Singapore stands tall as a premier education hub, with esteemed universities offering quality education at affordable rates to international students. Studying in Singapore is a unique learning experience as it is a perfect blend of social, cultural and educational mix. Singapore city ranks at the 17th spot in QS Rankings Best Student Cities in the world. It has also emerged as one of the strongest financial and economical centres in the past decade and continues to grow till date.
Education has played a key role in the rise of this island nation, and the Government of Singapore continues to place a great emphasis on it. One of its most well-known is the National University of Singapore (NUS), has been consistently ranked among the top three universities in Asia. With the coronavirus pandemic restricting international travel and disrupting global higher education, tertiary-bound students planning to study abroad have had to reconsider their options.
The quality of education, honing practical and theoretical skills with its affordability makes studying in Singapore unmatchable. No doubt it has emerged as one of the most popular student locations in Asia.
One of the Best Education Systems in the World
Considering the fact that Singapore spends 19.96% of its total expenditure on education out of which 35.28% is spent on higher education, we can surely get an idea of how much importance it lays on its education sector.
- Scoring two ranks in top 15 universities of the world, according to QS World Rankings 2022, Singapore is one of the top student destinations in all of Asia.
- It is home to popular universities like National University of Singapore (Rank 11), Nanyang Technological University (Rank 12) and Singapore Management University (Rank 511-520) as per QS World rankings 2022.
- Along with these, SMU and many other private universities like INSEAD, James Cook University, MDIS, SP Jain School of Global Management are amongst the top universities of Singapore. Singapore offers international level education to its students as the country has collaborated with several universities around the globe.
What gives an edge to Singaporean Universities is their links with industrial giants and research based education, prepping the students for the world ahead of their time.
Want to study in Singapore? Checkout deadlines for application in Singaporean universities.
International Universities to Study in Singapore
Many colleges and universities have opened their branches in Singapore, owing to the established economy and financial giants. Irrespective of the campus, these universities provide the same degrees to their students.The fee structure of these universities may or may not vary with campuses. Most universities have fully set up in Singapore, and have direct application procedures.
However, some of them do have centralized admission procedures whereby the student will have to apply through the original university campus.These are all Private Universities/ Institutes and do not fall under any country funding schemes. However, Most universities offer great scholarships to international students in Singapore. Some of these universities have been listed in the table below:
| University | Main Campus |
|---|---|
| Yale NUs College | Connecticut, USA |
| S.P. Jain School of Global Management | Mumbai, India |
| Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh | Edinburgh, UK |
| Cardiff Metropolitan University | Wales,UK |
| New York University’s Tisch School of Arts | New York, Usa |
| ESSEC Business School | Cergy-Pontoise, France |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology, Singapore | University of Redmond, Washington, USA |
| Temple University, Singapore | Pennsylvania, USA |
Another important aspect of Singaporean universities is their partnerships with different universities abroad to offer joint degrees; these universities include John Hopkins association with NUS and Stanford’s partnership with NTU.
Affordability to Study in Singapore
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living report, Singapore has been termed as the most expensive city in the world, consecutively. So you might ask the most obvious question - is it worth living in Singapore, especially being a student? Though being expensive it is important to understand that the cost of living in Singapore for a student mainly depends upon the choices they make during their stay here.
- For instance, choosing a university hostel or shared rented accommodation decreases your cost.
- Opting for public transport for your travel will naturally be lower in cost compared to travelling by cab or buying your car.
- There are some restaurants, if not many, which offer food at cheaper rates. So you need to figure out which ones and keep eating there time and again.
- Lastly, the tuition fee, which occupies the biggest chunk of your total cost of studying abroad, is mostly covered by grants, scholarships and fellowships. Singapore is famous for giving its students tuition grants with a host of scholarships.
Now if you will find out the cost of living in Singapore, you will realise that the average cost of living there will come out to be lesser than the cost of living in the US, UK and Australia.
