The Learning Experience

The learning experience at Yale-NUS College will be intensive and carefully designed, exposing students to a range of core courses while preserving the flexibilities necessary to encourage independent exploration. The curriculum will require students to study both Western and Asian traditions in the humanities and social sciences, with equally strong and significant engagement with the sciences. The rigor of the curriculum and the small, seminar-format style of most classes will encourage students to question relentlessly, to think broadly, to analyze problems carefully, and to evaluate consequences. Students’ classroom experiences will be augmented by a wide range of co-curricular activities such as internships, study abroad and student organizations, as well as the virtually limitless opportunities they will have as members of the college community to study, talk, exercise and engage with one another and their faculty mentors.

Teaching will take place primarily in small, seminar-style classes, with a strong emphasis on intellectual engagement and interaction. In this teaching environment, the intellectual habits of curiosity, critical inquiry, and creative thinking will be fostered and supported.

The residential college system has proven an ideal context for liberal arts education at Yale and other leading universities in the United States. Residential colleges are living and learning communities that promote personal and intellectual growth while cultivating citizenship and leadership. The Yale-NUS College will consist of three residential colleges.  Students will live in and become active members of one of these three residential colleges during their four years in Yale-NUS College. Headed by a Rector and Vice-Rector, each residential college will develop a distinctive culture. Campus living is expected for the full duration of a student's candidature.

3.1           Degrees Offered

The Yale-NUS College will offer a full-time, four-year course of study, culminating in either of the following:

• Bachelor of Arts with Honours
• Bachelor of Science with Honours

Each student will select a Major from approximately 15 fields of study.

The first two years will be weighted toward a common curriculum, designed to establish a shared educational foundation for all Yale-NUS students. During these two years, students will have intensive exposure to important fields and topics in the humanities and social sciences, as well as a sequence of science courses and the related laboratory experience. Skills development in writing, speaking and conducting independent research will also be emphasized, and there will be opportunities to take elective courses of particular interest.

3.2           Double Degree Programs

Qualified students will be able to pursue the Double Degree Program in Law, which is a prestigious five-year program offered jointly by Yale-NUS College and the NUS Faculty of Law, providing a unique and interdisciplinary legal education in a residential, liberal arts setting.

3.3           Concurrent Degree Programs

The Concurrent Degree between Yale-NUS College and Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies allows students to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree from Yale-NUS College and a Master’s degree from Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. It is a five-year program that is designed for undergraduate students who want to pursue a career in an environmental field. The program is designed to provide well-prepared Yale-NUS College students with accelerated graduate training in environmental science, management, and policy. All students majoring in Environmental Studies in Yale-NUS College are eligible to apply for either a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) or Master of Environmental Science (MESc) degree.

3.4           Special Programs

3.4.1        Leadership Programs

A key component of the co-curriculum will be a multi-year sequence of leadership training modules available to every student. Just as businesses now offer training programs for their high potential employees, the College will organize non-credit classes and seminars in leadership and host student-designed leadership projects. Students will be introduced to theories of leadership and supported to develop practical skills that are integral to success in various settings. Among the topics to be studied will be team-building, cross-cultural communication, negotiation, conflict resolution and goal-setting. Historic and contemporary case studies of great leaders will be a focus, and students will have the chance to meet in small groups with outstanding leaders from government, business and NGOs. They will have access to Leadership Assessment tools ordinarily available to those in senior managerial positions. A Leadership Certificate will be awarded to those who complete the Program.

3.4.2        Internship Opportunities

A range of outstanding internship programs await Yale-NUS College undergraduates, both in Singapore and overseas. All students will be encouraged to undertake at least one internship during their course of study. Professionals at the dedicated Yale-NUS College Office of International and Professional Experience will work closely with students to identify outstanding internships in businesses, professions, government, and NGOs.

