Why Study in Singapore?
Singapore – the cleanest and safest island.
Singapore is a modern, vibrant nation with an excellent educational system, maintaining high standards of teaching and learning as well as research facilities with numerous opportunities for internationals who wish to studies abroad. Singapore has emerged as an international education hub offering a rich spectrum of courses in diverse fields, ranging from art, management/ business, design to nanotechnology and recognized as a “Global Schoolhouse”. Singapore is having more than 30,000 students with its national universities. Singapore’s most prestigious university is the National University of Singapore (NUS) which is highly ranked in the QS World University Rankings and also in Asia. Singapore also has a wide range of private institutions, collaborated foreign universities with campuses in Singapore. These connections and collaborations contribute to the overall quality of education offered by universities in Singapore.
Singapore is one of the best places in Asia to pursue Business Management, Computing & IT, Hospitality or Tourism courses. The Universities in Singapore are globally recognized and encourage independent learning. High quality education, multiple intakes, possibility of admission & visa without IELTS, shorter duration courses like Masters in 1 year, Bachelors in 2 or 3 years, fast visa process with minimal financial documents, affordable tuition fees and living expenses, paid-unpaid internships are the beneficial aspects for international students in Singapore. Singapore is a small country with a booming and very stable economy. It is not only one of the most economic options but also one of the safest places in Asia to pursue higher studies. The Government of Singapore and Universities in Singapore offer scholarships for international students to get admissions and study in Singapore institutions. The best part is that Singapore offers international students a high probability of in-country employment after graduation.
The country has a well-developed educational system, providing numerous opportunities for international students. Education is a priority in Singapore and the nation is recognised as a ‘global schoolhouse’. A strong emphasis on education started when the British-based education system was introduced by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (founder of the Singapore Institution, now known as the Raffles Institution) in 1823. Today Singapore is one of the leaders in higher education both in Asia and Worldwide.
Three of Singapore’s universities are in the 2019 QS World University Rankings top 500. The highest ranked is the National University of Singapore (NUS), which is placed at 11th. The next highest ranked is the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), which is placed at 12th. Following these is the Singapore Management University, which is placed at 500th.
- Important fact for all prospective international students is that the official language of instruction in Singapore is English
- Official languages: English, Chinese, Malay & Tamil
- Singapore, the “Lion City” is known for its economy and financial success. The nation is among four “Asian Tiger” economies (along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan).
- The cost of education and living in Singapore is less compared to the UK or the US.
- International students will find Singapore to be among the safest places in the world to live in.
Singapore uses the Singapore Dollar (SGD) as its currency.
Your tuition fees will depend on where you choose to study, and at what level. For international students, there are many scholarships available. Some of these are offered by the Singapore Ministry of Education, as well as others offered by individual institutions. Public institutions will usually charge lower tuition fees than private institutions.
International students also need to consider their living costs. On average, you should budget for around SGD 10,000 per year. You will be able to work up to 16 hours per week during term-time, and full time during the holidays. If you wish to get a job, you will first need to get approval from your institution.
International students wishing to study in Singapore will need to obtain a student visa. When you get your letter of approval, you will also be issued a visa by your institution. Within two weeks of your acceptance, you will need to apply to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for a Student Pass. This also needs to be no earlier than two months and no later than one month before the start to your course. This process will be done through the Student’s Pass Online Application and Registration System (SOLAR). You will be given registration details by your institution, which you will use to fill in and submit the required forms. You will then need to complete the process once you have arrived in the country. To do this, you will need to make an appointment with the ICA and take with you the disembarkation/embarkation card that you were granted on entry to Singapore.
The official languages of Singapore are English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. As well as these, there are many other languages you can expect to hear being spoken across the country.