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Applications and Procedures

Entry requirements vary according to the institution, as well as the course applied to.
Admissions for Singapore's public universities are highly competitive. Applications are assessed, based on academic results, as well as other merits, such as exceptional talent in sport and leadership abilities. Applications for Singapore's public universities and polytechnics are conducted directly online.

Admissions for the public universities annual undergraduate intake in August typically open in October and close between end-December to end-March.

Applications to international universities are done directly with the respective university. Private institutions conduct their own admission exercises, and applicants should check on the application procedures with the institution directly, or approach a Singapore Education Specialist for assistance. Most private institutions typically have rolling intakes throughout the year.
All foreign students are required to apply for a Student's Pass to pursue full-time studies in Singapore. The general processing time for a new application is about four weeks. This is reduced to two weeks for SQCPEOs.

Financing Your Studies

In Singapore, there are many financial assistance schemes to help international students fund their studies.

Tuition Grant Scheme
The Singapore government provides tuition grants of about 75 per cent and 85 per cent to students enrolled at the public universities and polytechnics respectively. International students, who avail of the grant, are required to work with a Singapore-registered company for three years upon completion of their studies. The tuition grant is about S$22,400 for lab-based undergraduate programmes and S$19,000 for non lab-based programmes. Students will typically pay subsidised undergraduate fees of about S$8,000 per year (for a non lab-based course).

Financial Assistance Schemes
On top of the tuition grant, there are also many financial assistance schemes available for those, who need help with their tuition fees. The schemes include:

Tuition Fee Loan Scheme
The Singapore government offers loans of up to 80 per cent of the subsidised tuition fee payable to students enrolled at the local universities and polytechnics.
Bursaries
International students can apply for bursaries to help pay for their tuition fees and other expenses. Bursaries are awarded by institutions, based on financial need, and usually do not exceed S$1,500 per year.
Study Loans
Study loans are by and large offered at favourable interest rates and are repayable only upon graduation. Some institutions also offer additional loans for miscellaneous expenses, such as computer loans.
Scholarships
Many scholarship are open to deserving international students. Selection is typically based on academic merit, leadership skills and co-curricular track records.

Student Accommodation

Singapore offers a wide variety of accommodation options to suit different needs and budgets. Most educational intitutions have an Insternational Student Office, whom students can approach for advice. the various accommodation options available include:

Halls of residence (on-campus)
Private hostels
Homestay
Government flats
Private apartments/houses

Live, Work and Play in Singapore

Singapore is consistently rated as one of the world's best places to live and work in. In 2006, The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Singapore as offering the best quality of life in Asia. Yet, the cost of living in Singapore is considerably lower than that in many developed countries. An international student in Singapore spends, on average, about S$750 to S$2,000 a month on living expenses, including accommodation, utilities, food, transport and personal expenses.

Work-study privileges:
International students enrolled as Singapore's universities, polytechnics and certain specified institutions are allowed to work part-timr for up to 16 hours a week during term time. There is no cap on the number of working hours during vacations.

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Arts, Design and Media

The arts, design and media industry is one of the most exciting industries in the world. With Singapore fast positioning itself as a global arts centre, creative professionals from all over the world are coming to Singapore to be part of its dynamic, creative scene. Singapore has also attracted the presence of leading foreign speciality schools, like DigiPen and Tisch, who have established their first international campuses in Singapore. Singapore's array of public and foreign universities, as well as private and speciality schools, offer a comprehensive range of creative courses, from filmmaking, animation, theatre and dance, to interior design, fashion design and architecture. Moreover, students have the opportunity to pursue internships and attachments with a host of leading, international creative companies based in Singapore, such as LucasArts, Koei and DesignWorks, offering unparalleled networking and career opportunities upon graduation. The quality of education, training and exposure one gets from studying in Singapore will open doors, not just in Singapore, but around the world

International Universities

DigiPen Institute of Technology
DigiPen Institute of Technology, dubbed the 'Harvard University' for animators and games developers, has opened its first campus outside of the US in Singapore in 2008. DigiPen is a long-standing pioneer and global leader in the field of digital entertainment higher education. By combining a comprehensive curriculum, world-class faculty, and practical production experience, DigiPen Singapore provides an innovative and rigorous educational experience. It offers four undergraduate programmes comprising Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production Animation, Bachelor of Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation, Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Bachelor of Arts in Game Design.
(https://singapore.digipen.edu)

NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia
For more than 40 years, Tisch School of the Arts has created an extraordinary training ground for artists and scholars to become a premier centre in the world for performing and media arts training. With its international reputation for excellence, and commitment to increasing the impact of arts on society, it is fitting that the school now extends its curriculum and training to an even greater international audience. In 2007, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia opened in Singapore, and offers students an opportunity to receive the same training available in New York.
(www.tischasia.nyu.edu.sg)

