Australian International School vs Canadian International School
🇸🇬 Singapore · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither Australian International School nor Canadian International School sits in a market with a public inspectorate, so both are assessed on verifiable accreditation, curriculum authorisation, and published data rather than an official quality rating. One practical difference: Australian International School offers boarding while the other is day-only — decisive for families who need a residential option. Verify current fees against each school's own figures (see the table below).
Key Facts
| Australian International School | Canadian International School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | Australian / IB / British | IB |
| Ages | 2 months–18 | 2–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English, Chinese, French |
| Annual fees | SGD 43,030–53,518 | SGD 30,280–53,500 |
| Enrollment | 2,300 | 3,100 |
| Boarding | Yes | Day only |
| Accreditations | CIS, WASC, NSW Government Education | IB, Cognia, WASC, EduTrust |
Strengths
- ✓Genuinely distinctive Southern Hemisphere (January–December) academic calendar — ideal for families moving on the Australian school cycle
- ✓Broad multi-pathway curriculum: Australian Curriculum + IB PYP + Cambridge IGCSE + a choice of IB Diploma or NSW HSC at senior level
- ✓Very wide age span, from infant care (2 months) through Year 12, on one campus
- ✓Multiple recognized accreditations: CIS, WASC, IB World School, Cambridge International, NSW Government Education
- ✓Large, established community (opened 1993; ~2,300 students; 50+ nationalities)
- ✓Full IB continuum (PYP + MYP + DP) under one roof
- ✓Genuinely distinctive bilingual IB immersion: Chinese-English and French-English with ~50% target-language immersion
- ✓Strong accreditation stack: IB authorization plus Cognia and WASC, plus EduTrust/CPE registration
- ✓Large, well-resourced single campus (~43,000 sq m) with a 500-seat theatre, Olympic-sized pool and a 2,600 sqm Outdoor Discovery Centre
- ✓Highly international community — 80+ nationalities reported
Trade-offs
- !High fees: secondary tuition reaches SGD 53,518/year (2026), among the more expensive bands in Singapore
- !For-profit ownership under Cognita
- !Large size (~2,300 students) may not suit families seeking a small setting
- !No independent regulatory inspection report is publicly available (external references are editorial, e.g. Good Schools Guide)
- !The blended HSC/IB/IGCSE model, while broad, can be complex for families to navigate
- !Premium fees — SGD ~30,280–53,500 per year (2026/27), upper tier of the Singapore market
- !For-profit ownership — owned by China Maple Leaf Educational Systems since 2020
- !Very large enrollment (~3,100) may feel less personal than smaller boutique schools
- !No published IB results — the school markets 'exceptional' outcomes but publishes no numeric average or pass rate
- !No boarding — day-school only
Best Fit For
- • Families relocating on the Australian/Southern Hemisphere school calendar who want continuity of term timing
- • Families wanting a single school covering infancy through to age 18
- • Students who may benefit from a choice between IB Diploma and the Australian HSC at senior level
- • Families seeking an established, well-accredited, large international school in central-north Singapore
- • Families seeking a complete IB pathway (PYP→MYP→DP) under one school
- • Families specifically wanting structured Chinese-English or French-English bilingual immersion from early years
- • Globally mobile expatriate families valuing a large, multinational community (80+ nationalities)
- • Families who prioritise extensive campus facilities (aquatics, performing arts, outdoor learning)
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: AIS states '100% university acceptance' with '99% securing a top-choice placement,' names destinations including Melbourne, Stanford, Cambridge and NUS, reports 15% of students achieving 40+ IB points, and over $2.67M in scholarships in 2024. These are not independently verified.
School-reported, unverified: CIS states graduates 'did exceptionally well in May 2025' but publishes no numeric IB average, pass rate, or named university-acceptance list.
More Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose Australian International School or Canadian International School?
Australian International School is best for: Families relocating on the Australian/Southern Hemisphere school calendar who want continuity of term timing. Canadian International School is best for: Families seeking a complete IB pathway (PYP→MYP→DP) under one school. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities — the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between Australian International School and Canadian International School?
Australian International School: SGD 43,030–53,518. Canadian International School: SGD 30,280–53,500. Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do Australian International School and Canadian International School offer?
Australian International School: Australian, IB, British. Canadian International School: IB.
Do Australian International School or Canadian International School offer boarding?
Australian International School: offers boarding. Canadian International School: day school only.
This comparison is BrightKey's independent assessment using verifiable public data only. University-placement figures are school-reported and not independently verified. BrightKey takes no payments from schools. Our method →