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Cheapest Universities in Singapore

Cheapest Universities in Singapore

Edited By Porishmita Paul | Updated on Nov 15, 2023 03:01 PM IST

Cheapest Universities in Singapore - Singapore is not a just country of wealth, efficient transportation and high standard of living. Some of the best institutions of higher education are located in Singapore. Including National University of Singapore (NUS) four Singapore universities have been listed among QS 2024 rankings indicating that the country has invested in quality education. International students are migrating to Singapore in search of better education and career opportunities. However, education is expensive for Indian students. Singapore is encouraging international students to come and study in Singapore by offering tuition fee discounts and the permit to stay in the country for up to three years without additional work permit.

Though the cost of studying in Singapore is high, there are many cheap universities to choose from. Let’s look at the cheapest universities in Singapore for international students 2023 along with tuition fees in this article.

Cheapest Colleges in Singapore for International Students

One of the top reasons to study in Singapore is the heavily subsidized education system in universities. Government has taken this step to attract international students to study and work in the country without much restrictions. Following is the list of cheap universities in Singapore.

Cheapest Colleges in Singapore for International Students

University Name

Tuition Fees in Singapore Dollars (per Annum)

Tuition Fees in Indian Rupees (per Annum)

National University of Singapore (NUS)

S$17,650 – S$98,650

10.8 L– 60.1 L

Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

S$17,650 – S$75,550

18.9 L– 46.04 L

Singapore University of Technology & Design

S$29,900

17.7 L

Singapore Management University

S$51,840 – S$358,000

31.6 L – 2.18 Cr

Republic Polytechnic

$12,041.58


73.4 L

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

S$8,200 for diploma courses

5 L

Temasek Polytechnic

S$11,400 for diploma courses

6.95 L

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)

$31,680–$57,600


19.3 L – 35.11 L

*The above fees are after receiving grant from Ministry of Education, Singapore

Additional Read: Scholarships to Study in Singapore

National University of Singapore (NUS)

NUS (National University of Singapore) is a flagship university with a global reputation and approach for teaching and research. It has 17 faculties and schools along with 30 research centers across three campuses in Kent Ridge, Bukit Timah, and Outram. There is a choice of 68 UG programs and 216 PG programs at this one of the cheapest universities in Singapore for 2023. Around 38,000 students are studying at NUS hailing from 100 countries across the world making it a truly Global university to thrive. Admission deadlines vary according to the course.

Acceptance Rate: Less than 10%

Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore is the world’s #1 best young university for five consecutive years in QS rankings. Imperial NTU is a joint medical school of NTU in partnership with Imperial College London. However, NTU also offers courses in engineering, science, arts, business, humanities and social sciences, and education. 7,600 international students are enrolled at the university. As one of the cheapest universities in Singapore for international students. Nanyang Technological University is frequently cited among top 15 beautiful universities in the world.

Acceptance Rate: 36%

Singapore University of Technology & Design

Singapore University of Technology & Design has been established in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology for giving responsible and capable leaders to the present society. The curriculum followed at SUTD has been developed by MIT, 4 year degrees can be completed in 3 1⁄2 years itself. Doing foundation programmes is mandatory at SUTD to establish a strong base in the courses they are going to do.

Acceptance Rate: 36%

Singapore Management University

Singapore Management University is a private university in Singapore that is exclusively dedicated to Business, Economics and Finance studies. Various undergraduate, postgraduate research and professional programmes are offered at SMU through its eight schools to 12000 students. Business programs at Singapore university of Technology & Design have been modeled following the Wharton School of Business curriculum. Despite being a private university, annual fees at SUTD are subsidized by the Ministry of Education, Singapore, thus offering one of the cheapest universities in Singapore for international students.

Acceptance Rate: 49%

Republic Polytechnic

One of the cheapest universities in Singapore, Republic Polytechnic offers 43 Full-Time Courses to international students. Republic Polytechnic is known for its 100% placement experience with around 60,000+ alumni spread across the world. Republic Polytechnic boasts of its 2000+ industry partnerships across the world. High visibility among industry partnerships results in a high number of career opportunities offered to graduating students. The university offers courses in Applied Sciences, Engineering, Management and Communication, Hospitality, Infocomm, Sports, Health & Leisure, etc through its seven schools.

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

Founded as a private university, there are many diploma courses aided by public funding at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Exclusively dedicated to art programs, various courses are offered as diplomas and degrees. NAFA has partnered with University of the Arts London and Royal College of Music, London and is the founding member of University of the Arts Singapore. Students aiming to pursue courses in arts must choose NAFA for getting industry relevant education. International students looking for the cheapest universities in Singapore for Arts courses may apply to Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts now.

Acceptance Rate: 52%

Temasek Polytechnic

Temasek Polytechnic, a relatively young university established in 1990. It is a public university that receives funding from the Singapore government to deliver cost-effective education to talented students from across the world. Tuition fees of diploma courses after receiving subsidy from the government start from 6.95 Lakh per annum. The campus of Temasek Polytechnic has an impressive architecture adding to the beauty of studying at Temasek Polytechnic.

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)

The best reason to choose Singapore University of Social Sciences is not only the fact that it is among the cheapest universities in Singapore for international students. But also the employment opportunities facilitated by the university. SUSS reports that every 9 graduates out of 10 receive employment offers every year. Supply Chain Management, Finance, and Accountancy are top courses to study at SUSS.

