LIVING AND STUDY EXPENSES IN SINGAPORE

The cost of living and studying in Singapore is quite reasonable. The amount to be set aside will depend on the kind of accommodation a student chooses. The following is a breakdown of the accommodation costs and daily necessities:

There is a wide range of hostels and accommodation available for foreign students in Singapore. Depending on the locality and room type, rental rates range from S$300 to S$1000 per month. For Food you have to calculate S$250 - S$500 per month. Another cost factor is t ransportation and others for which you will have to calculate S$250 - S$450 per month.

Approximate fees for international students at the three local universities

Course	Tuition fees per year
Non-lab based	S$20,500 - S$22,000
Lab based	S$22,500
Dentistry, Medicine	S$83,900
Music	S$40,300

Non-laboratory based courses are Accountancy, Arts & Social Sciences, Business, Law and Mass Communication.

Laboratory based courses are Architecture, Building & Real Estate, Industrial Design, Computing, Engineering, Pharmacy and Science.

Most universities charge miscellaneous fees for items such as student's union, examination, health services, insurance and so on. Amounts vary from university to university, so you are advised to check out their brochures and websites for details.

Payment of fees is usually by cheque or GIRO (electronic bank transfer) at the beginning of each semester. GIRO forms are mostly obtainable from the universities' administration offices.

Singapore invests generously in education as it firmly believes in nurturing talents and developing the leaders of tomorrow. To this end, a large assortment of financial assistance schemes are available to help international students fund their education.

For studies at a local university or polytechnic, the Tuition Fee Grant administered by the Ministry of Education (MOE) subsidizes up to 80% of tuition fees and is available to all students. As an international student, you are eligible for the same grant subject to the signing of a deed with the Singapore government undertaking to work in a Singapore-registered company for three years, upon completion of your program. 

4) Working Permission

Foreign students are generally, exempted from applying for a work permit if they wish to work during vacation time. Exemption to apply for work permit is also applicable to those IHL listed students who do not work for more than 16 hours per week during the course session.