Question 1

How do I know whether my student loan application is approved?

Accepted Answer

For Higher Education Student Loan (HESL), student and your guarantor will receive an email notification to e-sign your HESL agreement if your application is approved. You can log in to StudentLoanSG (SLSG) portal (from 29 July 2026, 10am) to find out the status of your HESL application.  
For the other student loans such as NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL) and Overseas Student Exchange Programme Loan (OSEP), application is approved with the issuance of the respective Letter of Offer.
Hence, it is important that you update your contact details in Education Records System and with the relevant banks (DBS Bank / OCBC Bank) so that you can be contacted for any clarification on your loan application.

Question 2

How long does it take for my student loan application to be approved?

Accepted Answer

For Higher Education Student Loan (HESL), please refer to the StudentLoanSG (SLSG) portal (from 29 July 2026, 10am) for the application process and timeline.

For SAL, it takes about 2-3 weeks for the bank to process your application, after you and your guarantor have signed it digitally.

Question 3

What is the maximum loan value for the various student loans?

Accepted Answer

Loan SchemeMaximum Loan Amount1aHESL Base Provision*Applying only for Base Provision &#8211; Please apply via the StudentLoanSG (SLSG) portal (available from 29 July 2026 10am).Applying for Base Provision together with Balance Fee Coverage and/or Living Allowance &#8211; Please apply for Financial Aid here.Singapore Citizens: Up to 90% of the subsidised tuition fee payable by Singapore Citizens.Singapore Permanent Resident: Up to 65% of subsidised tuition fee payable by Singapore Permanent Residents.International Students: Up to 45% of subsidised tuition fee payable by International Students.1bHESL Balance Fee Coverage*Singapore Citizens: Covers remaining 10% of subsidised tuition fee payable by Singapore Citizens.1cHESL Living Allowance LoanUp to $4,100 per academic year.1dHESL Overseas Student Programme (OSP) &#8211; Administered by the Global Relations Office (GRO). Please apply for HESL-OSP here.Up to S$12,000 to cover the cost of institution-approved overseas student programme.Students can only take up this loan once during course of undergraduate study.2NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL). Please apply here.Varies according to financial need & nationality of applicants, and fund availability.3Overseas Student Exchange Programme Loan (OSEP). Please apply here.Maximum of $3,000 per semester.*Note: The HESL – Balance Fee Coverage is applicable to Singapore citizens only. The HESL – Base Provision and Balance Fee Coverage will not be applicable if tuition fee is already covered fully by a scholarship/ NUS Bursary/ MENDAKI Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy/ CPF Education Loan Scheme (CELS)/ Higher Education Community Bursary/ Higher Education Bursary/any other aid provisions/awards.For Medicine/Dentistry students, the Higher Education Community/ Higher Education Bursary will be used to offset your tuition fee first (before the HESL – Base Provision and Balance Fee Coverage).

Question 4

If my application is approved, how long does my loan award last? / When can I expect to receive the disbursement updated in my Education Records System (EduRec) Student Account?

Accepted Answer

Subject to the proper execution of your loan agreement(s), the Award Period / period of disbursement for the various loan schemes are as follows:

S/N	Loan Scheme	Award Period	Estimated Time when Disbursement^# is updated in Edurec Student Account
			Students awarded in Prior Academic Year		Students awarded during Application Period in Current Academic Year
			Semester 1 (Aug – Dec)	Semester 2 (Jan – May)	Semester 1 (Aug – Dec)	Semester 2 (Jan – May)
1^*	Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)	Full duration of study in NUS	Early to mid-August	Mid to end January	Within 2 weeks of loan approval in SLSG	Within 2 weeks of loan approval in SLSG
2^*	MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL)	Full duration of study in NUS	Early to mid-August	Mid to end January	Not applicable	Not applicable
3	MOE Study Loan (SL)	Full duration of study in NUS	End August to early September	Mid to end January	Not applicable	Not applicable
4	NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL)	Full duration of study in NUS	Late August to September	Late January to February	Within 2 weeks from completion of signing of loan agreement in early September	Within 2 weeks from completion of signing of loan agreement which is on an ad-hoc basis
5	Overseas Student Exchange Programme Loan (OSEP)	Per Exchange Programme basis; Re-application needed	N.A.	N.A.	Within 2 weeks of the loan agreement’s signed date

^* For Graduate Students, please see https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/tuition-fee-loan-scheme/ for TFL and https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/financial-aid/ for HESL.

^# See also Financial Aid Calendar and Disbursement Schedule

Question 5

I was awarded MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL)/Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) Base Provision in the previous semester. I just logged in to Education Records System (EduRec) to see my Student Bill (before classes start), but there is no TFL/ HESL-Base Provision for this semester. Why is this so?

Accepted Answer

This is your Preliminary Bill. TFL/ HESL-Base Provision is only updated at the start of the semester. Please check your Student Bill after term starts. You may refer to the table above for the estimated time when disbursement is updated in EduRec Student Account.

Question 6

I have been awarded the MOE Study Loan (SL), NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL) and a bursary. But my Student Bill does not show the loans and bursary awarded. Why?

