Studying in Singapore

What a year costs

At the public universities you choose between two prices: a subsidised fee with the MOE Tuition Grant, which comes with a bond, and a higher fee without it. The National University of Singapore's fees for new undergraduates in AY2026/2027, per year:

• Humanities and sciences: S$21,400 with the Tuition Grant (S$18,050 for ASEAN students), S$36,650 without
• Design and engineering: S$21,400 with the grant (S$18,050 for ASEAN students), S$39,700 without
• Computing: S$18,050 with the grant for ASEAN students, S$39,700 without
• Business: S$21,150 with the grant for ASEAN students, S$33,400 without
• Law: S$27,750 with the grant for ASEAN students, S$44,450 without
• Medicine: S$74,750 with the grant for ASEAN students, S$190,150 without

Fees for international students include GST at 9%. Other universities set their own fees: check each one for your year of entry.

The Tuition Grant bond. If you take the grant, you must work for a Singapore-registered entity for 3 years after graduating. The Ministry of Education runs the scheme. Read the bond terms before you accept, including what happens if you do not serve it.

Living costs. NUS estimates S$6,000 a year excluding accommodation: S$2,600 for meals, S$2,200 personal expenses, S$800 transport and S$400 books. On-campus accommodation costs S$4,000-10,290 a year depending on the hostel. Off-campus rooms are at market rates, which are much higher: if you do not get a hostel place, your housing cost can exceed your tuition with the grant.

The visa

You need a Student's Pass, issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Your university registers you on ICA's SOLAR system, and you complete the online application yourself.

• When: at least two months and not more than three months before your course begins
• Processing: within one week, or two weeks if you also need a visa, though ICA notes that some applications take longer
• Fees: S$45 processing fee on application (non-refundable), then S$60 issuance fee when you collect the pass, plus S$30 for a Multiple Journey Visa if your nationality requires one

The money. ICA does not publish a minimum amount. The application asks for details of your financial support, and ICA may ask for more evidence. Singapore's real financial test is tuition: you will not complete enrolment unless the fees are paid or covered by a grant, loan or scholarship. Ask your university what financial evidence it expects.

When you arrive, you complete formalities with ICA, including a medical examination if you are asked for one, and collect the pass.

Private institutions. If you are going to a private education institution rather than a university or polytechnic, only EduTrust-certified institutions can sponsor a Student's Pass. Check the certification yourself before paying any fees.

Working while you study

Up to 16 hours a week during term, and full-time in vacations, without a separate work pass, if:

• you are a full-time matriculated or registered student
• your institution is on the Ministry of Manpower's approved list for term-time work (a shorter list than the one for vacation work)
• you hold a Student's Pass

Internships and industrial attachments that count towards your degree are allowed during term. Exchange students may not work at all. Working outside these rules without a work pass is an offence.

After you graduate

Singapore has no post-study work visa in the way the UK, Australia or New Zealand do.

When your course ends you must cancel your Student's Pass. ICA may then give you a short-term visit pass of up to 89 days. If you want longer to look for work, graduates of Singapore's institutes of higher learning can apply for a one-year, non-renewable Long-Term Visit Pass. It is not automatic: you apply separately, with an S$45 application fee and S$60 issuance fee, and ICA says applications take up to six weeks. The pass lets you stay; it does not let you work.

To work, your employer must obtain a work pass for you, most often an Employment Pass (EP). From the Ministry of Manpower's current rules:

• Minimum qualifying salary: S$5,600 a month in most sectors (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age from 23
• From 1 January 2027 for new applications: S$6,000 (S$6,600 in financial services)
• You must also pass the points-based COMPASS assessment, scoring at least 40 points

If you took the Tuition Grant, your three-year bond starts after you graduate, and you must find work with a Singapore entity to serve it.

Language

All university teaching is in English, and English is the working language of business and government. Universities set their own English requirements, which vary by the qualification you hold: check the admissions page for your qualification. Mandarin, Malay and Tamil help socially and in some jobs, but you do not need them to study or live here.

When to apply

The academic year starts in August. Undergraduate application windows depend on your qualification and open many months before. At NUS, the published window for applicants with international qualifications (other than the IB Diploma) for AY2027/2028 is 16 December 2026 to 17 February 2027, with decisions by July 2027. NTU and the other universities set their own dates.

Graduate programmes run their own deadlines and intakes: check each programme page.

Work backwards: offer by spring, Tuition Grant decision and hostel application straight after, Student's Pass application two to three months before the course starts.

What to watch out for

The Tuition Grant is a contract. Three years of work in Singapore after graduation is a real commitment, and it affects where you can go next. If you might want to work elsewhere, compare the cost of paying the non-subsidised fee against the bond.

Housing is the biggest variable cost. Hostel places are limited and allocated by the university. Private rooms in Singapore are expensive and often require long lease commitments and deposits. Apply for a hostel the moment you are eligible.

Private institutions are not the same as the universities. Only EduTrust-certified private institutions can sponsor your Student's Pass. A private college certificate does not carry the same weight with employers or for an Employment Pass.

The job market for graduates is competitive, and the EP bar is rising. The salary threshold goes up on 1 January 2027, and COMPASS points depend on your salary, qualifications, the employer and nationality diversity. Many international graduates find work, but plan for the possibility that you will not, and do not count on a Singapore job to repay loans.

Do not work outside the rules. Term-time work only counts if your institution is on the approved list, and exchange students cannot work at all. Working illegally can cost you your Student's Pass.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Every figure above carries the date we checked it. Check the official source before you rely on it. ICA does not publish a proof-of-funds amount: ask your university what financial evidence it needs.