CDAC Funding Info

The CDAC Fund is used to fund CDAC’s programmes and assistance schemes to help students, workers and families from lower-income groups to overcome their challenges in order to attain social mobility.

Students from low-income families, underprivileged families and seniors are our key beneficiaries.

We help students to realise their potential, families to be self-reliant and more resilient and help seniors to stay active and connected with the community.

In 2023, CDAC supported 15,300 households through its various programmes for students, workers, seniors and families. CDAC continues to support students and families through broad-based programmes to help them strive for social mobility. At the same time, CDAC will also focus on deepened support for the more vulnerable families by providing holistic assistance to help them.

Under the Central Provident Fund Act (Chapter 36, Section 76(3)), all working Chinese Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents will contribute monthly to the CDAC Fund.

Employers are expected to deduct the CDAC contributions from their employee’s wages unless the employee submits an opt-out form to CDAC. (Refer to Q7 on the opt-out procedures).

CDAC adopts a consistent approach in alignment with the CPF Board on the types of employees who are not required to make payments.

In general, those who are not required to contribute include work pass holders and students belonging to the following groups:

1. Registered students of the following schools and Madrasahs (except for students who have completed the GCE “A” level examinations or its equivalent) working during the school holiday period stated on the Ministry of Education website (with effect from 1 February 2018).

a. Government and Government-Aided Schools

b. Independent Schools

c. Specialised Independent Schools

d. Specialised Schools

e. MOE-funded Special Education Schools

f. Mountbatten Vocational School

g. Madrasahs
• Madrasah Alsagoff Al-Arabiah
• Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah
• Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah
• Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah
• Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah
• Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah

Please refer to SchoolFinder for the list of schools under (a) to (d) and the Ministry of Education website for the list of schools under (e). Please contact the Ministry of Education if you require clarification on the list of institutions.

2. Matriculated or registered students of the following institutions and employed for training approved by their institutions during the school term and/or school holiday period:

With effect from 1 January 2018

a. any university whose function of providing university education is determined by any written law

b. the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore, established by the Institute of Technical Education Act

c. a polytechnic established by any written law

Please refer to the Ministry of Education website for the list of institutions under the section “Autonomous Universities”, “Institute of Technical Education (ITE)” and “Polytechnic”. Please contact the Ministry of Education if you require clarification on the list of institutions.

With effect from 1 February 2018

a. Specialised Schools

b. MOE-funded Special Education Schools

c. Mountbatten Vocational School

Please refer to SchoolFinder for the list of schools under (a) and the Ministry of Education website for the list of schools under (b). Please contact the Ministry of Education if you require clarification on the list of institutions.

3. Matriculated or registered students of any overseas tertiary education institutions who are required by the overseas tertiary education institution to undergo training in Singapore for a period of not more than 6 months. With effect from 1 February 2018, students are required to submit to their employers a written confirmation from the overseas tertiary education institution to indicate that they are —

(i) matriculated or registered students of the overseas tertiary education institution; and

(ii) required by the overseas tertiary education institution to undergo training in Singapore.

4. Matriculated or registered students of any private education institution enrolled in a full-time programme subsidised by the Ministry of Education and employed for training approved by their institutions (with effect from 1 February 2018):

a. All full-time diploma programme programmes at LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

b. Bachelor of Music programme offered by the Royal College of Music, London, at NAFA

c. All full-time Bachelor’s degree programmes offered by Goldsmiths College, University of London, at LASALLE

Please refer to the Ministry of Education website for the list of programmes under the section “LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts”. Please contact the Ministry of Education if you require clarification on the list of institutions.

Effective 1 January 2015

*Gross Wages/Month | Minimum Monthly Contribution to CDAC

$2,000 or less | $0.50

>$2,000 to $3,500 | $1.00

>$3,500 to $5,000 | $1.50

>$5,000 to $7,500 | $2.00

>$7,500 | $3.00

*Gross wages refer to all remuneration in money due or granted to an employee with respect to his/her employment, including overtime pay, allowances (e.g. food, shift or transport allowances), commission and bonus.

CDAC adopts a consistent approach in alignment with the CPF Board on the types of payment/ remuneration that requires CDAC contribution.

Please refer to the CPF Board website for the types of payment/ remuneration to employees that attract payment.

No. An employee is required to contribute regardless of his monthly wage.

Should you wish to make changes to your monthly contribution, please fill in the relevant form below and submit it to CDAC via email (Email: [email protected]):

• Increase contribution amount

• Opt out of contribution

• Rejoin to contribute after opting out

• Voluntary contribution

The employer can effect the changes immediately after the form has been submitted to CDAC.

For further enquiries, you may call our hotline at 6841 4889 or email [email protected].

The CDAC Opt-Out Form requires the endorsement of the employer. The purpose is for the employer to take note of the opt-out and hence stop the deduction once the form is submitted. If the CDAC contribution is still being deducted from your wages, please check with your employer. Your company could seek for a refund on the contributions made in excess/ or in error. (Refer to Q21 to Q23 on the refund procedures)

Yes. As the contribution to the CDAC Fund is on a per employment basis, you would have to submit a new Opt-Out Form to your new employer and forward the completed form to CDAC if you wish to continue to opt out of the scheme.

Yes, CDAC has been granted the status of an Institution of a Public Character (IPC). Your donation to the CDAC Fund made from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2026 is entitled to a 2.5 times tax deduction. The tax deduction will be automatically reflected in your IR8A statement.

You can call our hotline at 6841 4889 or email your queries to [email protected].