A commitment of internship places has already been made by a variety of employers, including internships in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Middle-East and United States. This is a strong signal of their enthusiasm for the kind of graduates that the College promises to develop. Our founding internship partners include:

3.4.3        International Opportunities

Leadership for the 21st century requires a deeper appreciation of the world - which is a central goal of the College's curriculum. But exposure to another culture and other forms of learning is also of increasing importance. The College will make available to all students an opportunity to go abroad once during their four- year experience. There will be opportunities to engage in academic exchange programs, summer internships, semester abroad and research projects at overseas universities and institutions as well as at NUS Overseas Colleges in entrepreneurial hubs in several countries.

3.5 Admission

The College employs a holistic approach to the evaluation of applicants.

Yale-NUS College students will be those who possess:

• a strong record of academic achievement
• demonstrated leadership potential
• an appetite to become critical thinkers capable of rigorous and insightful analysis
• the skills to communicate effectively and engage meaningfully with fellow students
• the motivation to stretch their capacities and make the best use of the College's extraordinary resources, both academic and non-academic
• genuine appreciation for different perspectives and individuals with different backgrounds, interests, and ambitions
• consideration for others and an interest to serve broader society
• the resilience, flexibility, and leadership skills to solve problems and function as high-performing change agents in a variety of demanding careers.

Applicants are required to provide the following information:

• Yale-NUS Application / Common Application / Shared Yale Application.

This application includes personal information, co-curricular achievements, short answers and 2 personal essays.

• Transcripts or Academic Reports from a school official/counselor from the last three years in school. We understand that at the point of application, some applicants may only be able to submit predicted scores or preliminary grades.
• Two teacher recommendation letters from instructors who taught the applicant in academic subjects. When you fill out the application form, you will be asked to provide an email address for each of your teachers/school official/counselor. They will then be sent an email request to complete an online recommendation form for you.
• Standardized Tests:

  -	Applicants schooled in Singapore or in countries that do not offer the SAT, such as China, do not have to submit standardized tests as part of their application
  -	All other applicants must submit the SAT and two SAT II Subject Tests, or the ACT
  -	All students may, of course, submit standardized tests to bolster their application if desired
  -	Yale-NUS’ CEEB code is 7003 for the SAT and 5482 for the ACT.

• English language testing scores: Not all international applicants need to take an English proficiency test such as TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE. But we do expect our Yale-NUS students to be able to understand rapid, idiomatic English and to express themselves easily in both spoken and written English. If English is not your first language, please see our Standardized Testing page for information about language proficiency requirements at Yale-NUS.
• Updated academic credentials after time of application. This update should be submitted only if applicants receive new grades in the middle of the school year or as soon as A-level examinations results are available. Many applicants do not need to send us this form.

Optional documents include:

• Resume
• A scanned copy of the front and back of your NRIC (for Singapore citizens or Singapore PRs) OR the particulars page of your passport (for international applicants).

3.6           Financial Aid and Awards

Yale-NUS College welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. We seek the best and brightest students who will take advantage of the unique opportunity to experience a residential liberal arts education in Singapore.

Yale-NUS gives its students access to a remarkable and affordable education, comprising numerous opportunities for global study and internships, culminating in an exceptional value for our students when compared to leading colleges abroad.

Yale-NUS offers a strong financial aid program to its students. Merit-based scholarships are given out to recognize the exceptional qualities of students in the College. Need-based study awards are also given out to ensure that Yale-NUS will always be accessible to talented students regardless of their financial situations.

Similar to Yale University and NUS, Yale-NUS College is committed to a need-blind admissions policy. The ability of a student to pay for his/her education at Yale-NUS will not affect his/her admissions decision.

Over and above the fees that are paid by students or supported with scholarships, the Ministry of Education provides a subsidy to the College for every Singaporean student that covers a portion of the full cost of education. International students and permanent residents of Singapore are also eligible for this subsidy if they agree to take up employment in Singapore, or with a Singapore-based company overseas, for three years after graduation. Those international students and permanent residents who do not wish to take up this government subsidy and work in Singapore, or with a Singapore-registered company, after graduation will have the option of paying a supplementary fee in cash or covering the fee through access to a reasonable loan program offered by the College.

In addition, a number of Community Service Fellowships for international students on financial aid who wish to return to their home countries upon graduation to pursue public or community service employment will be available from funds designated by donors for that specific purpose.