Feeling a little overwhelmed by all the acronyms in Singapore? Fear not: we've deciphered them all for you!
Ever caught a traffic update on Singapore radio? There’s a pile-up on the ECP, just before the KPE, major blockages on the PIE, avoid lane one near the exit to the CTE. OMG, WTH? Even Singapore locals and seasoned expats can sometimes be stumped by the odd acronym. It took us ages to get to grips that a GIRO was an automated payment, not in fact a delicious Greek snack. And that when someone told you they wanted to meet at ECP they didn’t actually intend to meet you in the middle of a major road. Or the cringe-worthy moment you misunderstood the use of DTF…in Singapore culinary terms, DTF stands for Din Tai Fung.
So here’s the HoneyKids list of Singapore acronyms – print this bad boy out and stick it on your fridge, ASAP!
| ACS | Anglo-Chinese School |
| AEIS | Admissions Exercise for International Students |
| AIS | Australian International School |
| AMK | Ang Mo Kio |
| AWARE | Association of Women for Action and Research |
| AYE | Ayer Rajah Expressway |
| BKE | Bukit Timah Expressway |
| BKT | Bak Kut Teh |
| BT | Bukit Timah |
| BTO | Built to Order (Flats) |
| CBP | Changi Business Park |
| CC | Community Club |
| CCA | Co-Curricular Activity |
| COE | Certificate of Entitlement |
| CPF | Central Provident Fund |
| CTE | Central Expressway |
| DBS | Development Bank of Singapore |
| DCIS | Dover Court International School |
| DCS | Dulwich College Singapore |
| DP | Dependent Pass |
| DTF | Din Tai Fung |
| EC | Executive Condominium |
| ECP | East Coast Parkway |
| ECP | East Coast Park |
| EP | Employment Pass |
| ERP | Electronic Road Pricing |
| FDW | Foreign Domestic Worker |
| GBTB | Gardens by the Bay |
| GEMS | GEMS World Academy (Singapore) |
| GESS | German European School Singapore |
| GIIS | Global Indian International School |
| GIRO | General Interbank Recurring Order |
| GSS | Great Singapore Sale |
| GST | Goods and Services Tax |
| GV | Golden Village |
| GWC | Great World City |
| HDB | Housing Development Board |
| HPB | Health Promotion Board |
| HSBC | Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation |
| HWA | Hillside World Academy |
| IB | International Baccalaureate |
| IC | Identification Card |
| ICA | Immigration and Checkpoints Authority |
| ICS | International Community School |
| IIS | Integrated International School |
| IR | Integrated Resort |
| IRAS | Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore |
| ISS | International School Singapore |
| JB | Johor Bahru |
| KIV | Keep In View |
| KJE | Kranji Expressway |
| KK | Kerbau Women’s and Children’s Hospital |
| KL | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| KPE | Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway |
| LFS | French School of Singapore |
| LHL | Lee Hsien Loong |
| LKY | Lee Kuan Yew |
| LOA | Letter of Assignment |
| LOC | Letter of Consent |
| LRT | Light Rapid Transit |
| LTA | Land Transport Authority |
| MAS | Monetary Authority of Singapore |
| MBFC | Marina Bay Financial Centre |
| MBS | Marina Bay Sands |
| MC | Medical Certificate |
| MCE | Marina Coastal Expressway |
| MDA | Media Development Authority |
| MINDEF | Ministry of Defence |
| MOE | Ministry of Education |
| MOF | Ministry of Finance |
| MOH | Ministry of Health |
| MOM | Ministry of Manpower |
| MRT | Mass Rapid Transport |
| MSIS | Melbourne Specialist International School |
| NDP | National Day Parade |
| NETS | Network for Electronic Transfers |
| NISS | Nexus International School Singapore |
| NLB | National Library Board |
| NRIC | National Registration Identity Card |
| NS | National Service |
| NTU | Nanyang Technological University |
| NTUC | National Trade Union Congress |
| NUH | National University Hospital |
| NUS | National University of Singapore |
| OCBC | Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation |
| OFS | Overseas Family School |
| OIC | Oh, I see |
| OMV | Open Market Value |
| ORD | Operationally Ready Date |
| PA | People’s Association |
| PAP | People’s Action Party |
| PARF | Preferential Additional Registration Fee |
| PCN | Park Connector Network |
| PIE | Pan Island Expressway |
| POSB | Post Office Savings Bank |
| PP | Parkway Parade |
| PQP | Prevailing Quota Premium |
| PSA | Port of Singapore Authority |
| PSLE | Primary School Leaving Examination |
| PUB | Public Utilities Board |
| Q | Queue |
| RWS | Resorts World Sentosa |
| SAF | Singapore Armed Forces |
| SAFRA | SAFRA National Service Association |
| SAIS | Stamford American International School |
| SAM | Singapore Art Museum |
| SAS | Singapore American School |
| SBS | SBS Transit |
| SBS | Singapore Broadcasting Service |
| SCDF | Singapore Civil Defence Force |
| SG | Singapore |
| SGH | Singapore General Hospital |
| SGX | Singapore Exchange |
| SIA | Singapore Airlines |
| SJI | St Joseph’s Institution |
| SJII | St Joseph’s Instituation International |
| SJS | Singapore Japanese School |
| SLA | Singapore Land Authority |
| SLE | Seletar Expressway |
| SMU | Singapore Management University |
| SNEC | Singapore National Eye Centre |
| SOTA | School of the Arts |
| SPCA | Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| SPH | Singapore Press Holdings |
| SSO | Singapore Symphony Orchestra |
| SSS | Swiss School Singapore |
| SUSS | Singapore University of Social Sciences |
| SUTD | Singapore University of Technology and Design |
| TPE | Tampines Expressway |
| TT | Telegraphic Transfer |
| TTS | Tanglin Trust School |
| TWS | The Winstedt School |
| UOB | United Overseas Bank |
| UWCSEA | United World College South East Asia |
| XLB | Xiao Long Bao |
TTFN (ta ta for now in teen lingo. Yep: that’s a whole other list to learn…)!
Like this story? Here’s more we think you’ll enjoy:
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Full list of school related acronyms in Singapore
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