Ah… tuition. One of the most profitable industries in Singapore, and the bane of every student suffering in this education system.
We all know tuition is a bit of a chore, but in the current kiasu Singapore landscape, it has become difficult to escape from it.
If you are a parent looking to send your children to tuition, this is an estimated cost on how much you will spend on tuition and enrichment classes if you were to give your child additional enrichment from pre-school to university:
Of course, these are just mere generalisations and assumptions. If you are a parent looking to hire a tutor, it is important to know what is the market rate for tutors out there, so that you will not be paying a notch above the rest.
TL;DR: TUITION RATE IN SINGAPORE - HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE A TUTOR IN SINGAPORE?
| Tutor's Qualification | Lower Primary | Upper Primary | Secondary | ITE | Junior College/ Diploma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Level/ Diploma | $20 - $25/hour | $20 - $25/hour | $25 - $49/hour | $20 - $40/hour | $35 - $45/hour |
| Undergraduate | $22- $25/hour | $22 - $25/hour | $30-$45/hour | $25 - $45/hour | $35 - $50/hour |
| Degree Graduate or Full-time Tutor |
$$25- $40/hour | $35- $45/hour | $40-$60/hour | $30 - $60/hour | $50/hr - $90/hour |
| Current Teacher or Ex-Teacher |
$35 - $50/hour | $45 - $60/hour | $60-$90/hour | $50 - $90/hour | $90 - $130/hour |
THE EDUCATION JOURNEY OF A TYPICAL SINGAPOREAN
A typical Singaporean goes through three major phases in the education system before hitting the workforce.
An average Singaporean spends six years in primary school and four to five years in secondary school before moving on for their post-secondary education.
WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (PRIMARY SCHOOL)?
SUBJECTS TAKEN IN PRIMARY SCHOOL
English Language, Mother Tongue Language and Mathematics are taught since Primary 1 and 2. The subject science is then introduced in Primary 3.
Here’s the number of subjects if one were to have tuition for all his subject in primary school:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Primary 1 | 3 | English Language, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics |
| Primary 2 | 3 | |
| Primary 3 | 4 | English Language, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, Science |
| Primary 4 | 4 | |
| Primary 5 | 4 | |
| Primary 6 | 4 |
COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (PRIMARY SCHOOL)
Assuming a student receives
- Two hours of tuition for every subject every week
- This adds up to eight hours of tuition per month for each subject.
- In a year, a total of 96 hours of tuition per subject.
*We understand there are holidays, but we factor in possibly extra lessons coming up to exam periods too!
With this, here are the expenses should a primary school student receive tuition for every subject:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Rates per subject | Expenses per subject (96 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary 1 | 3 | S$20 - S$50/hour | S$1,920 - S$4,880/year |
| Primary 2 | |||
| Primary 3 | 4 | ||
| Primary 4 | S$20 - S$60/hour | S$1,920 - S$5,760/year | |
| Primary 5 | |||
| Primary 6 |
If you are looking to enrol your child in a tuition class, expect to pay ~$1,920-$5,760/year for tuition for a single subject!
WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (SECONDARY SCHOOL)?
SUBJECTS TAKEN IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Depending on the course one takes in secondary school, the subjects and time of education vary accordingly.
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary 1 | 5 - 7 (Depending on school and course path) |
English, Mother Tongue, Science, Mathematics. Principle of Accounting (POA), Geography, History, Literature |
| Secondary 2 | ||
| Secondary 3 | 5 - 9 (Depending on school and course path) |
English, Mother Tongue, Elementary Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Pure Physics, Pure Chemistry, Pure Biology, Combine Physic/Chemistry, Combine Chemistry/Biology , Combine Physic/Biology, Principle of Accounting (POA), Econnomics, Geography, History, Literature in English, Malay Literature, Tamil Literature |
| Secondary 4 | ||
| Secondary 5 |
NORMAL (TECHNICAL)
In the Normal (Technical) course:
- Students will take five to seven subjects at the GCE N-Level Examination
- Compulsory subjects: English Language, Basic Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, Science and Humanities
NORMAL (ACADEMIC)
In the Normal (Academic) course:
- Students will take five to eight subjects at the GCE N-Level Examination
- Compulsory subjects: English Language, Basic Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics and Computer Applications
- Option to take GCE N(A)-Level and/or GCE O-Level at Secondary 4, and GCE O-Level at Secondary 5.
