Tutor Circle 2026 Private Tuition Fee Guide for IB, IGCSE and A-Level in Singapore and Hong Kong

Why IB tuition prices vary so widely

The International Baccalaureate is not a single examination. The Primary Years Programme is an inquiry-led programme for younger learners. The Middle Years Programme connects classroom learning with the wider world. The Diploma Programme is a rigorous pre-university programme. [1]

Two tutors who both advertise “IB Maths” may be offering different work. A Primary Years tutor may focus on mathematical thinking and confidence. A Middle Years tutor may connect concepts across units and support school-based assessment. A Diploma Programme tutor for Mathematics: analysis and approaches at Higher Level needs advanced subject knowledge, familiarity with current assessment, and preparation between lessons. [2]

The useful question is not only “What is the hourly rate?” It is whether the tutor has taught the child’s exact programme, subject and level.

How to read the tables

“University student / part-time tutor” means a university student or someone teaching part-time. “Full-time private tutor” means private tuition is the person’s main work, and they are not classified here as a current or former school teacher. “Current or former school teacher, or senior curriculum specialist” includes school teachers and tutors with substantial experience in that curriculum and examination system.

Where a person could fit more than one label, the category follows their main teaching background and relevant experience. These labels are for fee comparison. They are not professional accreditation, teacher registration, or proof of government-school experience.

• Singapore amounts are in Singapore dollars. Hong Kong amounts are in Hong Kong dollars.
• Grade and year labels for IGCSE are illustrative. Ages and pathways differ by school.
• Pre-IGCSE means preparation before the course. It is not a separate IGCSE qualification.
• A provider’s published rate is not, by itself, a ceiling for an individual tutor.

Singapore IB home tuition rates, 2026

Per hour, in Singapore dollars. Across the university-student and full-time columns, the table spans S$35–65 for the Primary Years Programme, S$40–80 for the Middle Years Programme, and S$50–100 for the Diploma Programme. Those spans summarise this table. They are not a second, independent check of the figures.

These ranges are not a fixed Tutor Circle price list, official tariff or recommended charge. Actual fees depend on the subject, level, tutor background and lesson arrangement, and they are agreed individually. “+” means there is no fixed upper limit.

A worked budget, not a market average: one 1.5-hour Diploma Programme lesson a week with a full-time private tutor at S$70–100 an hour is about S$420–600 for four lessons. Travel, a longer lesson, or a school-teacher rate changes that total.

Singapore IGCSE tuition rates, 2026

Foundation years usually need help with core concepts and schoolwork. Examination years usually need syllabus coverage, past papers and examination strategy. Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science can cost more when fewer tutors have the right examination experience.

Fees also move with the examination board, commonly Cambridge International or Pearson Edexcel, and with practical or coursework components. Any help with assessed work has to leave the student as the author of that work.

These ranges are not a fixed Tutor Circle price list, official tariff or recommended charge. Actual fees depend on the subject, level, tutor background and lesson arrangement, and they are agreed individually. “+” means there is no fixed upper limit.

Group tuition can lower the hourly cost per student. One-to-one tuition costs more because the lesson follows that student’s pace, gaps and examination plan. Compare class size and syllabus match, not only the hourly figure.

Singapore A-Level home tuition rates, 2026

Students in Singapore Junior Colleges prepare for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level. Subjects are examined at H1, H2 and H3. [7] In this guide, H1 is treated as covering less breadth than H2, not automatically less depth, and H3 as more advanced study in selected subjects. Confirm the subject and level before matching a tutor.

These ranges are not a fixed Tutor Circle price list, official tariff or recommended charge. Actual fees depend on the subject, level, tutor background and lesson arrangement, and they are agreed individually. “+” means there is no fixed upper limit.

JC2 students, and Millennia Institute Year 3 students, often need more examination-focused support. Do not copy the JC1 or JC2 band onto an MI student automatically. Match the actual subject level and examination timetable. H3, and current or former MOE teaching experience, should be confirmed for that tutor.

Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Economics can sit toward the top of a band when tutors who know the Singapore-Cambridge papers are harder to find. H2 and H3 in particular reward a tutor who knows the paper structure and marking expectations.

Hong Kong home tuition rates, 2026

Hong Kong amounts are in Hong Kong dollars. They are not a conversion of the Singapore tables. Tutor Circle was founded in Hong Kong in 2014 and later extended one-to-one matching to IB, IGCSE and other international curricula. The Singapore service uses that matching experience for local and international-school families.

Hong Kong IB

These ranges are not a fixed Tutor Circle price list, official tariff or recommended charge. Actual fees depend on the subject, level, tutor background and lesson arrangement, and they are agreed individually. “+” means there is no fixed upper limit.

Hong Kong IGCSE

These ranges are not a fixed Tutor Circle price list, official tariff or recommended charge. Actual fees depend on the subject, level, tutor background and lesson arrangement, and they are agreed individually. “+” means there is no fixed upper limit.

Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science may sit higher when specialist tutors are scarce. Familiarity with the student’s Cambridge International or Pearson Edexcel syllabus, including practical or coursework components, can also move the fee.

