All you need to know about leading international schools in Singapore

If you have recently relocated to Singapore, then consider yourself lucky for being in one of the places that offers a world class school education system. There is a wide range of international schools in Singapore which offer a multicultural environment, with students from a diverse range of backgrounds and countries.

These schools offer the best environment for developing the personality of children as well as rigorous academic and extra-curricular programmes.

A wide variety of curricula, from single-country programmes to the International Baccalaureate and International Primary Curriculum, makes it so that there’s not much more a parent could wish for.

Canadian International School

It is one of the leading international schools of Singapore. Students from about 84 nationalities study here, a testimony to its multicultural environment. This international school is spread over two campuses – Lakeside in the west (for students aged 2 to 18 years) and Tanjong Katong in the east (for students aged 2 to 12 years).

 The Tanjong Katong Campus  of Canadian International School of Singapore was a sea of pink as the children celebrated Kindness Day. Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Canadian International School, Singapore
The Tanjong Katong Campus of Canadian International School of Singapore was a sea of pink as the children celebrated Kindness Day. Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Canadian International School, Singapore

A unique feature of this school is that it offers all three International Baccalaureate programmes, from Primary years through to the Diploma Programme. The CIS curriculum is benchmarked against national curricula globally, allowing students to successfully transition to any other school if and when required, or to graduate and be admitted to leading universities anywhere in the world.

 Canadian International School is guided by a STEAM Philosophy that fuels innovation. Photo courtesy: Canadian International School
Canadian International School is guided by a STEAM Philosophy that fuels innovation. Photo courtesy: Canadian International School

The school is guided by a STEAM Philosophy that fuels innovation. The CIS STEAM (Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Arts and Mathematics) philosophy and makerspaces provide project based learning experiences that challenge inquisitive minds, fuel innovative thinking, and create a culture of teamwork and collaboration.

Campuses
CIS has two campuses on the island, Lakeside in the west, and Tanjong Katong in the east. Both campuses are conveniently located near public transport and are a short drive from most expat communities – both in the centre of Singapore and in the East Coast area.

Contact details
Lakeside Campus (Nursery – Grade 12)
7 Jurong West Street 41, Singapore 649414
Email: admissions@cis.edu.sg

Tanjong Katong Campus ( Nursery – Grade 6)
371 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437128
Email: admissions@cis.edu.sg
Website: www.cis.edu.sg

Singapore American School

 Singapore Amercian School's commitment to provide an international perspective is reflected in the curriculum, extensive service opportunities, and extra-curricular activities. Photo courtesy: SAS
Singapore Amercian School's commitment to provide an international perspective is reflected in the curriculum, extensive service opportunities, and extra-curricular activities. Photo courtesy: SAS

Singapore Amercian School has the reputation of being one of the world’s finest international schools. The curriculum of the school is similar to that of US college preparatory schools. Its commitment to provide an international perspective is reflected in the curriculum, extensive service opportunities, and extra-curricular activities.

The school is known for an unmistakable culture of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities. The students are nurtured with a passion for and commitment to deep intellectual and personal exploration. SAS students grow up in a community where every student learns at high levels, every student is known and advocated for, and every student personalizes their learning.

 The students are nurtured with a passion towards scientific temperament. Photo courtesy: SAS
The students are nurtured with a passion towards scientific temperament. Photo courtesy: SAS

SAS has the largest Advanced Placement (AP) programme outside of the United States, is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in the U.S., and offers the American High School Diploma at the senior level.

Student enrollment consists of 56 per cent American citizens with 50 additional nationalities comprising the remainder. Instruction is in English, with daily language classes in Mandarin or Spanish for elementary students and every-other-day classes in French, Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese for middle and high school students.

  Students learning to play various musical instruments at the Singapore Amercian School. Photo courtesy: SAS
Students learning to play various musical instruments at the Singapore Amercian School. Photo courtesy: SAS

Technology is fully integrated into the curriculum at every grade level at SAS, with 1:1 iPads for students in kindergarten through fourth grade and 1:1 MacBook Pros for students in fifth grade to eighth grade, and 1:1 BYOD for high school. Technology is purposefully incorporated as a tool for learning in core classrooms as well as in support services, world languages, PE, art, science, and music, and more than 2,000 SAS students publish blogs as portfolios for their work.

