Singapore is home to more than 160 active Toastmasters clubs spread across every major district, from Orchard Road to Jurong East. Each club operates independently under the global framework of Toastmasters International, a non-profit founded in 1924 that now covers 149 countries. The Singapore chapter belongs to District 80, which also includes Malaysia and Brunei.
The Oldest and Largest: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TMCS)
Chartered on 1 October 1967, TMCS holds the distinction of being the first Toastmasters club in the country. It meets every Monday from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the Sheraton Towers Hotel ballroom, 39 Scotts Road, Singapore 228230. With more than 159 active members, TMCS runs approximately 40 meetings per year. The club is open to everyone, and there is no membership restriction.
TMCS has operated from the same venue for decades, which provides a large professional stage and a consistent meeting environment. Guests are welcome at any session and do not need to register in advance, though arriving by 6:15 PM is advisable to find seating.
Lion City Toastmasters Club
Founded in 1977, Lion City TMC is the second-oldest club in Singapore. It grew out of a graduate group at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) before opening to the public in 1980. The club meets every 2nd and 4th Monday at Work Central, 190 Clemenceau Avenue, #06-01, Singapore Shopping Centre, Singapore 239924. Sessions run from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM.
Guest attendance costs SGD 10 payable at the door. Registration is first-come, first-served via email at lioncitytoastmastersclub@gmail.com. Lion City TMC has sponsored several other clubs over the years, including SIM TMC (1984), Tampines Changkat TMC (1993), and New Millennium TMC (1998).
In 2025, the club ran a three-part Presentation Masterclass covering audience connection, delivery polish, and the psychology of speaking anxiety. Sessions were led by national-level speaking and evaluation champions.
The Open Alumni Toastmasters Club
This club meets once a month, on the third Thursday, at Buona Vista Community Club, 36 Holland Drive, Level 3, Room 03-02, Singapore 270036. Meetings start at 7:00 PM. The Open Alumni TMC shares joint meetings with the Telok Blangah Toastmasters Club at the same venue.
For members who find it difficult to commit to weekly sessions, a monthly meeting schedule can be a practical alternative. The club adjusts dates around public holidays; for example, the February 2026 meeting moved from 19 February to 26 February to avoid the third day of Chinese New Year.
What Happens at a Typical Meeting
A standard Toastmasters meeting follows a structured agenda that generally includes three segments:
- Prepared speeches: Members deliver speeches of 5 to 7 minutes from the Toastmasters Pathways educational programme. Topics are chosen by the speaker and range from personal stories to technical explanations.
- Table Topics: An impromptu speaking round where members and guests respond to random prompts for 1 to 2 minutes. This segment builds the ability to think and articulate ideas quickly.
- Evaluations: Designated evaluators provide structured feedback on each prepared speech, covering content, delivery, body language, and timing.
Meetings also include a Grammarian who tracks language use, an Ah-Counter who notes filler words, and a Timer who enforces speech durations with green, amber, and red signals.
Finding a Club That Fits
The official Toastmasters International club finder allows filtering by day, time, and location. Most Singapore clubs meet in the evening, between 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. Some meet weekly, others fortnightly, and a few meet monthly.
Key factors to consider when choosing a club include proximity to home or workplace, meeting frequency, club size (smaller clubs offer more speaking time per session), and the general demographic of the membership. Visiting two or three clubs as a guest before committing is common practice.
Corporate vs. Community Clubs
Some Toastmasters clubs in Singapore are corporate clubs, hosted within organisations such as DBS Bank, Changi Airport Group, and the Singapore Armed Forces. These clubs may have membership restrictions. Community clubs, on the other hand, are open to all. Both follow the same Toastmasters educational programme and meeting format.
Costs
Toastmasters International charges a semi-annual membership renewal fee of USD 60 (approximately SGD 80). Individual clubs may add their own dues, typically ranging from SGD 20 to SGD 60 per half-year, depending on venue rental and operational costs. Guest visits are usually free, though some clubs charge a nominal fee of SGD 5 to SGD 10.