Canadian International School (Lakeside)

IB Diploma Programme Results

Canadian International School's academic performance is benchmarked through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the only pre-university qualification offered. The 2025 results were strong:

• Average IB DP score: 35 points (the global average is approximately 30)
• 22 students scored 40 points or above out of 45 possible
• Pass rate: approximately 95%

These results place CIS among the higher-performing IB schools in Singapore. A mean of 35 reflects consistent delivery across the six IB subject groups and the Extended Essay/Theory of Knowledge components.

University Destinations: A Global Spread

CIS graduates in the Class of 2025 earned places at some of the world's most prestigious universities. Confirmed destinations include:

Ivy League / Elite US:

• Cornell University
• Columbia University
• New York University (NYU)

Top UK (Russell Group):

• Imperial College London
• University College London (UCL)
• University of Edinburgh
• University of St Andrews
• University of Glasgow

Top Canadian:

• University of Toronto
• University of British Columbia (UBC)
• McGill University

Top Australasian:

• University of Sydney
• Monash University

Asia-Pacific:

• ESSEC Business School Singapore
• Hong Kong University (HKU)

This breadth of destinations reflects CIS's genuinely international student body: graduates are not channelled toward a single national system but pursue higher education across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia.

The Full IB Continuum as Academic Preparation

CIS argues that its strongest academic asset is the continuity of IB preparation from age 2 to 18. Students entering the DP at Grade 11 have typically completed 9+ years of IB-aligned inquiry-based learning through PYP and MYP. This means DP students are genuinely prepared for its demands — extended writing, independent research, and conceptual reasoning — rather than encountering these expectations for the first time at 16.

Subject Breadth

At DP level, CIS offers subjects across all six IB groups, including:

• Languages: English A (Language and Literature), Mandarin, French, Spanish ab initio
• Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics (HL and SL)
• Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches; Applications and Interpretation
• Humanities: Economics, History, Global Politics, Psychology
• Arts: Visual Arts, Music, Film

The availability of both standard and bilingual pathway subjects reflects the school's multilingual character.

Origins: A Canadian Vision in Singapore

In 1990, six Canadian educators led by Bryce McBride established the Canadian Overseas College (COC) in Singapore. The school began with remarkable modesty — just six classes and teachers who lived on-site in school accommodation. The founding team shared a belief that international-minded, inquiry-driven education inspired by the Canadian tradition could serve the growing expatriate community in Singapore.

Renaming and Growth Through the 1990s

During the 1990s, the school evolved rapidly. The name was changed from Canadian Overseas College to Canadian International School (CIS), reflecting its broader international vision and expanding student body. Throughout this decade, enrolment grew steadily as Singapore's expatriate population expanded with the city-state's economic rise. CIS distinguished itself by embracing the International Baccalaureate framework, receiving IB accreditation in January 2002 — an early adopter among Singapore international schools.

The Tanjong Katong Campus Era

For many years, CIS operated primarily out of its Tanjong Katong Campus in the east of Singapore, catering to younger primary-aged students. This campus at 371 Tanjong Katong Road continued to anchor the school's early years education offering, providing a community-focused environment for families in the eastern district.

The S$140 Million Lakeside Campus: A New Chapter (2017)

The defining milestone of CIS's modern era came in 2017 with the opening of the Lakeside Campus in Jurong West. The project represented an investment of approximately S$140 million and delivered one of Singapore's most architecturally significant school buildings. Spanning 43,000 square metres, the Lakeside Campus was designed as a 'school-within-a-school' model, featuring multiple semi-autonomous learning communities under one roof.

The facilities are genuinely world-class: an Olympic-length 50-metre swimming pool, a 500-seat two-storey theatre, seven state-of-the-art science laboratories, a two-storey library, Makerspace labs with 3D printing, three tennis courts, a football field, and a full-sized gymnasium. The campus reflects a philosophy that physical environment directly shapes learning culture.

Today: A Global Community of 70+ Nationalities

With approximately 3,000 students aged 2 to 18 from over 70 nationalities, CIS has evolved into one of Singapore's most diverse international schools. Critically, no single nationality exceeds 12% of the total student population — a deliberate policy that reinforces the school's commitment to genuine internationalism. Nearly 300 qualified teachers from over 25 countries deliver the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) with outstanding academic results, including a 2025 IB DP average of 35 points.

From six classrooms to a landmark campus, CIS's history is one of educational ambition realised through community commitment.

Mission and Vision

Canadian International School articulates its educational purpose with clarity and brevity: "Engage. Enlighten. Empower." This three-word mission captures a progressive philosophy that prioritises student agency, critical thinking, and transformation. The school's vision extends further: "Unleashing the potential of every individual so they can own their future" — language that signals a belief in personalised growth over standardised outcomes.

The International Baccalaureate as a Unifying Framework

CIS's educational philosophy is built around the International Baccalaureate continuum, delivering all three major programmes:

• IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) — for students aged 2–11, emphasising inquiry, transdisciplinary learning, and the development of the 'whole child'
• IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) — for students aged 11–16, connecting subject knowledge to real-world contexts
• IB Diploma Programme (DP) — for students aged 16–18, a rigorous pre-university qualification recognised globally

The continuity of the IB framework across all school years is a deliberate philosophical choice: it ensures consistent pedagogical values from nursery through to graduation, without the disruption of switching curriculum models at transition points.

Inquiry-Based and Student-Led Learning

At the heart of the CIS approach is inquiry-driven learning — an educational model where students construct understanding through questioning, investigation, and reflection rather than passive reception of information. This aligns with the IB's 'Learner Profile', which emphasises attributes such as being inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and risk-takers.

