Q: How many international students does SMU admit each year?

A: Like all established universities, SMU welcomes foreign students who can add to the vitality, competitiveness and diversity in the campus. Admission is on a competitive basis and all students must meet the requirements. A target 20% foreign student intake would be ideal.

Q: What are the acceptable qualifications for international students?

A: To be eligible to apply, international applicants should have at least 12 years of education and have taken a national/international type examination (e.g. Malaysia STPM, the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) offered by the Independent Chinese Schools in Malaysia, Indonesian SMU Ebtanas, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, Indian Year 12 Examination and South Australian Matriculation). English is the medium of instruction at SMU, and students must be proficient in the language. All applicants must also submit their SAT I: Reasoning Test scores. Please click here for a list of international qualifications for the purpose of Admission.

Q: As an international student, must I take TOEFL or IELTS or MUET?

A: Only international students whose medium of instruction in school is not English must fulfill one of the following English language requirements: TOEFL (Test of English As A Foreign Language) - a minimum score of 550 is required (for paper-based TOEFL) or 213 (for computer-based TOEFL); or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) - a minimum overall score of 6.5. MUET (Malaysia University English Test) - Band 5 or 6

Q: Do international students have to fulfill any bond?

A: All SMU students pay the subsidised rate of tuition fees. These subsidies are provided by the Ministry of Education, Singapore . Under this subsidised rate, international students (including permanent residents) enjoy the Tuition Grant , for which they have to work in a Singapore registered company for three years upon graduation. They may work in any company of their choice .

Q: How should I go about applying for a student pass?

A: SMU Office of Undergraduate Admissions will assist all international students who have been admitted to SMU, in their application for student pass , which is processed and approved by the Immigration Checkpoints Authority (ICA). The student pass is valid for the whole duration of the course of study.

Q: As an international student, can I work part-time in Singapore?

A: All international students are allowed to work part-time during term time (not more than 16 hours a week) and during vacation without having to obtain a LOC (Letter of Consent) nor apply for a Temporary Work Permit.

Q: As a foreign student studying in Singapore, what is the cost of living I can expect to pay?

A: A foreign student studying in Singapore should budget for living expenses over and above the fees payable in the university. These include books and stationery, accommodation, transport, food, clothing and other recreational and miscellaneous expenditure. A general estimate of the cost of living in Singapore is given in the Contact Singapore website.

Q: Does SMU provide accommodation for international students?

A: Our new campus is conveniently located in the city centre and is well served by the public transport. Hence, instead of choosing to stay in the city area where accommodation is very costly, students may also consider staying outside the city wbhere affordable accommodation is available. Some housing estates are only about 15-20 minutes bus or train (MRT) ride away from our City Campus. To view list of recommended accomodation, please click here. You may also consider SMU's own hostels.