What is the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) Scholarship?

The Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) is an initiative by the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Management University (SMU) which aims to provide world-class PhD training to qualified international students wanting to study in Singapore.

What are the perks of the SINGA Scholarship?

Students awarded the SINGA Scholarship will receive PhD training. For the same, they can choose any lab at A*STAR Research Institutes, SUTD, NTU, NUS, or SMU.

The medium for PhD training will be English. Students will complete their Ph.D. under the guidance and supervision of world-renowned and experienced researchers.

Since the SINGA scholarship aims to cater to the needs of international students, it offers them a multicultural environment along with state-of-the-art facilities to foster diverse research community.

Eligibility for the SINGA Scholarship

What is the selection criteria for the SINGA Scholarship?

Selection for the SINGA Scholarship is based on a student’s

• Academic records
• Letters of Recommendation from Academic Referees
• Personal achievements
• Publications
• Ability to write and speak in English
• Interview, if the student is shortlisted

Eligibility for the SINGA Scholarship

Since the scholarship aims to provide opportunities to international students, any student who is not a citizen of Singapore is eligible to apply.

In addition to that, international students who will be studying in Singapore for the first time will qualify for the SINGA scholarship. Those international students who have studied in Singapore before is not eligible to apply.

What is the age limit to apply for the SINGA Scholarship?

There is no age limit for applying to the SINGA scholarship

How often is the SINGA Scholarship awarded?

The SINGA scholarship is awarded twice every year, for the January intake and the August intake.

What does the SINGA Scholarship cover?

Duration of the SINGA Scholarship

The SINGA Scholarship funds a student’s PhD education for up to 4 years.

Costs covered in the grant include

1. Tuition fees
2. Monthly stipend of S$2,200. This will be increased to S$2,700 after passing the
   Qualifying Examination
3. S$1,000 Settling in allowance (One time)
4. Air-fare grant up to S$1,500 (One time)

The estimated cost of living in Singapore per month is around S$1,500- S$2,000.

What is the application process for the SINGA Scholarship?

First, go to registration for a new SingPass account as a new applicant.

Documents required

Upload the soft copies of the following documents after you register for the SingPass account

• Passport
• Your passport size photograph (JPEG/PNG format)
• 2 recommendation letters from your academic referees
• Bachelor’s academic transcripts (English translation)
• Master’s academic transcripts (English translation)
• Bachelor’s Degree Certificate
• Master’s Degree Certificate
• If available, GRE / GATE/ TOEFL / IELTS / SAT I & II scores

What is the deadline to apply for the SINGA Scholarship?

• January intake –  Applications to be submitted between 2nd December to 1st June
• August intake – Applications to be submitted between 2nd June to 1st December

Do I need to apply separately to the universities apart from applying for the SINGA Scholarship?

There is no need to apply separately to the universities. Indicate the universities you wish to pursue your PhD training while applying for the SINGA Scholarship.

When are the shortlisted students notified?

Students who are shortlisted will be notified within 12 weeks from the date of closing of applications for that particular intake

Research areas covered under the SINGA Scholarship

Research areas for PhD supported by the SINGA Scholarship include

1. Engineering Technology
2. Physical sciences
3. Computing and information sciences
4. Biomedical sciences

How many research proposals can I specify in my application for the SINGA Scholarship?

At a time, you can specify only 3 research projects with your research proposal and the supervisors along with the university name you wish to work under.