Speciality Institutes

LASALLE College of the Arts
Long considered the breeding ground for tomorrow's creative leaders, LASALLE is Singapore's hothouse of ideas and innovation. Its unique philosophy of a holistic approach towards learning, has the brand-new campus teeming with industry leaders, who are also experienced educators. LASALLE offers a comprehensive, high-quality arts education in Singapore, with a complete academic-creative path. Today, it is Asia Pacific's leading arts institution, where award-winning artists of design, fine arts and performing arts emerge every year.
(www.lasalle.edu.sg)

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Over the years, this doyen of Singapore's arts landscape has produced a distinguished line-up of artists, designers and performing arts specialists. Renowned for its rigorous curricula, innovative teaching methods and distinctive aesthetic creations, NAFA offers a comprehensive and exciting array of courses, and provides future leaders of the arts scene, a balanced beginning.
(www.nafa.edu.sg)

Raffles Design Institute
Raffles Design Institute (Singapore) was established in 1990 as an educational institution dedicated to the professional design disciplines. Its range of courses includes fashion design, fashion marketing & management, visual communication (graphic design), multimedia design, animation, games design, interior design, product design, among others. Its programmes are designed to mould creative professionals and entrepreneurs, and offer an expeditious pathway to various bachelors and masters degree programmes. Raffles Design Institute is today a leading design education provider with schools in major cities across the region, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Auckland, Sydney and Singapore.
(www.raffles-design-institute.edu.sg)

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Tourism and Hospitality Management

The tourism sector is one of the mainstays of Singapore's economy, generating an estimated S$14.8 billion in tourism receipts in 2008. Singapore is committed to boosting growth in the tourism industry over the next decade - doubling receipts to S$30 billion and creating an additional 100,000 jobs in the services sector by 2015.
With more international institutions establishing campuses in Singapore and local institutions increasing their offerings of tourism-related courses, Singapore aims to attract and groom fresh talent to take on the challenges of growing the tourism and hospitality sectors in the country and beyond.
Singapore's public universities, polytechnics and private speciality institutes have launched more than a dozen new courses in tourism and hospitality management in the last two years. Singapore's increasing manpower demand in this field, has also attracted leading niche foreign universities, such as Cornell University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to set up campuses in Singapore. These institutions represent the best in their respective fields.

International Universities

Cornell University
The Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (CNI) is an alliance between the world's leading hotel management school and one of Asia's elite business schools. Cornell's School of Hotel Administration's long and rich hospitality tradition and the Nanyang Business School's Asian business perspective, in combination, allow CNI to introduce global best practices and knowledge customised for Asia's needs.
(www.cni.ntu.edu.sg)

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
UNLV's William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration has set up its first international campus in Singapore. The UNLV Singapore Campus aims to create a student-centered learning environment providing experiential educational opportunities using the latest technologies. UNLV Singapore does not seek to make a 'profit'. All revenues are used to cover expenses of the programme and to continuously expand its resources, develop its facilities, and engage the best faculty for the benefit of its students.
(www.unlv.edu.sg)

Polytechnics

Tourism Academy @ Sentosa
The Tourism Academy @ Sentosa is a collabbration between Temasek Polytechnic and Sentosa Leisure Group. It offers a bond-free, two-year full-time Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Business that builds future leaders for the fast-paced global tourism industry. With its international student and staff mix, wi-fi state-of-the-art campus, resort island setting and holistic learning approach, this diploma promises an unparalleled experience for every student.
(www.tourismacademy.edu.sg)

Private Education Organisations and Speciality Institues

EASB Institute of Management
East Asia Institute of Management has long been recognised by the industry as a premiere institution offering a wide range of bachelors and masters degree programmes. Its study body comprises local and international students from IS countries. It has recently been voted as Singapore's best institution in Hospitality and Tourism Management as per the Edupoll Survey 2008.
(www.easb.edu.sg)

At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy has a vision to advance culinary art with integrity and meaning. Its mission is to cultivate global chefs in a living environment of culinary authenticity, best-fit apprenticeships and research. Courses are synchronised with study and work rotations at top hotels, restaurants and food services.
(www.at-sunrice.com)

Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre
Established in 1983, SHATEC Institutes today have more than 25,000 alumni from over 20 countries. It has produced numerous chief executives, general managers, executive chefs and tourism entrepreneurs across the globe.
Through new capabilities in human capital development and an innovative curriculum, focused on professional practice, the Shatec Institutes success story is premised with an experienced management and faculty who take a leadership role in the tourism and hospitality industry.
(www.shatec.sg)

