Schools · Countries compared
Boarding and international schools,
country by country.
This page compares boarding schools and international schools in the countries Singapore families often consider, at home and abroad: curricula, entry points, entrance tests, when the school year starts and guardianship rules for students under 18. ELT was founded in London in 1984 and has its roots in British education; we guide families to schools in any of these countries.
On this page
01 / Compared
Countries side by side.
| Country | Common curricula | Usual entry points | Entrance tests (examples) | School year starts | Under-18 guardianship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SingaporeCountry guide | International schools: IB, British (IGCSE, International A-Level), American and others | By school | School's own assessments, English, interview | Local schools: January. Many international schools: August | By school （to be confirmed） |
| Hong KongCountry guide | International schools: IB, British, American and others | By school | School's own assessments, English, interview | September | By school （to be confirmed） |
| TaiwanCountry guide | International and bilingual schools: American, IB, British and others | By school | School's own assessments, English, interview | Late August to September | By school （to be confirmed） |
| UKCountry guide | GCSE / IGCSE, A-Level, some IB | 11+, 13+, 16+ | UKiset, ISEB Pre-Test, 11+ and 13+ exams, CAT4, interview | September | Schools often require a guardian in the UK |
| Australia | Australian state curricula, some IB | By school | AEAS, school's own tests | Late January to early February | Welfare arrangements required for students under 18 （to be confirmed） |
| Switzerland | IB, British, American and Swiss | By school | School's own tests (English, maths), interview | August to September | （to be confirmed） |
| USA | American high school (AP), some IB | Grades 9–12 mainly | SSAT, ISEE, English tests, interview | Late August to September | （to be confirmed） |
| Malaysia and Thailand | British international schools (IGCSE, A-Level), IB | By school | CAT4, school's own tests, interview; some use UKiset | Mostly August to September （to be confirmed） | By school |
SingaporeCountry guide
- Common curricula
- International schools: IB, British (IGCSE, International A-Level), American and others
- Usual entry points
- By school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- School's own assessments, English, interview
- School year starts
- Local schools: January. Many international schools: August
- Under-18 guardianship
- By school （to be confirmed）
Hong KongCountry guide
- Common curricula
- International schools: IB, British, American and others
- Usual entry points
- By school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- School's own assessments, English, interview
- School year starts
- September
- Under-18 guardianship
- By school （to be confirmed）
TaiwanCountry guide
- Common curricula
- International and bilingual schools: American, IB, British and others
- Usual entry points
- By school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- School's own assessments, English, interview
- School year starts
- Late August to September
- Under-18 guardianship
- By school （to be confirmed）
UKCountry guide
- Common curricula
- GCSE / IGCSE, A-Level, some IB
- Usual entry points
- 11+, 13+, 16+
- Entrance tests (examples)
- UKiset, ISEB Pre-Test, 11+ and 13+ exams, CAT4, interview
- School year starts
- September
- Under-18 guardianship
- Schools often require a guardian in the UK
Australia
- Common curricula
- Australian state curricula, some IB
- Usual entry points
- By school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- AEAS, school's own tests
- School year starts
- Late January to early February
- Under-18 guardianship
- Welfare arrangements required for students under 18 （to be confirmed）
Switzerland
- Common curricula
- IB, British, American and Swiss
- Usual entry points
- By school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- School's own tests (English, maths), interview
- School year starts
- August to September
- Under-18 guardianship
- （to be confirmed）
USA
- Common curricula
- American high school (AP), some IB
- Usual entry points
- Grades 9–12 mainly
- Entrance tests (examples)
- SSAT, ISEE, English tests, interview
- School year starts
- Late August to September
- Under-18 guardianship
- （to be confirmed）
Malaysia and Thailand
- Common curricula
- British international schools (IGCSE, A-Level), IB
- Usual entry points
- By school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- CAT4, school's own tests, interview; some use UKiset
- School year starts
- Mostly August to September （to be confirmed）
- Under-18 guardianship
- By school
Fees are set by each school, and boarding adds to tuition. Requirements differ by school — always check the school's own admissions pages.
02 / For Singapore families
Where you might start.
You may wish to compare schools close to home first — in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, in the same time zone — before looking at the UK, and then Australia, Switzerland, the USA and the British international schools of Malaysia and Thailand. We list them in this order as a starting point, not as a recommendation （to be confirmed）.
Singapore's local school year starts in January, while most of these countries start in August or September. See the application timeline for how Singapore school years map to the UK.
For an international school in Singapore, see international school entry; for boarding schools abroad, see boarding school preparation.
03 / Country guides
Read the guide.
- Close to homeSingaporeInternational schools and boarding options at home.
- Same time zoneHong KongInternational schools with a September year.
- Same time zoneTaiwanInternational and bilingual schools.
- Our rootsUnited KingdomEntry at 11+, 13+ and 16+, and the January-to-September gap.
Guides for other countries will follow as families ask for them.
Partner schools.
Where we list schools, partner schools are marked. ELT may receive a referral fee from partner schools; this does not change the order in which we suggest schools. See school applications.
About this article
- Written by
- （to be confirmed）
- Reviewed by
- （to be confirmed）
- Last updated
- 2026-10-28
Sources
- Independent Schools Council (UK) (opens in a new tab)isc.co.uk
- Ministry of Education, Singapore (opens in a new tab)moe.gov.sg
- Education Bureau, Hong Kong — international schools (opens in a new tab)internationalschools.edb.gov.hk
- Ministry of Education, Taiwan (opens in a new tab)english.moe.gov.tw
- UKiset (opens in a new tab)ukiset.com
Compare with a coordinator.
Tell us your child's year and the countries you are considering.