SINGA is a joint PhD award from Singapore's national research agency (A*STAR) and five top universities that funds up to four years of doctoral research in science and engineering. Scholars train in English at A*STAR research institutes or partner universities under leading scientists, and the award is historically bond-free — graduates can work anywhere in the world afterward.
Why it is notable: Few fully funded PhD routes bundle a government research agency's labs with five universities in one application, and the no-bond condition is rare among Asian government scholarships. It is also one of the few top-tier PhD awards with no official IELTS requirement from the awarding body itself. The fixed December 1 deadline for the August intake is easy to miss because A*STAR redesigned its website in 2026 and the old SINGA page URL now 404s.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full tuition fees for up to 4 years
monthly stipend S$2,700 (rising to S$3,200 after passing the PhD Qualifying Examination)
one-time airfare grant of up to S$1,500
one-time settling-in allowance of S$1,000. No funding for spouse/dependants. Priority on-campus accommodation for first-year scholars
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor MastersMasters/MPhilfor PhD
This scholarship is offered for Masters and PhD programs.
Who can apply
All international graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results — open to all nationalities except Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Applicants who have previously studied in Singapore are not eligible (per secondary sources — confirm).
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
Good written and spoken English. SINGA itself has no mandatory language test, but the host university may request IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GATE scores as part of university admission (these are optional at application unless requested).
Other Certificates
Degree certificates & transcripts
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Tools that may help
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes which scholarships we list or how we describe them.
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
All international graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results — open to all nationalities except Singapore citizens and permanent…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
Good written and spoken English. SINGA itself has no mandatory language test, but the host university may request IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GATE scores as part of university admission (these are optional at application unless requested).
02
Qualification
All international graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results — open to all nationalities except Singapore citizens and permanent residents
03
Documents
Valid passport or ID; recent passport-sized photo (.jpeg/.png); Bachelor's and/or Master's academic transcripts (all in English translation); Bachelor's degree certificate(s)/scroll(s), or a letter of
Document checklist
01Valid passport or ID
02recent passport-sized photo (.jpeg/.png)
03Bachelor's and/or Master's academic transcripts (all in English translation)
04Bachelor's degree certificate(s)/scroll(s), or a letter of certification from the university if the degree is not yet conferred
052 recommendation reports (submitted online by referees)
06GRE/IELTS/TOEFL/SAT I & II/GATE results — optional, but may be requested by the university.
Application fee
No fee — completely free
No separate scholarship application fee is published; confirm on the official page.
Visa, kept concise: Admitted scholars enter on a Student's Pass (STP) issued by Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
Application Procedure
7 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Browse the research areas and projects in
the official SINGA application portal; shortlist up to 3 preferred research projects/supervisors.
→
02
Create an account on the SINGA application
portal (register with valid identity details — used to verify you at first login).
→
03
Select the "Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)"
scholarship on the portal.
↓
06
Double-check everything and submit —
amendments are NOT possible after submission. Do NOT mail hard copies to the SINGA office.
←
05
Enter your two referees' details early —
they must submit their online recommendation reports themselves before the deadline; only applications with 2 recommendation reports are processed.
←
04
Complete the online form and upload all
required documents.
↓
07
Shortlisted candidates are notified within 12 weeks
of the closing date (interview may follow at the university/faculty level).
Application milestones
1 Dec 2026
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official Agency for Science, Technology and Research ,… platform.
1 Dec 2026 — , 23:59 Singapore Time (GMT+8). This is the submission deadline for the August 2027 intake, open to all…
Who can apply?
All international graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results — open to all nationalities except Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Applicants who have previously studied in Singapore are not eligible (per secondary sources — confirm).
What does the scholarship cover?
Full tuition fees for up to 4 years; monthly stipend S$2,700 (rising to S$3,200 after passing the PhD Qualifying Examination); one-time airfare grant of up to S$1,500; one-time settling-in allowance of S$1,000. No funding for spouse/dependants. Priority on-campus accommodation for first-year scholars
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Singapore · Agency for Science, Technology and Research ,…