Shanghai Singapore International School, known as SSIS, is one of the city's longer established international schools, founded in 1996 to bring a Singaporean style education to expatriate families in Shanghai. It is a school for the children of foreign nationals, serving a multicultural roll from dozens of nationalities, and it blends a Singaporean primary programme with the Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma for students from the age of 2 through to Grade 12. To see where it sits among the city's other options, start with the Shanghai city hub.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | Singaporean primary programme, Cambridge IGCSE in grades 9 and 10, IB Diploma in the senior years |
| Stages | Early years to Grade 12, ages 2 to 18 |
| Founded | 1996, with approval from China's Ministry of Education |
| Accreditation | IB authorised for the Diploma; Cambridge International for IGCSE |
| Fee band | Mid to upper for Shanghai |
| Campus area | Minhang district, western Shanghai |
Curriculum and academics
SSIS is unusual in the city for its blend of three systems across the school. The primary years draw on the Singaporean programme, known for its rigour in mathematics and literacy, the middle years lead into the Cambridge IGCSE in grades 9 and 10, and senior students complete the IB Diploma in their final two years. Chinese language runs throughout, with differentiated tracks so that students at different levels can all make progress, which supports genuine bilingual development.
That layered structure gives families a clear, internationally recognised pathway from early years to university entrance. For a wider view of how SSIS sits against the city's other strong international programmes, read our editorial guide to the best international schools in Shanghai, and ask the school for its recent Diploma results and university destinations.
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Shanghai Singapore International School fees
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Nursery 2 (age 2) | CNY 200,000 |
| Grade 1 | CNY 260,000 |
| Grade 9 | CNY 290,000 |
| Grade 12 | CNY 300,000 |
Source: Shanghai Singapore International School (ssis.asia). Annual tuition. Excludes one-time application/assessment and enrolment fees. Fees are the most recent published figures and exclude one-off costs such as registration, deposits and capital levies. Always confirm current fees directly with the school.
SSIS sits in the mid to upper part of the Shanghai market. Our Shanghai international school fees guide sets out the city's bands, and an established international school of this kind typically sits below the very top foreign passport schools but well above the community schools, with the IB Diploma years the most expensive stage. The school sets its own schedule and resets it each year, so confirm the current figures directly.
Beyond tuition, budget for a registration fee, a refundable deposit, a capital or facilities levy and optional bus and meals. Model the full annual figure with our fee calculator, and put SSIS against alternatives on our compare tool before you decide.
Admissions
The school year starts in August, and SSIS runs a main August intake with rolling admissions through the year where places allow. The school asks for prior school reports and an age appropriate assessment, and as a school for the children of foreign nationals its eligibility follows Chinese regulations on passport and residency.
Popular year groups can carry waiting lists, especially entry into the IGCSE and IB Diploma years, so apply early. Confirm space in your child's year group, and prepare passport and academic records ahead of your move.
Location and who goes there
The campus is in the Minhang district on the western side of the city, on a site SSIS has occupied since the early 2000s. It draws from the residential areas of Minhang and Hongqiao, where many longer staying expatriate families live, and serves a notably multicultural community rather than one dominant nationality, in keeping with its international intake.
For families weighing SSIS against the city's American and British options, the deciding factors are usually the Singaporean primary base, the IGCSE and Diploma pathway and the strength of the Chinese language provision. To compare the full range of options, including fees and where families cluster, return to the Shanghai city hub.
Shanghai Singapore International School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Shanghai Singapore International School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have gathered enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to both the school and to the families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended SSIS we would value your account of admissions, the Singaporean, IGCSE and IB pathways, teaching and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Shanghai Singapore International School fees?
SSIS sits in Shanghai's mid to upper fee band, with the IB Diploma years the most expensive stage. Budget on top for a registration fee, a deposit, a capital levy and optional bus and meals, and confirm the current schedule directly, as it is reset each year.
What curriculum does Shanghai Singapore International School follow?
SSIS blends a Singaporean programme in the primary years with the Cambridge IGCSE in grades 9 and 10 and the IB Diploma in the senior years, with Chinese language taught throughout to support bilingual development.
Who can attend Shanghai Singapore International School?
SSIS is a school for the children of foreign nationals, serving a multicultural roll drawn from dozens of nationalities. As with other foreign passport schools in the city, eligibility follows Chinese regulations on passport and residency.
When do Shanghai Singapore International School applications open?
The school year starts in August and SSIS runs a main August intake with rolling admissions where places allow. Apply early for popular year groups, especially entry into the IGCSE and IB Diploma years.
Is Shanghai Singapore International School a good school?
SSIS is one of Shanghai's longer established international schools, offering a Singaporean primary base alongside the IGCSE and the IB Diploma. We publish ratings only from verified reviews, so weigh recent Diploma results, curriculum fit and a campus visit.
