How to check a tuition centre in five steps
- Check the registrationSearch the centre's name on MOE's private schools page, and look for the registration certificate on the wall.
- Ask the class sizeAnd the lesson length, so you can work out the cost per hour of teaching.
- Work out the real monthly costAdd registration, deposit and materials, and remember that 5-week months cost more at centres that bill per lesson.
- Ask how results claims are countedHow many students sat, how many were counted, and where they started.
- Check the 2027 syllabusFrom 2027 upper secondary students sit the SEC at G1, G2 or G3. Ask which paper the class prepares for.
The results question matters. A Nanyang Technological University academic writing in The Straits Times in March 2026 pointed out that a figure such as "90 per cent distinctions" means little without knowing how many students enrolled, how many were counted and who the centre admits. MOE told Parliament in February 2026 that tuition advertising should not play on parents' anxieties, and that it is reviewing how to discourage such advertising.
The 15 centres, by type
Centres were chosen because their names come up again and again when parents search for tuition centres, maths centres and English centres in Singapore, plus one or two specialists for each main subject. Being listed is not a recommendation.
Large multi-subject chains
- P1 to JC2Aspire HubAll main subjects, including Tamil and the humanities. Small-group classes in 15 to 16 branches by its own count, plus Aspire Online.
- Pre-primary to Sec 4EduFirstMain subjects, POA, humanities and AEIS preparation, with student care. 28 locations in its site menu.
- Preschool to JCMavis Tutorial CentreEnglish, Maths, the sciences, Chinese, H2 Maths and H2 Chemistry. 17 locations. Running since 1986.
- Pre-K to Sec 4Mind StretcherEnglish, Maths, the sciences, Chinese and writing. One 2-hour class a week, average 8 to 10 students. 30 locations.
- N2 to JC2The Learning LabEnglish, Maths and Science, with GP, H2 Maths and JC1 Chemistry. Average 8 to 13 students by level. 10 centres plus online.
- P4 to JC2Zenith Education StudioPrimary and secondary core subjects, humanities and six JC subjects. Capped class sizes, 14 locations.
Self-paced worksheet programmes
- Ages 4 to 15Eye LevelMaths and English, with one-to-one coaching on self-paced booklets. Its English follows US and UK programmes, not the MOE syllabus.
- Age 3 to JCKumonMaths, English and, at some centres, Chinese. Two visits a week of about 30 to 45 minutes per subject. More than 70 centres.
Subject specialists
- Maths, K to JCAlphaOmegaMathPrimary, E Maths, A Maths and H2 Maths. 7 centres by its own count.
- Chinese, N1 to P6BerriesChinese language beyond the MOE syllabus, running since 1993. Its site lists six centres.
- JC EconomicsEconomics CafeH1 and H2 Economics only, online and in Bishan, in 2-hour weekly classes.
- English, P1 to S4Lil' but MightyClass ratio of 6 students to 1 teacher, 2-hour weekly lessons. Nine locations listed on its site.
- Physics, Maths, ChemistryThe Physics Cafe and PMCSec 1 to JC and IB. Three centres plus online weekly classes.
- English and writing, K2 to Sec 4The Write ConnectionIn-house writing and reading programmes in 13 centres.
Online and hybrid
- P1 to Sec 4, JC onlineGeniebookEnglish, Maths, Science and Chinese through live online classes, personalised worksheets and seven CAMPUS centres.
Most of these centres also run an online option. MOE registration was not checked for each centre here, because MOE's search has to be run one name at a time. Two centres, Economics Cafe and Zenith in Bishan, state on their own sites that they are registered.
What a month really costs
Only some centres publish fees. These figures are for one subject, as published on each centre's site on 26 October 2026, and include GST where the centre says so.
| Centre | Level | Published fee | Hours of class | Per hour (our arithmetic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kumon | Any | S$170 a month | Up to 8 visits of 30 to 45 minutes | Not comparable, self-paced |
| Mind Stretcher | Upper primary (P4 to P6) | S$272.50 a month, weekday, 4-week month | 8 hours | S$34.06 |
| Mind Stretcher | Secondary | S$294.30 a month, weekday, 4-week month | 8 hours | S$36.79 |
| The Write Connection | P5 to P6 | S$90 a lesson, weekday | 2 hours | S$45.00 |
| The Write Connection | Sec 1 to 4 | S$100 a lesson, weekday | 2 hours | S$50.00 |
| Lil' but Mighty | P5 to P6 | S$114.45 a lesson, 2026 fees | 2 hours | S$57.23 |
| Lil' but Mighty | Sec 3 to 4 | S$125.35 a lesson, 2026 fees | 2 hours | S$62.68 |
| The Learning Lab | P5 to P6 | S$158.60 to S$171.13 a lesson | Not published | Cannot be worked out |
| The Learning Lab | Sec 1 to 4 | S$166.77 to S$179.85 a lesson | Not published | Cannot be worked out |
| Aspire Online | P3 to JC | From S$29.50 a live online class | 1.5 hours | From about S$19.67 |
Fees not published on the centres' own sites: Aspire Hub's in-centre classes, AlphaOmegaMath, Berries, Economics Cafe, Eye Level, Geniebook, Mavis, The Physics Cafe and PMC, and Zenith. EduFirst publishes its fees only as images.
