More Expat Students Choose Private Tuition

According to the Straits Times, more young expats are recognising the value of hiring a tutor to help them with their studies. The schools in Singapore are notoriously rigorous, and hiring a Singapore chemistry tutor or a getting tuition in some other subject is a popular way for international students to cope with those educational demands.

A “Tuition Nation”

Statistics support the fact that Singapore is a “tuition nation.” Within the city-state, the total that parents and students spend on tuition annually exceeds $1 billion. To keep up with their native Singaporean counterparts, the children of expatriates have to have tutors, too.

The Kiasu Culture

In Singapore, there’s a Hokkien term for the “fear of losing out”— kiasu. This kiasu culture is strong in Singapore’s education system, and it seems to be affecting young international students as well, especially since they find themselves up against stiff competition for the top spots in school and in universities. Even expat students who are smart and well-educated may find that Singapore’s complex curriculum is too much to handle without the help of a chemistry tutor, math tutor, or other types of tutors.

Rising Demand for Tuition Among Expats

The number of international students using tuition services has increased dramatically during the past few years. In 2014, one centre reported having under 50 expat students. Today, the same agency has almost 1,000 international students working with private tutors. Whereas expats made up 5 percent of the agency’s customers, they now make up around 20 percent.

Another tuition service saw its international clientele leap from 15 students in 2004 to more than 300 in 2017. One agency noted a 50 percent increase in expat students in the space of a single year.

It’s the same story elsewhere in Singapore as well.

Private tutors are much in demand, whether they are linked with a particular agency or operating independently. A qualified Singapore chemistry tutor like Julian Tan of Julian Chemistry is a sought-after prize for families seeking O level chemistry tuition or A level chemistry tuition.

The Proof of Tuition Excellence

Building a strong reputation is vital to a chemistry tutor’s success. In Julian Tan’s case, his 16-year record of success with his students speaks for itself. “I have tutored students in A Level Chemistry at the H1, H2 and H3 levels for 16 years,” he explains. “I have consistently assisted my students in achieving stellar results (80% A and 90% AB for H2 Chem). Many of my former students have gone on to excel academically at top universities such as Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, UPenn, NUS and NTU.”

In 2017, Tan received the Terman Award from Stanford University, which recognises the “most inspirational pre-college teacher.” Accolades like these let parents know which tutors are most likely to help their children achieve success in difficult areas of study, such as chemistry.

The Right Kind of Tutor

When you search for chemistry tuition, math tuition, or another kind of tuition in Singapore, make sure that you find someone with an excellent reputation and a history of success with students. Also, look for someone who knows how to make learning fun and how to apply abstract concepts to real life. When learning is fun, the knowledge and skills tend to stick with you longer, enabling greater success for your future.