National University of Singapore
Universiti Nasional Singapura
Singapore's flagship research university on Kent Ridge, and Asia's only top-10 entry in the QS 2027 table.
- Students
- 52,851
- 31,086 undergraduates
- International
- 31%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 21:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- SGD 21,400
- From · 2026-27 (AY2026/27 intake; fees fixed for the cohort)
- Founded
- 1905
About NUS
NUS is Singapore's oldest and largest university. Its roots go back to a medical school founded in 1905; the present university was formed in 1980 by merging the University of Singapore and Nanyang University. Most teaching happens on the Kent Ridge campus in the west of the island, with University Town (UTown) as its residential and learning hub, plus the Bukit Timah campus for law.
Undergraduate study is organised into large colleges and professional schools: the College of Humanities and Sciences, the College of Design and Engineering, the School of Computing, NUS Business School, the Faculty of Law, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. About 31,000 undergraduates and 21,800 graduate students were enrolled in September 2025. Engineering (about 1,260 new students in 2025) and computer science (about 890) are the biggest intakes.
NUS suits students who want a broad, flexible modular curriculum in an English-speaking, highly international city, and who can cope with competition: most Singapore A-level entrants to computing, law, medicine and business have straight As. Double degrees, a common curriculum and a heavy emphasis on internships and overseas exchange are central to the undergraduate experience.
Why students choose NUS
Admissions are grade-transparent: NUS publishes the 10th and 90th percentile A-level grades and polytechnic GPAs of admitted students for every programme, so you can judge how competitive a course is before applying.
Singaporean and international students alike can get the MOE Tuition Grant, which brings a Humanities and Sciences degree down from S$36,650 to S$21,400 a year for most international students (AY2026/27 intake).
ASEAN students can win the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship, which covers subsidised tuition in full and adds a S$5,800 living allowance and a S$3,000 accommodation allowance every year.
University Town puts residential colleges, research towers and teaching spaces in one walkable precinct on Kent Ridge, so living and learning happen in the same place.
Admissions
AY2027/2028 intake (starts August 2027)
Selectivity
NUS does not publish an overall admit rate. Its Indicative Grade Profile shows admitted Singapore A-level students in AY2025/26 at AAA/A (3 H2 subjects / 1 H1) at both the 10th and 90th percentile for Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Business Analytics and PPE; Engineering ranged from BBB/C to AAA/A and Humanities and Sciences from ABB/C to AAA/A.
Typical entry requirements
| Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level | AAA/A for Law, Medicine, Computing and Business Analytics; BBB/C to AAA/A for Engineering; ABB/C to AAA/A for Humanities and Sciences (AY2025/26 intake, 10th to 90th percentile) |
|---|---|
| International A-Level (AQA, Cambridge, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and others) | Good passes in at least three A-level subjects, many applicants present four; content subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Economics are weighted. Applicants without final results are not eligible for Dentistry, Law or Medicine. |
| Singapore polytechnic diploma | GPA roughly 3.6 to 3.9+ out of 4 for most competitive programmes (AY2025/26) |
| IB Diploma and other international qualifications | Accepted (29 qualifications listed, including IB, AP/US diploma, Gaokao, Abitur, HKDSE, Indian Standard 12 and UEC); NUS does not publish a minimum IB score |
| English language | For international A-level applicants NUS states an English test is not an admission requirement; IELTS, TOEFL, C1 Advanced or MUET results may be submitted. Requirements for other qualifications vary by qualification page. |
Deadlines
- NUS High School Diploma Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months4 January 2027 (window 16 December 2026 to 4 January 2027)
Most outcomes by the third week of May 2027
- Singapore polytechnic diploma Non-binding In ~4 months3 February 2027 (window 16 December 2026 to 3 February 2027)
Most outcomes by the third week of May 2027
- IB Diploma Non-binding In ~4 months17 February 2027 (window 16 December 2026 to 17 February 2027)
IB candidates sitting the May 2027 exams hear by the third week of July 2027
- International qualifications (except IB) Non-binding In ~4 months17 February 2027 (window 16 December 2026 to 17 February 2027)
Outcomes by July 2027; AP, Gaokao, HKDSE, Indian Standard 12 (CBSE/ISC) and STPM candidates sitting 2027 exams must upload final results after release
- Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level Non-binding In ~5 months19 March 2027 (window 18 February 2027, late afternoon, to 19 March 2027)
Opens after the release of A-level results; most outcomes by the third week of May 2027
Application windows for AY2027/28 entry as published on the NUS Office of Admissions Important Dates page. Joint Acceptance Portal windows for Singapore applicants are still to be confirmed. Dates can change, so recheck before applying.
How to apply
Apply online through the NUS Applicant Portal (Singpass for Singapore citizens/PRs, Google/Microsoft/Apple login for international students), choose programmes in order of preference, upload results and supporting documents, answer the short-response questions and pay the application fee. Shortlisted applicants may be called for interviews or tests. Singaporeans accept offers through the Joint Acceptance Portal.
What admissions looks for
- Academic results come first: NUS publishes grade profiles because grades drive most offers, and content subjects such as mathematics, sciences and economics carry weight for international A-level applicants.
- Programme prerequisites matter: many courses require specific subjects (for example mathematics for engineering and computing), and failing a prerequisite rules out that choice.
- For interview and test programmes (Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Architecture, Industrial Design, Nursing, PPE), faculties assess aptitude and motivation beyond grades.
- Under Aptitude-Based Admissions, NUS says it also considers talents, achievements and passion shown outside grades, which it counts in its published grade profiles.
