MOE Financial Assistance Checker Singapore (FAS, ISB and Bursaries)
Check whether your household qualifies for MOE financial assistance, from primary school to university, and see what it gives you.
Only Singapore Citizens can get this help. MOE Kindergartens, the School of the Arts and the Singapore Sports School have their own schemes.
The income of everyone in the household together, before CPF deductions. MOE reads the figure from IRAS and CPF records when you apply.
Count everyone who lives with the student, including the student.
Your result
Your household qualifies
What you would get
- 100% subsidy of school and miscellaneous fees
- Free textbooks and school attire
- Meal subsidy that pays for 10 meals per school week
- Public transport subsidy of $21 a month, or up to $252 a year
How to apply
Apply online through the Student Finance System (SFS) with your SingPass. With children in different general education schools, one application covers them all.
MOE or the institution confirms the outcome only after it reviews your application.
This follows the eligibility results on the MOE financial assistance page. The income limits are checked on the household figures you enter.
In-depth guide
MOE financial assistance: FAS, the Independent School Bursary and tertiary bursaries
Who qualifies for MOE financial help with school fees and costs, the household and per capita income limits, what each scheme gives from primary school to university, and how to apply.
Key figures at a glance
- MOE FAS household income limit
- $4,000 a month
- Monthly gross household income of $4,000 or less. You qualify if you meet this or the per capita limit. For Singapore Citizens in government, government-aided and specialised schools.
- Source: Ministry of Education
- MOE FAS per capita income limit
- $1,000 a month
- Per capita income is the total household income divided by the number of people in the household.
- Source: Ministry of Education
- Highest household income for the ISB and tertiary bursaries
- $12,000 a month
- Or a per capita income of $3,000. Above both limits there is no ISB or government bursary.
- Source: Ministry of Education
- Highest per capita income for the ISB and tertiary bursaries
- $3,000 a month
- The fourth and highest income band.
- Source: Ministry of Education
- Public transport subsidy under FAS and the ISB
- $21 a month
- Or up to $252 a year. Primary students who take the school bus get 70% of the monthly school bus fare instead.
- Source: Ministry of Education
- Annual bursary for JC and centralised institute students under FAS
- $1,600
- Includes the public transport subsidy, on top of a 100% subsidy of school and miscellaneous fees.
- Source: Ministry of Education
- ISB subsidy in the highest income band
- 33%
- Of school and miscellaneous fees, for a household income of $9,001 to $12,000 or a per capita income of $2,251 to $3,000.
- Source: Ministry of Education
Which scheme covers which school
MOE helps Singapore Citizens in financial need. The scheme depends on the school or institution:
| School or institution | Scheme | Highest income band that qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Government, government-aided and specialised schools (primary, secondary, JC and Millennia Institute) | MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) | Band 1 |
| Independent schools and specialised independent schools | Independent School Bursary (ISB) | Band 4 |
| Special education (SPED) schools | SPED Financial Assistance Scheme | Band 1 |
| Polytechnics, ITE, autonomous universities, arts institutions and NIEC | Government bursary for MOE-subsidised courses | Band 4 |
MOE Kindergartens, the School of the Arts and the Singapore Sports School have their own schemes.
The income test
Two measures count, and meeting either one is enough:
- Gross household income (GHI): everyone in the household, per month.
- Per capita income (PCI): the GHI divided by the number of people in the household.
There are four income bands:
| Band | Household income a month | Or per capita income a month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Up to $4,000 | Up to $1,000 |
| 2 | $4,001 to $5,500 | $1,001 to $1,375 |
| 3 | $5,501 to $9,000 | $1,376 to $2,250 |
| 4 | $9,001 to $12,000 | $2,251 to $3,000 |
A household of five earning $5,000 a month has a per capita income of $1,000, so it is in band 1 even though its household income is above $4,000. The checker uses the lowest band you fit.
What FAS gives
For a household in band 1:
| Level | What the student gets |
|---|---|
| Primary | 100% subsidy of miscellaneous fees, free textbooks and school attire, a meal subsidy for 7 meals per school week, and either 70% of the monthly school bus fare or a public transport subsidy of $21 a month (up to $252 a year) |
| Secondary | 100% subsidy of school and miscellaneous fees, free textbooks and school attire, a meal subsidy for 10 meals per school week, and the $21 a month public transport subsidy (up to $252 a year) |
| JC and centralised institute | 100% subsidy of school and miscellaneous fees and a $1,600 annual bursary, which includes the public transport subsidy |
What the Independent School Bursary gives
| Band | Secondary | JC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Same help as FAS at secondary level; examination fees are also waived for IB Diploma students in government-funded schools | Same help as FAS at JC level |
| 2 | Pays $25 a month, the same as a government school (as at January 2025) | Pays $33 a month (as at January 2025) |
| 3 | Pays $37.50 a month, 1.5 times the government school fee | Pays $49.50 a month |
| 4 | A 33% subsidy on school and miscellaneous fees | A 33% subsidy on school and miscellaneous fees |
Independent schools set their own fees, so in band 4 check the school for the amount you would pay. If the student also holds an MOE scholarship, bursary or special award, the fee payable after the ISB may be reduced further, up to the cap of that award.
