IB Schools in Singapore: Ultimate List & Guide [2022]

Whether you’re the proud parent of a teenager or an expat moving to Singapore and looking for new educational opportunities for your child, choosing one of Singapore’s reputable IB schools is a good decision.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma is a coveted achievement for many students, and you should know that your little ones can also study this type of international curriculum from as early as 6 years of age.

If you have the opportunity to educate your children in the IB programmes from early on, you will benefit from a system that shapes its pupils into open-minded, intelligent and well-adjusted citizens of the world.

Read to know more details about what IB entails, and how international universities value this programme as well as a complete list of IB schools in Singapore.

About International Baccalaureate (IB) in Singapore

The International Baccalaureate was founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. Initially, it was meant to serve those families that travelled intensely and wanted their children to benefit from an international curriculum so they could get into good universities.

Over time, the purpose of the IB programme shifted into educating knowledgeable, inquisitive and empathetic global citizens to help make the world a better place. Over 5000 schools in 150 countries now offer the IB programme, which acts as a gateway to top international universities.

The IB curriculum is challenging, and in Singapore, it’s divided into three levels: PYP, MYP and IBDP. 

IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a 5-year programme aimed at students aged 6 through 10. PYP aims to teach children to become independent and in charge of their own learning process. In this programme, they will begin to understand how the world works, how to organize themselves and discover their own identities through creative and inquisitive thinking.

IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) caters to students aged 11 to 16 and this is where things start to get challenging. Students are encouraged to make practical connections between the subjects they study in school and the real world. They are taught to become critical thinkers and develop intercultural understanding. During the final MYP year, students must score at least 28 points (out of the maximum 56 points) to obtain the IB MYP Certificate.

IB Diploma Programme (DP) aims to educate students aged between 16 and 19. Currently, 28 schools in Singapore offer the IB DP. During this stage, students are taught six subjects – three at a  high level and three at standard level – including languages, math, science, and humanities, which leads to a well-rounded education. Students who graduate with an IB Diploma have unparalleled international opportunities in selective universities.

Is IB Popular in Singapore?

Since Singapore is one of the friendliest global locations for doing business, it should be no wonder that expats are looking to enrol their children into one of the many international IB schools, but the promise of an internationally recognized IB diploma attracts many Singaporeans as well.

Singapore currently has 39 IB schools, with 28 offering the IB DP. Most of the international IB schools in Singapore educate between 800 to 5000 students, so we are looking at tens of thousands of students benefiting from IB education from early childhood years all the way to graduation.

In 2021 alone, 2228 students sat the International Baccalaureate exam and 97.73 % of students passed. This is an impressive rate, compared to the 76.68 % global average. In fact, in 2021, 55 of the 99 perfect scores belonged to students from Singapore IB schools. And, according to 2020 statistics, 11 out of the top 100 global IB schools are in Singapore. We will post 2022 statistics once they are available.

This shows that Singaporeans take their international education seriously and are looking to change the world for the better through knowledge and critical thinking.

Why Study IB?

So why enrol in an IB school when there are already so many options? The short answer is because IB is internationally recognized, and while A-Levels prepare students for the UK and AP for the USA, the IB Diploma Programme enables students to study anywhere in the world.

It’s up to you to measure up the pros and cons of IB, which we’ve covered here, but if you decide to send your child to an IB school, know that the educational standards are just as high as preparing for the A Levels. 

Up until recently, the A-Levels were considered to be the highest standards of examination, but this is no longer the case. In fact, many universities have observed IB examinations to be academically superior and started basing their admissions on both IB and A-Level performances:

• An IB score of 38 (out of 45)  is equivalent to five A grades at A Level;
• Oxford and Cambridge universities ask for an IB score of 40, which is the equivalent of five and a half A grades at A-Level;
• A modest IB score of 35 is equivalent to four and a half A grades at A Level;
• 30 IB points equate to three and a half A grades, which are still enough to secure a place in a good university.

Is IB harder than the A Levels?

If you choose to go the IB route, know that you have a long road ahead. IB is just as difficult if not more tough than the A Levels, since the six subjects and extras are mandatory and take a long time to master.

Getting a score of over 40 points to get into Ivy League schools is quite challenging, but the upside is that the IB programmes offer a broader education and most importantly, teach you how to learn and think for yourself.

Of course, scoring 35 points out of 45 is still impressive, but doesn’t look as good as acing three subjects at the A-Levels, and if your objective is to get into a UK university, you should probably stick with the latter.

Full List of IB Schools in Singapore

There are 39 IB schools in Singapore, with 28 certified in the IB Diploma Programme, and we’ve listed them all below, courtesy of the ibo.org official website:

What are Singapore’s best IB schools?

