Singapore is fast emerging as one of the most popular study-abroad hubs for international students from across the world. It offers quality education along with an excellent lifestyle and lucrative career opportunities.  But it happens to be an expensive destination, whether it is about university tuition costs or living expenses. However, students need not give up on their dream of studying in the country only because of financial constraints. The country has several fully-funded scholarship programmes that enable international students to study and live in the country free of cost. Here are the top full-funded scholarships for international students planning to study in Singapore:

Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)

SINGA is a fully-funded scholarship for Ph.D. students from any country. The funding is available for up to four years and includes a full tuition fee, stipend for monthly living expenses, airfare, and settling-in allowance. The participants of the progamme include 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 Singapore Management University (SMU). 

Commonwealth Scholarship at the National University of Singapore (NUS)

The National University of Singapore (NUS) offers the Commonwealth Scholarship to outstanding graduates from Commonwealth countries. The programme provides full tuition fees and monthly stipends for Masters ($1500) and PhD ($2000) students. Several students are selected each semester for the award. The scholarship applies for 1 year in the first instance, following which the university can renew it each semester depending on the student’s progress. The maximum tenure is two years for Master’s candidates and four years for Ph.D. candidates.

ADB-Japan Scholarship Program for Developing Countries in Asia and Pacific

The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) covers highly qualified students from ADB’s developing member countries, including Singapore. It applies to students seeking postgraduate studies in subjects such as science and technology, economics, management, and other development-related fields at participating institutions in the Asian and Pacific regions. Scholars are expected to contribute to the development of their home countries upon completion of their study programs. Besides full tuition fees, the ADB-JSP provides a monthly subsistence and housing allowance, medical insurance, travel expenses, and an allowance for books and instructional materials.  

NTU Nanyang Undergraduate Scholarship

NTU Nanyang Scholarship is an undergraduate scholarship awarded to outstanding freshmen studying in undergraduate programmes. It is available to students who excel academically, possess outstanding co-curricular records, and demonstrate strong leadership potential.  The scholarship covers full tuition fees and provides a living allowance, accommodation allowance, travel grant, and a computer allowance up to the normal course duration, provided that the student maintains their academic performance and exemplary conduct.

Singapore Government Scholarships for Southeast Asians

Singapore government offers fully-funded scholarships to bright students from China and ASEAN countries to study in the country. Students get the opportunities to broaden their horizons and develop key skills such as leadership and communication. In addition to Chinese students, the programme is available to students from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

ASEAN Foundation Scholarship in Development, Environment and IT

The National University of Singapore (NUS) collaborates with the ASEAN Foundation (AF) to develop high-quality human resources within its member countries through the ASEAN Foundation Scholarship in Development, Environment and IT. This scholarship programme is funded through the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund. Besides covering tuition, examination fees, and other expenses, the scholarship provided $2000 as a monthly stipend.

Although Singapore is known for its high living costs and expensive degree programmes, international students choosing it as their study abroad destination can access fully-funded scholarship schemes to ease the financial part of the journey. You can check these options to find an ideal one before embarking on your international education journey.