Tourism Management Institute of Singapore
A fully-owned subsidiary of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS), TMIS has been appointed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) as a quality provider in providing reality education on tour and travel services, attractions and the hospitality sector. A not-for-profit organisation, TMIS strongly believes in putting quality before profitability, therefore adhering to a high academic standard.
(tmis.edu.sg)

Scholarship Watch

Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management	: STB Scholarship
At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy	: Miele Guide At-Sunrice Culinary Scholarship
Tourism Management Institute of Singapore	: TMIS Scholarship

(The list of scholarship is not exhaustive)

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Business and Management

As a leading international financial centre, and the Asian hub of global MNCs, Singapore offers the perfect launchpad to global careers. Singapore's three local universities offer world-acclaimed business schools and programmes. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS) MBA programmes, rank among the top 40 in the world, as per the Financial Times Global MBA rankings. These are complemented by an array of global MBA brand names, as well as distinguished private education organisations.

Public Universities

Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University is a top management university, known for its American-styled broad-based,
interactive pedagogy designed in partnership with Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania) and Carnegie Mellon University in the US. It offers a wide range of degree programmes, majors and double degree programmes.
(www.smu.edu.sg)

International Universities

ESSEC
As one of France's premier institutions, ESSEC Business School is recognised for its highly selective admissions and exceptional relations with companies. With the mission to educate global leaders in the fields of business and public affairs, the ESSEC Asian Centre allows students to pursue their curriculum at their own pace through customised and executive programmes.
(www.essec.edu/essec-business-school/management-authorities/essec-asian-center)

INSEAD
One of the world's most influential business schools, INSEAD's unique perspective on global issues, and its multicultural diversity is reflected throughout its campus. Its concise yet precise one-year MBA programme has set a benchmark for other MBA programmes around the region.
(www.insead.edu/singapore_campus/getting/index.cfm)

SP Jain Centre of Management
SP Jain has created a new paradigm of management education that combines rigour and relevance to achieve the twin objectives of `influencing practice' and 'promoting value-based growth'. The entire 'earning process is focused on inculcating sensitivity to real-world sues and moulding future leaders.
(www.spjain.org)

University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
Founded in 1898, the University of Chicago GSB, a Nobel Prize winning powerhouse, created the world's first executive MBA programme in 1943 to provide middle and senior managers and executives with the most up-to-date management education. The same EMBA programme is now available at the Singapore campus.
(www.chicagogsb.edu/visit/singapore/index.aspx)

Private Education Organisations

James Cook University
Bringing programmes directly from the parent campus in Australia, JCU Singapore provides students with the same academic quality and enriching university education.
(www.jcu.edu.sg)

Management Development Institute of Singapore
Now in its fifth decade, MDIS maintains its dedication to providing well-accredited courses, seminars and managerhent services. It offers a wide range of academic programmes in collaboration with renowned international universities.
(www.mdis.edu.sg)

PSB Academy
Through strong partnerships with reputable universities from Australia, the US and UK, PSB Academy offers a comprehensive range of internationally recognised education programmes.
(www.psb-academy.edu.sg)

Singapore Institute of Management
SIM is a distinct and respected pillar in the local and regional education landscape. SIM Global Education (SIM GE) offers high-quality overseas programmes through its partnerships with established international universities and institutions in the US, UK, Australia and Switzerland.
(www.sim.edu.sg)

TMC Educational Group
TMC offers programmes from preparatory courses to bachelors and masters programmes in a range of disciplines. It also has advanced standing arrangements for degree studies with various universities in Australia, the UK and US.
(www.tmc.edu.sg)

Scholarship Watch

ESSEC	: Eiffel Scholarship
INSEAD	: INSEAD Admiral Scholarship
SP Jain Centre of Management	: Merit Scholarship
James Cook University	: JCUS Scholarship
Management Development Institute of Singapore	: MDIS International Student Merit Scholarship
PSB Acedemy	: PSB Acedemy Scholarship
Singapore Institute of Management	: SIM Global Education Scholarship
Singapore Management University	: NOL Scholarship

(The list of scholarship is not exhaustive)

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Engineering

Singapore's public universities boast world-acclaimed schools of engineering. In the 2008 Times Higher Education Supplement, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ranked No. 10 and 26 respectively among the world's top technology universities. Singapore's local universities have also formed strategic international alliances with leading foreign universities to offer global graduate education and research in science and engineering. Quality private education organisations add to this vibrancy, offering a spectrum of courses from certificate to postgraduate levels. Equally, Singapore's polytechnics are expanding their diploma programmes to meet growing demands for new fields, such as aeronautical engineering. A number of scholarships are offered to international students by the public, as well as private sector, to support talent creation in the engineering sciences.