The estimated cost of living in Singapore has been mentioned in the table below:
| Service/Product | Cost (SGD) |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (On Campus) | 475 |
| Accommodation (Off Campus) | 150-700 |
| Food | 300-450 |
| Transport | 50-60 |
| Books and Stationary | 100 (per term) |
| Other utilities (electricity, water, internet/ethernet) |
40-100 |
| Telecommunications | 50 |
| Personal expenses | 100-300 |
No Language Barriers to Study in Singapore
Students willing to study in Singapore will not face any language barriers since most people in Singapore speak English, a globally spoken language. Singapore recognises four languages as its official languages namely , Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English; thanks to its multi-racial environment. English is used as the academic and professional language, so you don’t need to worry about learning a second language.
Scholarships and Grants to Study in Singapore
In one of its initiatives to promote international students to come and study in Singapore, Tuition Grant is offered. This is done by the Singapore Ministry of Education. For receiving this grant the only criterion is, the candidate has to fill a bond of three years where he/she has to stay back in Singapore and work in a Singapore company after completing the studies. This way, they don’t have to pay back to the Singapore government in monetary terms but in kind.
Likewise, international students are eligible for scholarships from various external foundations and institutions. ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship, NatSteel Study and SINGA are a few to name. Universities themselves also offer financial assistance to its foreign prospective students, for instance, SMU Scholarships, NTU Scholarships and NUS Research Scholarships, etc.
These grants and scholarships in Singapore are offered for undergraduate, graduate and diploma programs making it available at every level. Hence, there are, relatively, less number of students who study in Singapore by paying the whole of their tuition fees.
Tuition Grant Scheme
The Tuition Grant Scheme was launched by the government of Singapore as a way to influence international students to choose Singapore for their higher education by eliminating a huge amount of their fee. For receiving this grant the only criterion is, the candidate has to fill a bond of three years where he/she has to stay back and work in Singapore after completing the studies. This way, they don’t have to pay back to the Singapore government in monetary terms but in kind.
Scope of Studying in Singapore
Studying abroad opens the door to several job opportunities, both in your home country and the country that you choose to study in. Singapore, interestingly, has been turning into a business tycoon in the past decade.
- From 2016-2019 Singapore had held on to the top two ranks as the easiest country to do business with by the world bank. Post which this ranking system has been stopped.
- However, Singapore’s economy continues to grow till date. With an employment rate of 64.5% even in a global pandemic; it is definitely an easy choice for students looking forward to getting placed abroad.
- It is a leading industrial centre for aerospace, precision engineering, information technology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, the creative industry, and professional services.
Singapore’s connectivity and influence in the region, its integration of both eastern and western cultures and its welcoming stance towards foreign investment has made it an important business hub in Asia. Universities like NUS have access to international networks and industries that help them provide their students with better placement opportunities.In Fact the university has formed collaborations and strategic partnerships with key industry players, government agencies to establish research laboratories,innovation incubation programmes as well as an entrepreneurial hub.
Many multinational corporate giants of the world like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Dyson have their presence in Singapore as well. In short, most students can avail exciting placement offers, which is quite a reason for students to consider pursuing their higher education in Singapore.
Check Top Recruiters for MBA Jobs in Singapore
Low Crime Rate and Safety
Singapore stands at the third spot in the Safe Cities Index list presented by The Economist|Intelligence Unit 2021.
- Singapore has a current crime rate of 28.01 which makes it relatively safer than most student countries owing to better execution of laws.
- Living in an unknown land can be a serious stress trigger for students and their families, especially in terms of safety.
- Singaporean university, NUS has its own security team that patrols their campus 24*7 on all days.
Multicultural Environment to Study in Singapore
Singapore’s multicultural environment makes it more popular among international students. You are sure to feel at home and at the same time learn about various cultures every single day. Singapore recognises and respects all religions and languages. With four official languages, Singapore has definitely kept residents and immigrants in mind. All official work is done in English/Malya making it easier for people to access services. International students in Singapore thrive in this environment, experiencing a mix of multi-ethnic cultures and still being able to communicate through a global language, i.e. English.
Permanent Residence in Singapore
Many students that choose to study in Singapore apply for PR and Citizenship after spending a fair amount of time working in the country. Graduates who stay back in Singapore post completion of their studies have job security. According to the Singapore Permanent Residence website, operated by the government; more than 50% of PR applications get rejected; but this does not mean you cannot apply again. There is no limitation on the number of PR attempts any individual can make.
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