"My child is in Grade 4 in China—what grade would they enter in Singapore?" This is the first question every Chinese parent asks when considering Singapore international schools. The answer isn't simple, because different schools use entirely different grade systems. UWC uses the American Grade system, TTS uses the British Year system, NLCS follows a pure IB Grade system, Singapore government schools use Primary/Secondary, and each school's age cutoff dates aren't identical either.
To make things more confusing, a child of the same age could be placed in different grades at different schools. This article breaks down the grade naming, entry ages, and cutoff dates for 8 major Singapore international schools (plus government schools), with a complete comparison table at the end.
Tanglin Trust School (TTS)
Source: tts.edu.sg
UWCSEA
Source: uwcsea.edu.sg
Singapore American School (SAS)
Source: sas.edu.sg
NLCS Singapore
Source: nlcssingapore.sg
Dulwich College Singapore
Source: singapore.dulwich.org
Nexus International School
Source: nexus.edu.sg
SJI International
Source: sji-international.com.sg
Singapore Government Schools
Source: moe.gov.sg
The Big Comparison Table
Scroll horizontally on mobile to see all schools.
| Age | China | UWC | TTS | SAS | NLCS | Dulwich | Nexus | SJII | SG Gov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-3 | — | — | — | — | — | Toddler | — | — | — |
| 3-4 | 幼儿园小班 | — | Nursery | Preschool | Pre-KG | Nursery | Nursery | — | Nursery |
| 4-5 | 幼儿园中班 | K1 | Reception | Pre-K | KG1 | Reception | Reception | Pre-K | K1 |
| 5-6 | 幼儿园大班 | K2 | Year 1 | KG | KG2 | Year 1 | Year 1 | KG | K2 |
| 6-7 | 一年级 | Grade 1 | Year 2 | Grade 1 | Grade 1 | Year 2 | Year 2 | Grade 1 | P1 |
| 7-8 | 二年级 | Grade 2 | Year 3 | Grade 2 | Grade 2 | Year 3 | Year 3 | Grade 2 | P2 |
| 8-9 | 三年级 | Grade 3 | Year 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 3 | Year 4 | Year 4 | Grade 3 | P3 |
| 9-10 | 四年级 | Grade 4 | Year 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 4 | Year 5 | Year 5 | Grade 4 | P4 |
| 10-11 | 五年级 | Grade 5 | Year 6 | Grade 5 | Grade 5 | Year 6 | Year 6 | Grade 5 | P5 |
| 11-12 | 六年级 | Grade 6 | Year 7 | Grade 6 | Grade 6 | Year 7 | Year 7 | Grade 6 | P6 |
| 12-13 | 初一 | Grade 7 | Year 8 | Grade 7 | Grade 7 | Year 8 | Year 8 | Grade 7 | S1 |
| 13-14 | 初二 | Grade 8 | Year 9 | Grade 8 | Grade 8 | Year 9(IGCSE) | Year 9 | Grade 8 | S2 |
| 14-15 | 初三 | Grade 9 | Year 10(IGCSE) | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | Year 10(IGCSE) | Year 10(IGCSE) | Grade 9(IGCSE) | S3 |
| 15-16 | 高一 | Grade 10 | Year 11(IGCSE) | Grade 10 | Grade 10 | Year 11(IGCSE) | Year 11(IGCSE) | Grade 10(IGCSE) | S4(O-Level) |
| 16-17 | 高二 | Grade 11(IBDP) | Year 12(A-Level/IBDP) | Grade 11(AP) | Grade 11(IBDP) | Year 12(IBDP) | Year 12(IBDP) | Grade 11(IBDP) | JC1(A-Level) |
| 17-18 | 高三 | Grade 12(IBDP) | Year 13(A-Level/IBDP) | Grade 12(AP) | Grade 12(IBDP) | Year 13(IBDP) | Year 13(IBDP) | Grade 12(IBDP) | JC2(A-Level) |
Key Takeaways
- 1.Most international schools (TTS, UWC, SAS, NLCS, Dulwich, Nexus) use a September 1 cutoff. SJII and government schools use calendar year of birth (January–December academic year).
- 2.British Year naming is one ahead of American Grade naming: TTS Year 2 = UWC Grade 1 = SAS Grade 1.
- 3.China Grade 1 (一年级) corresponds to Grade 1 / Year 2 in international schools (age 6-7 entry).
- 4.The same child may be one grade apart between a government school and an international school due to different cutoffs and calendar years.
- 5.When transferring, the target school determines final grade placement—it’s not solely based on the previous school’s grade.
Grade mapping is just the first step
If you’re planning a school transfer to a Singapore international school, understanding grade mapping is just the first step. Your child’s English proficiency determines how smoothly they’ll adapt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grade is middle school in Singapore?
Singapore international schools generally treat Grades 6–8 (ages 11–14) as middle school. British-system schools call this Year 7–9 and IB schools call it MYP Years 1–3. Government schools have no separate middle school — Primary 1–6 leads directly into Secondary 1.
How old are students in each Singapore grade level?
International schools use a September 1 age cutoff: Grade 1 is about age 6–7, Grade 6 about 11, Grade 9 about 14, and Grade 12 about 17–18. Singapore government schools run from Primary 1 (age 7) to Secondary 4 (age 16).
What grade is age 13 in Singapore?
A 13-year-old is usually in Grade 7 or 8 at a Singapore international school (Year 8 or 9 in the British system, MYP 2–3 in IB). In a Singapore government school, a 13-year-old is typically in Secondary 1.
How does the Singapore grade system compare to the US and UK systems?
American-system schools (UWC, SAS) use Grades 1–12, matching the US. British-system schools (TTS, Dulwich, Nexus) use Year 1–13, named one year ahead, so Year 2 equals Grade 1. Government schools use Primary 1–6 then Secondary 1–4/5.