How do I apply for scholarship?

The scholarship application is self-contained in the programme application package.

What does the scholarship cover?

Refer to information at NUS Research Scholarships, paying attention to the terms and conditions of award.

Must I sit for TOEFL and GRE tests?

Yes, both are required and mandatory.

TOEFL/IELTS ascertains a candidate's English language proficiency while GRE is a comparative all-purpose test for graduate admission. GRE is especially useful in helping the department better assess the applicants' background, since most of them hold qualifications from outside NUS and out of Singapore. If you sit for GRE, you would only need to take the general test. For details on test centres and test dates, check the web sites of TOEFL and GRE.

If you have sat for the test but are worried that the score sheets may not reach us in time, you may email or fax a copy of the test candidate's score sheet to us first.

Application processing may be delayed if the required documents are not available during the review. 

May I be exempted from sitting for TOEFL and GRE tests since they are not available in my province/country?

You may replace TOEFL with IELTS or an official certification letter from your institution indicating that the medium of teaching/instruction was English, whichever is available. But GRE test is not replaceable with any other tests.

Must I fill in the research topic, title and proposed supervisor sections?

You may leave these blank if you are not certain at the point of applying, although we encourage applicants to at least indicate an area of research interest. You should, however, start thinking and planning for possible research topics after the application has been submitted. This would facilitate the process of finding a suitable supervisor should you be admitted.

You may refer to the research interests of our faculty staff at our website and contact them directly to discuss the possibility of them supervising your thesis research, should you be admitted.

When will I know if my application is successful or not?

Overseas applicants who are shortlisted for interview would be informed of the details via email about 1-2 months from closing date. Thus, applicants should ensure that their email addresses are valid and should check them regularly for any possible correspondence. 

Applicants who are offered admission would receive the letter of offer from the Faculty of Science about 3-4 months after the closing date. Applicants who are unsuccessful in their applications would receive an email notification from the department at around the same time.

Where are the interviews held?

Applicants from China will be interviewed face-to-face either in Beijing or Shanghai, depending on the proximity of their hometown to these cities.

Applicants from regional countries will be interviewed over the phone.

Singaporeans, Singapore PRs and other applicants from local institutions may or may not be interviewed.

Can I reschedule the interview?

Due to schedule and logistics constraints, interviews in China cannot be rescheduled if an applicant misses his/her scheduled time slot. Applicants who have missed the interview would be considered to have automatically withdrawn their applications.

We do not provide any form of financial support for attending the interview. We also will not interview candidates who did not submit applications beforehand.

Module Registration

How do I select and register for the modules that I wish to read?

The Faculty of Science's Division of Research and Graduate Studies would email to students the instructions and deadlines for registration.

For the convenience of part-time students who are working full-time, you may fax manually completed registration forms (if required) to us at +65-67795452 for processing. Forms must be completed accurately and legibly, signed and returned to us by the stipulated deadlines and before the office closes for that day. Sections requiring input from supervisor or graduate coordinator may be left blank for us to follow up.

Are there any guidelines on the type of modules that I should read?

The programme is run on a modular system like the undergraduate programmes. With this system, modules are structured to be taught on a semester basis. Based on the list of modules offered in every semester and the course work requirements outlined for the programme, you may choose to read any modules as long as you meet the prerequisites and that they suit your schedule. Most students would select modules that interest them most.

What are the modules that are available for selection?

The list may vary slightly in every semester. Please refer to the module list. 

Other Information

I need to find out more about the scholarship and living in Singapore.

For details on scholarship, refer to Financial Aid Scheme managed by the Registrar's Office.

For useful information and resources on living in Singapore, check out the Office of Student Affairs web.

Send us an email if you have further queries