Living In Singapore

LIVING IN
SINGAPORE

Singapore is renowned not only for its top schools and excellent education system, but also its spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. With its aspiration and efforts to be the leading education hub in the region, it has earned numerous accolades for an education system based on meritocracy, under which our students have excelled and flourished.

Culture-rich Community

For foreign students, an educational journey in Singapore is more than just an academic endeavour, as they have to immerse themselves in a new environment which may be alien to their own. SFMS has put in place various measures to ensure that all students adjust well to school life and make the most of their experience with us, by fostering an inclusive environment enabling students from different cultures to settle. SFMS organizes trips for students to get a better feel of Singapore’s culture and places of interest, often including stopovers at cultural and ethnic enclaves such as Little India and Chinatown, lunch at a kopitiam for an authentic taste of Singapore delicacies and visits to places of worship and historical significance. Tapping on the cultural richness and diversity within our student population, SFMS promotes cultural awareness and appreciation during special events such as celebration of Racial Harmony Day, International Friendship Day and our Family Carnival. Through activities such as exhibitions, fashion shows, songs, dance and drama, students interact and learn more about one another’s cultures. They also get to pick up common phrases in other languages and taste dishes unique to various cuisines. Besides enhancing their understanding of cultural diversity, these activities also help them to widen their contact network.

Law and Order

All students studying in Singapore have to strictly adhere to the laws in Singapore – especially those relating to Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) – which include, but are not limited, to the following:

Crimes

Crimes such as terrorism, violence, theft, kidnap, brutality, sex, money laundering, etc, are dealt with seriously under the Laws of Singapore. Offenders may face imprisonment, indefinite imprisonment or even death penalty.

Drugs

Drug abuse is viewed seriously in Singapore. Illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substrances is strictly prohibited. Offenders will be sentenced to a long jail term or even death in serious cases.

Spitting and Littering

Spitting and littering in Singapore is an offence that carries a fine.

Jaywalking

Offenders may face a fine and/or a jail term for jaywalking.

Smoking

Smoking under the age of 18 is an offence in Singapore. Smoking is not allowed in all public indoor places and most outdoor places, unless otherwise mentioned.

Alcohol

Anyone below the age of 18 is prohibited from purchasing and consuming alcohol.

Employment

Student Pass holders are strictly not allowed to work, even on a part-time basis.

Driving

Only people who possess an International or Singapore Driving Licence, at least third party insurance cover and paid-up road tax, can drive on the roads.

Others

Import, sale and possession of chewing gum is banned.

For more information, please refer to the respective ICA and MOM websites.

Guardianship Services

SFMS requires all International students enrolled at the School and not residing with a parent, to have a guardian for the duration of their enrolment, who can act on behalf of the student’s parent and assist with all aspects of the student’s welfare while in Singapore. The guardian should either be:

A Singapore Citizen / Singapore Permanent Resident / Employment
Pass Holder and above 25 years old, or
The parent or an adult family member of the International student if
the parent / family member is working / staying in Singapore.

All Guardians have to be appointed and approved by the parents of the International students.

Please approach Student Services for Guardian recommendations. SFMS recommends responsible and professional guardians for our International students. The fee payable to the appointed guardian is to be borne by the International students.

SFMS requires the following documents from the parents’ approved Guardian:

Completed and signed Guardian Nomination Form
A copy of Guardian’s NRIC and Passport

Accommodation Services

Students studying at SFMS who require accommodation can be housed in hostels at either ACS Oldham Hall or Nanyang Girls’ Boarding School with supervised care by a housemaster/housemistress. For students who wish to consider the homestay option, our strategic partner, Evo House Services, also provides a wide range of care and support for our students.

(A) ACS Oldham Hall (Hostel Accommodation)

Living in a boarding school enables boarders to have the opportunities to learn beyond the classroom and be equipped with important life skills.

ACS Oldham Hall (for both male and female students) provides boarding school environment with supervised care by a housemaster/housemistress. Resident Housemasters and Housemistresses provide support for boarders, ensuring that their welfare and personal needs are attended to.

ACS Oldham Hall has 2, 3 and 4-bedded rooms, where each boarder is entitled to his/her own workspace and wardrobe. Community spaces include study rooms with computer and internet access, and common rooms for indoor recreational purposes. Pantries, where boarders can gather over hot drinks and snacks, are located on every floor.

Comprehensive sports facilities including tennis courts, Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a gym are provided. A host of exciting extra-curricular activities are periodically organised for boarders. In addition, compulsory supervised study sessions serve to improve the boarders’ studies. This balance between work and play helps to nurture a well-rounded individual.

Meals are taken together in the Dining Hall, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. Students take their lunch in school on weekdays. Lunch is available in the Dining Hall on Saturdays, Sundays, school holidays and public holidays. Professional laundry service (with ironing of uniforms) and self-laundry facilities are available to meet boarders’ needs.

An additional benefit for our students staying at ACS Oldham Hall is that there will be tuition programmes specially organised for them at a subsidised rate.