Admission Procedure for Postgraduate and Doctoral degree
Postgraduate and Doctoral Degree courses are offered by Universities and Colleges. Both the courses of study takes a deeper, more specialized focus upon a field of study and thus students should be more decisive about their subject choices.
The main forms of Masters Degrees within the Masters Degree qualification type are: the Masters Degree-Research wherein students need to submit a thesis and the Masters Degree- Coursework involves a dissertation that needs to be completed by the students.
There are two forms of Doctoral Degree: the Doctoral Degree (Research) that requires submission of dissertation and the Doctoral Degree (Professional) involves combination of coursework and research.
Entrance Requirements
The minimum entrance qualification for a Postgraduate-Master's is a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent and for Doctoral is a Master's degree.
Other Requirements
Each Education provider will have different entrance requirements such as prior knowledge in certain subject, work or volunteer experience, Official academic transcripts, Statement of Purpose, Letters of Recommendation and Resume.
- Statement of Purpose: Imperative to mention about your qualification, strengths and your dedication to your chosen academic area of study. SOP should be vibrant and persuasive.
- Letter of Recommendation: Letter of recommendation must include your strengths and weaknesses, extra-curricular and academic achievements, and personal traits. At least two letters of recommendation are required.
- Resume: The resume should include your higher education institutions attended, academic accomplishments, work experience details, publications if any, and academic and professional qualification details.
For Doctoral Degree, along with the above requirements, Students need to submit a research proposal, publication or abstract as well to support their application.
Duration
The duration of Master degree program is generally one to two years of full-time study and Doctoral degree program is two to five years of study.
Application Procedure
If you are planning to apply to Singapore Universities, then you must start at least few months in advance before the formal session starts. Any questions involving the details of the course must be put forth during the former phases of applying procedure. You can avail application forms by downloading it from the university website. Once you've decided on a course and an institution, it's time to apply for admittance.
Download and Fill the Application Form
A student must choose the institution or university and download their application form. Fill out the application form completely and correctly and sent it to the institute along with testimonials of earlier education completed.
Documentation
You will need to prepare supporting documentation to send with your application. The documents vary depending on the course of study, institute and qualification you're studying for. The principal documents required are:
- Academic Records: This includes scores, GPA and official certificates and transcripts.
- Bachelors Degree or Master's certificates/Provisional certificates.
- Work history
- Statement of purpose and Letters of Recommendation
- Resume
- Certificates or documents which verify previous study or work experience if you are seeking course credits.
Receiving your Acceptance Letter
If the application is successful, you will receive an ‘Acceptance Letter. During enrollment, you must carry copies of the acceptance letter, study or work permit and any other details that are mandatory for admission.
Education Cost
The cost of study in Singapore varies according to the institute, course and duration of the course. Students looking to take up a Masters or Doctoral course can refer to each university’s official website for any inquiries regarding the latest fee structure.
Financial Aid
The Ministry of Education and some Universities provides financial assistance. The Singapore Ministry of Education provides tuition grants to Singaporean and International students who are admitted to the local universities and polytechnics. Tuition grants cover most of the costs of the tuition fees. In addition to these, there are assistance schemes from either the government or welfare organizations to help students cope with finances during their studies.
For International Students
The international applicants should demonstrate their English Language Proficiency levels by submitting the scores of either TOEFL/IELTS.
English Language Proficiency Tests
- IELTS: IELTS or International English Language Test is frequently administered by the British Council. Most universities require international students to take this test. For postgraduate: Score must be 7.5
- TOEFL: TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is an alternative to IELTS. For postgraduate: Score must be 90
Aside from English Language Proficiency test scores, GMAT or GRE scores are also required for getting into the Master’s or Doctoral course of study respectively.
Standardized Test
After submission of scores and other relevant documents along with the application, the admission committee scrutinizes it as per set standards and criteria. If all the set conditions are fulfilled, students are offered a letter of acceptance. International students must apply for a student visa or pass after receiving a letter of acceptance from the institution.
Visa Application
All international students are required to get Student Authorization i.e. Student Visa before leaving for Singapore for studies. In order to get a student visa, you need to submit a completed application form. You should make your application for a Student’s Pass to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority ICA . You can do this online using the Student's Pass Online Application & Registration (SOLAR) system. A Student's Pass is valid for the entire duration of your course. There are certain documents that you may need to submit along with your student visa application.
Student Visa Requirements -Documentation
- Completed student visa application form
- Acceptance letter from the Singapore University
- Birth Certificate
- Certified copies of highest educational certificates and results
- TOEFL/IELTS scores
- A Valid passport along with two passport sized photographs.
- Bank Draft for visa processing fees
- Proof of funds
- Receipt of the insurance premium
- Medical Reports
The international students should make sure that their visa application reaches the ICA at least 2 months before the date of commencement of the course.