Studying in Singapore is a dream for many students looking to obtain a quality education from the city-state. While many students from English-speaking countries have little issues with getting admitted to a school in Singapore, it is a different story for students coming from non-English-speaking countries. They have to meet the minimum International English Language Testing System or IELTS requirement to start their journey of getting a Singaporean education. Each school has its own minimum IELTS band requirement, so students should take note of this before they send in their admission application to their chosen school. The following are the IELTS band requirements for some schools in Singapore.
IELTS band requirements for Singaporean universities
1. National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is the first Singaporean autonomous research university. Established in 1905, the university was originally called the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States Government Medical School. It is the oldest higher learning institution in the city-state. While the main campus is located in southwestern Singapore close to Kent Ridge, it also has a postgraduate medical school located in the Outram campus. The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Faculty of Law of the university is located in its Bukit Timah campus. The university is also has a liberal arts college located at University Town.
The university offers a wide range of courses for its students. To enroll in these courses, the National University of Singapore requires at least a 6.0 IELTS Band. These courses are under the faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Computing, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Business and Accountancy, Dentistry, Design and Environment, Music, Science, and Nursing.
2. Nanyang Technological University
- Minimum IELTS Band score required: 6.5
The Nanyang Technological University is the second-biggest university in Singapore. It is also the second oldest Singaporean public autonomous research university. The university was established after the National Institute of Education merged with the National Technical Institute in 1991. It eventually gained its autonomy in 2006. While the main campus is located in western Singapore, the healthcare and start-up districts of Singapore hosts two other campuses of the university. The main campus of the university was originally given to the Nanyang University, but it was later used by the National Technical Institute after Nanyang University merged with the University of Singapore.
To enroll in this university in Singapore, you must obtain at least a 6.5 IELTS Band.
The Nanyang Technological University offers several courses for its students in different areas of interest, including Art, Design & Media, Education, Accountancy and Business, Medicine, Engineering, Science, Humanities, and Social Sciences, among others.
3. Singapore Management University
- Minimum IELTS Band score required: 6.5
The Singapore Management University is an autonomous university offering business programs in Singapore. The programs offered by the university are based on the programs offered by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Established in 2000, the university is located in downtown Singapore. It was established after the Singaporean government considered setting up a third autonomous university in 1997. It was initially located in the former Raffles College, which also hosted several other educational institutions in the past. The university moved to its current location in 2001 after upgrading its facilities and capabilities.
The Singapore Management University offers mainly business-based courses, including Accountancy, Business Management, and Economics. It also offers courses in Computer Science, Computing and Law, Social Science, and Law.
4. Singapore Institute of Technology
- Minimum IELTS Band score required: 7.0
The next university that we are going to look at in our list of IELTS Band requirements for universities in Singapore is the Singapore Institute of Technology, which is the fifth Singaporean autonomous university. It is also the first university of applied learning in Singapore. The programs offered by the school are mainly focused on industries and offer specialized degree programs in collaboration with overseas universities. While its main campus is located at 10 Dover Drive, it also has five other campuses located in different areas in Singapore. The school was established after the Polytechnic-Foreign Specialized Institutions initiative of the Ministry of Education realized the importance of establishing a dedicated institute that brings overseas university partners into the city-state.
The Singapore Institute of Technology offers degrees in different program clusters. These program clusters include Inforcomm Technology, Design and Specialized Businesses, Health and Social Sciences, Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, and Engineering.
5. Management Development Institute of Singapore
- Minimum IELTS Band score required: 6.5
The Management Development Institute of Singapore is the oldest not-for-profit educational institution in Singapore. Established in 1956, it was initially called the Supervisory and Management Training Association of Singapore. The school was originally formed to deal with industrial relations issues. The institute also offered supervisory skills courses in line with the plan of the Singaporean government to promote industrialization. It collaborated with different universities in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States in offering certified courses. The institute later opened its first overseas campus in 2008 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The Management Development Institute of Singapore offers degree courses in eight different disciplines, including Business, Engineering, Fashion and Design, Health and Life Sciences, and Media and Communication. The institute has partnered with different schools and universities around the world to award both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to its students.
6. Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
- Minimum IELTS Band score required: 7.0
The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy is a postgraduate school under the auspices of the MUS or the National University of Singapore. The school was established in 2004 and was named in honor of the first prime minister of Singapore. It inherited the Policy Program set up by the National University of Singapore in 1992 together with the Harvard Kennedy School. The majority of the students of the school come from other countries.
This university in Singapore requires that students need at least a 7.0 IELTS Band.
The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy has four research centers. It offers master’s degree programs, senior fellowship programs, and doctorate programs.
7. National Institute of Education
- Minimum IELTS Band score required: 6.5
The National Institute of Education is an autonomous institute of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. It is the only institute offering teacher training in Singapore. The Institute traces its roots to the Teachers’ Training College or TTC, which was established to meet the need for teachers in 1950. The TTC collaborated with the University of Singapore in creating the Institute of Education in 1973. The Institute of Education later established the College of Physical Education to train physical education teachers. A merger of the two educational institutions resulted in the National Institute of Education in 1991.
The National Institute of Education offers courses focused on teacher education. It also offers postgraduate degrees in Education for teachers aiming to pursue higher education degrees.
Meeting the minimum IELTS band score of Singaporean schools is just the first step students have to take in order for them to obtain a degree from a Singaporean educational institution.
I hope that this article on IELTS Band requirements for universities in Singapore was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
