2020/21 scholarships in Singapore for international students

15 Oct 2020

Studying abroad can be expensive. Transport cards, snacks and currency conversion fees add up. Scholarships, small or big, help. In countries like Singapore, they help a lot.

Money should not hold you back from getting a degree from one of the most respected education systems in the world. This rich and advanced island nation in Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s best universities. For instance, the National University of Singapore retained its position as the world’s 25th best university and third in Asia in the latest 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, while Nanyang Technological University (NTU) moved up one place to the 47th position this year.

Singapore’s many hawker stalls are afforable, satisfying and oh-so-authentic. With the help of scholarships, you’ll be able to try more of them. Source: Catherine Lai/AFP

Scholarships to study here can realise your dream of getting a world-class education in one of the world’s most expensive cities. Here are some you can apply for in 2020 or to keep an eye out for next year:

Nanyang Scholarship

Offered by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the Nanyang Scholarship is awarded to outstanding freshmen. It recognises students who excel academically, demonstrate strong leadership potential and possess outstanding co-curricular records.

This scholarship is open to all nationalities; successful awardees should read a full-time undergraduate degree programme. The scholarship will cover the years of study at NTU. Deadlines and application periods vary depending on your education qualifications.

Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) 2021

If you want to pursue your PhD in Singapore, SINGA 2021 is one of the country’s prestigious and fully funded award that is currently accepting applications for the August 2021 intake. SINGA is a collaboration between the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

A*STAR notes that PhD training will be carried out in English at labs chose by candidates at A*STAR Research Institutes, NTU, NUS or SUTD. “Students will be supervised by distinguished and world-renowned researchers in these labs. Upon successful completion, students will be conferred a PhD degree by either NTU, NUS or SUTD,” it said. The deadline is Dec 1, 2020 (11.59 p.m. GMT +8 Singapore time) for August 2021 intake

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Commonwealth Scholarship at the National University of Singapore

The Commonwealth Scholarship is awarded to outstanding graduate students from Commonwealth countries (except for Singapore citizens and PR holders) for research leading to a higher degree at NUS. This scholarship consists of a monthly stipend (2,000 Singaporean dollars for PhD candidates and SG$1,500 for master’s candidates) plus a tuition fee subsidy.

Luxe, mid-range, cheap – you can have a good time in Singapoe whatever your budget. Source: Nicholas Yeo/AFP

Incoming graduate students should indicate their interest in the scholarship in their application for admission. Successful applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications sometime in May (for admission in August) or October (for admission in January).

Asian Development Bank (ADP) ADP-JSP Scholarships in Asia and the Pacific

The Asian Development Bank (ADB)-Japan Scholarship Program (JSP) offers about 140 postgraduate scholarships a year for studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields. The scholarship covers full tuition fees, monthly allowance for expenses, housing, books and instructional materials, medical insurance and travel expenses.

Only citizens from selected countries can apply for this scholarship to pursue an MBA, Master in Public Policy, Master of Social Sciences (Applied Economics) or Master of Science in Environmental Management at NUS. Deadlines vary depending on the programme you enrol in.