With a 500-acre residential campus, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is the second oldest public autonomous research university in Singapore. Each year, the university sees about 33,000 enrolments in its Engineering, Business, Science, and Humanities programmes. In 2013, it established the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine jointly with Imperial College London, which is also Singapore’s third medical school. NTU’s campus is famous for its beautiful lush-green surroundings with 57 Green Mark-certified (equivalent to LEED-certified) building projects with more than 230 buildings, of which 95% are certified Green Mark Platinum. The university is also pioneering new pedagogies to help students learn more effectively in this digital age. It has introduced a new education strategy through its flipped classroom model of learning. The Hive is the centre of this new strategy, a redefined traditional classroom, and popular among the students as the ‘dim sum basket building’. Other educational initiatives include signature programmes such as Renaissance Engineering Programme, CN Yang Scholars Programme, and NTU-University Scholars Programme. NTU is a research and innovation-intensive institution with two national research centres of prominence – the Earth Observatory of Singapore and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering. In 2018-2019, it received the lion’s share of SGD 6 billion funding as a competitive research grant and over SGD 580 million in 2019-2020. As of July 2020, it had over 1,500 full-time faculty and 109 visiting faculty.
Courses Offered
What all courses are available to international students?
NTU has a wide range of courses offered through its various colleges in multiple disciplines. Each programme has plenty of research opportunities and is taught by top academics and professors. At the undergraduate level, it offers the following types of programmes in 10 major fields of studies:
- Double Degree Programmes: Students are awarded a degree certificate for each of the two programmes. Some courses may be counted towards the requirements of both degrees. Thus, it allows a student to complete two degrees in a shorter period rather than completing each degree separately.
- Double Major Programmes: Students get the opportunity to specialise in any two major academic disciplines. This encourages multidisciplinary educational and intellectual focus while equipping students with transferable skills.
- Premier Scholars Programmes: This programme trains some of the top post-secondary students based on academic prowess, who aim to join NTU and contribute to the community. Graduating students will be awarded a special certificate along with a regular degree certificate.
- Undergraduate Research Programmes: Open for students aiming for an R&D career, this programme aims to train the young minds and prepare them for research-based careers. Students need to hand in a 20-page report at the end of this programme as a four to six-page conference-style paper.
- Part-Time Programmes: Four-year programmes which can be completed in six years’ maximum time. It includes all three semesters – Semester 1 (August–December), Semester 2 (January–April), and Special Terms (May–July).
For graduate aspirants, the following types of programmes are available:
- Research Programmes: PhD programmes with independent, supervised research-based coursework, where students can choose a topic of research for their thesis.
- Coursework Programmes: Includes other taught–programmes that are not research-based but includes a project work or thesis.
- Joint Graduate Programmes: Comprises Joint/Dual PhD Programmes and Joint/Dual Master Programmes in Engineering and Sciences, Business, and Education. These programmes are usually offered through a partnership with other recognised universities such as Imperial College London, Technical University of Munich, and the University of California, Berkeley. NTU also works closely with top firms like Alibaba, Rolls-Royce, SenseTime, Delta Electronics, ST Engineering, SMRT, SingTel, and Surbana Jurong to promote relevant research work.
To know more about courses offered by NTU, check the following brochures for international students:
Eligibility & Documents Required
What are the eligibility requirements?
For undergraduate programmes, international students should have completed at least 12 years of general education up to GCE ‘A’ Level or its equivalent. Indian students need to showcase their Standard 12 score with at least 90 per cent in all subjects, including English but excluding other languages, Home Science, Art, and Fashion Design. Other standardised tests requirements include:
Exams |
Score Requirements |
---|---|
Minimum: 1250 |
|
Minimum: Composite score of 30 with Writing in one sitting |
Any one of these English language proficiency tests:
English Proficiency Tests |
Score Requirements |
---|---|
TOEFL (iBT) |
Minimum: 90 |
Minimum: Overall 6, with Writing 6 |
|
PTE (Academic) |
Minimum: 55 |
No set requirement |
Note: Advanced Placement scores may be considered for the transfer of credits. Check the respective school website for more details.
NTU requires a three or four-year bachelor’s or a master’s degree, which should be research-based for graduate programs. English proficiency and standardised test scores requirement will differ as per elected majors.
