MOE Independent School Bursary (ISB) 2026: Income Tiers, Benefits & How to Apply
TL;DR
MOE's Independent School Bursary (ISB) provides tiered financial support for Singapore Citizen students at independent secondary schools and IP schools that charge higher fees than government schools.
21 Mar 2026, 08:00 Z· Last updated 26 Jan 2026
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Q: What does the MOE ISB 2026 guide cover?
A: The Independent School Bursary for secondary and IP-stream students at independent schools - what ISB is, which schools are covered, tiered fee subsidies, income thresholds (verify on MOE's page for the latest Jan 2026 update), how to apply through your school, and stacking with MOE FAS and community bursaries. For ISB at JC and Specialised Independent Schools, see the ISB for Independent JCs & SIs guide.
TL;DR MOE's Independent School Bursary (ISB) provides tiered financial support for Singapore Citizen students at independent secondary schools and IP schools that charge higher fees than government schools. ISB is means-tested and applied through your school - apply during your school's bursary window with income documents. Can stack with MOE FAS, EMB, and community fund bursaries. Check MOE's page for the current income tiers following the January 2026 threshold update.
Status: Last verified 2026-03-21 against MOE's financial assistance page (last checked 2026-01-26). Confirm current ISB income tiers on moe.gov.sg/financial-matters/financial-assistance - thresholds were updated in January 2026.
Quick links: Bursaries hub, ISB for JCs/SIs, MOE FAS guide, 2026 bursary application guide
What Is the ISB?
Independent schools in Singapore - including ACS(I), Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Institution, Raffles Girls' School, NUS High School, St Joseph's Institution, and others - charge higher school fees than government-aided schools. MOE established the Independent School Bursary (ISB) to ensure that income eligibility, not financial ability, is the limiting factor for attending these schools.
ISB provides tiered subsidies that cover:
- Annual school fees (partial to full, depending on income tier)
- Miscellaneous school charges
- In some tiers: textbooks, uniforms, and other school-related expenses
Which Schools Are Covered?
ISB applies to students at MOE-designated independent schools, which include both:
- Independent secondary schools: ACS(I), Hwa Chong Institution, Methodist Girls' School (MGS), Nanyang Girls' High School (NGHS), NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, Raffles Girls' School (RGS), Raffles Institution (Sec), St Joseph's Institution (SJI), CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), and others
