If you plan to start a kindergarten that has ten or more children, you must first register a company with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA). Once you have establish a business entity with ACRA, you will then register the school with Ministry of Education of Singapore (MOE). If you are a foreigner you will need to engage a corporate service agency to help you incorporate your company with ACRA. Rikvin can provide you with the setting up of your company as well as obtaining the necessary licenses and/or permits.

Choosing a Name

An important thing to note is choosing the appropriate name for your school. The name of your business registered with ACRA has to be the same name as the school if the business is registered as sole proprietorship or partnership. The name cannot have the words ‘Singapore’ and ‘National’; ‘University’, ‘Conservatory’ and ‘College’, or ‘International’.

Definition of a Kindergarten

A kindergarten is a school that provides a 3-year preschool program for children between the age of three and six. A kindergarten typically offers a five-day week program with two sessions per day.

Choosing a Premise

There are stringent rules and guidelines for educational facilities such as the size of classroom and student ratio. A planning permission is required and has to be obtain from Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA). A premise for kindergarten requires a Class XII approval from URA. It’s best to understand and fulfill the rules outlined by URA then to risk losing accreditation.

If you plan to renovate the space, you will need to apply for a building work permit through Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). When the building works are complete, you will also need to obtain from BCA: a Certificate of Statutory Completion and/or a Temporary Occupation Permit before you can occupy the space.

You will also need a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) prior to occupying the building. You can obtain an FSC from Singapore Civil Defense Force through a registered architect or engineer. All renovation works are to be performed by certified or licensed contractors including the architects. A business signage that is placed on the building will require an application of an Advertisement License from BCA.

Registering a Kindergarten

When you register the kindergarten you are also required to register the school curriculum and teachers. The curriculum is to be comprehensive and holistic and to include courses that help develop language skills and literacy; numeric skills; and social awareness. A education plan has be submitted that states the learning outcomes, teaching methodology, class schedules, resources and materials. The teachers will need to possess a GCE ‘O’ level certificate with a minimum of 5 passes including a B4 in English Language as the first language; and plus a certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education – Teaching.

Authority	Processing Time	License Fee	Validity
Ministry of Education	14 working days	S$400	One-time Fee

Rikvin is the leading authority in company incorporation in Singapore. We can help you register your company with ACRA in less than 24 hours. Our comprehensive corporate services can provide you with a customized service that includes application for pertinent licenses and permits that you require to establish a kindergarten. To learn more about our Incorporation Services please go to Singapore Company Incorporation Services.

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