FAQ – Non-Graduating Programmes

Application & Admission Matters (General Information)

Application & Admission Matters (General Information)

Q01. What is the difference between exchange and non-exchange students?
Exchange students are those who are nominated by one of NUS exchange partner universities to study at the University. Exchange students only pay mandatory miscellaneous fees.

Non-exchange students are those who are not selected by their home university to study at the University or whose home university does not have a formal student exchange agreement with NUS to enable them to come as an exchange student. Non-exchange students have to pay tuition fee (on per module per semester basis) as well as mandatory miscellaneous fees.

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• Coursework (Undergraduate/Graduate Level)
• Research (Undergraduate/Graduate Level)
• Combination of coursework and research

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Q03. Are there any restrictions on the modules which I can select?
Yes. For more details on modules restrictions, please click here.

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Q04. Is there any minimum or maximum number of modules which I can do per semester?
Generally, students can do up to an average of 20MCs (approximately 5 modules) per semester.

Exchange students must take a minimum semester workload of 12 MCs (approximately 3 modules) and choose modules which are appropriate and fulfill the requirements of their home university.

Non-exchange international students must take a minimum semester workload of 12 MCs (approximately 3 modules) or pursue full-time research in order to qualify as a full-time student and be issued with a Student’s Pass.

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Q05. What happens if there is a clash in either the class or exam timetable of my selected modules?
In such event, you will have to forgo one of the clashed modules; i.e. you can drop one of the modules or change it to audit.

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Q06. Can I change the modules after I have been accepted to read them at NUS?
Yes, you can make changes to the modules which have been offered to you during the “Add/Drop” period. You are required to check your Registration Guide for more details on the dates.

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Q07. How do I apply for admission and when is the closing date?
You have to apply online and submit all relevant supporting documents by the stipulated deadlines.

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Q08. What happens if I submit an application after the deadline?
Any applications submitted after the stipulated deadlines will not be processed.

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Q09. How do I know if my application supporting documents have been well received by NUS?
An email acknowledgement will be sent to you upon receipt of your application and supporting documents. Incomplete applications (including those submitted online but with no supporting documents) will not be processed.

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Q10. I am still an undergraduate; do I still need to submit an original or certified true copy of my academic transcript?
Yes, you are required to submit your undergraduate academic transcript (leading to either a Bachelor/Master’s Degree) which is issued by your Home University (with English translation, if applicable). Please also take note that only original academic transcripts of all degree programmes you have completed or are currently pursuing are accepted. The transcript should be endorsed with the university’s seal and official signatory.

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Q11. When will I know the outcome of my application?
You will be informed of the outcome of your application by early June (for August intake) and by early November (for January intake).

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Q12. Do I have to pay fees?
If you are an exchange student, your tuition fee will be waived. However, you must pay for the Student Activity & Services fee as well as the NUS Group Medical Insurance Scheme (GMIS).

If you are a Non-exchange student, you will have to pay tuition fees and other mandatory miscellaneous fees. Click here for more information.

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Q13. Where should I mail my supporting documents to?
All completed supporting documents must be sent to:

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Q14. Where can I find the list of modules offered for the semester?
Please refer to the NUS Bulletin for the list of modules offered for each academic year.

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Q15. I could only find the module listing for the previous academic years. Where can I find the listing for the next academic year?
The modules offered for each academic year can be found at NUS Bulletin. If you are unable to find the listing for the next academic year at the time of application, please use the previous year’s listing as a guide instead.

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Q16. I have other questions which are not answered here, who shall I contact?
For further queries, please contact the officer-in-charge of the country of your home university. Details can be found here. Alternatively, you can drop an email to nghelp@nus.edu.sg.

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Registration Matters

Q17. How do I register as a student after being offered admission to the Non-Graduating Programme?
Firstly, you need to pre-register online. After doing so, you will have to come to the Registration Centre on one of the dates as stipulated in the Registration Guide for Non-Graduating Students (a copy of which will be sent to you).

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Q18. I have no access to the internet in my home country and so I cannot pre-register online. What shall I do?
There will be computers available for you to pre-register online at the Registration Centre when you come on one of the stipulated days for registration. However, you may experience long waiting time at the Registration Centre. 

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Q19. Can I register at a later date if I cannot make it on any of the stipulated days for registration as stated in the Registration Booklet?
If, for some good reasons, you are unable to report for registration according to the planned schedule, please email to nghelp@nus.edu.sg at least 2 weeks before the registration date to apply for late registration. If approved, you will be informed of an alternative registration date via email.

