When selecting a school for your child that offers an IB program, you need to visit the school before making a final decision since the admission criteria, fees, and other requirements vary from school to school.
But not to worry, we’re here to give you a handheld walkthrough of everything you need to know about the best IB schools in Singapore so that your child gets the best education to become a successful future global citizen. Here we go!
Requirements to enrol in an IB school
Every school has a way to fill out the admission form and submit the required documents online or offline. To get a better understanding, here are some necessary documents out of the others commonly asked by every school:
- Your child’s passport-size photographs.
- Your child’s birth certificate.
- A copy of your employment pass.
- A copy of your child’s dependent pass, student pass, or Singapore PR.
- A copy of the passport of family members.
- A copy of the last two years progress card (in official transcripts) from the previous school.
- If there are no school reports, work samples must be uploaded.
- A copy of parent’s Singapore entry or reentry permits.
- Employment letter of guarantee (if your employer pays the school fees).
- Legal custody papers (for divorced parents).
- Payment of the non-refundable application fee of £100 to £350 each (varies for different schools).
Submit these documents before the deadline for a hassle-free admission process. You will be either notified via email or called for an admission assessment.
Admission process
Upon paying the non-refundable fee, the selection process begins. Again, there are different assessment patterns across age groups in the best private school in Singapore.
For instance, if your child is below 11 years old, most schools look into the previous reports, and others may require an English test when your child crosses seven years. Other schools make your child sit in the classroom for a day to check their interaction with other children and teachers in class.
There are stringent tests for children above 11 years with high passing levels. These tests are conducted chiefly on three subjects and are conducted 11 months in advance. The results are displayed nine months in advance to fill up the seats apart from the previous reports of the child.
So it’s best to apply for more than one school offering an IB program at least 13 months before becoming a parent. This helps you forfeit the registration fee in case your child gets selected in another school of your choice.
The fee structure of private schools in Singapore
Apart from the non-refundable application fee, once your child gets selected, you need to pay the yearly fee to get the admission reserved for your child.
Ensure that you don’t prolong fee payment after the deadline because there are fewer chances for your child to be placed in the school.
Interestingly, most schools following the IB syllabus offer an affordable yearly fee structure ranging from $15,334 to $45,050. However, the other fees required for field trips, excursions, and exams are not included in the tuition fees.
Also, for first-time enrollment, some schools might ask you to pay a confirmation fee and development that’s non-refundable apart from the tuition fee to confirm your child’s admission to the school.
Over to you
So parents, consider the following tips before enrolling your child in an IB program for them to have a bright and prosperous future:
- Ensure that the facilities provided are worth the fees.
- Take an on-campus tour, observe everything around you, and note whether your child is comfortable with the environment.
- Get feedback from the students and parents in the school before deciding.
- Check their status in online forums.
