Singapore, known as the "Garden City", has a beautiful environment and superior geographical location, making it a popular tourist destination. At the same time, with its high-quality teaching quality and cost-effectiveness, Singapore has also attracted many international students to pursue further education.

 

As July approaches, Panda has compiled this Singapore study abroad guide to assist you in your study abroad life!

 

School

 

Tuition

High school: Singapore's high school system is a two-year system

According to the regulations of the Ministry of Education in Singapore, international students who study in government public schools need to pay extra fees higher than local students' tuition fees, which is about 60000 to 80000 yuan a year; Private schools have relatively flexible tuition fees. Generally speaking, the annual tuition fee for private high schools in Singapore ranges from 75000 to 100000 RMB.

 

Universities: Singapore's universities are divided into public and private ones. Compared with Private university, students in Public university can enjoy government subsidies and scholarships; However, Private university have lower application difficulty and higher tuition than Public university.

 

Undergraduate tuition fee:

Public universities in Singapore generally have four-year undergraduate programs, and some engineering majors have five-year undergraduate programs. The annual tuition fee is equivalent to approximately 55000-75000 RMB;

A Private university in Singapore can graduate with a bachelor's degree in two years at the earliest and three years at the longest. The annual tuition fee is equivalent to approximately 50000 to 80000 RMB.

 

Master's tuition fee:

The teaching type master's degree of Public university in Singapore is one year, and the research type master's degree is three years (most students can complete it in two years). Master's tuition in Public university is about 150000-250000 yuan per year;

The master's degree system of Private university in Singapore is generally 1-1.5 years, and the tuition is about 100000 to 170000 yuan per year.

 

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Scholarship

1. Enterprise Scholarship

The enterprise scholarship is a full scholarship provided by the Ministry of Education of Education in Singapore to students of domestic cooperative schools, including tuition, living expenses and travel expenses.

Due to the limited number of enterprise scholarships, they are all recommended by cooperative schools. Cooperative schools change every year, and it is still difficult to obtain enterprise scholarships. Recommendations are mainly based on academic performance.

 

2. Government Scholarships

The Singapore government scholarship is a partial free scholarship provided by the Singapore government for Chinese international students. 65% -80% of tuition fees can be waived, but living and transportation expenses need to be borne by oneself.

 

3. School Scholarship

The scholarship policies of various public schools vary, and the following list is for reference only.

 

① National University of Singapore

Undergraduate Scholarship: ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship, Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship, etc

Master's Scholarship:

Lecture-oriented masters generally do not have scholarships, only grants. But you can apply for the Service Obligation Scheme provided by the Singapore government.

There is a scholarship for research-oriented master's degrees, and you can apply for NUS Research Scholarships ($1500 per month) and Tuition Fee Allowance (subsidy allowance, given for one year, and then decide whether to continue the subsidy based on your grades and performance)

 

② Nanyang Technological University

APEC Scholarship: Applicants with at least two years of management or professional experience, fluent English, and passing GMAT scores are eligible to apply. Including a living allowance of S $1400 per month, a book allowance of S $500, tuition, insurance, exam fees, and a two-way trip to Singapore.

CN Yang Scholars Program: awarded to outstanding freshmen in the field of science and engineering.

 

③ Singapore Management University

In addition to applying for government aid allowance, Chinese students from Singapore Management University can also apply for work study program and tuition loan program of the school.

Li Ka-shing Scholarship: The scholarship includes tuition, books, travel expenses and other miscellaneous expenses, with an annual total amount of about 1 million yuan.

 

Note: Scholarship policies may change at any time, subject to the latest announcements from each school.

 

4. Singapore Scholarship

Scholarship is a financial aid provided by the Singaporean government to encourage and attract more international students to study in public institutions in Singapore.

 

The Singapore bursary preferential policy is applicable to six public universities, five public polytechnics, and two art colleges in Singapore, and it is only for general courses, and high-level subjects such as law and medicine are not provided.

(1) By enrolling in five polytechnic colleges, international students can receive government scholarships equivalent to 60% -65% of tuition fees.

(2) For undergraduate students enrolled in four Public university, international students can receive government grants equivalent to about 80% of the tuition fees.

(3) Master's degree from 4 Singapore Public university, and international students can receive government scholarships equivalent to 50% of tuition fees.

(4) Chinese students are required to sign an agreement after receiving government financial aid and must stay in Singapore to work for 3 years.

 

5. SM (Senior Middle) Scholarship

In 1991, the Singapore government set up a special program to recruit Chinese students to study in Singapore at public expense. The purpose is to attract Chinese students to study in Singapore, which is mainly divided into four categories: SM1, SM2, SM2.5 and SM3.

