Top Universities and Colleges in Singapore - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

There are more than 40 universities and colleges in Singapore out of which the majority of the top colleges are located in the central city. The students can submit the test scores of SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE for admission to universities and colleges in Singapore. According to the QS Global Rankings, some of the colleges and universities in Singapore are the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, INSEAD Singapore, Singapore Management University, and Singapore University of Technology and Design. Some of the popular courses in Singapore are BBA, MBA/PGDM, MIM, BE/Btech, and UG Diploma. 

According to the Ministry of External Affairs India, around 10,000 Indian students have enrolled in universities and colleges in Singapore.

Universities in Singapore: Highlights

Generally, the duration of top courses in universities and colleges in Singapore has a duration of 12 months to 4 years. The universities and colleges in Singapore offer admissions during the Fall, Spring, and Summer intakes every year.

Why Study in Singapore?

Singapore as a higher studies destination has not only prompted overseas students to plan their academic tenure in the country but has also yielded excellent employment outcomes for them, helping them secure a job in multifarious fields.It not only owns one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites but also has various visually appealing art galleries, parks, museums, and parks to offer. Singapore is soon set to frame its status as the leading international study destination in Asia, enhancing its academic quality and research outcome as well as preserving the top-ranked status of many of its universities and institutions. Although it has four official languages namely Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English, the last one (English) being the medium of teaching instruction makes it convenient for foreign students to carry out their studies easily. Each year, over 85,000 students from abroad, representing more than 100 nationalities, opt to study in the island country of Singapore.

Post Work Permit in Singapore

Students are not allowed to stay in Singapore on their Student Pass or Study Visa to search for employment like in other European nations or the USA. This does not necessarily imply that they need to return to India once they’ve completed their studies. They have an option of staying back for one to three months. Most of the time when a graduate student’s student pass has expired or has been canceled, a short-term visit pass is granted to him/her. This permits them to stay in Singapore for 90 days maximum during which they can search for different job opportunities which exist. But being on this visa one cannot take up any employment, only find job options.

Part-Time Options

Singapore does not permit students to pick up any work. Singapore universities offer internships related to the courses that students plan to pursue. A student can only opt for these related internships. Also, most of the universities have partnered with industrial houses which would provide the students with a part-time working opportunity.

Student Visa Fee in Singapore: Visa application option and cost

A student visa or a student pass is required in Singapore if you plan to enroll in an academic course at an Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) that would last over 30 days as an overseas student. Applicants are required to submit their visa or pass application to the Student’s Pass Online Application and Registration or SOLAR system. The visa processing fee is around INR 1,855 for online applications and INR 3,711 for manual applications. The documents required for student visa in Singapore is given as follows:

•        A valid (minimum 3 months) passport
•        Offer letter issued by an IHL (Institute of Higher Learning)
•        Visa Application fee original receipt
•        Completed visa application forms – Form 16 and Form V36
•        Proof (bank statements) that you can bear the expenses of your education and stay
•        Academic transcripts (degrees, diplomas, certificates) from an Indian institute
•        GMAT/TOEFL/GRE/PTE test scores (if required)
•        Letter of loan sanction by a bank (if student loan required) and proof of investments

Top job sectors & Economy

Candidates looking to work in Singapore can check out the following job sectors that require international talent. Executive positions are some of the highest-paying jobs in Singapore. According to a Michael Page report, C-suite roles such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, command high annual salaries, starting from INR 1.81 CR and can go up to as high as INR 3.17 CR. These figures apply to roles in sectors such as Business Services, Chemicals, and engineering, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Financial Services and fintech, and Healthcare and Life Sciences.

Top Ranking Universities in Singapore

Some of the top universities in Singapore for international students are given as follows:

Top Engineering Universities in Singapore

Based on QS Subject Rankings 2024, some of the top universities for Engineering courses in Singapore are given as follows:

Top Business and Management Universities in Singapore

Based on the Subject Rankings 2024, some of the top Management course universities in Singapore are given as follows:

Top Medicine and Health Sciences Universities in Singapore

Based on the QS Subject Rankings 2024 some of the top medicine and health science course universities are given as follows:

List of Top Courses in Singapore 

Some of the top courses in Singapore for international students are given as follows:

BBA Admissions Requirements in Singapore

The admission requirements for BBA courses in Singapore are given as follows: 

• Copy of National Level High School Examination result slip
• School examination results slip e.g. Year 11 High School transcripts/ SPM/ IGSCE/ Indian Standard 10
• Official scores of SAT/ACT (if applicable)
• English language proficiency test scores (if applicable)
• Copy of Passport / Birth Certificate / Identification Card
• Copy of Certification of exceptional talent achievements in co-curricular activities (if applicable)
• Copy of medical report, if you have or had any major illnesses or disabilities (if applicable)
• Copy of criminal records (if applicable)

Entrance Exams Accepted by BBA Universities in Singapore

Some of the entrance exams accepted for BBA courses in Singapore are given as follows:

English Language Requirements by BBA Universities in Singapore 

Some of the English Language Proficiency exams accepted for BBA courses in Singapore are given as follows:

Documents Required

The general eligibility requirements for admission into courses in top Singapore universities have been listed below:

•        The applicant should have obtained an aggregate of 90-95% in both Class 10^th and 12^th.
•        In case the applicant has not completed his secondary education at the time of applying for UG admission, he/she should submit a predictive score of Class 12^th.
•        Universities such as SIM, NUS, and Yale-NUS will require the applicants to submit advanced placement test scores.
•        SAT scores should be impressive. Also, state-board applicants must submit their SAT scores.
•        If the applicants have studied at an English-medium school and obtained more than 75% in English, they do not have to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Cost of studying in Singapore

The tuition fees for MS courses in private universities in Germany range from INR 10 L to INR 40 L.

BBA Tuition Fees

The first-year tuition fees for BBA courses in Singapore are given as follows:

Cost of Living in Singapore 

Moving outside your country for higher education not only requires you to pay attention to your tuition fee but also to the living and other miscellaneous expenditures that the students will have to bear. Pursuing an undergraduate or a graduate course will not require you to stay there for a few days or weeks but for years. The student needs to plan your budgeting as per your requirements as well as likes and dislikes. So if the student has plans to relocate to Singapore for studies, be ready to shell out SGD 750- SGD 2,000 (INR 46,370 to INR 1,23,655) * per month on average for living costs.