Complete Guide To Childcare Operator Fees In Singapore

In his Budget 2025 speech, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong announced that monthly childcare operator fees would be capped once again, for the second consecutive year. 

Childcare operator fees for full-day childcare will soon be capped at $610 for Anchor Operator preschools and $650 for Partner Operator preschools (excluding GST). This is $30 less than the current caps of $640 and $680 respectively which came into effect on 1 January 2025. The latest fee cap is expected to be implemented in 2026.

After including basic childcare subsidies, families can expect to pay about $300 per child, while lower- and middle-income families will enjoy further subsidies on their childcare operator fees.

How Much Are Full-Day Childcare Operator Fees In Singapore In 2025?

Monthly Fees For Full-Day Childcare In 2025 (NOT including GST)

(When the fees are not published on the individual operator’s website, they are obtained via the LifeSG app. Values are correct as of the date of publication.)

For this article, we’ll be referring to these common definitions of infant care and childcare based on the licenses issued by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).

• Infant care: For children aged 2 months to 18 months, includes full-day care programmes from 7am to 7pm
• Childcare: For children aged 18 months to below 7 years, includes full-day care programmes from 7am to 7pm

Since 2013 in Singapore, the ECDA is the regulatory and developmental agency for the early childhood sector. Early childhood is defined as being below the age of 7.

The ECDA is also responsible for selecting preschools for the Anchor Operator Scheme and Partner Operator Scheme.

What Is The Anchor Operator Scheme?

Anchor Operators are chosen by the ECDA, which provides them with funding support to ensure that their childcare operator fees are kept low.

Anchor Operators are selected based on several criteria, including a strong track record, high-quality, affordable programmes and the ability to reach out to children from lower income or disadvantaged backgrounds.

There are currently 5 Anchor Operators under this scheme.

• PCF Sparkletots Preschool (PAP Community Foundation)
• My First Skool (NTUC First Campus)
• My World Preschool (Metropolitan YMCA)
• Skool4Kidz (Kinderland International Education)
• E-Bridge Pre-School (Etonhouse International)

As of 1 January 2025, the monthly fee caps for Anchor Operators are as follows (not including GST): 

• $640 for full-day childcare, 
• $1,235 for full-day infant care and
• $150 for kindergarten (half-day sessions typically for those aged 5 to 6 years old)

As mentioned earlier, at Budget 2025, it was announced that the monthly fee caps for full-day childcare will be further reduced to $610 a month for full-day childcare at Anchor Operators. It is expected that this will take effect in 2026.

Read Also: Singapore Budget 2025: 5 Major Announcements That Will Benefit The Average Singaporean

The full-day childcare fees at Partner Operators have also been capped.

What Is The Partner Operator Scheme?

In addition to the 5 childcare operators under the Anchor Operator Scheme, ECDA has also appointed over 300 childcare centres from across almost 30 operators under the Partner Operator Scheme.

Some of the 30 Partner Operators include:

• Little Footprints Preschool (Babilou Family Singapore)
• Star Learners Child Care
• Sunflower Childcare Group
• Carpe Diem Holdings
• Kinderland International Education
• NurtureStars Preschool (collaboration between Kinderland and SAFRA)

The goal of the Partner Operator Scheme is to ensure that there are enough government-supported preschools to cater to 80% of preschoolers by this year.

Like the Anchor Operator Scheme, childcare centres under the Partner Operator Scheme also receive funding support from the ECDA to keep their childcare operator fees low.

As of 1 January 2025, the monthly fee caps for Partner Operators are as follows (not including GST): 

• $680 for full-day childcare and
• $1,290 for full-day infant care

At Budget 2025, it was announced that monthly fee caps for full-day childcare will be further reduced to $650 at some Partner Anchor Operators’ centres. It is expected that this will take effect in 2026.

Do take note that not all childcare centres run by a Partner Operator automatically qualify under the Partner Operator Scheme! For example, Kinderland operates about 15 centres across the island. However, only 8 are under the Partner Operator Scheme – including centres at Woodlands Mart and Sunshine Place.

Kinderland’s other centres, such as Marine Parade and Yio Chu Kang, will not have their fees capped. Full-day childcare at the Marine Parade centre is $1,600 per month, while Yio Chu Kang is $1,885 per month.

What Are The Other Additional Childcare Costs You May Encounter?

On top of the monthly childcare operator fees, you will be expected to pay additional fees for various items. Most of these will be one-time fees.

1. Registration Fee: This one-time fee covers the administration costs of enrolling your child in the school.
2. Annual Insurance: This fee is a nominal amount that is usually paid on an annual basis. It provides basic coverage for your child while they are at the childcare centre.
3. Uniform: You can be expected to buy about 2 to 3 sets of centre uniforms for your child. This will usually cost between $20 to $30 per set.
4. Mattress Cover: Some childcare centres require the purchase of individual mattress covers for your child for hygiene reasons. This is usually a nominal amount.
5. Fee Deposit: Most childcare centres will request for a fee deposit, usually the equivalent of one month’s enrolment. This deposit will be forfeited should you withdraw your child from the centre without sufficient notice. 

What Childcare Subsidies Can Parents In Singapore Enjoy?

Finally, let’s look at how to qualify for childcare subsidies to ensure you pay less for preschool!

To be eligible for the Basic Subsidy, your child must be a Singapore Citizen and enrolled in an ECDA-licensed infant or childcare centre (you can find a list of them in the LifeSG app). 

The exact amount you will receive depends on childcare or infant care service type (i.e. if it is full-day, half-day, or flexi).

For the Additional Subsidy, your eligibility depends on whether the main applicant (usually the mother) is working at the point of subsidy application. The amount you get is determined by the gross monthly household income (or, in the cases of large households consisting of 5 or more family members, a per capita income).

Read Also: Guide To Redeeming And Using Your LifeSG Credits

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