EXPRESS/SPECIAL
In Express/ Special course:
- Students will take seven to eight subjects at the GCE O-Level Examination
- Compulsory subjects: English Language, Basic Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, Science and Humanities
COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (SECONDARY SCHOOL)
Assuming a student receives
- two hours of tuition for every subject every week
- This adds up to eight hours of tuition per month for each subject.
- In a year, a total of 96 hours of tuition per subject.
*We understand there are holidays, but we factor in possibly extra lessons coming up to exam periods too!
With this, here are the expenses should a secondary school student receive tuition for every subject:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Rates per subject | Expenses per subject (96 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary 1 | 5 - 7 (Depending on school and course path) |
S$25 - S$80 per hour | S$2,400 - S$7,680 |
| Secondary 2 | |||
| Secondary 3 | 5 - 9 (Depending on school and course path) |
||
| Secondary 4 | |||
| Secondary 5 |
Tuition classes in Secondary school are slightly more expensive, and it may cost you from $2,400-$7,680/year per subject!
WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (JUNIOR COLLEGE)?
SUBJECTS TAKEN IN JC FOR GCE 'A' LEVEL
Students have to take up General Paper for their A levels. This is on top of four other subjects which they have to take.
Students can choose to either take up all four H2s or 3 H2s and one H1 subject. Students with a strong interest for any particular subject can go for the H3 modules.
Here’s the number of subjects if one were to have tuition for all his subject in JC:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| JC 1 | 5 | English, Mother Tongue (year 1), Art, Economics, Literature in English, Geography, History, Music, Theatre Studies & Drama, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computing |
| JC 2 |
For some cases like Millennia Institute, the course can be up to three years.
*Editor’s note: It is interesting that despite the fast-paced environment we live in, the framework work for GCE A Level was last updated in the year 2006. More than a decade ago.
COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (JUNIOR COLLEGE)
Assuming a student receives
- Two hours of tuition for every subject every week
- This adds up to eight hours of tuition per month for each subject.
- In a year, a total of 96 hours of tuition per subject.
*We understand there are holidays, but we factor in possibly extra lessons coming up to exam periods too!
With this, here are the expenses should a JC student receive tuition for every subject:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Rates per subject | Expenses per subject (96 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JC 1 | 5 | $35 - $150/hour | $3,360 - $14,400/year |
| JC 2 |
JC is stressful, and also expensive. If you have tuition for a single subject, expect to spend up to $3,360 – $14,400/year.
COST OF TUITION IN POLYTECHNICS/ITE
SUBJECTS TAKEN IN POLYTECHNICS/ITE
When it comes to polytechnics and ITE, the number of subjects they take depends on a few factors:
- Their courses
- Was there any internship that can help offset some mods?
Having asked around, we deduced that for every semester (six months), a student will take up about six to seven modules.
Based on this finding, we move on with our calculation.
COST OF TUITION IN SINGAPORE (POLYTECHNICS/ITE)
Assuming a student receives
- Two hours of tuition for every subject every week
- This adds up to eight hours of tuition per month for each subject.
- In a year, a total of 96 hours of tuition per subject.
*We understand there are holidays, but we factor in possibly extra lessons coming up to exam periods too!
With this, here are the expenses should a Polytechnic student receive tuition for every subject:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Rates per subject | Expenses per subject (96 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polytechnics | 6 - 7 (Average per semester) |
$35 - $150/hour | $3,360 - $14,400/year |
For ITE, the students can choose between a 2-Year Nitec or 3-Year Nitec.
With this, here are the expenses should an ITE student receive tuition for every subject:
| Education Level | Number of subjects | Rates per subject | Expenses per subject (96 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITE | 6 (Average per semester) |
S$20 - S$90/hour | S$1,920 - S$8,640/year |
For most students, it is quite unlikely to get tuition or external help when you enter polytechnics/ ITE, as there are a huge variety of courses available. However, should you manage to get tuition for Poly/ITE, you can expect to spend from $1,920 – $14,400/year, depending on the module you take.
A TINY TAKEAWAY ON EDUCATION
Editor’s Note: Let us not judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.
While education is an important aspect of our society here in Singapore, parents might want to take a closer look at the strength that their child possessed.
This article was first published in Seedly.