Childcare & Infant Care Subsidy

It depends on your per-capita household income, whether the mother works, the child's age, and the centre type. For a working mother at an anchor centre with per-capita income of S$2,000/month: infant care subsidy = S$600 basic + S$640 additional = S$1,240/month. The regulated fee cap for anchor infant care is S$1,610, so net fee = ~S$370/month.

Anchor operators (PCF Sparkletots, NTUC First Campus, My First Skool, YMCA, PAP Community Foundation) have the lowest ECDA-regulated fee caps and receive the highest government subsidies. Partner operators have higher fee caps but still attract full basic and additional subsidies. Private centres have no fee caps and no ECDA basic/additional subsidy, though MSF KiFAS may still apply at kindergarten level.

KiFAS (Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme) is an MSF programme for households with gross monthly income ≤ S$6,000. It provides up to S$150/month for K1/K2 kindergarten fees. It replaced the older ComCare Kindergarten Subsidy Scheme. Apply via the MSF ComCare portal.

The START-UP (Scheme To Assist & Recognise Toddlers Under Preschool) grant provides S$3,000 for first enrolment at an anchor or partner ECDA-licensed centre. It is credited in monthly installments of about S$167 over 18 months, reducing your fees. Private centres are not eligible.

The basic and additional childcare subsidies from ECDA are the same regardless of birth order. However, KiFAS tiers are slightly higher for 2nd and subsequent children. Baby Bonus CDA top-ups from the government also increase by birth order, which can be used to pay childcare fees.

Non-working mothers qualify only for the lower basic subsidy, not the additional subsidy. ECDA typically provides about S$150 per month for childcare and S$150 per month for infant care to non-working mothers at anchor or partner centres. The additional subsidy, which can add up to S$710 per month for infant care, requires that the mother is working at least 56 hours per month. Mothers on government-paid maternity leave or actively seeking work may also qualify for the additional subsidy under specific ECDA provisions. Please verify your eligibility on the ECDA website or by contacting your enrolled centre.

For the basic subsidy, you typically need the child's birth certificate, parents' NRIC or FIN, and proof of citizenship/PR status. For the additional subsidy, you must also submit recent payslips, the latest IRAS Notice of Assessment, and CPF contribution history to verify both income and working status. Self-employed parents will need to provide additional supporting documents such as accounting statements. Documents are submitted through the enrolled childcare or infant care centre, which then files the application on your behalf with ECDA.

In most cases, no. ECDA subsidies are typically applied from the month the application is approved, not backdated. This means delays in submission can cost you full months of subsidy. The most important best practice is to submit your subsidy application as soon as the child is enrolled. Some limited backdating may be possible in exceptional cases such as administrative delays on the centre's side, but this is not guaranteed. Always confirm the application status with both the centre and ECDA shortly after enrolment.