Top 5 Tips for Choosing the Right International School in Singapore
Updated: 6 Feb 2026
Singapore has many excellent international schools, but the “best” school is not the same for every child. The right choice depends on curriculum fit, learning support, school culture, location, and how well the school can support your child’s long term pathway (IGCSE, IB, A Levels, AP, university, and beyond).
Below are five practical tips that help families make a confident decision, especially if you are relocating or comparing multiple schools in a short time.
Quick reminder: Rankings and reputation matter, but they are not enough. What matters most is whether the school’s curriculum, support, culture, and pathway match your child’s needs.
Tip 1: Start with the curriculum, not the school name
Families often begin with brand names. A more reliable starting point is the curriculum pathway. The same child can thrive under one curriculum and struggle under another.
What to clarify first
- End goal: IB, A Levels, AP, Australian curriculum, or another pathway
- Transferability: Will you move countries again in the next 2 to 3 years?
- Subject requirements: Does the pathway support STEM, business, humanities, arts?
Practical note: If your child is likely to do the IB later, check what the school does in lower years. Strong foundations in writing, mathematics, and study habits often matter more than short term test results.
Tip 2: Check academic support and English support early
Support systems can be the difference between a smooth transition and a stressful year. This is especially true for students who are new to English medium learning.
Look for clarity on
- English language support: EAL / ESL structure, entry testing, and placement
- Learning support: support for attention, organisation, or specific learning needs
- Assessment style: how the school evaluates progress beyond exams
Watch out: Some schools offer “support” in name, but the capacity may be limited. Ask how many students each support teacher typically supports, and how often your child will be seen.
Tip 3: Culture and student fit matters more than facilities
Beautiful campuses are a bonus. Daily experience is shaped more by the school’s expectations, discipline approach, teacher student relationships, and how students treat each other.
Signs of good fit
- Your child feels comfortable talking to teachers and asking for help
- The school culture is aligned with your family’s expectations on discipline and independence
- The student community feels inclusive and emotionally safe
Try this: Ask to speak to a current parent or student (if the school allows). Their answers often reveal day to day realities that brochures do not show.
Tip 4: Think about logistics as a daily quality of life factor
In Singapore, distance and commute time can impact sleep, punctuality, after school activities, and family stress. A school that looks perfect on paper can become difficult if daily logistics are heavy.
Check these early
- Commute time: morning and afternoon traffic can be very different
- School bus: route coverage, pick up times, supervision
- After school activities: timing, transport arrangements, late pick up policy
- Boarding (if needed): weekends, leave rules, pastoral support
Simple guideline: If a commute is consistently over one hour each way, families often feel it within the first month.
Tip 5: Ask the right questions on your school tour
School tours are designed to show strengths. The goal is not to be skeptical, but to be specific. Ask questions that reveal how the school operates when things are not ideal.
High value questions to ask
- How do you support students who are new to English medium learning in the first 90 days?
- What does a typical week look like in homework, assessments, and after school activities?
- How do you handle academic struggles: intervention steps and timelines?
- How do you communicate with parents: frequency, channels, and who to contact?
- What are the most common reasons families transfer out, and how do you address those concerns?
Pro tip: Ask for examples. “We support students well” is not informative. “Here is what we do in weeks 1 to 4” is informative.
Copy and paste checklist
Final thought
Choosing an international school in Singapore is less about finding “the best school” and more about finding the right fit for your child and your family’s future plans. If you compare schools using the five tips above, you will usually reach a decision that is both confident and practical.
If you share your child’s age, current curriculum, English level, and where you live in Singapore, you can shortlist schools more efficiently and ask better questions during tours.