Teachers at CIS are framed as facilitators and co-learners rather than sole authorities. Class structures are informed by learning profiles, and the school handbook explicitly describes a careful process for composing class groups that optimise the learning environment for every student.

International-Mindedness and Diversity as Pedagogy

CIS regards its extraordinary demographic diversity — over 70 nationalities with no group exceeding 12% — not merely as a social fact but as an active pedagogical tool. Students learn alongside peers from profoundly different cultural backgrounds daily, developing the global empathy and cross-cultural communication skills that the IB framework champions.

The bilingual programmes in Mandarin Chinese and French, available from early years through primary school, reinforce the school's commitment to multilingualism as both academic discipline and worldview.

Holistic Development: Wellbeing, House System, and CAS

CIS's philosophy explicitly rejects a purely academic definition of education. The House System spanning Grades 1–12 builds cross-age community and team identity. The SWELL (Student Wellbeing and Learning) department provides counselling and mental health support. At Diploma level, the IB's Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) requirement ensures students engage in arts, physical activity, and community contribution as non-negotiable components of their education.

The school's safeguarding approach — including specialist tools such as the 'Brook Traffic Light' framework — reflects a philosophy of child protection that is systematic, evidence-based, and developmental in orientation.

A Campus Designed for Community at Scale

The CIS Lakeside Campus in Jurong West is one of Singapore's most impressive school facilities, yet its design philosophy resists the impersonality that large institutions can create. Architect-informed planning adopted a 'school-within-a-school' concept: multiple semi-autonomous learning communities are housed within the 43,000 sqm building, giving students a sense of belonging to a smaller group while accessing the resources of a major institution.

Opened in 2017 at a cost of approximately S$140 million, the campus was conceived as a permanent statement of CIS's commitment to world-class education in Singapore's west — an area that has grown significantly as a residential hub for expatriate families.

Athletic and Aquatic Excellence

Few international schools in Asia can match the athletics infrastructure at Lakeside:

• An Olympic-length 50-metre swimming pool — one of only a handful at any school in Singapore
• A second training/recreational pool
• Three tennis courts
• A full-sized football field and junior football pitch
• A large gymnasium with two basketball courts
• Aerobics and weights rooms

This infrastructure supports competitive swim teams, multiple football codes, tennis, basketball, badminton, and a wide range of individual fitness pursuits.

Arts, Performance and Creative Spaces

The arts are central to CIS campus life. The 500-seat two-storey theatre hosts drama productions, concerts, assemblies, and visiting performances. Dedicated music rooms, rehearsal spaces, and visual arts studios ensure that creative subjects receive the physical environment they require. The school fields orchestras, concert bands, choirs, dance groups, and full theatrical productions.

Academic and Research Facilities

Seven state-of-the-art science laboratories support the IB sciences curriculum at MYP and DP level. A Makerspace equipped with 3D printers and fabrication tools serves the growing technology and design curriculum. The two-storey library — extensively resourced for inquiry learning — sits at the intellectual heart of the campus. Computer labs provide programming and digital learning environments.

Community and Wellbeing

Beyond classrooms, the Lakeside Campus includes counselling rooms for the SWELL team, a Sodexo-operated cafeteria serving diverse cuisine, a picnic area, and a rooftop garden. These spaces reflect an intentional design choice: school is not only about instruction but about community formation.

The Tanjong Katong Campus

CIS's second campus at 371 Tanjong Katong Road serves younger students (approximately Nursery through Grade 5) in the east of Singapore. Smaller and more intimate in character, it provides outdoor play areas and dedicated early-years classrooms for families based in Singapore's eastern districts. Both campuses are served by the same school bus network operated by Yeap Transport.

A Diversity-First Admissions Philosophy

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of CIS admissions is its nationality cap policy: no single nationality may exceed 12% of the total student body. With over 70 nationalities represented across approximately 3,000 students, this is not merely an aspiration but a structurally enforced commitment to diversity. For prospective families, this means that regardless of origin — Korean, Japanese, Indian, American, British, or Australian — no community dominates the social fabric of the school.

This policy shapes admissions decisions in ways beyond academic merit alone: the composition of the cohort at any given time influences which nationalities have available spaces.

Assessment and Entry Requirements

CIS applies an age-appropriate assessment process for all applicants:

• Mathematics and English assessments as part of the application review
• Student interview for older applicants
• School reports from the previous 2–3 years
• Recommendation letters and evidence of prior schooling

For applicants to Grades 6–10 from non-English-speaking backgrounds, an English language proficiency test is required to determine whether ELL (English Language Learner) support is needed. Students who require language support are enrolled with structured ELL provision until deemed proficient.

Fees and Financial Commitment

Prospective families should plan for the following costs:

• Application Fee: S$1,000 (non-refundable, payable at application)
• Confirmation/Enrollment Fee: S$5,500 (first child; payable upon accepting a place)
  • Second child: S$4,500
  • Third child and beyond: waived
• Annual Tuition: S$20,010 (Nursery) to S$51,550 (IB DP Grade 12)
• School Bus: Approximately S$2,000–3,500 per year (Yeap Transport door-to-door service)

Scholarships for Grades 7–12

CIS offers three merit-based scholarship categories for incoming or current students in Grades 7–12:

1. Academic Excellence Scholarship — for students with outstanding academic records; covers partial to full tuition
2. Performing Arts Scholarship — for students demonstrating exceptional ability in music, drama, or related arts
3. Athletic Scholarship — for students with competitive sports achievements

All three are open to students of any nationality. Applications typically close in autumn (September deadline historically). Financial need-based aid does not appear to be formally available.

Waitlist and Timing

Given strong demand, a waitlist is common when grade-level capacity is reached. Families seeking entry are advised to apply as early as possible. The school year begins in August, with the application process ideally initiated several months prior.