Tests Accepted |
|
Exams |
Any one of these English proficiency tests |
---|---|
IELTS |
|
GATE |
TOEFL |
- |
|
BMAT |
- |
MBA programmes’ requirements are as follows:
Type of MBA |
Requirements |
---|---|
Nanyang MBA |
|
Nanyang Professional MBA |
|
Nanyang Executive MBA |
|
Nanyang Fellows MBA |
|
Note: Exam and score requirements may change without notice. Check the respective school website for detailed information for the current academic year.
What all documents are needed for application?
All documents submitted during the application process need to be original drafts and in English or translated in English. Students should also get their documents evaluated by trusted credential evaluators.
For UG aspirants, the following documents are required:
- Academic transcripts
- English language proficiency report
- AP score report
- SAT or ACT score reports
- Letters of Recommendation (LORs)
- Supplement essays
- Additional supplements such as audio recordings, videos, or portfolios
- Financial documents
- Fee waiver form, if any
For PG students:
- Academic transcripts
- English language proficiency report
- GRE/GMAT/GATE/BMAT score reports
- Resume/CV
- Essays or SOP, as per course requirement
- Letter of Motivation/Letter of Intent
- Two to three LORs, as per course requirement
- Additional or optional supplements, as per course requirement
- Financial documents
- Fee waiver form, if any
Application & Tuition Fees
Is there any application fees?
NTU’s undergraduate application fee is a non-refundable amount of SGD 30 for international students. The application fee for graduate programmes ranges from SGD 30 to SGD 50 and is non-refundable.
What is the fee structure of courses offered by the university?
The NTU tuition fee varies from course to course. The table below is an estimation of the tuition fee for international students:
Note: Some courses and labs have tuition rates that may increase or decrease total tuition. Tuition and other fees are subject to revision in each intake/semester. Check the university website for the updated fee structure.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
Is there any scholarship or financial aid available for international students?
For international undergraduate students, NTU offers several scholarships based on merit and an individual’s overall profile. However, these scholarships are limited in number, and only the best of the lot get selected for this financial assistance. These scholarships are usually department-specific; thus, a student needs to fulfil the department’s criteria to be eligible for a particular scholarship. The Nanyang Scholarship is available for international undergraduate aspirants, which is awarded to students who excel in academics, demonstrate strong leadership potential, and possess commendable co-curricular records. Interested students can apply for this scholarship during the application process only. A separate link for ‘scholarship’ will be present at the end of the application form. Using this link, applicants can log in to the respective scholarship portal with the application number to fill the form and submit an essay of 300 words on any one of the topics given on the portal. The scholarship offers full coverage of subsidised tuition fees, a living allowance of SGD 6,500, and accommodation expenses up to SGD 2,000 for students residing in NTU hostels only. To know about the benefits, eligibility criteria, and limitations of these scholarships, visit the official website. For graduate students, NTU offers only three scholarships, which is research-based. Apart from this, external organisations also sponsor the studies of international students at NTU. For more details on scholarships administered by external organisations, check the university website.
International students may also be eligible for NTU’s or external bursaries if their financial situation meets the university’s or donor’s eligibility criteria. However, students with bursaries cannot claim any other financial assistance, such as scholarships or grants. NTU offers the following bursaries:
- Higher Education Bursary (previously called the MOE Bursary)
- Higher Education Community Bursary (previously called the CDC/CCC Bursary)
- Donated Bursary offered by private individuals and organisations
- NTU Bursary
Admission Process
When do the admissions start?
NTU’s undergraduate admissions start by October, and the deadlines are in March. On the other hand, graduate programmes are offered in the January and the August Intake with different deadlines as per school or department. Check the respective department website to know which course is offered during which intake. MBA programmes are offered around the year, with each programme having its separate rounds and deadline. The Nanyang MBA is offered in the July Intake and has the following deadlines:
Dates/Deadlines |
Round 1 |
Round 2 |
Round 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Application Deadlines |
Early–November |
Mid–January |
Late–March |
Interview Decision Dates |
Early–December |
Mid–February |
Late–April |
Note: Deadlines may change or slightly vary with each intake. Check the respective website for current academic year deadlines.
How to apply to UG courses?
You can apply to NTU undergraduate programmes through its admission portal. However, you must remember that NTU has separate and country-specific application form on its website. All international students need to check their eligibility and find the appropriate form.
Link: admissions.ntu.edu.sg/UndergraduateIntnlAdmissions/Pages/InternationalOthers.aspx#apply
NTU Indian Students Application Portal
You do not need to create any separate ID or register at the site first. As an Indian undergraduate aspirant, you just to need to fill in this form and apply through this portal only: venus.wis.ntu.edu.sg/adm_af/webpages/india.aspx
Step 1: Fill in your personal information, email ID, contact number, residential, and correspondence address on the first page of the form.
