NUS and NTU Scholarships for ASEAN International Students

Why look beyond the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship

The ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship is the main national award for ASEAN students, but NUS and NTU each run their own scholarships too. Many are open to international students generally, not restricted to ASEAN nationals, and some do not need Singapore citizenship or residency at all. All still require you to accept the MOE Tuition Grant, and all still carry the standard 3-year work bond that comes with it. A university-specific award also matters if your home country's application window for the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship has already closed, or if you want a scholarship with a wider eligibility net than an ASEAN-only national award.

NUS Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship

This scholarship targets students admitted to Computing, Engineering (excluding Infrastructure and Project Management), or Science (excluding Environmental Studies and Pharmacy). It is open to Asian students outside Singapore, according to NUS's Office of Admissions .

Benefits: 100% of subsidised tuition after the Tuition Grant, a S$6,000 annual living allowance, a S$1,750 one-off computer allowance, a S$200 one-off settling-in allowance, an accommodation allowance pegged to the lowest double-room rate on campus, and travel allowance covering your initial trip to Singapore and your return trip home after you finish. It renews every semester if you keep a GPA of at least 3.5 and good conduct. Transfer applicants are not eligible.

NUS International Undergraduate Scholarship

This award is open to exceptional international students of any nationality other than Singaporean, applying to any full-time undergraduate programme at NUS, according to NUS . It pays a S$5,800 annual living allowance plus on-campus accommodation. Holding another scholarship, bursary, fellowship or allowance disqualifies you from this one.

There is no scholarship-specific bond beyond the standard Tuition Grant bond: 3 years working for a Singapore-registered company after graduation, extending to 5-6 years for Medicine and Dentistry recipients working with the Ministry of Health.

NTU Nanyang Scholarship

NTU's flagship undergraduate scholarship, the Nanyang Scholarship, is open to all nationalities, according to NTU's undergraduate admissions office . It looks for strong academic results, leadership potential and a solid co-curricular record, and it accepts qualifications including the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A Level, an NUS High School Diploma, an IB Diploma or equivalent Year 12 results.

It covers subsidised tuition for the normal duration of your programme and carries no bond of its own beyond the standard 3-year Tuition Grant bond applied to all Singapore PRs and international students who take the grant.

Other named scholarships worth checking

NTU publishes over 100 named scholarships across merit-based, need-based and talent-based categories, including programme-specific awards like the CN Yang Scholarship for science, the Renaissance Engineering Programme Scholarship and the Turing AI Scholars Programme. Eligibility, benefit amounts and bond terms vary by award, so search NTU's scholarship portal by nationality and programme once you have an offer, and confirm exact figures directly with NTU's Financial Aid and Scholarships Office before you decide which to pursue.

What strengthens your scholarship application

Strong applicants typically show a consistent academic record across their final years of secondary school, not just a single strong exam sitting, plus depth in 1 or 2 co-curricular areas rather than a long list of shallow involvement. Reference letters that speak to specific achievements carry more weight than generic praise.

Comparing total scholarship value

Add up tuition plus every allowance line before comparing offers. A scholarship with a smaller living allowance but a computer and settling-in allowance on top still totals more in your first year than a scholarship advertising a larger headline living allowance alone. Read the full benefits table on each university's page rather than comparing on the living allowance figure by itself.

Choosing between them

If your programme falls under Computing, Engineering or Science, the Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship usually pays more than the general International Undergraduate Scholarship, thanks to the extra settling-in and travel allowances. If you are applying to NTU instead of NUS, the Nanyang Scholarship is the closest equivalent flagship award. You do not choose between these scholarships directly. The university's selection panel places you in the award that matches your programme and profile after reviewing your application.

Applying to both NUS and NTU

Nothing stops you from applying to both universities in the same admission cycle. Each university runs its own scholarship shortlisting independently, so an offer or scholarship outcome from one does not affect your application at the other. Compare offers once both universities respond, since allowance amounts, accommodation terms and application timelines differ even though the underlying 3-year Tuition Grant bond is the same everywhere.

What happens if you lose a GPA-linked scholarship

The Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship, the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship and similar merit awards renew every semester on a GPA condition. If your GPA drops below the required 3.5, you keep your place in the degree programme and your Tuition Grant, but you lose the extra scholarship allowances for that semester. Check your specific scholarship's letter of award for what happens if your GPA later recovers.

How to apply

None of these scholarships need a separate application. Apply for undergraduate admission to NUS or NTU through the standard international student channel, and the university automatically considers you for scholarships matching your programme and profile. Shortlisted candidates are invited to interviews, usually between January and July for the following August intake.