Spread over a 36-acre campus, the school gives the students the place and space to explore areas of interest and pursue their passions, all while being nurtured in a tight-knit community.

Contact details
40 Woodlands Street 41
Singapore 738547

Phone: +65 6363 3403
Email: sasinfo@sas.edu.sg
Website:  www.sas.edu.sg

Australian International School, Singapore

The Australian International School is the only school in Singapore that offers an Australian curriculum-based global education for students from the age of 2 years to 18 years.

Here, the education begins with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) from Preschool to Year 5, Australia Curriculum for Years 6 to 8, Cambridge IGCSE in Years 9 and 10, and the Higher School Certificate (HSC) or International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) for Years 11 and 12.

 The 2018 graduating cohort at the Australian International School (AIS) has achieved outstanding results. Photo courtesy: AIS
The 2018 graduating cohort at the Australian International School (AIS) has achieved outstanding results. Photo courtesy: AIS

The school offers Inventor and Mentor programme where internationally renowned thought-leaders, including three Nobel laureates, join AIS students in a series of guest lectures and round table discussions.

There is all-round development of the students in various fields. The Athlete Development Programme (ADP) delivers an elite training stream for talented young athletes.

Students inclined towards music can also excel in this field through The Young Musicians Program. 16 music ensembles, 3 choirs and over 100 performances each year enable the child  to embody their rock, pop or choral idol.

Students are also offered to learn from diverse culture through the Cultural Connections Language Program. It explores cultural connections through language; daily Mandarin from 2 years old, growing to 4 language options in Secondary

Contact details

1 Lorong Chuan
Singapore 556818
Tel: +65 6653 7906 
Website: www.ais.com.sg
Email: admissions@ais.com.sg

United World College of South East Asia

Opened in 1971 as Singapore International School by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, UWC South East Asia became a full member of the UWC movement in 1975. For more than 40 years, it has been offering a mission-driven, values-based international education to students from more than 90 nationalities. The school provides a K-12 education consisting of five interlinking elements: academics, activities, outdoor education, personal and social education and service

   Students studying in High School library of the Dover Campus of United World College of South East Asia. Photo courtesy: UWCSEA
Students studying in High School library of the Dover Campus of United World College of South East Asia. Photo courtesy: UWCSEA

UWCSEA is recognised as one of the leading international schools in the world. It has two campuses, with around 3,000 students at the Dover Campus and 2,400 at the East Campus. Most students participate in the service programme, which can involve service to the school community, the Singaporean community, and overseas communities.

Both campuses of UWCSEA have a campus-wide wireless network, and a central IT help desk for students. Students from K1 to Grade 8 follow a UWCSEA-designed curriculum. Students in Grades 9 and 10 follow the IGCSE programme, with students entering in Grade 10 follow a Foundation IB (FIB) programme. Grade 11 and 12 students take the IB Diploma programme.

Sports facilities are world-class including athletics, badminton, basketball, climbing, cross country, cricket, football, gymnastics, hockey, netball, rugby, sailing, softball, swimming, tennis, touch and ultimate frisbee.

Contact details

Dover Campus

1207 Dover Road, Singapore 139654

Phone: +65 6775 5344
Email: uwcseadover@uwcsea.edu.sg
Website:  www.uwcsea.edu.sg

East Campus

1 Tampines Street 73, Singapore 528704

Phone:  +65 6305 5344
Email: uwcseaeast@uwcsea.edu.sg

Website:  www.uwcsea.edu.sg

GIIS, Singapore

Global Indian International School (GIIS) has come a long way since its inception in 2002; from just 48 students at Mount Sophia in Singapore, now it has grown to span seven countries across Asia, with 19 campuses in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam and India. It has emerged as a leading international school offering Indian and international curricula to students from diverse backgrounds.

