# Language Schools in Singapore

Adult language courses in Singapore cost about $300 to $500 for a 24 to 30-hour term. Many beginner courses can be paid with SkillsFuture Credit. For example, Alliance Française's 24-hour regular French course costs from $440, and up to $430 of that can be claimed. Check the course on MySkillsFuture before you enrol.

## Key facts
- Listings: 212
- Median years in business: 14

## Prices in Singapore
Course fees from published schedules. Subsidised community and university courses are much cheaper than private schools. Private one-to-one tuition is charged by the hour.

| Service | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| French regular course, 24 h over 8 weeks (Alliance Française) | S$440–S$450 per term | 2025 fees; weekend classes +$10; $32 yearly membership |
| French semi-intensive, 32 h over 8 weeks (Alliance Française) | S$510–S$520 per term |  |
| Japanese Level 1, 30 h (NUS Centre for Language Studies) | S$300 per course | Net fee after government subsidy |
| Korean elementary, 9 sessions (SkillsFuture@PA) | S$160–S$170 per course |  |
| Private one-to-one tuition (Alliance Française) | S$98–S$108 per hour | Lower hourly rate for 15+ hours |
| Exam preparation (e.g. DELF/DALF), 8 to 24 h | S$210–S$470 per course |  |

## Licences
- **Private school registration (Education Act)** (Ministry of Education (MOE), required): Language schools that prepare students for an official certificate must register the school, its courses and its teachers with MOE if they teach 10 or more people. Check: https://www.moe.gov.sg/private-education/register-school
- **Private Education Institution registration and EduTrust** (Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA, formerly regulated by the Committee for Private Education), optional): Schools that offer diploma-level or full-time courses register as Private Education Institutions under the Private Education Act. EduTrust certification is optional, but a school needs it to enrol international students on a Student's Pass. Check: https://www.tpgateway.gov.sg/resources/information-for-private-education-institutions-(peis)/pei-listing-file
- **SkillsFuture Credit-eligible course** (SkillsFuture Singapore, optional): This is not a licence. It means the course appears on MySkillsFuture and Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above can pay for it with their credit, often only when they register a certain way (for example, at the counter rather than online). Check: https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/portal/en/index.html

## How to choose
- Check SkillsFuture eligibility for the exact course and schedule. At Alliance Française, only Beginner 1 to 4 regular classes are claimable, up to $420 for weekday classes and $430 for weekend classes, and claims must be made at the counter, not online.
- Compare subsidised options first. NUS's Centre for Language Studies, People's Association community centres (SkillsFuture@PA) and senior learning programmes cost far less than private schools.
- Ask which certificate the course leads to (JLPT, TOPIK, HSK, DELF, Goethe) and whether the school is an official exam centre or follows that syllabus.
- Ask for the term length and contact hours. Most group terms run 24 to 32 hours over 8 weeks, so compare cost per hour rather than cost per term.
- Aged 40 or above? Note that the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up covers only a curated list of employability-focused courses. Hobby language classes are usually paid from the base credit.

## Red flags
- Claims that a course is 'fully claimable' without a MySkillsFuture course listing to back it up.
- Schools that ask you to pay first and 'claim SkillsFuture later' through them. Claims must be submitted by you through the official portal.
- Schools that offer a Student's Pass but do not appear on the EduTrust-certified list.