Hong Kong A-Level

A-Level students in Hong Kong do not all sit the same qualification. Reformed A levels in England are linear, and an AS result no longer counts toward the A level. [3] Pearson Edexcel International AS/A Levels are modular, except Law. [4] Cambridge International AS & A Level can be staged or taken in one series, and staged assessment is not available for every subject. [5]

Confirm the awarding body, syllabus and assessment stage. “AS/A2” is not a safe label for every pathway. None of these qualifications should be treated as the same thing as the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level.

These ranges are not a fixed Tutor Circle price list, official tariff or recommended charge. Actual fees depend on the subject, level, tutor background and lesson arrangement, and they are agreed individually. “+” means there is no fixed upper limit.

A family’s stated budget, a tutor’s asking rate and the fee that is eventually agreed are three different numbers. Comparing them as if they were the same does not produce a valid range for a tutor category.

What determines an IB tutor’s hourly rate

• Programme level. PYP, MYP and DP need different teaching skills. A national-curriculum approach is not automatically an IB approach.
• Higher Level or Standard Level. Higher Level subjects generally need more depth, more specialised knowledge and more preparation.
• Subject and availability. Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL, Physics HL and Chemistry HL need subject expertise. Economics support should match HL or SL. Adding a specific school’s experience narrows the pool.
• IB teaching experience. A strong national-curriculum teacher is not automatically familiar with IB command terms, assessment criteria or inquiry-led learning.
• IA, EE and TOK. Support can cover concepts, planning, sources, citation and time. It must not produce the assessed work.
• Home or online. Travel, location, scheduling and lesson format can change the quote.

A higher rate does not guarantee a better match

Price often reflects qualifications, experience and demand. It does not guarantee that the tutor will suit the student. Matching works better when it starts from the original difficulty, the parent’s main concern, the subject and level, personality, schedule and budget, rather than from a university name or the highest hourly rate.

“Parents should not compare IB tutors on hourly rates alone. The more important question is whether the tutor understands the student’s programme level, subject syllabus and assessment requirements. The right tutor-student match often matters more than choosing the tutor with the highest qualification or rate,” said Andy Ng, Founder of Tutor Circle, in this guide.

Five questions to ask before hiring an IB tutor

• Which IB programme do you primarily teach: PYP, MYP or DP?
• Which subject, syllabus, and Higher Level or Standard Level do you specialise in?
• How will you identify my child’s current learning gaps?
• How do you support school assessments and examination preparation without compromising academic integrity?
• How will you communicate progress and next steps to parents?

When families usually start

Primary Years families often look for help when confidence drops, foundational concepts slip, or the language of instruction is new. Middle Years support is useful when interdisciplinary work, academic writing or school-based assessment gets heavier.

For the Diploma Programme, starting in Year 1 leaves time for subject foundations and a study routine. In Year 2, tuition is usually aimed at mocks, time management and specific weak areas. The last few weeks leave even an experienced tutor less room to change the result.

In Singapore, families can submit the programme, subject, preferred schedule, location and budget for tutor recommendations. Recommendations depend on availability and the family’s requirements. At the first meeting, parents can ask for examination results, academic or professional documents, and photo identification, and compare them with the profile.

Tutor Circle says more than 100,000 tutors have registered and submitted academic information for verification. That does not mean every registration has finished verification. Screening helps families read a background. It is not professional accreditation and it is not a guarantee of teaching quality.

GCE O-Level is in its final qualification year in 2026. From 2027, the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate replaces the GCE N(T), N(A) and O-Level qualifications. [6] Families planning that transition should confirm the tutor’s subject-level experience.

Sources

The fee tables are Tutor Circle’s own October 2026 compilation for this guide. The links below support curriculum terminology and assessment rules. They do not verify the hourly bands.

1. International Baccalaureate, programmes overview (Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme). Accessed 13 October 2026. This source supports programme terminology, not the fee tables. https://www.ibo.org/programmes/
2. International Baccalaureate, Diploma Programme mathematics, including Mathematics: analysis and approaches and Mathematics: applications and interpretation. Accessed 13 October 2026. https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/mathematics/
3. UK Department for Education, “Get the facts: AS and A level reform”. Reformed A levels in England are linear, and AS results no longer contribute to the A level. Accessed 13 October 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-the-facts-gcse-and-a-level-reform/get-the-facts-as-and-a-level-reform
4. Pearson, “About International Advanced Levels”. Pearson Edexcel International AS/A Levels use a modular structure, except Law. Accessed 13 October 2026. https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-international-advanced-levels.html
5. Cambridge International Education, Cambridge International AS & A Level. Candidates can take a staged route or sit all papers in one series, subject to the syllabus rules. Staged assessment is not available for every subject. Accessed 13 October 2026. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-advanced/cambridge-international-as-and-a-levels/
6. Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, “Secondary Education Certificate (SEC)”. From 2027, the Singapore-Cambridge GCE N(T), N(A) and O-Level qualifications are combined and renamed the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate. Accessed 13 October 2026. https://www.seab.gov.sg/secondary-education-certificate-sec/
7. Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, “2027 GCE Advanced Level syllabuses examined for school candidates”, last updated 28 August 2026. Subjects are examined at Higher 1 (H1), Higher 2 (H2) and Higher 3 (H3). Accessed 13 October 2026. https://www.seab.gov.sg/gce-a-level/a-level-syllabuses-examined-for-school-candidates-2027/

Questions parents ask

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