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After weeks of research to find a Master’s Degree that matches your passion and career aspirations, you have finally found the programme and submitted an application. All the late nights spent compiling your educational certifications, and sweet talking your lecturers into writing letters of recommendations were all worth it. Once you receive the acceptance letter from the National University of Singapore (NUS), all you need to do is buy a plane ticket and head over to Singapore, right?

Ummm, not quite.

Incoming international students may overlook the importance of administrative matters as their focus is often on their academic grades and achievements. Lack of familiarity with the rules and regulations in Singapore as well as university administrative procedures can cause problems for international students.

So, we have compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for international students, detailing the things to take note of when you apply and get accepted (hooray!) into an NUS Master’s Degree programme.

1. How do I confirm my admission status?

Applicants can log in to the online Graduate Application System (GDA) to view the application results. Click the link on the left side of the GDA homepage to enter the "View Application / Make Payment / Submit Reply on Offer of Admission" page and check the status of your application.

If your application is successful, the status will be updated to "Offer Made". You will also receive a notification through email from the Admissions Department about the offer of admission into the programme.

2. What should I do after receiving the offer?

Below are the steps to accept your offer of admission:

1. Go to “View Application/Make Payment/Submit Reply on Offer of Admission”
2. Choose whether to Accept Offer or Reject Offer
3. Complete admission declarations
4. Submit passport-sized photograph
5. Verify personal details
6. Pay acceptance fee (if applicable)
7. Confirm acceptance of offer

3. How do I apply for an entry visa and Student’s Pass (STP)?

After you have accepted the offer, NUS will register for a STP  on your behalf with the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

After that, ICA will mainly communicate with you via email regarding document requirements, the ICA eForm 16 submission process and Student’s Pass approval results.

You need to upload documents (such as travel document biometric data page, birth certificate [if applicable], etc.) within the stipulated time and pay the visa fee of S$30.00 (non-refundable). Upon submission of the eForm 16 and payment of the processing fee, ICA will proceed to process the STP application and inform NUS of the outcome within approximately three to ten working days. Some applications may take a longer time to process. The eForm 16 must be submitted not later than one month from the commencement of your course.

The process of submitting the eForm 16 is described in greater detail under the Application section on the NUS Office of Student Affairs Student’s Pass webpage.

4. What happens after my entry visa and STP are approved?

Once your STP is approved, ICA will issue an In-Principle Approval Letter (IPA). Upon receiving the IPA letter, you would need to login to the ICA's Student's Pass Online Application & Registration (SOLAR) system to make payment of the S$60.00 issuance fee and the S$30.00 multiple-entry visa (where applicable).

Should you require a visa to enter Singapore, the IPA is equivalent to a single-entry visa. You are advised to read Appendix A of IPA letter carefully, to clearly understand the documents or checklist required to apply for a STP.

For information on countries which require a visa to enter Singapore, please visit the ICA Visa Requirements web page.

For more information about becoming a Student’s Pass holder, please visit the ICA Becoming a Student's Pass Holder web page.

5. When and how do I collect my STP?

The IPA Letter is considered a single-entry visa and approved-in-principle student entry pass. When entering Singapore, you need to present the printed IPA letter and a valid passport to the immigration officer at the entry checkpoint. Then, you will be issued a short-term visit pass, which is generally valid for one month.

During that month, you will need to make an online appointment through the ICA appointment platform to complete the formalities required for a STP.

From 27 February 2023, ICA will issue the STP in digital form only, in place of a physical card.

Before your STP can be issued, you will need to download and acknowledge a copy of the  Student’s Pass Terms and Conditions form.

For the full procedure for the Completion of Formalities and Issuance of Student's Pass, please refer to: https://www.ica.gov.sg/reside/STP/collect.

6. What does the Pre-Admission Medical Examination involve?

All admitted students (International, Permanent Residents and Singaporeans) are required to undergo a pre-admission medical examination before enrolment. Medical examinations can be conducted by the University Health Centre or by a private registered health physician.

University Health Centre

If you have chosen to undergo your pre-admission medical examination with the University Health Centre, appointments need to be booked beforehand and are available from Mondays to Fridays. You would also need to bring your admissions medical examination form (with Part I completed) on the day of your medical check-up.

