School admission for an LTVP or DP child in Singapore works like this: a foreign child holding a valid Dependant's Pass (DP) or Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) may study in a mainstream government or government-aided school without a separate Student's Pass, but a place is not automatic. For Primary 2 to Secondary 3, the child usually has to sit the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS), and any offer depends on test results, vacancies and your home address, because Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are placed first.
In short: the pass (DP or LTVP) gives the child the legal right to live in Singapore and to study, while the Ministry of Education (MOE) controls how and where a non-citizen child is placed. This guide sets out the admission routes, the placement priority order, the higher non-citizen monthly fees that apply from January 2026, the timelines, and the alternatives if a mainstream place does not come through, all sourced from MOE.
Key Takeaways
- The pass enables study, not placement: a valid DP, LTVP or Student's Pass lets a foreign child study in a mainstream school, per MOE, but does not guarantee a place.
- Main entry route is the AEIS: for Primary 2 to 5 and Secondary 1 to 3, foreign children sit the centralised Admissions Exercise for International Students.
- Citizens and PRs come first: MOE places Singapore Citizens, then Permanent Residents, then international students; an offer depends on vacancies and your declared residential area.
- Higher non-citizen fees: from January 2026 a PR pays S$330 (primary) or S$680 (secondary) a month, while a non-ASEAN international student pays S$1,035 (primary) or S$2,190 (secondary), per MOE.
- Have a backup: if no mainstream place is offered, private and international schools admit on their own terms and remain open to DP and LTVP children.
How the Pass and the School Place Fit Together
Two separate decisions sit behind every foreign child in a Singapore classroom. The first is immigration: the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) decides whether the child may live in Singapore, usually as a dependant of a working parent. The second is education: MOE decides whether and where a non-citizen child is placed in a school. A pass settles the first question; it does not settle the second.
MOE states that a foreign child needs a Student's Pass to study in a mainstream school, but children who already hold a valid Long-Term Visit Pass, a Dependant's Pass or an Immigration Exemption Order may study without a separate Student's Pass. So if your child is already on a DP or LTVP linked to your Employment Pass, S Pass or other eligible pass, the immigration side of schooling is largely handled.
Who Holds a DP and Who Holds an LTVP
A Dependant's Pass is for the legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 of eligible Employment Pass, S Pass and certain other pass holders. A Long-Term Visit Pass covers wider family members, such as a common-law spouse, stepchild or handicapped child, and in some cases parents. Both are sponsored by the working pass holder. For schooling, what matters is that the pass is valid and that it permits study, which DP and LTVP for children generally do.
Because the DP or LTVP is tied to the sponsor's main pass, the child's right to remain in school depends on the parent keeping a valid Employment Pass or S Pass. If the parent's pass is cancelled, the dependant pass falls away, and the school place goes with it.
The Main Admission Routes for a Foreign Child
MOE runs a small number of structured routes for non-citizen children into national primary and secondary schools. Which one applies depends on the child's age and the level you are aiming for.
Primary 1 Registration
A child turning six (six years old as at 1 January of the year of entry) can be registered for Primary 1. International students may register, but MOE is clear that admission is not guaranteed because of limited vacancies, and priority is given to Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident children. In practice, non-citizen children are considered for any places left after citizens and PRs are settled.
The Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS)
For entry beyond Primary 1, the AEIS is the main route. It is a centralised test that assesses English and Mathematics, and it is held for international students seeking places in Primary 2 to Primary 5 and Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 for the following academic year. Children who pass and are matched to a school start in January of the next year. A supplementary round, the S-AEIS, is held earlier in the year for Primary 2 to Primary 4 and Secondary 1 to Secondary 2 for the same year.
Passing the AEIS is not the same as choosing a school. MOE places successful candidates based on the available vacancies and the child's declared residential area where possible, so a strong result improves the odds of a place but does not let a family pick a named school.
Junior Colleges and Pre-University
At the pre-university level, junior colleges and Millennia Institute take direct applications from international students rather than running through the AEIS. Timelines and entry requirements differ from the primary and secondary route, so check the specific intake window with MOE.
Placement Priority and Why It Matters
Singapore's school system is built around its own citizens first. For both Primary 1 registration and AEIS placement, MOE applies a clear order of priority, and a DP or LTVP child sits in the international student group at the back of that queue.
| Group | Typical pass / status | School access | Where they sit in placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen child | Citizenship | Full access to national schools | First priority |
| Permanent Resident child | PR (Re-Entry Permit) | Access to national schools after citizens | Second priority |
| International student (DP/LTVP child) | Dependant's Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass | May study in national schools subject to vacancies | Placed after citizens and PRs |
| International student (no dependant pass) | Student's Pass (issued by ICA) | May study once a place is secured and pass issued | Placed after citizens and PRs |
The practical effect is that two children with identical AEIS results can have very different outcomes. A place depends on real vacancies near the family's declared address, and popular areas fill quickly. This is why families often apply with a realistic shortlist of locations and keep an alternative school plan ready.
How Residential Area Shapes the Offer
MOE tries to match successful AEIS candidates to schools with vacancies near the home address. A family living in a part of Singapore with spare capacity has a better chance than one in a high-demand district. Where you choose to rent or buy can quietly affect your child's schooling options, so it is worth factoring this in before committing to a lease.
