Verifying a Singapore private institution's registration and EduTrust certification protects your Student's Pass eligibility and tuition fees before you enrol. Singapore mandates two separate regulatory checks for private education institutions (PEIs): mandatory Enhanced Registration Framework (ERF) registration to operate legally, and EduTrust certification to admit international students. Both checks are governed by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), formed on 1 July 2026 through the merger of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG). This step-by-step guide explains how to check official government registries to confirm your school's legal status.
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Who Regulates Private Education in Singapore, and Why Does It Matter?
Private education institutions (PEIs) in Singapore are regulated under the Private Education Act 2009. Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), jointly overseen with the Ministry of Education is the government body responsible for registering PEIs, running the EduTrust Certification Scheme, and enforcing student-protection rules.
Warning! Never pay fees or sign a contract with a school that is not on the official PEI registry. An unregistered school has no legal standing in Singapore. You will have no protection if the school closes or does not deliver your course.
What Is ERF Registration?
ERF registration is the base-level requirement for every private school in Singapore. ERF stands for Enhanced Registration Framework.
Under the Private Education Act and Private Education Regulations, all PEIs that offer courses in Singapore must be registered with SWDA. Registration confirms that a school meets minimum standards for how it is run, how it manages student fees, and how it communicates with students.
ERF registration alone does not qualify a school to enrol international students. For that, the school also needs EduTrust certification. Think of ERF registration as the foundation and EduTrust as the next level up.
Note: A school can be ERF-registered but not EduTrust-certified. This means it can teach local students but cannot offer placements to international students or sponsor a Student's Pass.
What Is EduTrust Certification?
EduTrust is a quality certification scheme administered and governed by SWDA. Schools apply for EduTrust voluntarily, but in practice it is required for any PEI that wants to enrol international students.
EduTrust certification shows that a school has been assessed against seven criteria covering leadership and strategic planning, corporate governance and administration, management of external recruitment agents, student protection and support services, academic processes and student assessment, quality assurance and continual improvement, and achievement of student and graduate outcomes. Schools are scored out of a maximum of 1,000 points and awarded one of three certification levels based on that score.
EduTrust certification is the single most important check for international students. According to ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority), a Student's Pass will not be issued for study at any PEI that does not hold EduTrust certification.
Warning! If you enrol at a school without EduTrust certification, ICA will not grant you a Student's Pass. You will not be able to study in Singapore as an international student on a student visa.
The Three EduTrust Award Levels
There are three EduTrust award levels, based on the score a PEI achieves out of a maximum of 1,000 points. All three allow a school to enrol international students and sponsor Student's Pass applications.
Tip! If your school holds EduTrust Provisional, always check the expiry date on the official registry before you pay any fees. A lapsed Provisional certification means the school can no longer sponsor Student's Pass applications.
CPE Registration vs. EduTrust Certification: What Is the Difference?
Students often confuse ERF registration and EduTrust certification. The table below shows the key differences at a glance.
How to Verify a Singapore Institution Step by Step
Disclaimer: The official registry is updated regularly, and a school's registration or certification status can change. Always check the official TPGateway or ICA websites directly before you pay any fees or sign any documents. Do not rely on information provided by the school itself, and be aware that some school websites may still reference the former "CPE" regulator by name even though it was dissolved in October 2024.
You need to run two separate checks: one for registration status and one for EduTrust certification. Follow the steps below for each check.
Check 1: Confirm the school is a registered PEI
- Go to the TPGateway PEI listing at tpgateway.gov.sg — PEI Listing.
- Search for the school by its full, officially registered name (not a shortened brand name it may use in marketing).
- Confirm the school appears in the list with an active registration status and note its registration validity dates.
- Cross-check the school against the Deregistered PEIs list. If the school does not appear as currently registered, or its status shows as lapsed or cancelled, do not proceed with your application.
Check 2: Confirm EduTrust certification status
- Go to the TPGateway EduTrust Certification Scheme page, which links to the current list of EduTrust-certified PEIs.
- Search for your school by its full registered name.
- Note the certification level (Star, EduTrust, or Provisional) and the expiry date.
- If the school is not listed, or its certification has expired, it cannot sponsor your Student's Pass. You can confirm this directly on ICA's Approved Private Education Institutions page.
- If the school holds EduTrust Provisional, note the expiry date carefully. Provisional certification is only valid for up to one year.
Tip! Take a screenshot of both results and save them. If there is ever a dispute about the school's status at the time you enrolled, you will have a dated record.
