How do you enrol children in public school in Singapore in 2026?

Primary 1 international-student registration follows the MOE P1 calendar and document list for foreigners. For Primary 2 to 5 and Secondary 1 to 3, the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) is the usual path into the following academic year. Families apply to sit the AEIS tests, take English and mathematics papers in Singapore on the published dates, then receive an admissions outcome. Placement, when offered, considers test performance, available vacancies and the declared residential area where possible.

S-AEIS is the supplementary exercise for remaining vacancies in selected levels, typically for same-year entry into listed Primary and Secondary levels. AEIS and S-AEIS windows open and close on fixed MOE dates; missing the application period means waiting for the next cycle. Successful AEIS applicants often start in January of the following year. Confirm live fees, age cut-offs and eligible levels on the MOE pages before you buy flights for the test week.

The child needs a lawful stay basis that matches MOE and immigration rules for studying, usually as a dependant of a work-pass holder or another accepted long-term status: Apply for a residence permit and Get a work pass card. Keep the residential address current so placement logic and mail match the lease: Register your address belongs in Paperwork after moving.

English fluency helps, but MOE still tests readiness for mid-level entry: Children starting school without fluent English. Mother Tongue Language duties can apply after enrolment; exemption rules are separate MOE guidance. Family neighbourhood choice still matters for commute length on the MRT and bus network: Best places for families and Where to live.

Foreign-student school fees differ from citizen and PR rates. Budget them beside rent and insurance rather than treating a government school as automatically cheap: How expensive is Singapore and Choose health insurance.