Choosing between 39 schools that offer three IB programmes is no easy feat, and in this article, we’ve attempted to narrow it down for you. The following selection is by no means exhaustive, but it’s based on schools that:

• offer the IB DP
• regularly score top IB results globally
• are a popular choice among parents
• showcase premium facilities

Browse through the following top 10 IB schools in Singapore and you’ll surely find an attractive option for your child, whether you need boarding, an attractive campus, sports facilities or flexible and immersive educational experiences.

1. Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) International

The Anglo-Chinese School International is one of the most prestigious international schools in Singapore. As a Methodist institution, it strives to instil Christian values and build strong characters within its students.

Aside from offering state of the art facilities and buildings after undergoing a major renovation in 2005, ACS International also boasts fantastic academic achievements. In 2020, the Anglo-Chinese School scored an average of 42 points at the International Baccalaureate, placing it at the top of all IB schools globally.

If you need boarding, the ACS has you covered. Their pastoral and counselling ensure that their students feel loved and cared for, and the multiple nationalities residing on campus contribute to the international open-mindedness that these schools aim to achieve.

ACS International review:

“Truly an inclusive and value-added school. I have seen my son grow passionately into a fine young gentleman in his 2 years in ACS International. The school has offered him opportunities to excel in his studies and in his interests within a nurturing space.

Wonderful teachers, support system and admin staff who believe in the work that they do. It was truly God’s hand that has led us on this journey. The Best is Yet to Be!” – Christine Tan

2. Tanglin Trust School

Tanglin Trust School, an international school run as a non-profit organisation, is another one of Singapore’s century-old international schools, and a top one at that. They teach the British National Curriculum, which they have adapted to fit the needs of Singapore students, while also maintaining the high standards of British-oriented education.

Tanglin Trust School teaches students from preschool to secondary levels and is unique in that it’s the only school that offers both IB and A-Levels in the sixth form. In 2020, Tanglin Trust School achieved an average IB score of 39.1 points, placing it among the top 20 IB schools worldwide.

Tanglin’s impressive campus spreads over 5 hectares and includes exceptional learning and sporting facilities. It offers the perfect environments for its students to master innovative thinking and move on to prestigious universities of their choosing.

Tanglin Trust School reviews:

“Our three kids have been between them to seven different schools in 3 countries and I can tell that Tanglin Trust School is an incredible school.” – Jenny Laing

“A school equipped with dedicated teachers who inspire the students at all level aiming to achieve outstanding academic results.” – Adele Yin

3. UWCSEA (United World College of South East Asia)

With origins in the UWC Group which was founded in the 70s, UWCSEA is one of Singapore’s most impressive international schools. Their mission is to merge what they consider to be five key elements – academics, activities, outdoor education, personal and social education, and service – so that their students are well equipped to deal with real-life situations as well-prepared adults.

UWCSEA takes a unique approach to teaching that goes well beyond the classroom, that’s why it’s important that the school and the student family’s values be aligned.

Students may combine school and outdoors activities, but their academic levels don’t suffer as a result. If anything, they excel every year. Despite the high number of students, UWCSEA averaged an IB score of 38.0 in 2020, which positioned UWCSEA as a leading school worldwide.

UWCSEA reviews:

“Truly a world class school. Teachers are very good and they put great emphasis in multi-directional development of children.” – Praveen Shukla

“Compared to my last school, CIS, this was a surprise. My teacher would come up to me every 2 days and ask how I was doing. In my old school, they didn’t care about us. My teacher didn’t even care if I was sad throughout our class.

Here everyone is nice, and there is an emphasis on academics, which is a nice change to the laid back school.” – PWN Hyperion

4. St. Joseph’s Institution International School

St. Joseph’s Institution International School is a co-educational international school of Lasallian Catholic heritage. Even though its history is recent, it was actually founded by former students of SJI – a well-known catholic secondary school for boys founded in 1852.

St. Joseph’s Institution International’s mission is to enable students “to learn how to learn and to learn how to live, empowering them to become people of integrity and people for others.”

As a result, they are highly focused on spirituality and teaching their students Christian moral values. But despite 30% of their student body being catholic, they are open and inclusive to all nationalities and faiths.

Academically, SJII excels in teaching the IPC, IGCSE and IB Diploma curriculum, with IB results in 2020 averaging 37.7 points, which places SJII as a top IB school globally.

Since it’s a newly founded school, learning, sporting and leisure facilities are modern and inviting, and offer students of all ages everything they could ask for.

