Frequently asked questions
Common parent questions on identity and eligibility, how P1 registration works, fees and costs, and Secondary 1 posting. Each question cites an official source and check date, keeps facts, explanations and family-level inference separate, and does not rank schools or predict admission odds.
This is the first batch of English questions — more are being added over time. See the full Chinese question library for topics not yet covered here.
Identity and eligibility
- How does a PR child register for a government primary school?
PR children follow the same six-phase P1 registration as citizens, but with a later priority order, so address and distance planning matter more.
- How does the international student P1 indication of interest work? Can we choose a school?
International students first submit an indication of interest, then enter Phase 3's unified allocation — a family cannot choose a specific school.
- What are AEIS and S-AEIS? What if my child doesn't pass?
AEIS/S-AEIS are two yearly exam-based routes for international students to join a local school mid-year; passing the exam does not guarantee a place.
How P1 registration works
- P1 phases in order — what qualifies at each stage
P1 registration runs in a fixed sequence from Phase 1 to 2C Supplementary; later phases have lower eligibility bars but can also see more competition.
- When does the P1 ballot happen, and what are the rules?
From Phase 2A onward, a ballot occurs whenever registrations exceed vacancies in a phase; citizens are prioritised over PR, and closer distance bands over farther ones.
- How is the 1km / 2km distance (HSD) defined?
HSD is measured as the shortest straight-line distance between home and school boundaries, split into three bands — within 1km, 1–2km, and beyond 2km — and must be re-checked every registration year.
- What exactly does the 30-month residence rule require?
After gaining priority using a new address, the family must actually live there for at least 30 months, or the school place may be reassigned.
- Not selected in the ballot — what happens next?
Not being selected does not mean no school at all; a child moves to the next phase, or is ultimately placed by MOE in a school with vacancies.
Fees and costs
- How much does a government primary school actually cost per month?
Citizen children pay no school fees, only a monthly S$13 miscellaneous fee; PR and international students pay published rates that are reviewed yearly.
Secondary 1 posting
- How does your choice order affect S1 posting?
S1 posting is decided first by PSLE score, then by the order you rank your choices, with citizenship and a computer ballot only as tie-breakers.