Accepted Answer

SL, SAL, bursaries and grants are grouped under “Other Loans &#038; Awards” in the Student Bill, which shows the total of all amounts awarded. To see the breakdown of this row, please go to “View Financial Aid” in EduRec. SL and SAL disbursements are reflected in your Student Bill about 2 weeks after the respective loan agreement has been signed. Until the disbursements are updated, the amount under “Other Loans &#038; Awards” in your Student Bill will not reflect the amounts for SL and SAL.

Question 7

I have been awarded MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) and MOE Study Loan (SL). But there is still outstanding amount in my Student Bill. Why?

Accepted Answer

MOE TFL covers only the 90% of the Singapore Citizen subsidised Tuition Fee payable and does not cover Miscellaneous Student Fees (MSF). MOE SL covers 10% or 20% of the Singapore Citizen rate, and is grouped under “Other Loans & Awards” in the Student Bill. Hence, the amount not covered by TFL and SL remains outstanding and is payable. Please apply for GIRO so that your fees not covered by your loans and other financial aid will be deducted automatically on the scheduled GIRO deduction dates.

Question 8

I have been awarded Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) Base Provision and Balance Fee Coverage. But there is still outstanding amount in my Student Bill. Why?

Accepted Answer

HESL Base Provision and Balance Fee Coverage only covers up to a percentage of the subsidised Tuition Fee payable for your citizenship and does not cover Miscellaneous Student Fees (MSF). Hence, the amount not covered by HESL Base Provision and Balance Fee Coverage remains outstanding and is payable. Please apply for GIRO so that your fees not covered by your loans and other financial aid will be deducted automatically on the scheduled GIRO deduction dates.

Question 9

I am an international student. I have checked my Student Bill and the MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) is not 90% of my Tuition Fee. Why?

Accepted Answer

This is because the MOE TFL is based on 90% of the Singapore Citizen subsidised Tuition Fee. Please apply for GIRO so that your fees not covered by loans and other financial aid will be deducted automatically on the scheduled GIRO deduction dates.

Question 10

How is the MOE Study Loan (SL) (Tuition Fee portion) disbursed to me? Will this amount be credited to me or will it be used to offset against my school fees directly?

Accepted Answer

Your SL (Tuition Fee portion) will be disbursed to you under “Other Loans & Awards” of your Student Bill. MOE SL disbursement (Tuition Fee portion) is 10% or 20% of the subsidised Tuition Fees amount payable by Singapore Citizens and it is offset directly against the Tuition Fees payable by you.

Question 11

When will I receive my Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) Living Allowance / MOE Study Loan (SL) allowance / NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL) amount?

Accepted Answer

HESL Living Allowance/SL allowance/SAL will first be offset against any outstanding fees due by you (including outstanding fees from prior terms, miscellaneous student fees, hostel fees etc.). If there is a credit balance after all your fees are paid, the amount will then be credited to your Receiving bank account by the timelines within 4-6 weeks after the agreement signed date (for first-time applicants) and by end Sep (for Semester 1)/Feb (for Semester 2) for subsequent semesters.

Question 12

When will I receive my Overseas Student Exchange Programme (OSEP) amount?

Accepted Answer

The amount will be credited into your bank account within 2 weeks of the loan agreement signed date.

Question 13

How do I view the total loan amounts disbursed to me over the years?

Accepted Answer

To view the total loan amounts disbursed,Login to Education Records System (EduRec)Click &#8220;My Homepage&#8221; for drop-down menuSelect &#8220;Financial Self Services&#8221;Click &#8220;View Financial Aid Disbursed&#8221;Click &#8220;View All&#8221; to display all line itemsClick &#8220;FA Code&#8221; to sort by the various financial aids disbursedAdd the amounts for the applicable line items to find the total amounts disbursed (e.g. MOE Tuition Fee Loan, MOE Study Loan)

Question 14

How do I check my loan outstanding amount?

Accepted Answer

To check loan outstanding amount,

Loan Scheme
Check with:

Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL)
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

MOE Study Loan (SL) 
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL)
OCBC Bank

Overseas Student Programme Loan (OSP)*
OCBC Bank

Overseas Student Exchange Programme Loan (OSEP)

Login to Education Records System to check the disbursed amount.
 	If you have just graduated, please refer to the letter/email that NUS sent to you.
 	If you have made repayments, please log a case via our FAQ Portal to ascertain the outstanding amount.

Question 15

What do I do if I need to change guarantors for my Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)/MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) and/or MOE Study Loan (SL)?

Accepted Answer

Students are not allowed to change their guarantor except in the event of bankruptcy, death, insanity or disability of the guarantor, for which the student is required to:inform the bank immediately in writing, andappoint an alternative guarantor acceptable to the bank within one month from the occurrence of the event incapacitating the existing guarantor

Question 16

What do I need to do if I want to terminate the HESL (Base Provision)/MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) in the middle of my course of study?