St. Joseph’s Institution International reviews:

“What attracts us to SJI was their values, and how students were taught to respect the different cultures and religions.” – Jackie Wen

“This La Sallian school has blended core values, high academic standards and modern educational methods well. Their elementary classes utilise flexible learning spaces. Top notch.” – Alexander Tan

5. Dulwich College Singapore

Dulwich College Singapore is a branch of Dulwich College International, opened in Singapore in 2014. Even though it’s a new school, it’s rapidly gained in popularity, and grew from 800 to 2000+ students in just a few years.

The school offers comprehensive academic programmes to children aged 2 to 7 – endearingly called DUCKS, Junior School and Senior School. The spotlight falls on advanced command of the English and Mandarin language, as well as choosing additional foreign languages.

Students are immersed in this dual language environment from very early on, as well as encouraged to focus on STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Maths. 

Academic results don’t fall short, as Dulwich College Singapore ranked in the top 100 IB schools globally, with an average score of 37.0 in 2020.

Dulwich College Singapore reviews:

“Nothing less than amazing. This school is an absolute gem in Singapore. My three kids are Super happy there.” – Chiara Ghinolfi

“It was very Panache and organised. I would recommend it if you want your child to have a very high education. It was awesome to be there. Thank You Dulwich!” – Nada Besir

6. Dover Court International School

Dover Court International School (DCIS) is a prestigious inclusive English school that offers the English National curriculum and IPC. Students benefit from personalized learning here and are exposed to a challenging syllabus.

The IB programme helps sixth form students prepare for university and beyond, but attending DCIS is also beneficial to younger expat students whose families will eventually have to move.

Since DCIS is part of the Nord Anglia Education institution, students can easily be transferred to their desired school.

Dover Court International School is all about offering its alumni global opportunities, and the IB results speak for themselves, with a 37.0 average in 2020.

Dover Court International School review:

“We found Dover after an extensive search across Singapore for our 4-year old. We wanted a school with a strong focus on academics, rounded up with personality development. While we did manage to filter the list of possible schools down to three, Dover stood above others with its warm, comforting environment.

We’ve seen an evolution in our little one’s personality, an increase in the grasp of key concepts in English and Maths, and an eagerness to take challenges head-on. We could not be happier with our selection, and have to thank the teachers and support staff for creating an inclusive and a nurturing environment for our child.” – Gary K.

7. Hwa Chong International School

Hwa Chong International School is a local international school that hosts students of over 20 nationalities, although more than half of them will be Singaporean. Catering to secondary students, It offers boarding, sporting and recreational facilities in its state-of-the-art renovated buildings.

Academically, HCIS doesn’t disappoint, as its students regularly score top results in IGCSE and IB DP. Aside from offering a strong international curriculum, the school also encourages its students to master the Chinese language.

HCIS’s IB average in 2020 was 37.0 points, making it one of the top IB schools in Singapore and worldwide. It’s impressive track record allows its alumni to enter into top foreign universities.

Hwa Chong International School reviews:

“I know of a number of former students from HCIS who graduated with 40+ IB points. Most of them were accepted into Ivy League colleges, such as Cambridge, Oxford, NTU(with full scholarship), Hongkong University, SMU, NUS and more. So in my opinion HCIS is definitely a good school.” – Christine Tay

“Hwa Chong International School shares its facilities with its parent school, Hwa Chong Institution. The building is quite new, so the whole experience was quite good for the day.” – Mavis Xin Yu Luah

8. Global Indian International School, SMART Campus

Global Indian International School SMART Campus, also known as GIIS Punggol, is part of a worldwide group of international schools based in Singapore, Asia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE, India and Vietnam.

Founded in 2002, Global Indian International School SMART Campus boasts both academic and sporting achievements and enables students to become technology literate from a young age with the help of their impressive facilities and studios.

Their greatest accomplishments, however, remain the academic ones. 90% of students in the GIIS SMART Campus regularly score high on the CBSE examinations, and the school’s IB average of 36.0 points in 2020 placed it among the top 100 IB schools globally.

Global Indian International School review:

“Overall, GIIS Singapore Smart Campus is a well-rounded school with excellent facilities. They have the digital infrastructure so the students can be well-prepared for the future and what I especially appreciate is the schools’ investment in the upkeep.

Unlike public schools, you won’t find run-down equipment here. Everything is upgraded and you’ll see investment in the latest technology to really help students already develop their digital literacy at a young age.” – Aastha Sen

9. Chatsworth International School

Chatsworth International School is an IB school that focuses on teaching the International Baccalaureate (IB) PYP, MYP and DP curriculum to over 50 nationalities of ages between 3 and 18.

Their approach is holistic, as teachers understand that learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom, but also through interactions within the community. Students are encouraged to nourish their individual ambitions and are given a strong academic foundation to either move on to university or other international and national schools as expats.

