The Education System in Singapore

Primary education comprises a four-year foundation stage from Primary 1 to 4 and a two-year orientation stage from Primary 5 to 6. Secondary schools in Singapore can be government funded, government aided or independent. Students attend four or five years of secondary education under the Special, Express or Normal Course. Upon completion of the GCE 'O' Level examination, students may apply for entry to a junior college for a two-year pre-university course or a centralised institute for a three-year pre-university course. Junior colleges and centralised institues prepare students for their entry to the university and lay the foundation for tertiary education.

The three local universities in Singapore are National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU). NUS has evolved into a comprehensive university offering courses in major disciplines such as the Sciences, Engineering, Technology, Law, Arts & Social Sciences and Medicine. In addition to local universities, many of the world's leading foreign universities have also established their presence in Singapore.