Must Read:

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

1. What are the cheapest engineering universities in Singapore?

The cheapest engineering universities in Singapore are the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Both universities are public universities and offer subsidized tuition fees to all students, including international students. In addition to NUS and NTU, the following universities in Singapore also offer engineering programs at relatively affordable tuition fees:

  • Singapore Management University (SMU)

  • Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)

  • Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)

2. What is the cheapest diploma course in Singapore?

Diploma in Data Analytics, Diploma in Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Logistics and Supply chain management are some of the diploma courses in Singapore to study. 

3. How much does a masters degree in Singapore cost?

A masters degree in Singapore costs from SGD 30,000 – SGD 60,000 per annum. It is approximately 18.4 lakhs-43 lakhs in Indian rupees. Cost of living in Singapore is SGD 1500-2000 per month.

4. How much are tuition fees for international students in Singapore?

Depending on the university and the programme, different international students in Singapore pay different tuition. Generally speaking, though, foreign students should budget between SGD 10,000 and SGD 20,000 for undergraduate programmes and between SGD 20,000 and SGD 50,000 for graduate programmes annually.

5. Is a student visa necessary to study in Singapore?

Yes. A student visa is mandatory to study in Singapore. It takes 2-4 weeks to get the Singapore student visa after applying through the Singapore Embassy.

6. Is Singapore affordable for students?

Singapore is a relatively expensive country to live in, but it is still affordable for students compared to other popular study destinations such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. The cost of living in Singapore will vary depending on your lifestyle and choices, but you can expect to spend around S$1,500 to S$3,300 per month on living expenses, including tuition fees, accommodation, food, and transportation.

7. Is it expensive to go to university in Singapore?

Whether or not it is expensive to go to university in Singapore depends on a few factors, including the university you choose, the program you study, and your nationality. Public universities in Singapore offer subsidized tuition fees to all students, including international students. This means that international students can expect to pay lower tuition fees at public universities in Singapore than at public universities in other popular study destinations such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

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Questions related to

Get answers from students and experts

Hello,

Hope you are doing great.

To answer your question To gain admission to the Computer Engineering program at the National University of Singapore (NUS), it is crucial to comprehend the admission criteria

JEE Mains Percentile:

The anticipated JEE Main Cutoff for 2024 across different categories is as follows:

General: 89+ percentile

EWS: 78+ percentile

OBC: 74+ percentile

SC: 44+ percentile

PwD: 0.11+ percentile¹.

A commendable percentile in JEE Mains 2024 falls within the range of 90-95 percentile³.

However, it is important to note that meeting the previous year's cutoff does not guarantee admission for the current year.

Hope this helps!!



Dear Aspirant,
Singapore is one of the best country across the world for Business and Finance Studies. Some of the best institutions for Masters of Business Adminstration (MBA) are as follows-
1. INSEAD
2. NUS (National University of Singapore)
3. Lee Kinf Chian School of Business
4. Manchester Business School
5. Nanyang Business School
6. ESSEC Global MBA
7. The Strathclyde MBA

You can visit the respective websites for details .

Hope this helps you !

Hello,

Yes you can! As long as your medical certification is from a recognised institution by the Singapore Medical Council, yo can apply to be allowed to practice in Singapore. Of course there will be a set of admin stuff you will have to complete before being allowed to practice here.

For practicing in in Singapore as a medical practitioner you must secure a job with hospitals, register with Singapore medical council and finally get accredited with Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB)  registration if you are practising as a specialist.

Alternatively, if there is a hospital/Medical institution willing to hire you, they can complete the procedutes on your behalf which will be much more convinient for you.


Hope this helps!!!

Dear Aspirant,

There are many colleges that accept students without the said exams but make sure you have your transcripts ready- LORs, projects/internships/Volunteering certificates, Statement of Purpose, Essays, Extra-curricular activities. These things are a must when trying to apply for colleges abroad.

Colleges in the US:

https://yocket.in/blog/universities-that-dont-require-sat-act-3527

There are 08 top Australian Universities which follow the above given criteria in order to exempt international students from submitting IELTS scores for admission. They are as follows:

  • UNSW
  • University of Adelaide
  • University of Queensland
  • University of Southern Queensland
  • Macquarie University
  • University of South Australia
  • Swinburne University of Technology
  • Bond University

Most of the colleges in Australia require an IELTS test score but have been waived off only on a case by case basic which is entirely judged. Many a times they have also waived it off if the students have completed their education in english medium.

Colleges in Singapore:

  • Nanyang Technological College
  • National college of Singapore
  • Singapore Management University

Singapore also has numerous centres of internationally acknowledged universities like Duke University, University of Chicago, Booth Graduate School of Business, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and SP Jain Centre of Management.

Colleges in Canada:

  • University of Saskatchewan
  • Brock University
  • Carleton University
  • University of Winnipeg
  • University of Regina
  • Memorial University
  • Concordia University

Hope this helps!




Hello,

Designing is an upcoming and demanding field and is gaining recognition faster than ever. Studying abroad does seem desirable but it is not entirely different from studying in your own country. Several Indian institutes ,not just NID offer amazing designing programs. Many Institutes in India have tie-ups with international universities and study abroad programs which will give you the exposure required for an undergraduate degree.

Studying abroad for an UG degree also requires a lot of capital ,so instead of spending that money for UG , you can save up for PG/higher studies abroad which will be of much more use. As long as you choose study and work hard, choose a good college with experiential learning then from where you study NID or NAFA or Lasalle or UAL it doesn't matter.


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