Singaporean education is one of the world’s finest. The country is considered the world’s smartest, with 71% of its students achieving exceptional scores. This prestige is apparent in Singapore’s higher education institutions, with two of its universities barging in the top 50 list of the World University Rankings. English is also widely spoken in the country, so the language barrier that most foreign students face is barely an issue. These are just some of the many things that make Singapore a hotspot for international students. And while the tuition may be expensive for most, exceptional students may apply for these scholarships in Singapore.
Top Scholarships in Singapore
1. Nanyang Undergraduate Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full coverage of subsidized tuition grant
- Eligible Degree: Full-time undergraduate degree program
The Nanyang Undergraduate Scholarship is open to applicants who perform well in their academics and co-curriculars. The student’s leadership potential is another big factor that the selection committee takes into consideration as well.
Qualified applicants will not only receive a full tuition subsidy, but they will also be given a yearly living allowance, transportation allowance, computer allowance, and a travel grant for an overseas program subject.
Potential students are required to apply for admission before filing for this Singapore scholarship. Requirements for the former include a high school diploma, digital passport-sized photo, and a referee’s appraisal.
Shortlisted applicants will need to undergo an interview, the details will be communicated via email. Students enrolled in the Medicine or Renaissance Engineering program, however, will need to check their respective departments regarding the application outcome.
Successful scholars, whose performance will be evaluated every semester, will need to maintain a CGPA of 3.5/5 to keep the award.
2. Singapore University of Technology & Design Global Merit Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition subsidy for up to 4 years
- Eligible Degree: SUTD Undergraduate Degree Program
The SUTD Global Merit Scholarship is open to outstanding applicants who wish to take their undergraduate degree in the university. On top of a fully subsidized tuition, scholars will be given the chance to attend an 8-week Global Leadership Program in any of SUTD’s partner institutions. This scholarship in Singapore will cover the travel costs and participation fees that come with the said program.
Global Merit Scholars are also given the chance to hone their leadership skills through Fifth Row Groups such as the University Ambassador Club.
To take hold of this competitive opportunity, applicants must have an IB diploma or an equivalent Year 12 qualification. More importantly, he or she must have a passion for design and/or technology.
There is no maintaining grade specified, although the university may withdraw the scholarship if the awardee exhibits poor academic accomplishment or misconduct.
Likewise, awardees are expected to provide 20 hours of service to the university. This may be done through ambassadorship and publicity talks, to name a few.
3. National University of Singapore (NUS) Research Scholarship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Tuition fee subsidy (2 years for Masters, 4 years for Ph.D.)
- Eligible Degree: Selected NUS Masters (by Research) and Ph.D. programs
The National University of Singapore Research Scholarship is one of the top scholarships in Singapore for international students and is open to all international graduate students who excel at research. Newly admitted and current students of the university will both be considered.
An Honors or Second-Class Honors (or equivalent) degree, however, is required from all potential applicants.
To apply, the student needs to declare his/her interest to apply for a scholarship in the application form.
Those who qualify for the scholarship will be informed in May (for August entry) or October (January entry).
Apart from enjoying a full tuition subsidy (MOE eligibility required), awardees will also be given a monthly allowance of SGD 1,500 to 2,000 ($1,115 to $1,490).
Ph.D. students who pass the qualifying exam will be awarded an additional SGD 500 ($370) on top of their current monthly allowance. This exam is usually administered 12-18 months after the start of the program.
The NUS Research Scholarship is tenable for 1 year and renewed according to the administrators’ discretion.
4. ADB-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP)
The ADB-JSP award is open to applicants from 40 countries that are members of the ADB and the Japanese Official Development Assistance list.
To qualify for this Singapore scholarship, applicants must be 35-45 years old at the time of scholarship. He/she must have a bachelor’s degree (with a superior academic record) and 2 years of full-time working experience.
Students who are not living in their home countries will not be eligible for the scholarship. Those who plan to pursue a second MA degree will not be accepted as well.
Apart from receiving subsidized tuition, successful applicants will also be given the following: a monthly subsistence allowance (housing included), medical insurance, travel allowance, and a stipend for books & other educational materials.
Preference is given to female applicants and those in financial need.
ADB-JSP scholars are required to return to their countries upon finishing the program.
5. Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: 4 years’ worth of tuition fees
- Eligible Degree: Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences or Physical Science & Engineering
SINGA covers Ph.D. training – in English – at various institutes in Singapore. Qualified applicants of this Singapore scholarship may work at the Agency for Science, Technology, & Research Institutes, the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological Institute, Singapore Management University, or Singapore University of Technology & Design.
Apart from full tuition coverage, SINGA awardees also get a monthly stipend of SGD 2,000 to 2,500 ($1,490 to $1,860), a one-time airfare grant, and a one-time settling allowance.
To qualify, the applicant must submit soft copies of their valid passport and transcripts & records. Submission of IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, or SAT scores is not required, though they may be included in the admission packet.
Since Singapore follows international admitting practices, applicants need not necessarily have a Master’s degree to apply. Bachelor graduates may apply, though they need to pass a qualifying exam to continue with their Ph.D. studies.
Awardees are chosen according to research proposal and interview performance.
