Local Primary 1 (P1) registration 2023 for Phase 2C supplementary is from 17 August 2023, 9am to 18 August 4:30pm. Here’s all you need to know to register your child.

Families interested in registering their children born between 2 January 2017 and 1 January 2018 (both dates inclusive) for local primary school should take note of the upcoming P1 registration 2023 exercise. All P1 registrations will be conducted online as it was in the past years and there will not be any in-person registration at schools.

If your child is Singaporean or Permanent Resident and has an older sibling already enrolled in a local primary school, parents are required to submit an application directly to the school from Tuesday, 4 July 2023, 9am to Wednesday, 5 July 2023, 4:30pm (Phase 1 of the P1 registration process). The primary school where the older sibling is currently studying will provide parents with more details on how to register their younger child.

For Phases 2A, 2B and 2C, the link to the online form and user guide will be available on the MOE P1 Registration website during the registration periods of the respective phases.

Click on the infographic for key dates for P1 Registration 2023!

4 schools with cap on intake of PR kids for 2023 P1 Registration

MOE announced in 2020 that there will be a 25 to 30% cap on the intake of PR children at select primary schools, so as to “encourage interaction between Singapore citizens and PR children, and facilitate the integration of PR children into Singapore.” In 2023, this cap will apply to schools known to have a high concentration of PR students.

In 2022, 6 schools had caps on the intake of PR children for P1 registration. In 2023, a list of 4 schools has been released, which will cap the intake of PR children:

• Bukit Timah Primary School
• Clementi Primary School
• Opera Estate Primary School
• Park View Primary School

Are international students eligible for P1 registration?

If you are neither a Singaporean citizen nor PR, note that all non-PR foreigners are required to complete an “online indication of interest,” which will only be live from 9am on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 to 4:30pm on Monday, 5 June 2023, otherwise you will not be able to register in Phase 3 of the P1 Registration.

In past years, non-PR foreigners registered in person at a local school during the third phase of registration around October. Now, non-PR and Singapore citizens who have not expressed an “online indication of interest” by early June 2023 CANNOT participate in Phase 3 of the P1 registration exercise in October.

Check out the Ministry of Education’s specific instructions here

For future reference, parents need to prepare the following documentation in advance, so please carefully read the list, scan and save the documents in advance:

Documentation Required for “Online Indication of Interest” for P1 Registration
* Information on the child (e.g. passport number; Foreign Identification Number to be provided, if any)
* Information on the parents (e.g. NRIC number/passport number and work pass number, if any)
* Valid email address
* Local or overseas contact number
* A copy of the child’s birth certificate and passport in soft copy (clear and legible in PDF, JPEG or JPG)
* Parents of non-SC / non-PR children are required to upload the following 2 supporting documents (clear and legible in PDF, JPEG or JPG) during the online indication of interest:
* Child’s birth certificate (if the birth certificate is in other languages, please submit an accurate English translated copy); and
* Child’s valid passport data page
Note: You can only upload two documents online. The file size for each document should not exceed 2.5 MB. The total file size for both documents should not exceed 5.0 MB.

Read More: Why we chose local Singapore schools for our expat kids

More FAQs for P1 Registration

1. After registering interest in June 2023 what comes next?

In October 2023, families selected by MOE as eligible to register will be contacted to bring ALL original documents listed below in person to a designated school for verification. Take note that both parents’ original passports and identity cards will be required so manage travel plans accordingly:
* Child’s Birth Certificate
* Child’s Passport
* Child’s Immigration Exemption Order / Dependant’s Pass / Student’s Pass / Long-Term Visit Pass (If any)
* Both parents’ Passport / Singapore NRIC / Entry or Re-entry Permit
* Both parents’ Employment Pass / Work Permit / Long-Term Visit Pass (if any)
* Child’s immunisation records
* Child’s letter informing child can be offered a P1 place in the school
* Any other documents as required by the school to support the registration
* Alternatively, parents can authorise a person to register their child on their behalf. An original letter of authorisation is required from the parent.

2. How can I update my child’s vaccinations and check what is required?

Regarding vaccinations: To update all vaccination records, you can scan and email all vaccinations along with the child’s FIN number, full name to the Health Promotion Board at hpb_nir@hpb.gov.sg.

Click here to see the Singapore vaccination schedule

3. How can I improve my odds of getting a spot in a local school?

Admission to local schools for foreigners (children without PR or citizenship) is decided at the discretion of the Ministry of Education. All families can do is follow the process by the deadline, submit the required documentation, and hope for a favourable outcome.

4. I hear that even if I am PR, I won’t get a spot in a local school.

This is untrue. All children holding PR or citizenship are guaranteed a spot in a local school. Be sure to review the registration by phases to learn the steps required if your child is not a foreigner.

5. How do I get into a “good school” as a foreigner?

Admission to local schools and choice of schools for foreigners (children without PR or citizenship) is decided at the discretion of the Ministry of Education.

Read More: Expat Reflections after a Year in Local Singapore Primary School

6. I am PR but my child is not, what do we do?

You register during the Phase 3 registration as a non-PR foreigner. The immigration status of the child signals the phase of registration, regardless of the status of the parent.

7. What if our application is denied?

This is a likely outcome. All decisions are final and appeals are not considered. All families should prepare a backup plan for the education of their child should the local school application not succeed.

Read More: Guide to International Secondary Schools in Singapore

7. Can I register next year?

Foreigners wanting to register outside of the P1 registration phases will have to take a rigorous standardized test called the AEIS and admission is at the discretion of the Singapore government. For more information consult the Ministry of Education. Click here to read about one mama’s experience when her son took the AEIS.

8. I want to register my child for a local school but they were not born between 2 January 2017 and 1 January 2018.

Outside of the P1 registration, all foreign children applying for a local school must take the AEIS exam. Admission to the school is at the discretion of the Singapore government. For more information, consult the Ministry of Education!

Further Resources

• Singapore Expats in Local Schools Facebook Group
• Singapore Expat Schooling Forum Facebook Group
• Kiasu Parents (for school ranking)