Three costs catch parents out. First, one-off charges: Mind Stretcher lists a S$76.30 registration fee plus a deposit, The Learning Lab S$98.10 plus a S$150 deposit per subject, The Write Connection S$85 plus a S$100 deposit and S$12.50 of materials a term, and Kumon S$50. Second, 5-week months: at Mind Stretcher a secondary weekday month rises from S$294.30 to S$367.88 when there are five lessons. Third, weekend slots usually cost more than weekday ones.
For context, the Household Expenditure Survey 2023 put average spending on private tuition at S$104.80 a month per household, counting households that spend nothing. An Institute of Policy Studies survey of primary school parents in 2026, as reported by The Straits Times, found a median of S$500 a month.
Class size, and what the evidence says
No Singapore study compares centre classes, home tutors and online tuition. The best general evidence comes from England's Education Endowment Foundation. It finds that both one-to-one and small-group tuition help on average, with one-to-one slightly ahead, and that small groups become noticeably less effective once they pass six or seven pupils. That research is about school-run tutoring in England, so treat it as a guide to group size rather than a verdict on any centre.
Free and paid trials
| Point | Free | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Trial class | EduFirst, Lil' but Mighty, Mavis, Zenith (selected days) | Mind Stretcher (S$107.91 for a week), The Write Connection, The Physics Cafe and PMC |
| Assessment | Eye Level, Geniebook, Kumon (with a parent orientation) | None published |
| Not stated | AlphaOmegaMath, Berries, Economics Cafe | Aspire Hub and The Learning Lab offer a trial but do not publish the price |
Centre, home tutor or online?
- Keeping up, likes working alongside peers, needs a weekly routineA small-group centre with a published class size
- Has specific gaps, is shy in groups, or the timing must fit the familyOne-to-one home tuition
- Needs steady practice on basics, especially in early primaryA self-paced worksheet programme
- Self-motivated, lives far from centres, or wants recorded lessonsAn online class or hybrid provider
Our home tuition or tuition centre comparison covers the trade-offs in more depth. If you are weighing home tutors, our guide to choosing a tuition agency, with 10 agencies compared explains how agencies differ and what they charge. MOE's registration rules for centres do not cover home tutors or the agencies that match them, so the questions to ask are different.
Common questions
Do tuition centres in Singapore have to register with MOE?
Yes, if they teach 10 or more students. The Education Act treats such a centre as a school, and MOE says tuition and enrichment centres teaching school subjects must register the centre, its courses and its teachers.
How do I check if a tuition centre is registered?
Search the centre's name on MOE's private schools page, and look for the registration certificate, which registered centres must display on their premises.
Does MOE registration mean a centre is good?
No. MOE says registration covers basic requirements such as building and fire safety, curriculum and qualified teachers, and does not represent an endorsement of quality.
How much does a tuition centre cost per month?
Among centres that publish fees, one subject cost from S$170 a month at Kumon to about S$250 to S$300 at Mind Stretcher and S$575 to S$700 for four lessons at The Learning Lab, depending on level. Many centres do not publish fees.
How many students are in a tuition centre class?
Published figures range from 6 at Lil' but Mighty to an average of 8 to 10 at Mind Stretcher and 8 to 13 at The Learning Lab. Most centres do not publish a number.
Is a tuition centre or a home tutor better?
No Singapore study compares them. A centre suits a child who is keeping up and learns well in a group. One-to-one tuition suits a child with specific gaps or who needs lessons at home.
Do tuition centre fees include GST?
Mind Stretcher, The Learning Lab and The Write Connection say their published fees include GST. Kumon does not say.
Official sources
- MOE, Private schools search, updated 13 May 2026
- MOE, Register a private school, updated 20 January 2026
- Singapore Statutes Online, Education Act 1957
- MOE, Parliamentary reply on tuition centre regulation, 6 July 2021
- MOE, Parliamentary reply on tuition advertising, 24 February 2026
- MOE, Parliamentary reply on household tuition spending, 12 February 2026
- Centres' own fee pages: Lil' but Mighty, Mind Stretcher, The Learning Lab, The Write Connection, Kumon
Written by Theon Teo, Founder and Mathematics Tutor, The Singapore Syllabus. DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore, Game Development & Computer Science · 3 years' Mathematics teaching (Primary & Secondary). More about Theon
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