① SM1: The main target audience for enrollment is outstanding third year graduates from provincial-level key middle schools in China. In the first two years, it was S $2200 per year, while in the second year of college, it was S $2400 per year. The tuition, accommodation, and meals have been paid by the Ministry of Education to the school or dormitory.

② SM2: Specially targeted at outstanding Chinese sophomore science students, the scholarship includes living expenses of SGD 6000 per year, as well as tuition, accommodation, and two meals in the morning and evening.

③ SM2.5: Recruit a certain number of Chinese senior high school graduates through school recommendation and new party selection.

③ SM3: The enrollment target is freshmen from top Chinese universities.

 

Admission procedures

Before entry:

1. Confirm the offer and pay the reservation fee

After receiving the offer, carefully check the application information. If the information is incorrect, please contact the school as soon as possible to correct it; After confirming that there are no errors, pay the retention fee within the time limit specified by the school (the specific amount depends on the school).

 

2. Apply for IPA

For the first time entering Singapore, you need to apply for an IPA (In Principal Approval Letter).

After receiving the offer, the school will send a SOLAR email (including your SOLAR Application number). After receiving the email, carefully check your personal information, and if there are any errors, please contact the school promptly to make corrections; After confirming that there are no errors, log in to the ICA official website of the Singapore Immigration Bureau to apply online.

 

After passing the ICA review by the Immigration Bureau, the school will directly send an electronic version of the IPA Letter with a barcode to your email, and print it clearly and completely. With this, you can enter Singapore.

Application fee: 30 Singapore dollars (approximately 150 RMB)

Audit time: Generally 5-10 working days. (There may be a slight delay in months with more visas from July to August)

Note: After submitting the application form eform16, it is necessary to print it out; After entering Singapore, this form must be submitted when applying for a student visa at the ICA immigration office.

 

3. Conduct vaccine certification NIR

① Download the vaccine certificate in the "International Travel Health Certificate" mini program, and it is recommended to print and carry it with you. (This mini program will be offline on June 30th! Friends who need it, please save it quickly)

Attention: Ensure that your vaccination meets the requirements (currently recognized Chinese vaccines in Singapore are Kexing and Sinopharm Biotech)

Most of the children received vaccinations from Kexing and Sinopharm Biotech. If the last dose is more than 270 days from now, the fourth dose needs to be administered within 30 days of entry!

 

② Conduct NIR online certification

Cost: 25 SGD (approximately 125 RMB)

Time: Generally, authentication emails can be received on the same day

Materials to be submitted: passport, IPA, and English version of vaccination certificate.

 

Passed students will not need to undergo serum testing after entering Singapore; If NIR fails, students need to complete the 'serum test' as soon as possible after arriving in Singapore (self funded 40 to 100 Singapore dollars). Within 14 days after entry, it is necessary to submit the "vaccination certificate" and "positive serum test results" to the public health clinic. Generally, the clinic conducting the serum test will directly assist in submitting.

 

4. Apply for dormitory/rental housing+book air tickets

 

5. Appointment for domestic medical examination

Download ICA's Medical Examination Report from the SOLAR system, fill in the personal information section, and submit the rest to the medical examination department for filling.

Make an appointment with a domestic physical examination center: there is a department in China specifically responsible for entry-exit physical examination - International Travel Health Care Center. You can search on WeChat/webpage: City+International Travel Health Care Center (make an appointment on its official account/official website/APP).

 

6. Apply for SG Arrive Card

Three days before the trip, enter the ICA official website/download the ICA official app to fill in relevant information. After submission, you can download it.

(Panda suggests printing a paper version of the entry card to prevent inspection during entry.)

 

After entry:

1. Report to school

Complete the enrollment registration, physical examination, and other procedures according to the school's requirements, and obtain the registration confirmation letter.

 

2. Student's Pass (STP)

The Singapore Immigration Bureau has issued a new policy on the entry of international students: For all IPAs granted on or after January 1, 2023, the validity period of the IPA is 3 months from the date of approval or until the start of the course, whichever is later. Everyone must remember to apply for STP within the validity period!

The following is the handling process:

① Online reservation

Considering the peak period of school opening, Panda recommends that everyone make an online appointment directly on the ICA official website after passing the IPA review. (It can also be processed simultaneously during enrollment registration)

② Prepare relevant materials (passport, 2-inch white background photo, IPA Letter, medical examination report, vaccination certificate, NIR certification, etc.)

③ Offline processing according to the scheduled time

Time: Can be processed on the same day as the appointment date

Cost: 90 SGD (approximately 450 RMB)

Review time: The materials are complete, and the visa can generally be obtained on the spot

 

Accommodation

Public school dormitories

Accommodation fee of Public university is about SGD 300-600/month (about RMB 1500-3000). The price of single person and double person, with or without air conditioner, etc. is different.