6. Harvard-Yenching Institute (HYI) – NUS Joint Scholarship Programme
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition fee coverage, monthly stipend, medical insurance, travel expense coverage
- Eligible Degree: Doctorate degree
The Harvard-Yenching Institute (HYI) – NUS Joint Scholarship Programme is a program developed by the Lee Kong Chian National University of Singapore (NUS) in partnership with the Harvard-Yenching Institute (HYI). Both academic bodies are reputable and have a long-standing history of being considered one of the best research institutes in their countries.
The Lee Kong Chian NUS, or simply NUS, is Singapore’s flagship university that was founded in 1905 as a simple Government-led medical school. In the 100 years of their existence, development in facilities, technology, and academic competence has made them viable to foster students in arts, social sciences, and humanities-related programs. On the other hand, Harvard-Yenching Institute (HYI) is a foundation closely tied to Harvard University. It is based in the United States and intends to aid studies in humanities and social sciences in Asia. As a helping hand, HYI extends its expertise to develop talent and education in Singapore through the NUS Joint Scholarship Programme.
This Singapore scholarship program provides students full tuition fee coverage, monthly stipend, medical insurance, and travel expense coverage. The travel expense funding covers a roundtrip journey between NUS and Harvard University.
Additionally, the program expects its scholars to fulfill their studies within four (4) years. The 4-year study is split into two periods with 38 months spent in NUS, and the final 10 months spent at Harvard University. During this time, the scholar is expected to have produced or is producing a dissertation research project.
7. A*STAR Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition fee coverage, partial tuition fee coverage, travel expense coverage, living expense coverage, monthly stipend
- Eligible Degree: Science and Technology-related Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Master’s Degree
The Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) is a world-class research institution in Singapore that offers various programs in information, engineering, business, science, and technology at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. A*STAR also boasts a plethora of faculties from all over the globe, and well-equipped facilities, cementing itself as a competent research center for international students.
Additionally, A*STAR offers different scholarships that cover different programs. One scholarship that applies to both Undergraduate and Graduate Studies is the National Science Scholarship which applies to degrees in Computer and Information Sciences, Food Technology and Microelectronics, Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering.
For example, there is the Singapore International Pre-Graduate Award (SIGPA) which gives its scholars a monthly S$1,500 stipend during their Undergraduate studies. Also, there is the A*STAR Computing and Information Science (ACIS) Scholarship that provides an allowance of up to S$4,550 for international scholars.
Finally, the different scholarships will apply to different programs and will provide different benefits. Therefore, scholarship applicants should thoroughly check if they qualify for the scholarship or if more documents are required for qualification.
8. National Institute of Education Masters (NIE) Scholarships
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition fee coverage, at least S$3,000 monthly stipend, allowance
- Eligible Degree: Master’s Degree
National Institute of Education (NIE) is an autonomous institute of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) that also serves as a teacher education institute for Singaporean educators. The establishment of NIE came separately from NTU but was integrated to be a part of the latter after some time. Additionally, NIE as a teacher education institute is Singapore’s only institution that is officially recognized as the nation’s training ground for teachers.
Despite being part of NTU, NIE offers various scholarships independent from those that are offered at NTU. The list of Singapore scholarships offered by both NIE and NTU can be seen in the link provided above. However, not all scholarships they offer are available to international students. The only scholarships that accept international scholars are Masters by Research Scholarship, NIE Ph.D. Scholarship, Pradap Kow Scholarship Fund, LBKM Prestigious Scholarship, and Tan Poey Quee Doctor in Education (NIE-EDD) Scholarship. Moreover, systematic preferential treatment for Singaporeans is present in some of these scholarships.
Finally, the benefits and requirements will vary for each scholarship named beforehand. Stipends, allowances, and tuition fee coverage will be provided in all scholarships, but the amount that will be provided will differ.
9. SP Jain School of Global Management Scholarships
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full or Partial tuition fee
- Eligible Degree: Undergraduate Degree, Postgraduate Degree
The SP Jain School of Global Management is an Australian business school that has facilities in Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Sydney. The academic institution offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the field of Business Administration.
The school offers SP Jain’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Master of Global Business, and Global MBA which are available in all four countries where they have campuses. Specializations are also available for students and the nature of international reach is integral in its teachings.
Different scholarships can be offered to both undergraduates and postgraduates. Namely, Merit Scholarships, Diversity Scholarships, and Dean’s List Scholarships. Each of these Singapore scholarships has different requirements that must either be maintained or simply met.
10. INSEAD Scholarships
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Financial aid of at least 10,000 EUR
- Eligible Degree: Master’s Degree
INSEAD is a business school offering international education opportunities. Campuses of INSEAD can be found in France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and San Francisco. The school offers Master’s Programs in Business and Management, available for consumption through online programs or on-campus experience.
Scholarships in INSEAD are divided into Scholarship groups intended to simplify applications or identification of who qualifies for which scholarships. The groups are the Diversity scholarship group, Women’s scholarship group, Middle East Scholarship group, Africa Scholarship group, Social Entrepreneurship Scholarship group, and Inclusion Scholarship group.
The scholarship primarily intends to give financial aid rather than full accommodation of tuition fees, academic expenses, or living expense. Fortunately, applicants can be accepted into multiple scholarships.
If you cannot find the scholarship application instructions from the scholarship link, click here to be redirected to a dedicated webpage of it.
We hope that this article on the top scholarships in Singapore for international students was helpful. To know more information like this, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
