The top 3 universities in Singapore

Four steps, in this order. Pick a course you meet the entry requirements for. Sit the English test the university asks for. Apply to the university and get an offer. Then apply for the funding and the visa — in that order, because almost every scholarship wants proof of a place first.

The six best universities in Singapore for international students are listed on this page.

The six on this page. NUS, NTU and SMU lead the list, and we counted them down from #6 so the strongest come last. Each card names the subjects the university is known for, its city, and its QS 2026 rank where we verified one.

Where we could verify a QS World University Rankings 2026 position we show it. Where we could not, we leave the number off instead of guessing.

NUS charges international students roughly SGD 21,000–33,000 a year, and over SGD 60,000 for medicine, law and architecture. The MOE Tuition Grant cuts this substantially in exchange for a three-year bond working for a Singapore-registered employer.

Living costs: SGD 12,000–18,000 a year. Campus housing is the cheapest route by a wide margin.

No award in our list of twelve is dedicated to Singapore, but several are open worldwide and can be used here.

There are three separate things people mean by scholarships to study in Singapore: a Singapore government scholarship, a Singapore university scholarship awarded by the institution itself, and international awards that happen to fund study here. University entrance scholarships are usually the easiest to win and the least competed for, so ask each of the six above directly.

Both. A masters in Singapore is the more common route for international students, partly because more funding exists at postgraduate level and partly because it is shorter. Bachelors in Singapore take longer and attract less scholarship money, so plan the budget carefully.

All six universities above run both. If you are looking specifically at Singapore universities for masters, check whether the course is taught in English before anything else.

The three at the top of the list above — NUS, NTU and SMU. That is the Singapore top universities list as far as reputation goes, and it is the order employers outside the country will recognise.

Prestige and cost do not track each other neatly. Check what each course costs before letting a ranking decide for you.

No — six. Past that, the differences stop mattering for most applicants, and a longer list mostly makes the decision harder. What separates places 7 to 10 is usually research output, which affects your supervisor rather than your degree.

Public universities in Singapore for international students are generally the better value, because their fees are regulated. Private ones charge what they like.

Sometimes — ask before you pay for a test. Most universities will waive an English test if your previous degree was taught in English, and many accept TOEFL, PTE or their own internal test instead of IELTS.

It is decided university by university, never nationally — so check the admissions page of each of the six above. A blog listing "universities in Singapore without IELTS" will be out of date. Your visa may still require a test even when the university does not.

Cheapest by tuition is rarely cheapest overall. NUS charges international students roughly SGD 21,000–33,000 a year, and over SGD 60,000 for medicine, law and architecture. The MOE Tuition Grant cuts this substantially in exchange for a three-year bond working for a Singapore-registered employer.

Rent usually moves your total bill more than the fee does, so a lower-ranked university in a smaller city often costs far less than a famous one in the capital. The city is named on every card above for exactly that reason.

Up to 16 hrs/week during term for students at approved institutions.

This is worth checking before you choose a country, not after. Post-study work rights change with the government of the day.