Local schools in Singapore for foreign kids: AEIS

Short answer: yes, foreign kids can go to Singapore's government schools, but they have to pass a test, take whatever seat is free, and pay international student fees.

The short version

Children who aren't citizens or permanent residents enter Ministry of Education (MOE) schools from Primary 2 to Secondary 3 through the AEIS, the Admissions Exercise for International Students [1].
The 2026 AEIS tests ran in Singapore from 1 to 3 September, for a January 2027 start. A smaller supplementary round, S-AEIS, is pencilled in for late February or early March 2027 [1][3].
Primary applicants need a minimum Cambridge English result before they can apply, then sit a maths test. Secondary applicants sit English and maths [2][3][4].
In 2026 a non-ASEAN international student, which includes Australians, pays S$1,035 a month in primary and S$2,190 a month in secondary, plus a small miscellaneous fee [6].
That's still far cheaper than an international school, but your child must take a Mother Tongue language and sit the PSLE to move on to secondary school [5].

Who can get in, and at what level

MOE schools (government and government-aided schools) admit international students when there are places left after Singaporeans are looked after. There is no guaranteed seat for a foreign child, and no catchment rule that gives you a school near your condo.

Level your child is entering	How they get in	Test
Primary 1	MOE's Primary 1 registration exercise, not AEIS	None, but citizens and PRs are placed first
Primary 2 to Primary 5	AEIS (September), or S-AEIS early in the year	Cambridge English result before applying, then maths [2][3]
Secondary 1 to Secondary 3	AEIS, or S-AEIS	English and maths [3]
Primary 6, Secondary 4 and up	Generally not through AEIS	Exam years; ask MOE about options

MOE's tests check the syllabus from one level below the one you apply for. A child applying for Secondary 2 should know Secondary 1 English and maths, for example [3][5]. The age for Primary 1 is 6 to 6+ on 1 January of the year of entry, and a child should be no more than two years older than the usual age for their level [5]. MOE's website has an age checker that tells you which level your child can try for [4].

Which tests, exactly

Primary. Your child must reach a minimum score in a Cambridge English Qualifications exam before you apply. For the 2026 AEIS, MOE wanted a statement of results from a test taken from July 2025 [2]. The AEIS test itself is then maths [3].
Secondary. English and maths tests, both in English [3][5].

The Cambridge English rule surprises Aussie parents. Your child speaks English at home and studied it at school in Australia, but they still need the certificate before MOE will take the application. Book it early, since test dates and results take time.

How to apply, step by step

Check the age checker. Enter your child's date of birth on MOE's AEIS or S-AEIS page to see the level and tests that apply [4].
Sit the Cambridge English test (primary only). Get the statement of results, not just the certificate [2].
Create a Candidates Portal account. Applications go through MOE's online portal, usually opening around July for the September AEIS [1][2].
Upload documents. Birth certificate (with an English translation if needed), passport bio-data page with at least six months' validity, and the Cambridge results for primary [2].
Pay the fee. S$340 for primary or S$630 for secondary, plus GST, non-refundable [2].
Sit the tests in Singapore. Bring a copy of the passport bio-data page and the entry proof, and arrive at least 15 minutes early [3].
Wait for a placement. Successful children are offered a school based on their results, available vacancies and, where possible, your home address [1]. You don't choose the school.

If your child misses out in September, S-AEIS is the second chance. MOE notes, for example, that a child who didn't succeed in the 2026 AEIS for Primary 5 may apply for Primary 4 in the 2027 S-AEIS if they meet the age rule [4].

What it costs in 2026

Fees depend on nationality. Australia isn't in ASEAN, so Australian kids pay the top rate [6][7].

Monthly fee, 2026 (SGD)	Citizen	Permanent resident	International (ASEAN)	International (non-ASEAN, incl. Australians)
Primary	0	330	595	1,035
Secondary	5	680	1,090	2,190
Pre-university	6	760	1,290	2,540

Source: Ministry of Education [6]. Every student also pays a miscellaneous fee of S$13 a month in primary, S$20 in secondary and S$27 in pre-university [6]. International students pay GST on school fees, while MOE absorbs it for citizens and PRs [7].

So an Australian child in primary school costs about S$12,600 a year in fees, and in secondary about S$26,500, before uniforms, books, buses and tuition classes. Compare that with S$40,000 to S$55,000 a year at an international school (see our international schools guide). MOE revised these fees each January from 2024 to 2026 [6], so check the MOE fees page for 2027 before you budget.

If you become a permanent resident, the fees drop sharply. That's one reason families who plan to stay long term look hard at PR.

The realities of the local system

Singapore's schools are excellent, and they're very different from an Aussie primary school.

Mother Tongue is compulsory. Every student in a mainstream school takes a Mother Tongue language, usually Chinese, Malay or Tamil. Exemptions are requested from the principal after admission and are decided case by case [5]. A child arriving at 10 with no Mandarin will find this hard.
The PSLE. Every international student in a primary school must sit the Primary School Leaving Examination to go on to secondary school [5]. Results shape which secondary school your child can go to, and the pressure in Primary 5 and 6 is real.
Tuition culture. Many local kids do private tuition after school. You won't have to, but your child may be measured against classmates who do.
Bigger classes, more structure. Expect more homework, more tests and less free play than many Australian primary schools.
The caregiver rule. If a child is studying on a Student's Pass, the local caregiver must be a parent in Singapore, or a Singapore citizen or PR over 21 [5]. Kids on a Dependant's Pass don't need a Student's Pass [5].
Vaccinations. Children aged 12 and under who weren't born in Singapore need to meet the diphtheria and measles requirements [5].

Coming home: how it fits back in Australia

The good news is the calendar. Singapore's school year starts in January, like Australia's, and AEIS students begin school in January [1]. A child who finishes a year in Singapore can step into the next year at home.

There isn't a formal credit-transfer system between Singapore and Australian schools. Australian schools place children mainly by age, and starting-age rules vary by state. In practice:

Keep every report book, PSLE result and school letter. Your Australian school will want them.
Singapore maths is usually ahead of the Australian curriculum, so most kids coming home are fine there. Mother Tongue study won't count towards anything unless the school offers that language.
Leaving in Primary 6 before the PSLE, or mid-way through secondary, is when gaps show. If you know you're heading home within a year or two, think hard before entering the local system late.
For senior years, check which certificate your home state uses. Our guide to schooling kids abroad covers the timing.

Families who tried the AEIS share their experiences in Cooee Singapore, our Facebook group for Australians in Singapore. Ask there which prep courses and Cambridge test centres people used.

Local schools in Singapore for Aussie kids: the AEIS test and what it costs