Step 2: Select your choice of major. You can choose up to five preferences from a list of more than 80 majors, double majors, and doubled degrees.
Step 3: Fill in your subject scores of Standard 12. In this section, you can also mention your SAT and AP scores.
Step 4: List down all your achievements and participation record.
Step 5: Fill in the exam scores as per course requirements. Review your form and submit the application by paying the application fee.
How to apply to PG courses?
You can apply to NTU’s graduate programme through its application portal. However, each type of programme has an individual application portal with a different application fee.
Type of Graduate Programme |
Form/Portal Link |
---|---|
Research |
venus.wis.ntu.edu.sg/GOAL/OnlineApplicationModule/frmOnlineApplication.ASPX |
Coursework |
wis.ntu.edu.sg/webexe/owa/COAL_main.applformMain |
Joint/Dual |
Through the respective schools/universities’ application portal |
MBA |
applynbs.com/apply/ |
When will I hear from the university after I submit my application?
NTU declares admission decisions for undergraduate programmes by mid-June. For graduate programmes, the university usually reverts with admission decisions within a month. For the Nanyang MBA programme, the university releases its final decision as per rounds:
Final Decision |
Round 1 |
Round 2 |
Round 3 |
Student Diversity & Preferred Profile
What are the chances to get into this university?
Even though NTU is said to have an acceptance rate of more than 30 per cent each year, getting into the university is not an easy task. There is a cap on the percentage of international students admitted for every academic year. The admission criteria and score requirements are competitive. Being a research-intensive university, NTU prefers students who either have already been engaged in research activities or can contribute to the research community. Apart from this, it gives equal importance to practical experience, extracurricular, and co-curricular activities. Application documents, supplementary essays, and interviews also help the admissions committee understand a candidate’s profile and assess the candidate’s suitability for the programme/university. Some programmes include an interview process as well, which may be conducted either online or on campus.
How many Indian/international students are studying at the university?
NTU asserts itself as a “cosmopolitan international university” with more than 100 nationalities on its campus. In 2020, it enrolled more than 24,000 aspirants at the undergraduate level and over 8,000 graduate students. At any given point, the percentage of total international students at NTU is not more than 18 per cent per intake each year.
Part Time Work While Studying
Can I work while studying here?
NTU offers a Work-Study Scheme (WSS), which is a training programme for all full-time undergraduates. It is a type of experiential learning where students gain practical experience while learning about work-life in areas such as Finance, Marketing, Library Management, Information System Management, Statistical Analysis, and so on.
International students on a Student Pass need to obtain a Letter of Endorsement from One Stop @ SAC of the university before the commencement of part-time work during term time. No Letter of Endorsement is required for working part-time during vacation time.
Campuses & Accommodation
How many colleges and campuses does the university have?
NTU’s main campus is located in the western part of Singapore in the Yunnan Garden Campus. It has two other major campuses in Singapore’s medical district – Novena and one-north. The university has four major colleges under its scrutiny, one partnered college, and two autonomous institutions, which further oversee several schools and departments.
Is on-campus housing available?
On-campus housing is available for both undergraduate and graduate students at NTU. It has 23 residence halls with single and double rooms. Different types of rooms are available, such as single/double rooms with or without air-conditioning and shared/common toilets. Halls 1 to 16, Crescent Hall, Pioneer Hall, Binjai Hall, Tanjong Hall, Banyan Hall, Saraca Hall, and Tamarind Hall are open to all undergraduate students. On the other hand, Graduate Hall 1 and 2, Crescent Hall, Pioneer Hall, Binjai Hall, Tanjong Hall, and Banyan Hall are available for graduate aspirants.
For details about room rentals and additional charges, check the accommodation brochures:
Apart from this, the university has 120 student clubs and organisations on campus. It also provides the following student services:
- Psychological and professional counselling
- Career services
- Services for international students
- Sports and recreation
- Student clubs and communities
- Health care
- Medical and insurance schemes
- Internal shuttle bus services
Note: Rates are subjects to change as per university rules. Check the official website for updated rent.
University Contact Information
Whom should I contact in case of any doubts?
Address: 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
Website: www.ntu.edu.sg/Pages/home.aspx
Contact No: (65)–67911744
University City | Singapore, Other - Singapore, Singapore |
Size of city | Large |
Population of City | 56,12,300 |
Wikipedia Link | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore |
Contact Details
adm_intnl@ntu.edu.sg