Study in Singapore

Study in Singapore

Singapore: Asia’s powerhouse for education

Singapore’s excellent standard of education, proximity to India, and a high level of safety, attracts a large number of undergraduate students from India.

Singapore is fast emerging as the economic powerhouse of Asia, it is also being considered an educational hub for the sub-continent. International students are offered a high probability of in-country employment after their under-graduation. Singapore is the third most popular study abroad destination for Indian students, next to USA and the UK. The country’s excellent standard of education, proximity to India, and a high level of safety and security, attracts a significant number of undergraduate students from India.

There are many factors that contribute to Singapore’s popularity; the courses are taught in English and tuition fee and living expenses are comparatively lesser than the USA and the UK. A lot of scholarship options are availa ble as well. Singapore has a strong South-east Asian community and student life is quite exciting. Students feel safe thanks to Singapore’s strict law enforcement policy and stable political environment; there is also no tolerance for racism and drugs. Additionally, institutions from the USA, UK and Australia have opened satellite campuses in Singapore to offer their courses at a subsidised cost. Well-connected to the rest of Asia, Singapore has one of the best airports in the region. Institutions in Singapore focus on harnessing the full potential of their students while preparing them to contribute extensively to the development of the world economy. Further, with good academic performance, chances of securing a job in Singapore are quite high.

The duration of undergraduate courses is three to four years, and students take around 20 credit hours every semester. A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree is awarded at the end of the course. There is a flexible undergraduate curriculum; students have the option of pursuing a double-degree, double-major, or joint-degree programme. Academic performance is measured by grade points on a 5-point scale. Some universities accept credit transfer from recognised institutions and the minimum grade received is above ‘B’, equivalent to 75-80 per cent. Students cannot apply with an undecided major; only students applying to an undecided branch of engineering must select their specific branch post the first semester. Singapore institutes follow a stringent attendance policy, with an above 90 per cent attendance requirement for each semester. Cost of undergraduate education varies from school to school and from program to program. Many institutions allow international students to work 16 hours per week without additional paperwork.

Top schools in Singapore look for an aggregate of 95 per cent in higher secondary examination, good scores in SAT; three SAT subject tests are required (one of the subjects being mathematics), strong extracurricular/co-curricular background and predictive grades for Grade Xll, if the student is in the final year of school. Some optional requirements are the SAT score, if the student has studied from ICSE, CBSE or IB Board (SAT is mandatory in case of state board). Institutes like NUS, SIM and Yale-NUS consider AP examination scores. Institutions usually do not require TOEFL or IELTS, if students have passed out of English- medium schools and have scored over 75 per cent in English; LORs are not required. Popular courses for Indian students are Engineering, Computer Science and Media Studies.

SOME TOP UNIVERSITIES

Nanyang Technological University has earned several world titles, ranging from the fastest- rising young university in the world (Times Higher Education) to ranking 8th in Asia Pacific for scientific research (Nature Publishing Index).

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has collaborated with MIT to design its undergraduate curriculum, co-teach its subjects, and facilitate student exchange programmes with the school.

Singapore Management university is the first school that has made internships mandatory for its undergraduate students to make them employment ready. One in five graduates is offered full-time employment via internship.

Singapore’s concentration of technical and engineering firms is often a safe bet for Indian graduates seeking employment, and MNCs in Singapore are also keen to hire them. To work in Singapore, Indian graduates need to get an S-Pass or Employment Pass. Singapore has revamped its education from rote-style learning to focusing on critical thinking and innovation.

Singapore has revamped its education in the last two decades from rote-style learning to focusing on critical thinking and innovation, resulting in the country attracting students from all across.