Admissions·East & Southeast Asia· 9 min read

National University of Singapore (NUS) Admission Guide

How international students apply to the National University of Singapore (NUS) — Singapore's oldest, most comprehensive university: its faculties, entry requirements, English tests and the application window.

Last updated 12 July 2026

Key facts

Institution: National University of Singapore (NUS), Kent Ridge campus
How to apply: Direct via the NUS Office of Admissions (online)
English proficiency: IELTS/TOEFL typically required, set per programme — verify on the official NUS site
Fee support: MOE Tuition Grant (with service bond) — optional
Cutoff: No fixed public cutoff; holistic and programme-dependent

NUS: Singapore's comprehensive research flagship

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore's oldest and most comprehensive university, based mainly at the Kent Ridge campus, and one of Asia's leading research institutions. International applicants apply online through the NUS Office of Admissions and choose from faculties spanning the humanities and social sciences, science, computing, engineering and design, business, law, medicine and dentistry.

Because NUS is so broad, the exact entry route, prerequisites and competitiveness depend heavily on the faculty and programme you pick. Read the specific programme page on the official NUS site rather than assuming one rule fits every course.

Choosing a faculty or school at NUS

NUS is organised into faculties and schools that each set their own admission criteria. Professional programmes such as medicine, dentistry, law and nursing are highly competitive and typically add steps like interviews or aptitude assessments, with limited places. NUS College, its honours college, offers interdisciplinary study alongside a home faculty.

Decide on your intended programme first, then confirm its qualifications, subject prerequisites and any additional assessment on the official NUS admissions pages.

College of Design and Engineering; School of Computing
NUS Business School; Faculty of Law
Faculty of Science; Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (medicine, nursing); Faculty of Dentistry
NUS College (interdisciplinary honours college)

Entry requirements and English proficiency

NUS accepts a wide range of international school-leaving and pre-university qualifications, and each programme publishes the qualifications, subject prerequisites and indicative standards it looks for. As teaching is in English, most international applicants also provide English-proficiency evidence such as IELTS or TOEFL unless their prior education was English-medium.

NUS assesses applications holistically and does not publish a single fixed cutoff. Verify the current requirements and accepted tests for your programme on the official NUS site.

How and when to apply

Applications for applicants with international qualifications open on a published annual schedule through the NUS Office of Admissions online system. You submit one application with your programme choices and supporting documents within the window, so prepare transcripts, your English test and any programme-specific materials well ahead of the deadline.

Exact dates change every year — check the official NUS admissions calendar before you plan.

Fees, the MOE Tuition Grant and the Student's Pass

NUS publishes tuition by programme and citizenship, and international students can apply for the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) Tuition Grant, which subsidises fees in return for a bond to work in Singapore for a set period after graduation. After you accept an offer, you must obtain a Student's Pass from Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) before you can study.

Both steps are common to all Singapore universities and are covered in detail in our dedicated MOE Tuition Grant and Student's Pass guides. This is general information, not immigration or financial advice — verify current terms on the official MOE, ICA and NUS pages.

Frequently asked questions

Which subjects and schools can I apply to at NUS?

NUS is comprehensive, with faculties spanning the arts and social sciences, science, computing, engineering and design, business, law, medicine and dentistry, plus NUS College. Choose the programme first, then follow its specific requirements on the official NUS site.

Are medicine, dentistry and law harder to get into at NUS?

These professional programmes are highly competitive and usually add steps such as interviews or aptitude assessments, with limited places. Check each programme’s requirements on the official NUS site.

What English test does NUS accept?

Typically IELTS or TOEFL if your prior education was not in English. The required test and score are set per programme, so verify on the official NUS admissions pages.

Does NUS have a fixed cutoff score?

No. Admission is holistic and NUS does not publish a single fixed cutoff; competitiveness varies by programme and year.

How do the MOE Tuition Grant and Student’s Pass work at NUS?

The MOE Tuition Grant subsidises fees in exchange for a work bond, and the Student’s Pass from ICA is required to study. See our dedicated guides and verify current terms on the official sources.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: NUS Office of Admissions (official); NUS — International Qualifications for Foreigners; MOE Singapore — Tuition Grant Scheme; ICA Singapore — Student's Pass.

Last verified: 12 July 2026.