Private Registered Health Physician

If you have chosen to undergo your pre-admission medical examination with a private physician, please note that submitted forms should include the following:

• Part I of the Medical Examination Form (to be completed by you, the student).
• Part II of the Medical Examination Form (to be completed by a registered health physician).
• Chest X-ray reports (original or duplicate), attached to the completed Medical Examination Form.

There are a few important points to note:

• X-ray films will not be considered and cannot be used as a substitute for the X-ray reports
• Any completed medical reports and X-ray reports must have a validity date of six months or less
• All reports must be submitted in the English Language; no other languages will be accepted for consideration

When submitting the report to NUS:

• Walk-in submissions to the University Health Centre will NOT be accepted
• Ensure all information is completed in the Medical Examination Form (Part I and II) before submission; submissions with missing information will be deemed as incomplete and you will be asked to check back with the clinic for corrections 
• Save completed Medical Examination Form and Chest X-ray report as PDF files and email them to  preadm_med@nus.edu.sg by the report submission deadline

While most submitted reports generally fall within the accepted guidelines, you may be required by the University and/or the University Health Centre to undergo further medical examinations or tests. For your convenience, we encourage you to undergo your medical examination at the University Health Centre.

7. Do I need to get the NUS student insurance plan?

All matriculated full-time NUS graduate students are obliged to subscribe to the University’s medical insurance scheme, which provides all full-time students with basic medical and personal accident insurance coverage.

Basic healthcare fees are charged to your miscellaneous student fees and are due at the same time as your tuition fees. This is a compulsory scheme and you may not opt out.

A Health Services Fee is charged per semester for all students.

8. How do I arrange for accommodation in Singapore?

International students who wish to apply to live in campus dormitories can visit the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) website.

Due to the limited capacity, not all students can be guaranteed a place in on-campus housing. The dormitory allocation will depend on the remaining places in the dormitory. For inquiries about on-campus accommodation, please call +65 6516 1384 / +65 6516 2374 / +65 6516 4815, or visit the NUS Hostel Admission Services website.

Students may also consider off-campus accommodation and you can refer to the following website to help facilitate the arrangement of alternative accommodation: NUS Office of Student Affairs web page on Other Accommodations.

9. Do you have any advice or tips about setting up my finances in Singapore as an international student at NUS?

If you do not have an existing Singapore bank account, you would need to open a new account locally. Before you decide which bank to open an account with, ensure that you bring enough cash to cover your expenses.

Below are the documents you will be required to present before you can open a Singapore bank account:

• Passport (original and copy)
• Student’s Pass or IPA Letter
• NUS student identification card and admission letter
• Proof of purchase for a local phone card in Singapore (ensure that the mobile phone number you provide when applying for a bank account is your own)
• Minimum deposit amount (may vary from bank to bank)

For more details, please visit the respective bank’s website.

Once your Singapore bank account has been set up, update the information in the NUS Education Records (EduRec) System to facilitate payment of your university bills.

10. What happens during Orientation Week?

Schools will hold an orientation week for new students before the official start of the school year, and the details of the activities will be sent to you through email. If you have not brought documents to verify your identity before, you may be asked to bring the original documents for verification during this period. 

During the orientation week, various activities and workshops will be organised for newly matriculated students, where they may receive useful advice on topics such as studying and living in NUS and Singapore. Students will also be receiving their NUS Student Cards during the Orientation Week.

Although graduating with your Master’s Degree might be the most important thing on your mind at the moment, it is important to make the most of the opportunities that may be presented to you during your time at NUS. The NUS Graduate Students' Society organises a wide range of events for graduate students, which include academic competitions, career and personal development events, social activities, and student dialogues.

11. Where can I find out more about employment opportunities and get career advice before I graduate?

You may approach the University’s dedicated career centre, the NUS Centre for Future-ready Graduates (CFG).

CFG’s mission is to support NUS students to be career-ready through a structured suite of offerings throughout their time with the University. This support extends to NUS alumni as they journey through their careers, and also to adult lifelong learners at NUS. In addition, CFG works closely with employer partners to build a pipeline of talent for their organisations.

Some CFG initiatives include:

• Signature career programmes to equip participants for career success
• Personalised career advisory services
• Access to jobs and internships
• Digital career resource library

For more details, visit the NUS CFG website or send an email to cfg_postgrad@nus.edu.sg. 

We hope that the information in this article has been helpful and we hope to see you in NUS soon!