Their recent IB results speak for themselves, with an IB average of 36.0 points and a top score of 41 in 2020. They also pride themselves on having a 100% IB Diploma pass rate.

Chatsworth International School reviews:

“Bukit Timah Campus has excellent facilities and has lots of space. The teachers are very kind and the nice pool is the best part. Your kid will enjoy P.E (sports).” – Aveer

“Chatsworth is so friendly and awesome! I love going to school every day! Everyone is so nice. School is cool.” – Savannah Marie Moon

10. Nexus International School (Singapore)

Voted one of the most popular international schools in Singapore, Nexus International School is an exciting choice for parents. This school caters to students aged 3 to 18 from over 50 nationalities.

Nexus International School’s mission is to make education personalized, inclusive and innovative, and they’ve taken impressive measures to achieve their goals. They literally knocked down walls for a better education system, creating open plan Google classrooms where children can unleash their creativity.

This school teaches both the International Baccalaureate and English National Curriculum, a popular hybrid approach in Singapore, with multiple students achieving perfect IB scores in 2020. 

Aside from academic achievements – which are quite impressive – Nexus has fantastic sporting facilities, with students from the Elite Swimming Programme regularly participating in national and international competitions. 

Nexus International School reviews:

“I think the IB curriculum taught at the school is fantastic, and have seen how much my daughter has grown and is every day improving since she started studying there.

I would highly recommend Nexus to any parent in Singapore who is looking for a welcoming and inclusive international school.” – Ellen Feist

“Best International School in Singapore. Great teachers and staff, awesome facilities that can’t really be beaten 👍” – Hans Kling

11. XCL World Academy

XCL World Academy (XWA) is a future-oriented international school which offers a rigorous and balanced education for students in Singapore aged 2 to 18, beginning with a Nursery programme and continuing through the full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum of studies.

We have pinpointed the few of many points that make XWA a solid choice for child’s learning journey.

– World-Class Curriculum: A continuum of IB programmes to develop students into happy, life-long learners.
– Multicultural Community: A close-knit community of learners, representing approximately 50 different nationalities.
– Outstanding IBDP Results: Median IB Diploma scores and results are consistently and comfortably above the international benchmark.
– Exceptional Educators: Employs teachers representing over 20 different nationalities.
– Holistic Development: Teaches essential academic and social-emotional skills beyond the curriculum to foster physical and character development.

XCL World Academy reviews:

“As a parent, I value the school’s warm and genuine welcome of students from all backgrounds, their vibrant community of students and passionate teachers, the breadth of different graduation pathways (IB Diploma Programme, High School Diploma) available to students, and their excellent facilities.” – Maranda Bouqdib

Other IB Schools in Singapore

Here are the other 29 IB Schools in Singapore. To keep this article within reasonable length, I did not include in-depth information on them. However, they’re linked so you can click and find out more on their respective school websites.

The following schools include the IB Diploma Programme:

1. Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

2. NPS International School

3. School of the Arts, Singapore

4. Canadian International School, Lakeside Campus

5. Overseas Family School

6. ISS International School Singapore

7. Australian International School Pte Ltd

8. EtonHouse International School Orchard

9. GEMS World Academy (Singapore)

10. German European School Singapore

11. Stamford American International School

12. Hillside World Academy

13. Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah

14. One World International School Pte Ltd

15. Singapore Sports School

16. St Francis Methodist School

17. St. Joseph’s Institution

18. United World College of South East Asia – East

The remainder of the schools only offer the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), so consider them for your little ones:

1. Ascensia International School

2. Barker Road Methodist Church Kindergarten

3. Canadian International School, Tanjong Katong Campus

4. EtonHouse International Research Pre-School

5. EtonHouse International School Pte Ltd

6. EtonHouse International School Thomson

7. EtonHouse Preschool – Newton Road

8. Global Indian International School Pte Ltd

9. Odyssey The Global Preschool Pte Ltd – Fourth Avenue

10. Odyssey, The Global Preschool Pte ltd

11. The Little Skool-House International Pte Ltd

Conclusion

Hopefully, this comprehensive guide has helped you decide on a top IB school for your child. Studying for the IBDP is a challenging two-year effort that requires a lot of self-discipline and motivation from your child. 

Often, the key to succeeding in IB ultimately starts from the foundations built from PYP and MYP. This is why choosing a good IB school in Singapore from the very start is important.

The top IB schools are focused on creating an ideal learning environment for their students to thrive and become independent, but sometimes, your child may need some extra support. 1-to-1 IB Tuition can secure a better score on the notoriously difficult IB Examinations.

Whatever your child’s age, an IB education will develop your child’s curiosity, critical thinking, sense of community and intercultural belonging, as well as a deep understanding of how the world works and where he or she will fit in.