Non-Citizen School Fees From January 2026
Non-citizen children pay materially higher monthly school fees than Singapore Citizens, and the gap widens at secondary level. MOE revised non-citizen fees in stages, and the figures below take effect from January 2026 for government and government-aided schools. Fees for international students include GST, while PR fees are shown net of the GST that MOE subsidises.
| Status | Primary (per month) | Secondary (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen | No fee (miscellaneous fees only) | No fee (miscellaneous fees only) |
| Permanent Resident | S$330 | S$680 |
| International student (ASEAN) | S$595 | S$1,090 |
| International student (non-ASEAN) | S$1,035 | S$2,190 |
These are the standard monthly fees from January 2026 under MOE's published schedule; small miscellaneous fees apply on top, and special, independent and specialised schools set their own rates. The ASEAN rate covers nationals of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; everyone else pays the non-ASEAN rate.
Read across a full year and the difference is large. A non-ASEAN international student in secondary school pays around S$26,280 a year in school fees alone, before uniforms, textbooks, transport and enrichment. Families weighing the move often treat these figures as a core line in the household budget, alongside housing and healthcare.
Timelines and a Practical Plan
The AEIS runs on a fixed yearly cycle, so working backwards from the school year you want is the safest approach. For the 2026 exercise, MOE has indicated that applications open around July 2026, with tests held around September 2026, for admission in 2027. Successful candidates are placed and start school the following January. The S-AEIS sits earlier in the year for same-year entry. Dates are confirmed on MOE's site closer to each window, so treat any month as indicative until MOE publishes it.
- Confirm the child's pass is valid: a current DP or LTVP that permits study, or be ready to apply for a Student's Pass through ICA once a place is offered.
- Decide the entry level and route: Primary 1 registration for a six-year-old, otherwise AEIS or S-AEIS for the right primary or secondary band.
- Register for the AEIS in the application window and prepare for the English and Mathematics test.
- After results, accept the placement MOE offers based on vacancies and your residential area, and complete enrolment at the assigned school.
- Line up a private or international school option in parallel, in case no mainstream place is offered.
Alternatives If No Mainstream Place Comes Through
A DP or LTVP child who does not secure a national school place is not out of options. Private schools and the international schools in Singapore admit foreign children on their own entry criteria and timelines, independent of the AEIS. Fees are usually higher than national school rates, but admission is often more flexible on timing and on accepting mid-year transfers. Keeping one of these in reserve removes the pressure of relying on a single AEIS result.
What Is Changing
Two trends are worth watching. First, non-citizen fees have risen each year and are likely to keep edging up, so budget for increases rather than today's figure. Second, MOE periodically refines the AEIS format and the exact age bands, so always confirm the current rules on MOE's site before you prepare, rather than relying on an older year's process.
Frequently Asked Questions About school admission for LTVP and DP children in Singapore
Can a child on a Dependant's Pass or LTVP study in a Singapore government school?
Yes. MOE states that a child holding a valid Dependant's Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass or Immigration Exemption Order may study in a mainstream government or government-aided school without a separate Student's Pass. A place is still subject to passing the AEIS where required, vacancies and the placement priority order.
Do DP and LTVP children get priority over other foreign children?
For placement, all non-citizen children, including DP and LTVP holders, are treated as international students and are placed after Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. Holding a DP or LTVP mainly removes the need for a separate Student's Pass; it does not move the child up the placement queue.
What is the AEIS and which levels does it cover?
The Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) is MOE's centralised English and Mathematics test for foreign children seeking places in Primary 2 to Primary 5 and Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 for the following academic year. A supplementary round, the S-AEIS, covers Primary 2 to Primary 4 and Secondary 1 to Secondary 2 for same-year entry.
How much are school fees for a non-citizen child in 2026?
From January 2026, per MOE, a Permanent Resident pays S$330 a month for primary and S$680 for secondary. An ASEAN international student pays S$595 (primary) and S$1,090 (secondary), while a non-ASEAN international student pays S$1,035 (primary) and S$2,190 (secondary), with small miscellaneous fees on top.
What happens to the school place if the parent's work pass is cancelled?
A DP or LTVP is tied to the sponsoring parent's main pass, such as an Employment Pass or S Pass. If that pass is cancelled, the dependant pass is no longer valid, and the child can no longer study on it. The family would need another valid basis to remain, such as a Student's Pass, or make alternative arrangements.
What if my child does not get a place through the AEIS?
Private schools and international schools in Singapore admit foreign children on their own criteria and timelines, separate from the AEIS. DP and LTVP children remain eligible to enrol there. Fees are usually higher, but admission is often more flexible, so it is sensible to keep one as a backup.
Official Sources and References
- MOE - Admission for international students
- MOE - Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS)
- MOE - School fees
- MOE - Revised school fees for non-citizens, 2024 to 2026
Explore Catalyst Immigration’s other services:
- Dependant's Pass Singapore Guide
- Long-Term Visit Pass and Dependant's Pass
- Singapore Student Pass Guide
- Cost of Living for a Singapore PR
- Dependant Pass Application: Requirements and Procedures
Talk to Catalyst Immigration
Catalyst Immigration helps families line up the immigration side of schooling, from the right Dependant's Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass to keeping it valid as your work pass changes, so your child's place is never at risk for the wrong reason. We map your pass status against the school admission rules and timelines, then guide each application step.