 The sprawling SMART GIIS Campus where student-centred pedagogy meets a digitally powered learning environment to create a whole new education experience. Photo courtesy: GIIS
The sprawling SMART GIIS Campus where student-centred pedagogy meets a digitally powered learning environment to create a whole new education experience. Photo courtesy: GIIS

Incidentally, GIIS was Singapore's first international school for Indian expats co-founded by Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder, Global Schools Foundation (GSF). From a single campus in 2002, it has expanded to four locations within Singapore. Now, students from the GIIS Queenstown and Balestier campuses have relocated to the new GIIS SMART campus; the group's two other Singapore campuses, East Coast and Mountbatten, continue to operate at their existing locations.

GIIS offers a comprehensive range of curricula options for students in kindergarten through Class 12. This includes International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), Cambridge IGCSE, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Global Montessori Plus (GMP) programme and Cambridge Lower Secondary Programme.

 GIIS offers a comprehensive range of curricula options for students in kindergarten through Class 12. Photo courtesy: GIIS
GIIS offers a comprehensive range of curricula options for students in kindergarten through Class 12. Photo courtesy: GIIS

The backbone for all three GIIS schools though is the Global Schools Foundation’s education methodology, which it calls Nine Gems. According to GSF, this holistic learning programme “meets the changing needs of a growing child and his/her evolving personality”.

The Nine Gems model equips students with skills such as problem-solving, critical, analytical and creative thinking, and teamwork. GIIS claims to be fusing the best of Eastern and Western education models, and its schools are certainly moving away from India’s traditional academic approach to education.

GIIS SMART

GIIS SMART has a virtual approach to learning and a strong focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, robotics and artificial intelligence, and design technology. It also has the latest NBA-standard sports technology and smart safety features like facial recognition. It is described as the ‘School of the Future’. The school has digital classrooms equipped with iPads and SMART boards, and tools such as Augmented Reality (AR) to make learning an interactive and fun experience.

GIIS has three campuses spread in different parts of Singapore

SMART Campus

27 Punggol Field Walk, Singapore 828649

Phone: +65-6914-7100

Email: admissions.sg@globalindianschool.org

Website: sg.globalindianschool.org

East Coast Campus

82 Cheviot Hill, Singapore 459663

Phone: +65-6914-7100

Email:  admissions.sg@globalindianschool.org

Website: sg.globalindianschool.org

Mountbatten Campus

Block G, Mountbatten Centre, 231 Mountbatten Road

Singapore 397999

Phone: +65-6914-7100

Email: admissions.sg@globalindianschool.org

Website: sg.globalindianschool.org

Stamford American International School

Stamford American International School provides a world class academic offering to the students of Singapore. It offers two rigorous programs of learning; the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program integrated with the most rigorous US state standards (AERO). Stamford students get the best of American and international education to prepare them to live, learn and work in our increasingly globalized world.

Stamford students get the best of American and international education to prepare them to live, learn and work in our increasingly globalized world. Photo courtesy: SAIS
Stamford students get the best of American and international education to prepare them to live, learn and work in our increasingly globalized world. Photo courtesy: SAIS

Beyond developing their English, students receive daily language lessons beginning at age 2 in Mandarin or Spanish. Daily reinforcement helps students to develop fluency in their chosen language.

The school’s new USD300 million campus facility features state-of-the-art technology and facilities establishing Stamford as a new benchmark for international schools around the world. The campus features top notch academic and athletic resources.

Technology is integrated in the school. There are interactive Promethean boards in every classroom, a 1 to 1 iPad Program for students from Kindergarten 2 through Grade 5 and a 1 to 1 MacBook Program for Middle School and High School students.

 Conveniently located at 279 Upper Serangoon Road (1 Woodleigh Lane), the campus is next to the Woodleigh MRT and a short drive from most expat communities.

Phone: +65 6602 7247

Email: admissions@sais.edu.sg
Website: www.sais.edu.sg