The quota is tight (requiring early application), and most one-year master's programs require renting out their own homes.

The cost is relatively low, and priority will be given to international students who apply. The environmental safety equipment is complete, in addition to a public television room, there are also reading rooms, laundry rooms, computer rooms, and small kitchens.

 

off-campus housing 

Rent is related to factors such as decoration, location, availability of air conditioning/private bathroom.

Single rooms range from 600 to 900 Singapore dollars (approximately 3000 to 45000 RMB).

Renting together is approximately 400 to 500 Singapore dollars (approximately 2000 to 25000 RMB) per person.

 

Government owned housing

Compared to other methods of renting apartments, the price is cheap. This is a house developed by the Singapore government for the public to live in, divided into single room, two bedroom, one living room, three bedroom, one living room, etc; The cost is around SGD 600-1000 per month (approximately 3k to 5k RMB) (excluding water and electricity)

 

Life

 

climate

Singapore has a Tropical rainforest climate, no four seasons, and the annual temperature is between 23 and 34 ℃, so short sleeves are essential; The rainy season lasts from November to around January March of the following year, with unstable weather and usually thunderstorms in the afternoon; June to September are the driest months, so it is important to pay attention to sun and rain protection when traveling.

 

traffic

Singapore has well-established public transportation facilities, complete and convenient subway and bus transportation routes, and taxis may be more expensive; Small partners who often use public transportation can apply for a Transit pass - EZ-Link card. Every time they take the bus, there will be a discount, and it is more convenient to use and recharge the app. In addition, government schools will also provide transportation discounts for students studying.

 

diet

Singaporean cuisine has a wide variety of cuisines, and the school canteen will also provide a variety of cuisines, which are not only of high standard, but also affordable. Different colleges and universities have their own special dishes; In addition, you can also check in at various restaurants outside of campus, but the price will be higher than the campus cafeteria; Tenants can also cook their own meals to reduce costs.

 

shopping

Singapore is the "shopping paradise" that everyone yearns for, ranging from high-end luxury goods to affordable small goods. The prices in Singapore are not much different from those in first tier cities in China, but due to the exchange rate conversion between the Chinese yuan and the new currency, international students may find it a bit expensive; Shopping in Singapore is very convenient. There are many shopping malls, supermarkets and convenience stores, such as NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, ColdStorage, VivoCity, IMM, Chinatown, 313 somerset, etc.

 

part-time job

Singapore has strict part-time management, with only a portion of full-time students in some universities allowed to work part-time in their spare time, and the working hours cannot exceed 16 hours per week. It can be divided into on campus work or off campus part-time work. On campus work requires recommendation from school teachers, and the workplace is generally in libraries, dormitories, student service centers, etc; There are various options for part-time jobs outside of school, such as catering, part-time teachers, translators, etc.

(If you have a part-time job idea, be sure to confirm if you meet the requirements and submit your application to the school in a timely manner.)

 

Payment method

① Cash: Cash payment is the most common payment method, and in many food stalls/markets, vendors can only use cash payment, so always keep some cash in your wallet.

② Local bank cards in Singapore: Direct credit card purchases are made in major commercial areas, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Some merchants may offer promotions and offer discounts when using local bank cards for purchases.

In Singapore, there are three banks that are common. DBS Bank Bank (including its POSB bank), OCBC Bank Bank and United Overseas Bank Bank usually can handle it with student visa, rental contract and student card.

③ UnionPay card: A small number of stores can pay directly with UnionPay card.

④ Alipay/WeChat Pay: But not all businesses support Alipay and WeChat Pay.

⑤ SGQR QR code payment payment:

Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR for short) is a "unified QR code payment system" jointly led by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) in September 2018. It is the first unified QR code in the world, supporting 27 payment modes, including PayNow, NETSPay, PayLah! And GrabPay, as well as overseas applications such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.

 

Key points: Exchange rate changes are an inseparable part of studying abroad. Whether it's exchange or cross-border remittances, taking timely action can save a lot. All exchange and remittance applications are essential in studying abroad. In contrast, Panda Express is safe and convenient, with fast payment speed, providing the best exchange rate and the lowest handling fee. For the same amount of money, using Panda Express to transfer to your account is even more!

 

Warm Reminder

Singapore is a country with strict rule of law, and many seemingly ordinary small things in Singapore can be fined or even imprisoned, such as driving, playing with mobile phones, littering, overflowing with love to feed small animals, singing in public places, and so on. Therefore, friends need to learn more about Singapore's laws and regulations to avoid illegal situations!

 

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