE curriculum, a traditional exam-focused system. Similar to China’s education system, students take PSLE (primary), O-level (junior high), and A-level (senior high) exams, followed by streaming into different paths and then university admission.

Singapore’s primary and secondary schools offer extracurricular CCA courses, similar to China’s elective expansion courses. Can foster children’s self-directed learning, critical thinking, problem-solving agility, effective communication, and other essential skills.

Singapore’s education system is primarily designed to serve the needs of local students, with the Ministry of Education prioritizing the learning needs of Singaporean citizens. Therefore, only limited places can be opened to foreign students.

Registration Time and Information

Singapore’s school year starts January 1st, no AEIS test required for Primary 1 registration. International students (non-citizens/non-PRs) submit a letter of intent between June 2nd-8th for the upcoming academic year. The Ministry of Education will notify parents by email around mid-October, confirming availability and providing registration guidance for their chosen primary school.

Student’s details (birth certificate, passport, immigration exemption order, dependent pass, student pass, long term visit pass (if any))
Details of both parents (passport, identity card, entry or exit permit, employment pass, work permit, long-term visit pass (if any))
Valid Email Address
Singapore contact number
Photo-copies of the child’s birth certificate and passport
Electronic document (PDF or JPG format) of the front and back of the parent’s NRIC (if applicable)
Electronic document of parents’ marriage certificate (PDF or JPG format) (if applicable)

Reminder of MOE

These uploaded files must be in PDF and JPG format, and each file cannot exceed 1MB.
If additional documents are needed, the Ministry of Education will contact the parents.
Note that submission is not first-come, first-served. During June 2th-8th, the first two days may see a surge in submissions, causing website delays. If so, try submitting again a couple of times to ensure success.