Bursaries at polytechnics, ITE, universities and arts institutions
The annual bursary depends on the course and the income band. These are the amounts from academic year 2026:
| Course | Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Band 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time diploma (polytechnic, ITE, arts institution, NIEC) | $3,050 | $2,700 | $2,050 | $950 |
| Part-time diploma (polytechnic) | $1,050 | $1,050 | $800 | $380 |
| Full-time degree (university, arts institution) | $6,300 | $5,100 | $3,250 | $1,350 |
| Part-time degree (university) | $2,800 | $2,800 | $1,800 | $750 |
| Full-time Nitec or Higher Nitec (ITE) | $1,850, plus full tuition subsidy | $1,400 | $700 | $490 |
| Part-time Nitec or Higher Nitec (ITE) | $350 | $350 | $350 | $350 |
The Diploma Foundation Programme gets $1,750 in band 1 only. NUS Medicine, NUS Dentistry and NTU Medicine have amounts that vary by institution and intake year. At arts institutions the bursary first offsets school fees and compulsory fees, and any remainder is paid to the student. The part-time full qualification diploma at NIEC gets the same amounts as a part-time polytechnic diploma.
How to apply
- Schools (FAS and ISB): apply online through the Student Finance System (SFS) with your SingPass. If you have children in different general education schools, one application covers them all. If everyone in the household has only employment or trade income, MOE retrieves your income from IRAS and CPF records and you need no supporting documents.
- SPED schools: apply through the school, online or with the form.
- Polytechnics, ITE, universities, arts institutions and NIEC: contact the institution's financial aid office.
- Families on MSF ComCare are granted FAS automatically.
The outcome is confirmed only after MOE or the institution reviews the application.
If you do not qualify
Schools automatically consider students for their own school-based financial assistance, case by case, and tell you the outcome. Institutions also run their own schemes, so ask their financial aid office. MOE also has merit-based awards and scholarships.
What this guide does not cover
The checker takes the household income and size you enter. It does not work out which people MOE counts as your household, and it does not check Singapore Citizen status. It does not cover MOE Kindergartens, the School of the Arts or the Singapore Sports School, the Edusave account, tuition grants, or loans such as the Tuition Fee Loan and Study Loan.
Which tool for what
- Childcare subsidy calculator: help with preschool costs before school.
- Government support schemes: other help with the cost of living.
- JC aggregate calculator, Polytechnic aggregate calculator and ITE aggregate calculator: where the student can get in.
Frequently asked questions
Who can get MOE FAS?
Singapore Citizens studying in government, government-aided and specialised schools whose household has a monthly gross income of $4,000 or less, or a per capita income of $1,000 or less. Independent schools have the Independent School Bursary instead.
What is per capita income and how is it worked out?
It is the total household income divided by the number of people in the household. A household of four earning $4,400 a month has a per capita income of $1,100.
Do I need to meet both the household and per capita income limits?
No. You qualify if you are within either limit. Because the per capita test favours larger households, a household of five earning $5,000 a month qualifies for FAS.
What does the Independent School Bursary give?
In the lowest band the student gets the same help as FAS. In the next two bands the student pays the government school fee or 1.5 times it, and in the top band there is a 33% subsidy on school and miscellaneous fees. The limits go up to a household income of $12,000 or a per capita income of $3,000.
How much is the bursary at a polytechnic, ITE or university?
It depends on the course and the income band. A full-time polytechnic diploma gets $3,050 a year in the lowest band, down to $950 in the highest. A full-time university degree gets $6,300 down to $1,350.
How do I apply, and what if I do not qualify?
For schools, apply online through the Student Finance System with your SingPass. For polytechnics, ITE and universities, contact the institution. If you do not qualify, the school can still consider school-based financial assistance case by case.
Sources
- Ministry of Education — Financial assistance — Which schools each scheme covers and the eligibility result for every school type and income band (page updated 12 Oct 2026).
- Ministry of Education — MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) table — The income criteria and the benefits at primary, secondary and JC level, linked from the financial assistance page.
- Ministry of Education — MOE Independent School Bursary (ISB) table — The four income bands and what the student pays or receives in each, linked from the financial assistance page.
This guide explains published rules in plain language. It is not financial, legal or official advice — rules change, so confirm with the agency linked above before you commit.