University scholarships Singaporeans can apply for
Scoring a scholarship is like getting a free upgrade to first class. You get your tuition paid for free, and enjoy plenty of bonuses along the way too – like laptop upgrades, internship opportunities and even free vacations.
But getting one is easier said than done. You’ll have to fill out the paperwork, showcase a stellar track record and impress them with your interview skills. You’d also have to do plenty of research to find one that suits your needs before you even begin.
If you’re thinking of trying for one, but don’t know where to start, we’ve done the legwork for you. Here are 10 scholarships for you to consider.
1. NUS Global Merit Scholarship
Image credit: @nus_singapore
- Full coverage of tuition fees (after MOE Tuition Grant subsidy)
- S$6,000 annual living allowance
- S$2,000 one-time computer allowance upon enrolment
- S$2,625 annual accommodation allowance if scholar is staying in a Hall of Residence, Student Residence, or Ridge View Residential College, or S$4,200 if scholar is staying in University Town
- S$7,500 Student Exchange Programme/NUS Overseas Colleges allowance per semester for non-Asian countries and Japan, and S$5,000 per semester for other Asian countries
- Guaranteed an offer of a 1-semester Student Exchange Programme (SEP) with one of NUS’ overseas partner universities
Application/T&C:
- Referee’s appraisal is needed for applicants
- Recipients of the scholarship (scholars) may not concurrently hold any other scholarship, fellowship, bursary, grant, award or allowance without prior approval from the University.
- The scholarship will be monitored and renewed every semester provided the scholar maintains a Cumulative Average Point (CAP) of at least 4.0 (or equivalent) and good conduct.
Discipline of Study:
All full time undergraduate degrees at NUS, although the scholarship is not available for Yale-NUS College students and students in the Law and Liberal Arts Double Degree Programme offered by Yale-NUS College and NUS, and only limited scholarships are available for Dentistry, Medicine and Music.
Bond: None
Deadline for application: 19 March 2018
2. Nanyang Scholarship
Image credit: @hplhc
Perks:
- Full coverage of subsidised tuition fees (after MOE Tuition Grant subsidy).
- Living allowance of S$6,000 per academic year.
- Book allowance of S$500 per academic year.
- Accommodation allowance of up to S$2,000 per academic year for scholarship holders who reside in NTU hostels
- Travel grant of S$5,000 for an overseas programme (one-off).
- Computer allowance of S$1,500 (one-off).
- Settling-in allowance of S$250 (one-off).
- Priority for Overseas Programme
Application/T&C:
- Referee’s appraisal is needed for applicants
- Scholarship holder is required to maintain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.5 over 5.0. Academic performance will be reviewed every semester.
- Scholarship holder is required to take on the role of student ambassador, or any other similar role, representing the university to give publicity talks, to receive guests, etc, as and when called upon to do so.
Bond: None
Deadline for application: Dependent on your respective educational qualification, the deadline for the admission application and scholarship application is the same.
3. Changi Airport Undergraduate Scholarship
Perks:
- All tuition and compulsory fees
- Monthly maintenance allowance
- Pre‐Studies allowances, including settling‐in and computer allowance (one‐off)
- Hostel fees (local)
- Opportunities for sponsorship of student exchange or summer programmes
- Postgraduate sponsorship upon approval by management
- Internships with the diverse business areas with Changi Airport Group
Application/T&C:
Apply via BrightSparks
Discipline of Study:
All disciplines of study, excluding medicine and dentistry
Bond: 3 years if you’re studying in a local university, 5 years if you’re studying abroad.
Deadline for application :11 March 2018
4. Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship
Image credit: Teo Chee Hean
Perks:
- Tuition fees and other approved charges
- Maintenance and other allowances
- Return airfare (if applicable)
- Sponsorship of PSC development programmes, approved student exchange programmes, summer programmes and CCAs
- Sponsorship of Master’s degree (if requirements are met)
Application/T&C:
Apply via the PSC website
Discipline of Study:
Courses approved by the agency and this depends on which PSC scholarship you choose (PSC Engineering, Foreign Service, Legal Service, Public Finance and Teaching Service Scholarships)
Bond:
- For undergraduate study in English-speaking countries: 6 years
- For undergraduate study in non-English speaking countries (e.g.Germany, China): 5 years
- For undergraduate study in Singapore: 4 years
Deadline for application: 15 March 2018
5. Singapore Airlines Open Scholarship
Image credit: @737skynoodle
Perks:
- Tuition and other compulsory fees
- Maintenance allowance
- One-off pre-studies allowance,
- Air passage at beginning and end of course,
- Annual trip to any point on Singapore Airlines’ global network.