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Q20. What if I cannot register within the first two weeks of the semester?
You should then seek a deferment of your enrolment (in writing) to the following semester.

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Q21. How can I defer my registration as an exchange student?
You can do so by obtaining prior approval from your home university’s exchange coordinator for the deferment. Thereafter, email to nghelp@nus.edu.sg to seek approval for your deferment.

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Q22. Can I ask my friend to register on my behalf at the registration centre if I am not available?
No, you will have to register in person. If you are not able to come on any of the registration days, please email to nghelp@nus.edu.sg to apply for late registration. If approved, you will be informed of an alternative registration date via email.

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Q23. What should I do if I need to obtain an entry visa to enter Singapore?
The University will apply for the entry visa and an “In-Principle Approval” (IPA) letter for all international students on their behalf through the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) Student’s Pass Online Application and Registration (SOLAR) system.

For international students who require entry visa to Singapore, the University will send you the IPA letter after your application has been approved by ICA. Your IPA letter will serve as a single-trip entry visa upon arrival in Singapore. The IPA letter needs to be stamped during registration before you are able to submit it for Student’s Pass application subsequently.

For International students who do not require entry visa to Singapore, you will receive your stamped IPA letter during registration.

You may check Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website on your visa requirements.

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Q24. When do I apply for the Student Pass?
You will do so after the registration exercise. Your IPA letter will be stamped with the period which you have requested for the student pass. You will then bring the IPA letter with your *medical examination report to ICA. Please note that the issuance of the student pass is conditional upon the outcome of the required *medical examination.

* Please note that only international students who apply for the student pass for 6 months and above need to undergo and pass a medical examination. (Refer to Q26)

Please submit the following documents for the issuance of the Student Pass:

• the original copy of the In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter
• copy of passport/travel document
• one recent colour passport-sized photograph
• copy of Form 16 duly signed by student
• the original copy of the completed medical report, X-ray report and laboratory report (only applicable to foreigners who apply for the student pass for 6 months and above)
• NUS Cashcard/NETS card for payment of the student pass and visa (if applicable)

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Q25. Is a medical examination required for international students before coming to Singapore?
With effect from 1 March 2000, all international students applying for immigration pass of 6 months or more will have to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner either in Singapore or in their home country. Those who are found to have active Tuberculosis or HIV infection will not be granted the relevant pass, and will have to return to their respective country at their own expense.

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Q26. When will my student card be activated?
Student cards will be activated and distributed to students during registration upon submission of required applicable documents (please refer to the Registration Booklet for details). NGE students are also required to produce the payment receipt or documentary proof of online payment during registration before the card can be activated.

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General Academic Matters

Q27. How can I add or drop modules?
You can add modules during the official “Add/Drop” period via the following links:

For adding and dropping of modules: https://aces01.nus.edu.sg/PRJXIA/Student/Login

• To add Business modules, go to http://bba.nus.edu/onlinesystem.htm
• To add Law modules, please approach Dean’s Office at Faculty of Law.

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Q28. I am a Non-Exchange student; will I be liable to pay for the modules which I have dropped with a Withdrawn (W) or Failed (F) grade during the ‘Drop with Penalty’ period?
Yes, modules dropped during this period would result in ‘W’ or ‘F’ grade in your transcript and would reflect in your student bill for payment.

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Q29. What happens if I don’t pay my fees?
You will not be able to access your examination results and you will not receive the academic transcript to prove that you have read the module(s) at NUS.

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Q30. I have just added/dropped my module. Why is the system not reflecting the change that I have made?
The system usually takes about 1 day to reflect the modules you have added/dropped.

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Q31. Can I still audit my module after the deadline for auditing modules online is over?
Once the deadline to audit modules via the online system is over, you will not be allowed to audit any more modules.

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Q32. I tried to drop a module that I set to audit online, but it doesn't work.
Audit modules cannot be dropped via the online system. You will have to use the Changes to Academic Profile (CAP) Form instead.

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Q33. What does auditing a module mean?
Auditing a module means:

1. you are not sitting for the final exam for that module
2. there will be no seat allocated to you during the final exam
3. in your transcript you will not get a letter grade shown but a reference next to the module to indicate that you have audited the module.

