In recent years, Singapore has come up as one of the foremost destinations for international students. Officially called the Republic of Singapore, this country is made up of 60 islands, with Singapore Island being the biggest one.
Singapore’s strategic location, hi-tech facilities, interesting cultural contrasts and tourist attractions has made it a leading destination for both business and pleasure in recent years.
Singapore places a huge emphasis on education. Although small in size, it packs a punch when it comes to research, innovation and higher education. Singapore has both local and foreign universities and institutions which offer recognized courses to students. These institutions offer various courses, from Management to Biotechnology, Engineering to Jewelry Design and Medicine to Mass Communication. An added advantage of studying in Singapore is that the cost of education is lower compared to other countries.
There are currently 5 publicly funded universities: National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Education, the overall proportion of international students at the local universities is 16%. The Computing, Science and Engineering courses at NUS and NTU have approximately 26% international students.
Other institutions like INSEAD, La Salle College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Digipen Institute of Technology focus on world class art and technology education.
The admission requirements of universities in Singapore generally include SAT (for undergraduate study), GRE /GMAT (for postgraduate courses) and either TOEFL or IELTS (to prove English proficiency). Additional documents like transcripts, recommendations, personal statement, etc will be specified by each university.
Undergraduate fees can range between S$ 28,000 to 35,000 per year and post graduate fees can be approximately S$ 18,000 to 25,000 per year.
Tuition fees (especially for undergraduate courses) are highly subsidized in the universities. All students (including international students) can apply for the Singapore Government’s Tuition Grant (TG) Scheme. The Scheme provides a subsidy to eligible students in exchange for signing a TG agreement in which they will need to work in a Singapore-based company for at least 3 years upon graduation.
The Singapore student visa is called a Student Pass. For acquiring a Student Pass, students should show an admissions offer for a full time course from the concerned university and adequate funds to complete education.
Singapore ranks 15 in the Quacquarelli Symonds 2015 ranking for Best Student Cities, thanks to the country’s prominent universities, outstanding quality of higher education, diverse student community and high quality of life. With ‘The Lion City’ celebrating its 50th birthday this year, there couldn’t be a better time to study in this rich and vibrant multicultural hub.
Suchitra Surve
www.growthcentre.org