National University of Singapore

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a public research university and Singapore's flagship university. It is a comprehensive institution whose colleges, faculties and schools include the NUS Business School, the School of Computing, the College of Design and Engineering, the College of Humanities and Sciences, the Faculty of Law, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Science, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and NUS College, as listed in the University's official tuition fee schedule.

Undergraduate students read a major within one of these faculties and can add second majors, minors and interdisciplinary programmes; graduate students pursue coursework master's degrees and research degrees (master's and PhD) across the same broad range of disciplines. Teaching is in English, and the academic year is organised in two semesters.

A defining feature for international students is the Singapore Government's MOE Tuition Grant. NUS fees are heavily subsidised by the government, and most international students receive the grant, which substantially reduces tuition in exchange for a three-year obligation to work for a Singapore-registered company after graduation. This makes NUS's effective fees among the most competitive of any top-ranked university, and gives graduates a structured route into Singapore's workforce.

For students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal, NUS combines English-medium teaching, a large international community and strong merit scholarships. Admission is highly competitive and based mainly on school or university results, so applicants should prepare strong academic records and apply within the published application window for their qualification.

Per the official NUS Registrar tuition fee schedule for AY2026/27, international students (non-ASEAN) with the MOE Tuition Grant pay S$21,400 per year for most programmes (Business S$22,200; Pharmacy S$23,650; Law S$30,450; Medicine, Dentistry and Music considerably higher). Without the grant, fees for most programmes are S$33,400–S$44,450 per year. The Tuition Grant carries a 3-year obligation to work for a Singapore-registered company after graduation.

Undergraduate admission is handled by the NUS Office of Admissions. International applicants apply online under the qualification they hold (for example A-Levels, IB, or national school-leaving qualifications such as Indian Class XII or equivalent), and application windows are published for each qualification group, generally opening in the last quarter of the year and closing in February for the August intake. Admission is based primarily on academic results; some programmes add tests or interviews.

English requirements at NUS are qualification-dependent: applicants whose schooling was not in English may need to show proficiency through their qualification or an accepted test, and the Office of Admissions pages for each qualification group state exactly what applies, so check your category carefully.

Graduate applicants apply to the individual faculty or school for coursework and research programmes, each with its own deadlines and requirements. International students who accept an offer also confirm whether they take up the MOE Tuition Grant, which sets their fee rate and the three-year work obligation that follows graduation.

Undergraduate programmes span Business, Computing, Design and Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Science, Music and the interdisciplinary NUS College, with degrees such as BBA, BComp, BEng, BSc and LLB, plus double-degree, double-major and minor combinations.

Graduate offerings include coursework master's degrees (such as the MBA, Master of Computing and specialised MSc programmes) and research master's and PhD programmes across the faculties, many supported by the NUS Research Scholarship for eligible full-time research students.

Each faculty's official pages list its programmes, admission requirements and deadlines; students should apply to the specific programme rather than to the University in general.

NUS lists several merit scholarships for international freshmen in its official Scholarship and Financial Aid publication. The NUS International Undergraduate Scholarship, open to citizens of all countries except Singapore, covers 100% of the subsidised tuition fee (after the MOE Tuition Grant) and adds an annual living allowance of S$5,800, an annual accommodation allowance of S$5,000 and a one-off computer allowance of S$1,750. The Science & Technology Undergraduate Scholarship is aimed at students from Asian countries entering Computing, Engineering or Science, covering subsidised tuition with a living allowance and other benefits, while the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship serves ASEAN citizens.

Scholarship applicants are considered through their undergraduate admission application — shortlisted candidates are invited to interviews — and recipients must take up the MOE Tuition Grant, with its three-year Singapore work obligation. For graduate research students, the NUS Research Scholarship supports eligible full-time master's and PhD candidates.

Because awards are decided from the admission application, students should apply early in the application window and keep their grades and co-curricular record strong.