Please note that auditing a module is not the same as setting your module to Pass/Fail (P/F) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grades. Such grades are not applicable for NG students.

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Q34. I am purely doing research and/or internship. Do I need to verify anything?
No action is required from you.

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Q35. What happens when I verify my modules?
The purpose of verification is to confirm if you are sitting for the final exam of the modules you have registered for. An examinable status on your module will ensure that you:

• have an allocated seat during your final exam
• will receive a letter grade for your module in your transcript

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Q36. If my module does not have an exam component, what should the status be?
For modules with no exam component, you should leave the status as examinable. An examinable status means you will receive a letter grade for your module in your transcript.

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Q37. What if I missed the deadline of verification of module?
No action required. The modules will remain status quo in the system and seats will automatically be allocated to you for your examinable modules (where applicable).

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Q38. What can be the reason(s) for rejecting my selected module(s)?
There are various reasons as to why a particular module is rejected by the respective department. It could be because:

• Modules are oversubscribed (no more vacancy)
• Modules are not offered this semester
• Students have not met the required pre-requisites
• Modules are not open to non-graduating students
• Priorities are given to full-time NUS undergraduates or mainly NUS students who are graduating

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Fee Matters

Q39. What if I did not receive a bill and would like to know how much to pay?
To check your account balance online, please click here.

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Q40. Will I be charged tuition fees for modules which I choose to audit?
Yes, all audited modules are charged tuition fees. Details of per module fees can be found here.

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Student Pass Application

Q41. As I did not receive the In-principle Approval (IPA) letter in my offer package, how can I apply for my student pass?
If the IPA letter was not issued to you in your offer package, the reasons may be as follows:

1. You are holding a travel document issued by countries as listed HERE and you have not completed your Form 16;
2. You are holding a travel document issued by countries as listed HERE and you may have completed Form 16 late which results in a delayed issue of IPA letter. If this is the case, please contact us at nghelp@nus.edu.sg;
3. It was not necessary for you to be issued with the IPA letter before entering Singapore. The IPA letter will be issued when you register at NUS.

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Q42. How much do I have to pay to apply for a student pass?
Please check HERE and refer under the Fee Section. Alternatively, you can still enquire with the Immigration officer at the counter for clarifications.

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Q43. How can I confirm if I need single or multiple entry visas when holding a Student Pass?
If you intend to travel out of and return to Singapore during the period of validity of your student pass, please check HERE to determine if you need the required entry visas into Singapore.

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Q44. Where can I buy a NETS Cashcard?
NETS stands for Network for Electronic Transfers.

When you arrive in Singapore, you can buy a NETS Cashcard and top-up the value at any 7- Eleven outlets. For your information, for every top-up value of S$100 or less, the outlet will charge an amount of S$0.50.

If you are registering at NUS between 28 July and 1 August, please bring along the NETS Cashcard with you and ensure that you have enough money in the Cashcard to pay for your student pass and any applicable charges.

If you are unable to pay for your student pass on the day of submission of documents, you can still pay the fee when you collect the student pass back at the Immigration Counter or at NUS Student Service Centre using the Cashcard (where applicable).

More information on NETS Cashcard can be found HERE.

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Q45. Where is the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) building situated?
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
ICA Building, 10 Kallang Road
(Next to Lavender MRT station)
Singapore 208718

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Q46. Where is the Student Service Centre situated?
Yusof Ishak House, Level 1
National University of Singapore
31 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Singapore 119078

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Q47. I have more questions but they are not answered here. Who can I email to?
You may email us at nghelp@nus.edu.sg if you need further clarifications.

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Q48. What should I do if I have lost my Student Pass?
International students who have lost their Student Passes are required to apply for a replacement at ICA within 7 days from the date of loss. The following documents are required for such applications:-

• Original valid travel document or passport with a photocopy of the personal particulars page
• A letter certifying your student status issued by NUS Registrar’s Office
• Original Police Report (A police report for the loss of your Student Pass has to be made within 7 days) OR ICA Statutory Declaration Form for Loss of Student Pass

Students are then required to proceed to the self-service ticketing kiosk 1 on the 4th floor of ICA Building to obtain an ‘Application (STP)’ queue ticket. This service is available from 8.00am to 4.30pm from Monday to Friday and 8.00am to 12.30pm on Saturday (except public holidays).

The processing time is 2 weeks for first time replacement and 4 weeks for second or subsequent losses.

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