Accepted Answer

You may not need HESL (Base Provision)/TFL disbursements to pay Tuition Fee if you have been awarded a scholarship after signing up for HESL (Base Provision)/TFL scheme. To terminate or suspend the HESL/TFL disbursements, you will need to contact:

Your HESL/TFL-administering bank (DBS Bank / OCBC Bank) for advice on loan termination procedures, and
NUS Office of Finance at our FAQ Portal for updating of your Student Account

Question 17

I have accepted HESL (Balance Fee Coverage/Living Allowance Loan)/MOE Study Loan (SL)/NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL). Can I withdraw / cancel / suspend it?

Accepted Answer

You can call or write in to Office of Financial Aid (OFA) at:Undergraduate Financial Aid website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/financialaid (65) 6516 2870

Question 18

I will be graduating in the coming semester. How do I make repayment for my student loans?

Accepted Answer

For the loan schemes listed in the table below, the banks will send you a letter upon your graduation, informing you of the repayment process and loan amount to repay. You can also contact the relevant banks directly. If you wish to make full repayment of your HESL, TFL, SL, SAL or OSPL before your graduation status is reported to the bank, you can do so from June (for students graduating in Semester 2) and December (for students graduating in Semester 1) by making a request at the bank for full repayment and closure of your loan account. Please do not mention your graduated status to the bank, as they will check against their record (which is still flagged as ‘active’) and will ask you to check with NUS, hence, delaying your repayment request.

For Borrowers who graduate during or at the end of:
Graduation status will be updated by the bank by:

a)
Semester 1
end Apr of the year following graduation

b)
Semester 2
end Sep in the year of graduation

c)
Special Term Part 1
end Oct in the year of graduation

d)
Special Term Part 2
end Nov in the year of graduation

You can also contact the relevant banks directly:

Loan Scheme
Check with:

Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL)
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

MOE Study Loan (SL) 
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL)
OCBC Bank

Overseas Student Programme Loan (OSP)*
OCBC Bank

Students who have left NUS and have credit balance in their Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) may also opt to use the PSEA funds for payment of their outstanding HESL, MOE TFL, MOE SL and OSP Loan. For more details, please refer to PSEA website at https://www.moe.gov.sg/financial-matters/psea/funds-balance-and-usage.

For OSEP, NUS will send you a letter upon your graduation to inform you of the repayment options and loan amount to repay directly to NUS either by:

GIRO instalment, or
 	Funds transfer to the NUS Bank Account below. Please indicate your A-series Student Number, followed by “OSEP” in the reference field of the transactions.

NUS Bank Account Name
National University Of Singapore

NUS Bank Account Number
032-000313-3

Beneficiary’s Bank
DBS Bank Ltd, Singapore

Branch
Buona Vista

Bank Address
12 Marina Boulevard, DBS Asia Central, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, Singapore 018982

Swift Code For TT
DBSSSGSG

Question 19

Can I ask for a deferment to repay my student loan when it is due?

Accepted Answer

Please contact the relevant banks regarding your request:

Loan Scheme
Check with:

Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL)
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

MOE Study Loan (SL) 
DBS Bank or OCBC Bank

NUS Student Assistance Loan (SAL)
OCBC Bank

Overseas Student Programme Loan (OSP)*
OCBC Bank

Question 20

Can I use the funds in my Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) for repayment of loans taken during my course of study at NUS?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Students who have left NUS and have outstanding loans repayable under the Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) / MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) / MOE Study Loan (SL) / Overseas Student Programme (OSP) and CPF Education Loan Scheme (CELS) may use PSEA funds for loan repayment. However, do note that you can only do this after your status has been updated as “Graduated”/ “Dismissed”/ “Withdrawn” by the banks, which takes place 1 month before the interest commencement dates.

For Borrowers who graduate during or at the end of:
Graduation status will be updated by the bank by:

a)
Semester 1
end Apr of the year following graduation

b)
Semester 2
end Sep in the year of graduation

c)
Special Term Part 1
end Oct in the year of graduation

d)
Special Term Part 2
end Nov in the year of graduation

For more details, please refer to PSEA website here

Question 21

How can I make full repayment of my Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) / MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) / MOE Study Loan (SL) and close the Loan account?

Accepted Answer

You can proceed to any bank branch to make a request for full repayment and closure of your HESL/TFL/SL account at any time. However, if you have HESL/TFL/SL disbursement in the current semester and you are graduating in the current semester, you can request for full repayment and closure of your HESL/TFL/SL account from June (for students graduating in Semester 2) and December (for students graduating in Semester 1) so that the current semester’s disbursement is included in your total disbursement amount.

Question 22

I am graduating in this semester, may I know when the interest will commence for my Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) / MOE Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) / MOE Study Loan (SL) / Overseas Student Programme Loan (OSPL)?

Accepted Answer

You may refer to the table below for the interest commencement dates.

For Borrowers who graduate during or at the end of:
Interest shall begin to accrue on:

a)
Semester 1
1st May of the year following graduation

b)
Semester 2
1st Oct in the year of graduation

c)
Special Term Part 1
1st Nov in the year of graduation

d)
Special Term Part 2
1st Dec in the year of graduation

Student Finance Matters

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MOE Higher Education Student Loan, Tuition Fee Loan, Study Loan & Other Student Loan Schemes