What should parents check before paying a childcare registration fee in Singapore?
Confirm the exact branch is ECDA-licensed for your child's age group and has a vacancy (infant care, for 2 to 18 months, is only at selected centres), and get in writing whether the registration fee and deposit are refundable.
Before you pay a registration fee, make sure the specific centre, not just the brand, can take your child. Infant care in Singapore generally serves babies from 2 months to 18 months, and child care serves children from 18 months to below 7 years old. Many operators offer infant care only at selected centres, so a brand that has infant care elsewhere may not offer it at the branch near you. Centres are licensed by ECDA under the Early Childhood Development Centres Act 2017, so confirm the outlet is licensed for your child's age group.
Registration fees add up when you join several waitlists, so ask whether the fee is refundable and whether it secures a place or only a waitlist position. The registration fee is only part of the first-month cost: there is usually a deposit, and some centres charge for materials, uniforms, bedding, insurance or optional enrichment. Fees vary by operator, branch, programme and subsidy eligibility, and infant care usually costs more than child care because caregiving needs are higher.
What changes the answer
- Your child's age: infant care is offered at fewer outlets, so vacancies and waitlist length matter more.
- Type of centre: anchor, partner, private and premium preschools set fees differently.
- Subsidy eligibility: ECDA subsidies can materially reduce monthly fees for Singapore Citizen children, so ask how the centre applies them before you commit.
- How many waitlists you join: non-refundable fees across several centres raise your total outlay.
What to check before you decide
- A written fee schedule for the exact branch and age group, including the deposit amount and when it is refunded.
- Withdrawal terms: the notice period and refund rules if you decline the place or leave later.
- Recent reviews for that exact branch, looking for repeated themes on teacher warmth, communication, hygiene and staff turnover.
- A centre visit, ideally before any payment, to ask about teacher-child ratios, settling-in, illness policy, meals and allergies.