## Listings (top 30)
- [Tien Hsia Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/tien-hsia-language-school), Dhoby Ghaut · 190 Clemenceau Ave, #04-02 Singapore Shopping Centre · 2 min walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT · registered 1993
- [Hua Language Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/hua-language-centre), Novena · 101 Thomson Rd · 4 min walk from Novena MRT · registered 1994
- [Tien Hsia Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/tien-hsia-language-school-choa-chu-kang), Choa Chu Kang · 309 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, #04-01 · 2 min walk from Choa Chu Kang LRT · registered 1993
- [Tien Hsia Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/tien-hsia-language-school-kovan), Kovan · 205 Hougang St 21, #04-01 Heartland Mall · 1 min walk from Kovan MRT · registered 1993
- [Tien Hsia Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/tien-hsia-language-school-sembawang), Sembawang · 355 Sembawang Wy, #02-01 Sembawang HDB Branch Office · 1 min walk from Sembawang MRT · registered 1993
- [Skylace Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/skylace-language-school-bugis), Bugis · 261 Waterloo St, #01-09 · 3 min walk from Bencoolen MRT · registered 1991
- [Singapore Gujarati School](https://lookup.sg/biz/singapore-gujarati-school), Joo Chiat · 225 Joo Chiat Rd · 12 min walk from Eunos MRT · registered 1998
- [ASTA School of Business and Technology](https://lookup.sg/biz/asta-school-of-business-and-technology), Jurong East · Jurong Gateway Rd, #04-265 · 2 min walk from Jurong East MRT · registered 2002
- [Blossom Language Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/blossom-language-centre), Tampines · 1/A Tampines Street 92, #02-68 SAFRA · 4 min walk from Tampines West MRT · registered 2007
- [Skylace Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/skylace-language-school-yishun), Yishun · 846 Yishun Ring Rd · 2 min walk from Khatib MRT · registered 1991
- [Chinese Bridge Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/chinese-bridge-language-school), Katong · 87 Marine Parade Central, #04-303 · 1 min walk from Marine Parade MRT · registered 2009
- [Skylace Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/skylace-language-school), Clarke Quay · 4 min walk from City Hall MRT · registered 1991
- [Mckaylan Tutorial Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/mckaylan-tutorial-centre), Bishan · 279 Bishan Street 24, #01-34 · 11 min walk from Bishan MRT · registered 2010
- [French Language Academy](https://lookup.sg/biz/french-language-academy), Ang Mo Kio · 452 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-1793 - 2nd floor · 9 min walk from Ang Mo Kio MRT · registered 2014
- [SEJONG Korean Language School (Singapore)](https://lookup.sg/biz/sejong-korean-language-school-singapore), Tanjong Pagar · International Plaza, 10 Anson Rd · 1 min walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT · registered 2012
- [Linda Mandarin](https://lookup.sg/biz/linda-mandarin), Raffles Place · 105 Cecil St, 16th floor · 2 min walk from Telok Ayer MRT · registered 2012
- [French Toast Language Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/french-toast-language-centre), Upper Thomson · 220A Upper Thomson Rd 02-00 · 2 min walk from Upper Thomson MRT · registered 2013
- [EduGrove Mandarin Enrichment Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/edugrove-mandarin-enrichment-centre), Tampines · B1-53A/54, 1 Tampines Walk, Lobby B Our Tampines Hub · 5 min walk from Tampines MRT · registered 2013
- [Speech Academy Asia](https://lookup.sg/biz/speech-academy-asia), Katong · 1 Marine Parade Central, #04-06 Above McDonald's Marine Cove · 1 min walk from Marine Parade MRT · registered 2013
- [ONLYOU Korean Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/onlyou-korean-language-school), Bukit Timah · 170 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #05-06/07 Shopping Centre · 2 min walk from Beauty World MRT · registered 2017
- [Tamilcube Learning Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/tamilcube-learning-centre), Little India · 48 Serangoon Rd, #01-04 Arcade · 3 min walk from Little India MRT · registered 2018
- [Leap Learning Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/leap-learning-centre), Toa Payoh · 51 Upper Serangoon Rd, #03-07 · 1 min walk from Potong Pasir MRT · registered 2015
- [Tamilcube Learning Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/tamilcube-learning-centre-jurong-east), Jurong East · 133 Jurong Gateway Road, 04-291 · 3 min walk from Jurong East MRT · registered 2018
- [Tamilcube Learning Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/tamilcube-learning-centre-ang-mo-kio), Ang Mo Kio · 53, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 03-08, AMK Hub · 2 min walk from Ang Mo Kio MRT · registered 2018
- [Italian Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/italian-language-school), Orchard · 400 Orchard Rd, #06-10 Orchard Towers · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT · registered 2020
- [Language Education Center](https://lookup.sg/biz/language-education-center), Orchard · 400 Orchard Rd, #06-10 Orchard Towers · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT · registered 2020
- [Learn Indonesian Hub](https://lookup.sg/biz/learn-indonesian-hub), Tanjong Pagar · 250 Tg Pagar Rd, #04-01 St. Andrew's Centre · 4 min walk from Cc32 MRT · registered 2020
- [Chinese Language School](https://lookup.sg/biz/chinese-language-school), Orchard · 400 Orchard Rd, #06-10 Orchard Towers · 4 min walk from Orchard MRT · registered 2023
- [Spanish Studio](https://lookup.sg/biz/spanish-studio), Katong · 81 E Coast Rd · 4 min walk from Marine Parade MRT
- [Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre](https://lookup.sg/biz/umar-pulavar-tamil-language-centre), Jalan Besar · Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre, 2 Beatty Rd · 5 min walk from Bendemeer MRT

