Academia

What Academia does

Academia is a Singapore-based English language tuition centre operating under Academia Education (DBA), founded in 2013 by Johann Loh, a Princeton scholar and former Oxford visiting student. The company delivers structured English tuition and exam preparation programmes across the full Singapore educational pipeline, including Primary (PSLE preparation, Levels 0A-2B), Secondary (G3 O-Level English and Literature), Integrated Programme (IP English & Language Arts for Years 1-4), Junior College (A-Level General Paper), and International Baccalaureate (IB English/Literature). Tutoring is delivered weekly in person across three Singapore tuition centre locations: Upper Thomson (11 Sin Ming Road), Bukit Timah (587 Bukit Timah Road, Coronation Plaza), and Whitley (245 Whitley Road, Tanglin Community Club), with headquarters at 6 Sin Ming Road.

The company's core technology product is Cogito, a proprietary Learning Management System architected in-house on the Brightspace platform, which provides data-driven student progress metrics and integrates curated Generative AI for enhanced learning experiences. Curriculum is developed internally, refined annually since inception, and supported by an editorial blog, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and email newsletter marketing footprint. The teaching faculty includes a Princeton-credentialed founder, a Master of Education valedictorian from NIE, NTU and NUS graduates with Highest Distinction, and an MOE veteran with 17 years of teaching experience spanning local MOE service and international IB instruction in Japan.

Academia operates a direct-to-consumer business model with no external equity funding, parent company, or subsidiaries disclosed. Revenue is generated primarily through term-based subscription fees (12-13 week terms) priced from S$1,356 to S$2,520 per student per term depending on programme level and tutor seniority tier (Associate, Specialist, Head, Director), with trial packages of three lessons offered before full enrollment. The company does not disclose revenue, operates exclusively in Singapore, and has not undertaken acquisitions, partnerships, or funding rounds since founding.

Name

Academia

Legal name

Academia

Website

https://academia.com.sg

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Academia is a Singapore-based English language tuition centre, founded in 2013, delivering structured exam preparation and enrichment programmes for Primary, Secondary, IP, JC, and IB students across three physical locations, supported by a proprietary Cogito LMS built on Brightspace with integrated Generative AI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

English Language Tuition Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Study & Research Skills for Academic Subjects (Note-Taking, Lab Reports, Essays) (EDANAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI), Research, Capstone & Extended Essay Mentoring (IB EE, independent research) (EDANAKAH)

Keywords

• English tuition services
• PSLE preparation programmes
• Secondary English tuition
• JC General Paper tuition
• IB English tuition

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Term-based subscription fees for English language tuition programmes. Students enroll per term (12-13 weeks) with fees varying by tutor seniority level (Associate, Specialist, Head, Director). Pricing ranges from S$1,356 to S$2,520 per term depending on programme level and tutor tier.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Academia is a Singapore-based English language tuition centre delivering structured, term-based English programmes for students from Primary 1 through Junior College and IB. Its offerings span PSLE preparation, G3 O-Level English, Integrated Programme English and Language Arts, A-Level General Paper, and IB English and Literature, all taught weekly at three physical tuition centre locations (Upper Thomson, Bukit Timah, Whitley). The centre is supported by an in-house proprietary Learning Management System, Cogito, built on Brightspace, which integrates data-driven progress tracking and Generative AI for blended learning.

Product overview

Academia is an English tuition centre in Singapore offering a comprehensive suite of English Language and Literature programmes across all educational levels. The core offering includes structured tuition programmes for Primary (PSLE preparation), Secondary (G3 O-Level English), Integrated Programme (IP English), Junior College (General Paper), and International Baccalaureate (IB English). The company's flagship technology product is Cogito, a proprietary Learning Management System powered by Brightspace that delivers data-driven metrics and integrates Generative AI for enhanced learning experiences. All curricula are developed in-house and refined annually. The company operates across multiple locations including Upper Thomson, Bukit Timah, and Whitley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary School English Tuition English tuition programme for Primary 1-6 students, structured across levels 0A through 2B, covering PSLE preparation, comprehension, composition writing, grammar, vocabulary, oral communication, and listening skills.
• Secondary School English Tuition English tuition for Secondary 1-4 students, including Level 3A/3B Language Arts classes, preparing students for G3 O-Level English examinations.
• IP English & Language Arts Tuition English and Language Arts tuition for Integrated Programme students (Years 1-4), including Level 3A, Level 3B, Level 4 IP, and Level 4 Literature programmes designed for students bypassing O-Levels.
• Junior College General Paper Tuition A-Level General Paper tuition for JC students, focusing on critical thinking, argumentation, essay writing, and current affairs analysis.
• International Baccalaureate English IB English tuition for students in the IBDP track, covering IB Literature and Language & Literature with preparation for IB assessments.
• Literature Programme Literature tuition for Secondary and IB students, focusing on literary analysis, essay writing skills, and appreciation of literary texts across poetry, prose, and drama.
• English Enrichment English enrichment classes for students seeking additional language development beyond regular academic tuition, focusing on building stronger language foundations.
• Cogito Learning Management System Proprietary in-house Learning Management System powered by Brightspace, delivering a blended learning system with data-driven metrics for tracking student progress and integrating Generative AI for enhanced learning experiences; used by Academia's enrolled students at tuition centres.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50%+ AL1 rate for PSLE English; 70%+ AL1/AL2 combined
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Learning Lab: Major Singapore tuition centre chain offering multi-subject programmes for K-12 students; competes directly with Academia for English and humanities students across the same price tier and exam preparation pathways (PSLE, O-Level, A-Level).
• Mind Stretcher: Large Singapore tuition and enrichment centre chain serving primary and secondary students with English, Math, and Science; comparable scale, multi-location footprint, and direct overlap in primary English/PSLE preparation.
• Aspire Hub Education: Singapore-based tuition and enrichment centre group with multi-subject programmes; competes with Academia for the same English-language and humanities exam preparation market.
• Henry Park Tutorial Centre: Established Singapore tuition centre offering English, Math, and Science for primary and secondary students; targets the same exam-prep families and competes on similar outcome-driven branding.
• Prep Zone Academy: Singapore tuition centre focused on IP, IB, and A-Level preparation including General Paper and English; competes with Academia for the same pre-university humanities segment.
• Edufront Learning Centre: Singapore tuition centre offering English, Math, and Science programmes; comparable in scale and in targeting primary through secondary exam preparation.
• Tutor City: Singapore tuition centre group offering English and other subjects at primary and secondary levels; competes for the same affluent parent segment and exam-prep demand.
• ECIT Education Centre: Singapore English tuition centre with strong PSLE and secondary English track record; directly comparable offering, target customer (Singapore parents), and exam preparation focus.

Broad incumbents

• Marshall Cavendish Education: Established Singapore-based education publisher and tuition provider with a broader K-12 portfolio; competes in some English and humanities exam preparation segments at scale.
• Kumon: Global after-school enrichment and tutoring franchise with significant presence in Singapore; broader subject coverage and lower price point but competes for parent spending on supplemental English education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCen95DWcBTx8G0-QduoYlAg
• Facebookfacebook.com/academia.com.sg
• Instagraminstagram.com/academia.com.sg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academiasg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Academia