Singapore

At a glance

Who it suitsStudents who want a strong English-taught university in Asia and would consider working in Singapore.

Application window

NUS, AY2026/27: 3 December 2025 to 23 February 2026 [8]

Tuition Grant bond

Work 3 years for a Singapore entity after graduating [9]

Student's Pass fees

S$45 processing plus S$60 issuance [10]

Work during term

Up to 16 hours a week [4]

Which qualification leads where

• A-LevelGood route

  A standard route; check each programme's subject prerequisites. [11]

• IB DiplomaGood route

  Accepted; prerequisites are set per programme. [11]

• AP and SATPossible

  Accepted, with the scores and tests listed on the admission requirements page. [11]

• GaokaoPossible

  Check whether your programme accepts Gaokao results before you plan on it. [11]

• Chinese high-school diploma onlyHard

  Usually not enough without Gaokao or international results.

English you need

IELTS

6.0 [7] Prepare for IELTS →

TOEFL iBT

5.0 [7] Prepare for TOEFL →

NTU asks for 6.0 overall with 6.0 in Writing and Speaking; on the old TOEFL scale, 90. An IGCSE O-Level English grade A, or an SAT of 1250, is accepted instead of a test.

Universities to look at

• Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Jurong West

  Accepts An IGCSE O-Level English grade A or an SAT of 1250 replaces an IELTS.

  Tuition a year S$21,400 with the Tuition Grant, or S$36,350 to S$45,600 without it (2026 intake)

  Admissions page → [1]

• Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Changi

  Accepts You apply for the Tuition Grant inside the admission form, not separately.

  Tuition a year S$62,076 a year for international students after the Tuition Grant (AY2026)

  Admissions page → [12]

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Choose and apply

• Shortlist programmes and check their subject prerequisites. [11]
• Watch the window: for AY2026/27 NUS took international qualifications from 3 December 2025 to 23 February 2026. [8]
• Prepare for any interview, test or portfolio your programme asks for.

Money

• Decide on the Tuition Grant: lower fees in return for a bond. [13]
• Take the bond only if you will work 3 years for a Singapore entity after graduating. [9]
• Compare the subsidised and full fees in the university fee tables. [14]
• Read the Tuition Grant agreement before you accept it: it obliges you to work for a Singapore-registered entity for three years after you graduate. [15]
• Apply for the Tuition Grant inside the admission form — it is not a separate application. [12]
• Check whether you need an IELTS at all: an IGCSE O-Level English grade A, or an SAT of 1250, is accepted instead. [7]
• Consider the Nanyang Global Scholarship: subsidised tuition in full plus S$6,500 a year of living allowance, open to all nationalities. [16]
• Budget S$10,000 to S$16,290 a year of living costs on top of tuition, using NUS's own figures. [2]

Visa

• Apply for the Student's Pass in ICA's SOLAR system after accepting your offer. [10]
• Pay S$45 processing and S$60 issuance, plus S$30 for a multiple-journey visa where needed. [10]

Before you go

• Apply for campus housing as soon as you accept your offer.
• Check which medical insurance your university requires.

Jun 2026 Aug 2027

1. Jun 2026 14 months before passed

   Research programmes and check subject prerequisites.

2. Dec 2026 8 months before

   The window for international qualifications opens (NUS, AY2026/27: 3 December 2025). [8]

3. Feb 2027 6 months before

   The window closes (NUS, AY2026/27: 23 February 2026). [8]

4. Apr 2027 4 months before

   Interviews, tests and offers: reply by the date in your offer.

5. May 2027 3 months before

   Accept your offer and decide on the Tuition Grant and its bond. [13]

6. Jun 2027 2 months before

   Apply for the Student's Pass in SOLAR. [10]

7. Jul 2027 1 month before

   Book housing and finish the pass formalities.

8. Aug 2027 At the start

   Arrive and start the academic year.

A year

¥160,000 – ¥320,000

Whole degree

¥660,000 – ¥1,300,000 over 4 years

Converted to RMB at two significant figures — the rate moves and the ranges are wide. Rate: European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates, 18 September 2026, checked 2026-09-19.

Tuition

Lower with the Tuition Grant, full fee without; see the fee tables [14]

Tuition Grant bond

Work 3 years for a Singapore entity [9]

Living costs

S$10,000 to S$16,290 a year: an on-campus room at S$4,000 to S$10,290, plus S$6,000 for meals, transport, books and personal spending [2]

Student's Pass

S$45 processing, S$60 issuance [10]

Multiple-journey visa

S$30 where applicable [10]

Scholarships and funding

• MOE Tuition Grant — and the bond that comes with it [15]

  It covers a substantial part of the full fee, for the normal length of the degree, and it is what makes the lower fee above possible.

  In exchange you sign an agreement obliging you to work for a Singapore-registered entity for three years after graduating. It is a contract, not a preference, and it is the single most important thing to understand about studying here.

• NTU: Nanyang Global Scholarship [16]

  The subsidised tuition in full, a living allowance of S$6,500 a year, up to S$2,000 for accommodation, a travel grant and a one-off S$2,000 computer allowance.

  Open to all nationalities. It adds no bond of its own — but the Tuition Grant's three years still apply.

• SUTD: Trailblazers (International) Scholarship [12]

  The subsidised tuition for up to four years.

  International students and Singapore permanent residents. Again, no bond of its own, and again the Tuition Grant's three years still apply.

Visa

• Full-time students at a university need a Student's Pass, applied for in ICA's SOLAR system. [10]
• Fees: S$45 processing and S$60 issuance, and S$30 for a multiple-journey visa where applicable. [10]

Work during and after studies

• During term: up to 16 hours a week without a work pass, at eligible institutions. [4]
• In vacations you may work without an hour limit while you remain a full-time student. [4]
• Internships that count towards your degree are allowed. [4]
• With the Tuition Grant you must serve the bond in Singapore after graduating. [9]

When you arrive

• Finish the Student's Pass formalities that ICA and your university ask for. [10]
• Open a bank account and get a local phone number.

Common mistakes

• The window closes months before the August start, so apply in the winter before. [8]
• The Tuition Grant bond ties you to 3 years of work in Singapore. [9]
• Term-time work is capped at 16 hours a week. [4]
• Fee tables differ by programme and citizenship, so read the right column. [14]

Sources

1. NTU Singapore: undergraduate tuition fees, 2026 intake checked 2026-09-19
2. National University of Singapore: living costs checked 2026-09-19
3. Singapore Airlines: flights from Shanghai to Singapore checked 2026-09-19
4. Ministry of Manpower: work pass exemption for students checked 2026-09-13
5. Singapore ICA: Long-Term Visit Pass checked 2026-09-19
6. NTU Singapore: applying with international qualifications checked 2026-09-19
7. NTU Singapore: other international qualifications checked 2026-09-19
8. NUS admissions: important dates checked 2026-09-13
9. Ministry of Education: Tuition Grant bond checked 2026-09-13
10. ICA: Student's Pass for universities checked 2026-09-13
11. NUS admissions: international qualification requirements checked 2026-09-13
12. SUTD: Trailblazers (International) Scholarship checked 2026-09-19
13. Ministry of Education: Tuition Grant Scheme checked 2026-09-13
14. NUS registrar: undergraduate fees checked 2026-09-13
15. NTU Singapore: the MOE Tuition Grant and its bond checked 2026-09-19
16. NTU Singapore: Nanyang Global Scholarship checked 2026-09-19

Rules and fees change. Everything here was checked against the official pages on the date shown. Confirm on those pages before you apply or pay.