- Reimbursement of university application and entrance test fees.
- Vacation attachment to a Singapore Airlines’ office
Application/T&C:
Apply via BrightSparks
Discipline of Study:
All courses are considered except Architecture, Biomedical, Biotechnology, Dentistry, Law, Medicine, and Pharmacy
Tenable for top overseas universities
Bond: 6 years
Deadline for application: 15 March 2018
6. Healthcare Merit Scholarship (HMS)
Perks:
- Tuition fees and compulsory charges
- Monthly maintenance allowance
- Sponsorship for approved developmental activities, such as Student Exchange Programmes, Professional seminars and conferences during course of study
- One-Off Distinction Award for Academic Excellence (for those who graduated with at least 2nd Upper Honours degree)
Application/T&C:
Only applicable for MOHH-approved universities in Australia, Ireland, Singapore, UK and USA
Discipline of Study
- Diagnostic Radiography
- Dietetics
- Medical Social Work
- Nursing
- Occupational Therapy
- Orthoptics
- Pharmacy
- Physiotherapy
- Podiatry
- Radiation Therapy
- Respiratory Therapy
- Prosthetics & Orthotics
- Speech Therapy
Bond: 4 years for local universites, 6 years for overseas universities
Deadline for application: 4th March
7. JTC Undergraduate Scholarship
Perks:
Local universities
- Maintenance allowance
- Pre-studies allowance
- Tuition, examination and other related fees
- Hostel fees (if necessary)
- Medical insurance (if necessary)
- Opportunity for sponsorship for approved student exchange programmes
- Internships within JTC
Overseas universities
- Airfare
- Pre-studies allowance
- Tuition, exam and other related fees
- Medical insurance (if necessary)
- Opportunity for sponsorship for approved student exchange/summer programme
- Internships within JTC
Discipline of Study:
- Engineering
- Real Estate
- Projects and Facilities Management
- Architecture
- Urban Planning
- Economics
- Business
- Land Surveying
- Quantity Surveying
- Mass Communications
- Accountancy
- Human Resources Management
- Courses that are relevant to different areas of work in JTC (excludes Law, Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy)
Bond: 2 years for local universities, 5 years for overseas universities
Deadline for application:18 March 2018
8. SPRING Singapore Executive Development Scholarship (EDS)
Perks:
- Up to four years tuition and compulsory fees
- Annual maintenance allowance
- Hostel fees subsidy
- One-time computer allowance
- Support for approved overseas exchange programme
- Compulsory internship opportunity
Application/T&C:
Only applicable to NUS, NTU, SIT, SMU, SUTD
Discipline of Study:
All local undergraduate courses in approved universities that are deemed suitable for a career at SPRING and/or SMES. Excludes Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Architecture, Music, Real Estate, Facility Management, Industrial Design, Art, Design & Media, Education & Sports Science and a non-exhaustive list of equivalent courses
Bond: 2 years
Deadline for application: TBC
9. ST Engineering Local Scholarships
Perks:
- Tuition fees and other approved charges
- Maintenance and pre-studies allowance
- Return economy airfare (for overseas studies)
- Attachment/internship opportunities in ST Engineering companies
- Possibility of sponsorship for exchange programme and Master’s degree
Discipline of Study:
- Engineering courses
- Double Degree programme with one degree in Engineering
- Other courses that are relevant to the businesses of ST Engineering such as Computer Science, Information Systems Management, Naval Architecture
Bond: 4 to 6 years, depending on the duration and value of the award
Deadline for application: 25 March 2018
10. GIC Scholarship 2018
Perks:
- Fully sponsored undergraduate studies
- The scholarship is tenable for 4 years and may include sponsorship for Masters
- Sponsorship for overseas student exchange programmes, summer programmes, foreign language studies, etc.
- Internship opportunity with GIC in the second year of study
- Upon graduation, scholar will join the GIC Professionals Programme (GPP)
Application/T&C:
- Applicable to both local and overseas universities
- Have to intern with GIC during your second year of study
Discipline of Study:
Courses that are deemed suitable for a career at GIC, can be discussed
Bond: 4 years for local universities, 6 years for overseas universities
Deadline for Application: 20 March 2018
Finding the right Uni scholarship
It’s the middle of the uni app season right now, and while you’re filling in the paperwork for the various universities, it might be worthwhile to try for a scholarship too. Who knows, you might just impress someone enough to score a subsidy for your uni education!