Study and Research Opportunities in Singapore

Long and short-term academic programs are available in Singapore across many universities and educational centers. International students and researchers may apply to BA, MA, Ph.D., and postdoctoral research programs in Singapore. Moreover, summer schools and conferences are other excellent academic activities that make Singapore an attractive destination for scholars and scientists. Many programs also come with fully-funded scholarships and fellowships as well as travel grants and financial aid, thus every student, researcher, and professor can always find a suitable program in Singapore and apply.

Scholarships in Singapore

Fellowships in Singapore

Summer Programs in Singapore

Grants & Awards in Singapore

Singapore as an academic destination

Studying in Singapore means attempting your academic and career path in a country that shook the world with its economic miracle. Singapore is an IT and business hub of Asia, a country that welcomes the most advanced technological innovations.

Generally, with the development of the Asian educational sector, it has become a go-to destination for many international students. In Asian countries, students can receive EU or US compatible level knowledge for less price. 

In this regard, Singapore is a double strike! Besides carrying the overall attractiveness of international studies in Asia, the country has also surpassed the continent countries with the educational infrastructure's quality.

Where to study in Singapore?

Your options of higher educational institutions' choice are quite wide in Singapore, though the island-nation is one of the world's smallest countries. Generally, higher education in Singapore can be pursued in the following places:

  • Public universities, which are funded by the government, however, have a right to independently develop and change strategies. 
  • Private universities, which receive government funding to support some student's part-time or full-time degrees.
  • Polytechnic Institutions offer practical skills at the diploma level and are the leading post-employment professional development service providers. 
  • Institutes of Technical Education offer part-time educational or traineeship courses, which provide technical-oriented studies and help students develop technical knowledge and skills. 
  • Foreign Universities have representative branch campuses in Singapore, providing both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. 
  • Arts Schools offer specialist creative education for both diploma and degree courses. 

Singapore has around 34 universities, the 6 of which are national. Singaporean universities are included in many global rankings with different criteria. 

The National University of Singapore is the country's oldest and top university. It's included both in QS World University Rankings and QS Asia University Rankings. NUS is also considered one of the best education institutions in engineering, technology, social sciences, and management.

The second in a row comes a Nanyang Technological University, which is also included in both QS mentioned rankings, a bit lower than NUS. The university is considered the best in the fields of engineering, technology, and material sciences. Starting from 2013, NTU opened a Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, which collaborates with the UK's Imperial College London. 

The other 4 national universities, which also have high recognition in Singapore and the world, include Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore Management University (SMU), and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

Along with purely Singaporean Universities, there are many foreign university branches in the country. You may check the student exchange option for studying in Singapore if your home country's universities have the collaborations here. The examples of the most notable foreign institutions in Singapore include the Singapore University of Technology and Design (in partnership with US's Massachusetts Institute of Technology and China's Zhejiang University) and Yale-NUS College (in partnership with Yale University). 

Studying costs in Singapore

Singapore's studying expenses are in the middle of European and other Asian countries' prices. Singapore has the highest tuition fees compared to other Asian countries, and the country is generally considered one of the most expensive ones. 

Therefore, not only for direct studying expenses but also for funding your stay and enjoying your entertainment, you'd better care about finding external scholarships. The list above and the numerous other opportunities covered in this section of ARMACAD aim to help you in that.

Coming to prices, you should expect the bachelor's programs to cost 22,000-44,000 USD and Graduate degrees to cost 22,000-36,000 USD. The prices are significantly higher for medical programs. 

Also, there is a small nuance to be included in the international student expenses in Singapore. You might not find it in many universities around the world. Still, in Singaporean universities, you need to legalize your diploma after completing the studies so that you can use it later in your country of residence

To legalize your diploma, you should set an online appointment and process a 7 USD online payment. This section of Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry will guide you through the process better. 

Visa requirements

All international students need a Student's Pass, and a part of them needs an entry visa, depending on the country of residence. Singapore made the process of student visa quite hassle-free, as after the student's acceptance university itself applies for the visa and grant it to the student. 

Things stand different for the Student's Pass, for which students should apply to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) through the Student's Pass Online Application & Registration System. This step should be taken 1-2 months before the start of the course. 

There is a technical difference in Student's Pass application for those students who need an entry visa and those who don't. If you need a visa, you should care about the Student's Pass's online application before arriving in the country. Otherwise, you may organize the process when already being in Singapore, within two weeks of the acceptance, no earlier than two months and no later than a month before starting the course. 

One of the most crucial advantages of Singaporean universities is that they are closely related to practical research in the country's most developed industries. This gives more practical skills and better employment opportunities to students. We hope the opportunities collected in this section of ARMACAD will help you in that.