Youth sports programmes in Singapore are easy to find if you're 10. At 15 to 25, it gets harder: most ActiveSG academy classes stop between 16 and 19, school CCAs end when you graduate, and many "youth" pages are written for parents of primary schoolers. The short answer: if you're 15 to 18, ActiveSG Academies and Clubs and SportCares are your cheapest, most structured options. If you're 19 to 25, look at university and poly sport, Outward Bound's fully sponsored award, community water sports and beginner programmes built for young adults. This guide puts them side by side by age, cost and how to sign up.
I'm Zhanna, co-founder of ContentGenZ, an ITF tennis coach and a tennis content creator. Many of the beginners I meet are 18 to 25 and say the same thing: "I stopped sport after school and don't know where to start again." This is the guide I'd give them.
Youth sports programmes in Singapore, compared by age
Every figure below is from the official page, read on 12 November 2026. Fees and seasons change, so check the link before you sign up.
| Programme | Who runs it | Ages | Cost | Commitment | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveSG Youth Tennis Programme | Sport Singapore | 10–18 | S$130 for 10 sessions | Weekly, at Heartbeat@Bedok or Senja-Cashew | ActiveSG Tennis |
| ActiveSG Volleyball Academy | Sport Singapore | 13–19 (by class) | S$130 members, S$185 non-members, for up to 10 sessions | Seasonal, about 10 weeks | ActiveSG Volleyball |
| Saturday Night Lights (football) | SportCares, Sport Singapore | 13–21 | No fee listed | Saturdays, 6pm to 9pm, 7 venues | SportCares |
| SportCares Bursary | SportCares | 3–18, on financial assistance | Covers academy fees | At least 70% attendance | Bursary page |
| Singapore University Games and IVP Games | Singapore University Sports Council | Uni students | Through your school's team | Season around September to October | SUSC |
| OBS Leadership and Service Award | Outward Bound Singapore, NYC | 17–35 | Fully sponsored | 21-day course, then a service project | OBS |
| Young ChangeMakers (sport projects) | National Youth Council | Youth-led projects | Grant, not a fee | You run your own project | NYC |
The pattern is clear: lots of choice until about 18, then it thins out. The rest of this guide is about filling that gap.
If you're 15 to 18: ActiveSG and SportCares
ActiveSG Academies and Clubs are Sport Singapore's coached programmes, run in seasons of about ten weeks. Two things to know before you sign up:
- Members pay less. ActiveSG membership is free for Singapore Citizens and PRs, and comes with ActiveSG$ credits you can put towards programmes (Sport Singapore). On the volleyball, hockey and basketball pages, up to 30% of the fee can be paid with ActiveSG$. Check the programme page for the current limit before you pay.
- Seasons fill and close. Registration opens before each season on MyActiveSG+. If you miss it, you wait for the next one. Hockey, for example, says its next season starts in the first week of January 2027.
Some classes are "intermediate" or "selective" and need a trial or invitation. As a beginner, look for the classes without that label.
SportCares, Sport Singapore's charity arm, runs programmes for youth who might otherwise miss out. Saturday Night Lights uses football to engage 13 to 21 year olds every Saturday night, at venues including ITE College Central, ITE College East and Serangoon Stadium; you're matched to the venue nearest your home. If your family receives financial assistance (such as ComCare or MOE FAS), the SportCares Bursary can cover ActiveSG academy fees for 3 to 18 year olds.
For parents: ask about the coach's qualifications, the safety plan and how the coach communicates with you, especially for under-18s. Good programmes will answer all three without hesitation.
If you're 19 to 25: where the options are
This is where most guides stop. Here's what's left once school sport ends.
University and poly sport
If you're at NUS, NTU, SMU, SIT, SUTD, SIM or SUSS, the Singapore University Games run roughly from mid-September to mid-October, and the top teams go on to the IVP Games against poly and ITE teams the following January (SUSC). Many CCAs and recreational teams take beginners even if the competition squad doesn't. Ask at your school's sports office in your first weeks.
Outward Bound's fully sponsored award
The OBS Leadership and Service Award is for Singapore Citizens and PRs aged 17 to 35. It's a fully sponsored 21-day Classic Challenge Course followed by a service project. The next run is listed as 31 May to 20 June 2027, with registration tentatively opening in January 2027 (OBS). It's not a sport you'll keep playing every week, but it rebuilds fitness and confidence outdoors.
Community water sports
The People's Association runs PAssion WaVe outlets for dragon boating, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and stand-up paddling (onePA). Age limits depend on the activity, and fees are listed per course.
Start your own sports project
If there's nothing for your group, NYC's Young ChangeMakers grant funds youth-led projects, including ones that bring the community together through sport (NYC). A weekly beginners' run club or a court-booking group for friends who never played are both the kind of thing it's for.
Learn a sport from zero, as an adult
You can always book a public court and pay a coach. For tennis, ActiveSG courts are the cheapest place to play, and our guide on how to learn tennis as a beginner in Singapore walks through the costs and an eight-week plan. For what coaching costs, see tennis lesson prices in Singapore.
Which youth sports programme fits you?
Answer these four questions in order:
- Are you 18 or under? Start with an ActiveSG academy class without a trial label. If cost is a barrier and your family is on financial assistance, apply for the SportCares Bursary.
- Are you in uni, poly or ITE? Go to your school's sports office first. It's the cheapest coaching you'll ever get.
- Do you want structure for a few weeks, not a season? Look at the OBS award (17+) or a fixed-length beginner programme.
- Do you just want to play with friends? Book public courts, split the cost and get a coach for the first few sessions so you start with the right technique.
A beginner programme for young women: First Serve
First Serve Creators is a ContentGenZ programme for young women aged 15 to 25 who have never played tennis. Ten participants learn over six Saturday sessions with me as the coach, film their own progress, and keep their racket after attending five of the six sessions. Anyone under 18 needs consent from a parent or guardian, and every session runs with a written safety protocol. The open call is planned for January 2027. Supported by the National Youth Council Singapore.
It fills the gap this guide keeps running into: a coached, beginner-only programme for the 19 to 25 age group, not just for teens. Join the First Serve open call, or if you're a tennis brand, partner with us.
What to check before you sign up for any programme
- Age on the date the season starts, not the date you apply.
- Trial or invitation only? Skip those as a complete beginner.
- Member vs non-member price, and whether ActiveSG$ can be used.
- Attendance rules. Some programmes and bursaries require a minimum attendance.
- Filming rules. If you want to post your progress, ask first. Many programmes have rules about filming other participants, especially minors.
Sources
- Tennis seasonal programme, ActiveSG Circle (read 12 November 2026)
- Volleyball seasonal programme, ActiveSG Circle (read 12 November 2026)
- Saturday Night Lights, SportCares, Sport Singapore (read 12 November 2026)
- SportCares Bursary, Sport Singapore (read 12 November 2026)
- ActiveSG$100 for every Singaporean to play sport, Sport Singapore (read 12 November 2026)
- Singapore University Games, Singapore University Sports Council (read 12 November 2026)
- OBS Leadership and Service Award, Outward Bound Singapore (read 12 November 2026)
- Young ChangeMakers, National Youth Council (read 12 November 2026)
- PAssion WaVe, People's Association (read 12 November 2026)
