- What graduate programmes does NUS offer?
The graduate programmes offered by NUS are broadly categorized into research and coursework programmes. At present, there are more than 100 coursework programmes (full-time and part-time available), while research programmes are available in most, if not all the departments of the various faculties/schools of the University.
- What is the difference between a coursework and a research programme?
Coursework programmes involve the attendance of formal classes, seminars, laboratories and written examinations. Some programmes may also require the writing of a dissertation based on a project the candidate has undertaken.
Research programmes provides training in a particular subject area through independent investigations, study and experiment, culminating in the preparation of a thesis setting out the findings of the research undertaken. Research candidates may also be required to attend appropriate lectures and sit for written examinations.
- What are the admission requirements?
Admission requirements vary from programme to programme. Generally, an applicant must have at least a good Bachelor's degree (equivalent to a good Honours degree of NUS) in the appropriate discipline. In some cases, a period of relevant working experience is also required.
In addition, an applicant whose native tongue or medium of instruction for the Bachelor's degree is not English, must have obtained a good TOEFL score or an IELTS score.
Applicants applying for admission in the fields of engineering, computer science, medicine and science should also preferably have obtained good GRE scores; while those applying for Business related areas should have obtained either GRE or GMAT scores.
Please visit the website of the relevant faculty/school for information on the following:
- Offered programmes
- Admission requirements
- Application procedure
- Fees
- Scholarship (if applicable), etc.
If you wish to appeal or enquire on a particular programme, please contact the relevant faculty/school directly.
- How do I appeal for waiver of admission requirements such as TOEFL and GRE?
You may contact the respective faculty/school directly.
- Where can I find information on available scholarships?
For information on the various scholarships available, please refer to here.
For new students, the application for scholarship can be made together with your online application for admission.
Admission and scholarship applications are administered by the respective faculty/school as different faculty/school may have different admission requirements. If you have queries on the scholarship availability and application procedure for a particular programme, please contact the faculty/school directly.
- Are there any admission interviews and/or tests?
Shortlisted applicants, especially those who applied for the research scholarship, may be required to attend an interview. Wherever possible, the interview will be held in the applicant’s country. The usual periods of overseas interviews will be March/April for the August intake and August/September for the January intake.
- Is there an age limit for graduate programmes?
There is no age limit. As long as you meet the minimum requirements, you are eligible to apply. Each application is considered on its own merits.
- How do I apply and when is the closing date?
Please visit the website of the relevant faculty/school for more information.
- If I am paying for my own study, what kind of documentary proof of financial support do I have to submit?
It can be in the form of a bank statement for international students and if you are working in Singapore, a copy of your recent pay slip. If you are going to be supported by a sponsor, we will need a letter of confirmation from your sponsor, together with the financial status proof. You will need to prove that you will be able to cover your living expenses (S$18,000 per year), as well as, the tuition and miscellaneous student fees. You should have sufficient funds to sustain you for the normal duration of your programme, which is generally two years for Master's and four years for PhD. Please refer to your faculty/school for the specific requirement.
- How do I fill up the part on my proposed research topic in the application form if I don’t have a specific topic in mind?
You need not indicate a specific topic if you don't have one in mind. You should, however, indicate the research area(s) that you are interested in. You may refer to this link to search for potential research collaborators and learn about our research expertise by using names, keywords and disciplines to identify matching user profiles.
- For the field on proposed supervisor(s), can I leave it blank as I don’t know any staff in your University?
Yes, you can. You need not indicate any proposed supervisor(s) if you are unable to at the point of application.
- When will I know the outcome of my application?
For coursework programmes, please check with the relevant faculty/school . Normally, the outcome should be known about two months before term commences.
Research applicants will be informed of the results of their applications by early June for the August intake and by early November for the January intake.