## By area
- Orchard: 24
- Downtown Core: 22
- Bugis: 15
- Bishan: 14
- Marine Parade: 13
- Katong: 12
- Rochor: 12
- Dhoby Ghaut: 11
- Hougang: 11
- Tampines: 10
- Clarke Quay: 9
- Novena: 9
- Bukit Timah: 8
- Tanjong Pagar: 8
- Ang Mo Kio: 6

## FAQs
### Can I use SkillsFuture Credit for language courses?
Yes, if the course is listed as SkillsFuture Credit-eligible on MySkillsFuture. Every Singapore Citizen receives $500 of base credit at age 25, which can be used for approved language courses such as Alliance Française's Beginner 1 to 4 regular classes and many community centre courses. The $4,000 Mid-Career top-up for those aged 40 and above is restricted to a curated list of employability-focused courses, so it usually cannot be used for hobby language classes.

### How much does a Japanese or Korean course cost in Singapore?
Subsidised courses are the cheapest. NUS's Centre for Language Studies charges a net $300 for a 30-hour Japanese Level 1 course, and SkillsFuture@PA's nine-session Elementary Korean costs $160 to $170. Private language schools typically charge more per hour, and one-to-one tuition costs around $100 an hour. Many of these courses accept SkillsFuture Credit.

### How much are French classes at Alliance Française Singapore?
Alliance Française's adult group terms run for 8 weeks. Its 2025 schedule lists the once-a-week regular course (24 hours) from $440 and the twice-a-week course (32 hours) from $510, with $10 surcharges for some weekend or evening slots and a $32 yearly membership. Up to $420 (weekday) or $430 (weekend) can be paid with SkillsFuture Credit for Beginner 1 to 4 regular classes, claimed at the counter.

### Do language schools in Singapore need to be registered?
Yes. Language schools that prepare students for official certificates and teach 10 or more people must register with MOE under the Education Act. Schools that run diploma-level or full-time programmes are Private Education Institutions under the Private Education Act. They must also hold EduTrust certification to enrol foreign students on a Student's Pass.

## Sources
- MOE: SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme and Mid-Career Credit (Mar 2024): https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/press-releases/20240304-new-skillsfuture-level-up-programme-to-boost-mid-career-upskilling-and-reskilling
- MOE: Register a private school: https://www.moe.gov.sg/private-education/register-school
- TPGateway: Private Education Institutions FAQ (EduTrust): https://www.tpgateway.gov.sg/faq/private-education-institutions
- Alliance Française de Singapour: Course prices: https://alliancefrancaise.org.sg/courses-prices-and-paces
- Alliance Française de Singapour: SkillsFuture claims: https://erp.alliancefrancaise.org.sg/skillsfuture

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Source: Lookup (https://lookup.sg) · Data as of October 2026 · Listings compiled from Singapore government open data (data.gov.sg), OneMap and Overture Maps places. Free listings never show contact details; featured listings are labelled.