Singapore is the smallest country of Southeast Asia region, located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. People from Chinese, Malay, European as well as Indian descent form the population of Singapore. The culture of Singapore is formed with the tinge of art, architecture and culinary traditions from each group, which creates a fascinating backdrop for students in search for an outstanding study abroad experience.
In the past few years, Singapore has turned into a hot destination for Indian students who wish to pursue higher studies. More and more students fly to Singapore each year in a wish to broaden their horizons. Singapore has carved out a niche for offering quality education at affordable cost. This is the reason why many students are switching their choices from traditionally preferred destinations like UK and the United States to Singapore.
Education Overview in Singapore
The Singapore Education Body includes three publicly funded universities – The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University, and five polytechnics, offering two and three year diplomas in a variety of subject areas. In addition to it, Singapore is a host to both diverse private education schools and an increasing number of offshore campuses. These private institutions in Singapore offer qualifications of international standard that has international curriculum such as those for the Chartered Institute of marketing and the Association of Chartered Accountants. Moreover, others offer international undergraduate programs in collaboration with the universities of Australia, UK and USA. The offered courses include;
– Management programmes (MBA)
– IT courses (telecommunication)
– Engineering Courses
– Courses in Tourism
– Art & Design Courses
Financial Assistance for Studying in Singapore
Singapore Government is investing huge in the education sector as it believes in nurturing talents and producing the leaders for tomorrow. Also, with the availability of various financial assistance schemes available to assist international students to easily fund their education. However, there are a number of scholarship programs are also open for application for the international students. The selection for scholarship is completely based on the academic background and co-curricular track records, where excellence and leadership are given preference. The cost of study varies from school to school every year. You can directly check with the institutions to know the tuition fee, etc., in which you wish to apply.
Applying to Singapore
To apply in an university in Singapore, the students need to clear the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). After you have completed the application form with all the necessary original documents, submit them directly to the university of your choice. The university will then conduct the placement tests for the applicant and if the student passes that placement test, the university will accept the application and issue a Letter of Acceptance for the student. The next thing you will need to do is to go to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for the application of your student’s pass.
You can get a student’s pass from Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) within 2 weeks from date of issue of the Letter of Acceptance.
Accommodation in Singapore
Accommodation is an important area of concern for the students in abroad. But in Singapore, the availability of wide variety of accommodation options match every size of pocket. Most educational institutions have an International Student Office specializing in the needs of international students. The staffs at these centers offer advice on accommodation procedures, contacts for private rental offers, room-mate matching services, handy tips about renting student homes, as well as help in selecting an accommodation type which best suit students’ needs like Halls of Residence, Hostels, Private Hostels or Home-stays.
Studying in Singapore gives everything to a student whatever he/she wants from a foreign education system. Singapore, however, is trying to position itself as the first choice destination for Indian students. The country wants Indian students to enroll in its institutes, from the higher secondary or the junior college level onwards. Over three years, the number of Indian students opting for studies in Singapore has surged. One of the reasons has been that more Indian families have been settling in Singapore.