Public Universities

National University of Singapore
Standing as one of the most prestigious universities in Singapore, and ranked consistently amongst the top 25 universities in the world, NUS has matured into a global university with an entrepreneurial dimension, boasting distinctive strengths in education and research. The broad-based and flexible curriculum offered allows its students from more than 70 countries to choose from a diverse range of courses, enriching themselves through a multi-disciplinary and cross-faculty approach.
(www.nus.edu.sg)

Nanyang Technological University
NTU is a research-intensive university with globally acknowledged strengths in science and engineering. The 2,500 strong teaching and research staff from more than 40 countries, guarantees a mix of dynamic international perspectives.
(www.ntu.edu.sg )

International Universities

Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology has partnered with NUS to establish The Logistics Institute - Asia Pacific (TLI - Asia Pacific). TLI - Asia Pacific is a premier research and education institute and offers a Dual Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Programme, which is a first of its kind in Singapore and the region.
(www.tliap.nus.edu.sg)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has collaborated with NUS and NTU to form the Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA); a pioneering graduate education and research collaboration in Science and Engineering. Founded in 1998, this synergistic partnership offers dual degrees from MIT and either one of the two Singapore universities.
(web.mit.edu/SMA)

Technische Universitat Munchen
A subsidiary of the Technische Universitat Munchen, the German Institute of Science & Technology (GIST) is the result of the first-ever German-Asian university partnership. GIST is active in the management of postgraduate education, executive training and contract research. Through joint programmes with NUS and NTU, GIST bridges academic education, industry and research to prepare young professionals for technology-orientated leadership roles.
(www.gist.edu.sg)

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A Global Option

Singapore has emerged as the most prestigious study destination in Asia, and in fact, can now compete with destinations across the world. this can be credited in part to its exemplary education system, and the stellar reputation enjoyed by its institutes of learning.

Singapore is a premier education hub in Asia, offering a rich and diverse mix of educational services in a safe, cosmopolitan environment. The island's strong international reputation for quality education has drawn a legion of the world's top institutes to Singapore. International students in Singapore enjoy a wealth of options at every level, whether they opt for mainstream education or niche areas.

Pre-Tertiary Education

Junior colleges
Students, who have completed the Singapore-Cambridge GCE '0' Level qualification (equivalent to the Indian class 10) may apply to one of over 17 junior colleges in Singapore for a two-year pre-university course leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Levels examination. Select schools in Singapore also offer alternative, internationally recognised curricula and qualifications, such as the International Baccalaureate.

Polytechnics
Singapore's polytechnics are renowned for their market-driven and practice-based courses at a diploma level. The polytechnics offer three-year full-time diploma programmes that equip graduates with specialised industry knowledge in a wide range of disciplines. Many polytechnic graduates later/pursue degree studies at top local and foreign universities. There are currently five polytechnics in Singapore:

Nanyang Polytechnics
Ngee Ann Polytechnics
Republic Polytechnics
Singapore Polytechnics
Temasek Polytechnics

Tertiary Education

Public universities
Singapore's three local universities rank among Asia's best, and offer internationally recognised undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as research and scholarship options in various disciplines. They consist of:

National University of Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore Management University

International universities
An array of leading international universities have established their presence in Singapore, either by setting up a campus or through collaborations with local universities. Leading universities with a campus in Singapore include:

DigiPen Intitute of Technology
ESSEC
INSEAD
SP Jain Centre of Management
University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Private and speciality institutes
A vast range of quality, private education organisations adds furter diversity to the nation's education landscape. The schools offer a broad range of programmes from certificate to postgraduate levels, in partnership with renowned universities from around the world. There are also several speciality institutions that offer international degrees in niche disciplines. Top private and speciality institutes include:

LASALLE College of the Arts
Management Development Institute of Singapore
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
PSB Academy
Raffles Design Institute
Singapore Institute of Management
Tourism Management Institute of Singapore

Assurance Of Education Excellence
Singapore has a strong framework to govern the quality and delivery of private education.

The CaseTrust for Education Scheme ensures student protection policies, as well as welfare practice and standards. All private schools in Singapore are required to have attained the CaseTrust for Education certification to enroll foreign students.
The Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO) Scheme serves as an industry benchmark for academic and business excellence. Private schools that have attained the SQC certification benefit from fast-track visa processing and waiver of security deposits.

Visit www.singaporeedu.gov.sg for complete listing of private schools that have attained the CaseTrust and SQC certifications)

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Singapore - Access Success

Study in Singapore Today, Singapore is thriving as one of the most preferred destinations for higher education, with its mix of international students, and universities with cutting edge technology, superior research facilities, and the ability and foresight to transform bright minds into dynamic professionals.