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What Is the Fee Protection Scheme (FPS)?
The Fee Protection Scheme (FPS) protects course fees paid in advance if a school closes or cannot deliver the programme. All EduTrust-certified schools must implement FPS through SWDA-appointed insurance providers or comparable arrangements for all collected fees.
The amount of fees an institution can collect at one time depends on its certification status:
- EduTrust-certified schools: Can collect up to 12 months of course fees at a time, provided all fees are protected under FPS.
- Non-EduTrust (ERF-only) schools: Capped at collecting a maximum of 2 months of course fees at any one time, unless the school has subscribed to the Industry-Wide Course (IWC) fee insurance scheme, in which case it may collect up to 6 months at a time.
Disclaimer: Fee protection rules, insurance providers, and collection caps can change. Confirm the current FPS arrangements with your school before you make any payment. You can also verify requirements at tpgateway.gov.sg.
What Happens If You Choose an Unregistered or Non-EduTrust Institution?
Choosing an unregistered or non-EduTrust school puts both your student status and your money at serious risk. The consequences are significant and hard to reverse once you have paid fees or arrived in Singapore.
No Student's Pass
ICA will not issue a Student's Pass for a school that is not EduTrust-certified. Without a Student's Pass, you cannot legally study in Singapore as an international student.
No Fee Protection
Schools without EduTrust certification are not required to have the full Fee Protection Scheme. If the school closes, you may lose fees you have paid beyond the lower ERF collection cap, with no way to recover them.
No Legal Student Contract
Registered PEIs must use an approved student contract with clear refund terms. Unregistered schools have no such obligation, leaving you with limited legal recourse.
Warning! If you discover that a school is not registered or not EduTrust-certified, do not make any payments. Contact SWDA immediately for guidance. You can also report unregistered schools to help protect other students.
Regulators publish advisories when they identify unregistered or fraudulent education providers. Check the TPGateway PEI resources page for the latest information before you make any decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) regulates private education institutions (PEIs) in Singapore. SWDA was formed on 1 July 2026 through the merger of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG). SSG had itself taken over private education regulation directly from the Committee for Private Education (CPE), which was dissolved on 1 October 2024. SWDA now registers PEIs, administers the EduTrust Certification Scheme, and enforces student-protection rules under the Private Education Act 2009.
Yes. Every private education institution operating in Singapore must be registered under the Enhanced Registration Framework (ERF), which is now administered by SWDA. This is required under the Private Education Act 2009. There are no exceptions. If a school is not registered, it is operating illegally.
EduTrust is a quality certification scheme administered by SWDA. It confirms that a school meets higher standards in areas like student support, refund policies, course quality, and financial management. Schools are scored out of 1,000 points, and there are three levels: EduTrust Star (750+ points, the highest), EduTrust (600–749 points), and EduTrust Provisional (500–599 points). Only EduTrust-certified schools can enrol international students and sponsor Student's Pass applications.
No. ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority) will not issue a Student's Pass for study at a school that is not EduTrust-certified. ERF registration alone is not enough. You must choose a school that holds a current EduTrust certification at any of the three levels.
EduTrust Provisional is the entry-level EduTrust award. It is valid for up to one year and means the school meets minimum standards but has acknowledged areas that need improvement. Provisional-certified schools can sponsor Student's Pass applications. However, because Provisional certification expires within a year, you must check whether it has been renewed before you enrol or before you renew your Student's Pass. A lapsed Provisional certification means the school can no longer sponsor your pass.
The Fee Protection Scheme (FPS) protects the course fees you have paid that have not yet been used, in the event that your school closes or cannot deliver your programme. All EduTrust-certified schools must have FPS in place. It applies to both local and international students. Ask your school which FPS insurance provider covers your enrolment, and keep all payment receipts.
Go to tpgateway.gov.sg — PEI Listing to confirm registration, and the EduTrust Certification Scheme page for certification level and expiry date. You can cross-check EduTrust status on ICA's Approved Private Education Institutions page as well, since ICA only accepts Student's Pass applications for EduTrust-certified PEIs. Always check the expiry date to confirm the certification is still current before you enrol or make any payment.
Choosing the right institution in Singapore starts with these two simple checks: registration status and EduTrust certification. Both checks take only a few minutes online and can save you from serious problems later. You deserve to study at a school that meets Singapore's official standards, protects your fees, and supports your path to a great education.
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