Tips for applying to NUS
- 1 Compare your predicted grades with the programme's Indicative Grade Profile before ranking your choices; choosing a programme you are clearly qualified for can matter more than an extra reach choice.
- 2 If your final exams finish after the application deadline, NUS requires SAT, ACT with Writing or AP scores, so book them early.
- 3 Check the Faculty Interview and Test Dates page as soon as you apply; shortlisting emails can land in spam, and missing an interview slot ends your application for that programme.
- 4 Apply for the MOE Tuition Grant and scholarships in the same portal session; international students who skip the Tuition Grant pay non-subsidised fees for the whole degree.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 (AY2026/27 intake; fees fixed for the cohort) · figures in SGD
Singapore citizens get the MOE Tuition Grant automatically with no bond. Permanent residents and international students must apply for it and, if they accept, must work for a Singapore entity for three years after graduating; those who decline pay non-subsidised fees. NUS runs needs-based bursaries, loans and work-study for Singaporeans, plus merit scholarships for international students such as the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship and the Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship.
- S$11,600 per year
- Singapore PR with Tuition Grant (Humanities & Sciences)
- S$18,050 per year
- ASEAN students with Tuition Grant (Humanities & Sciences)
- 3 years working for a Singapore entity
- Tuition Grant bond for PRs and international students
- Full subsidised tuition + S$5,800 living + S$3,000 accommodation allowance per year
- ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters per academic year plus Special Terms
Computer Science (School of Computing)
One of NUS's largest intakes (893 places taken up in AY2025/26) with AAA/A A-level entrants across the admitted range.
Engineering (College of Design and Engineering)
The largest single intake at NUS, with 1,259 students admitted in AY2025/26 across the engineering disciplines.
Law
A 252-place programme taught at the historic Bukit Timah campus, with interview-based selection and AAA/A entrants.
Medicine (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine)
Singapore's oldest medical school, dating back to 1905, admitting about 286 students a year through interviews.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
A small interdisciplinary programme in the College of Humanities and Sciences with interview-based entry and AAA/A entrants.
Research
- The Centre for Quantum Technologies, a national research centre of excellence hosted at NUS.
- The CREATE campus in University Town houses NUS's research partnerships with overseas universities alongside the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.
Schools & faculties
- College of Humanities and Sciences
- College of Design and Engineering
- School of Computing
- NUS Business School
- Faculty of Law
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Student life
Campus life centres on Kent Ridge, a hilly, green campus served by internal shuttle buses, and on University Town, where residential colleges sit next to teaching and research buildings. Students live in halls of residence, residential colleges and student residences, and hall culture (sports, performances and inter-hall competition) is a major part of first-year life. With about 31,000 undergraduates and a large international community, clubs and interest groups run under the NUS Students' Union. The campus has its own museum, the University Cultural Centre for performances and large sports facilities.
- University Town (UTown): residential colleges, the Education Resource Centre and the CREATE research towers in one precinct
- Halls of residence with strong inter-hall sports and performance traditions
- NUS Museum and the University Cultural Centre on campus
- Internal shuttle bus network across the hilly Kent Ridge campus
Housing. On-campus hostels and residential colleges cost about S$4,000 to S$10,290 per academic year depending on hall and room type, but places are not guaranteed and many students rent off campus at market rates.
Location
Kent Ridge is in the south-west of Singapore, next to the one-north science and business district and a short MRT ride from the city centre. Singapore is safe, English-speaking and very well connected, with excellent public transport, cheap hawker food and a hot, humid climate all year. Housing is the big expense: rents off campus are high, which is why many students try for campus housing.
Nearest airport: Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Notable alumni
- GC Goh Chok TongSecond Prime Minister of Singapore
- HY Halimah YacobEighth President of Singapore
- TT Tony TanSeventh President of Singapore and former NUS vice-chancellor
- KM Kishore MahbubaniDiplomat, former President of the UN Security Council and founding dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
- CH Chan Heng CheeSingapore's long-serving ambassador to the United States
- MT Min-Liang TanCo-founder and CEO of gaming hardware company Razer
- OL Olivia LumFounder of water-treatment company Hyflux
Frequently asked questions
What rank is NUS in the QS World University Rankings 2027?
NUS is 10th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, and is the only Asian university in the global top 10.
When can I apply to NUS for August 2027 entry?
International-qualification and IB applicants apply from 16 December 2026 to 17 February 2027 (polytechnic diploma holders until 3 February 2027). Singapore-Cambridge A-level students apply from 18 February 2027 until 19 March 2027.
How much is NUS tuition for international students?
For the AY2026/27 intake, most non-ASEAN international students pay S$21,400 a year for Computing, Engineering or Humanities and Sciences with the MOE Tuition Grant, or S$36,650 to S$39,700 without it. Medicine and Dentistry cost much more.
What is the MOE Tuition Grant bond?
Permanent residents and international students who accept the Tuition Grant must work for a Singapore entity for three years after graduating. Singapore citizens have no bond.
Does NUS require the SAT?
Not if you already have final A-level results. International applicants whose final exams finish after the deadline must submit SAT, ACT with Writing or AP scores.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- NTU School of Social Sciences media digest - NUS remains in top ten of 2027 QS World University Rankings
- AsiaOne - QS rankings 2027: NUS 10th, NTU 12th (18 June 2026)
- Times Higher Education - NUS profile (WUR 2026)
- NUS Office of Admissions - Important Dates (AY2027/28), archived 28 Sep 2026
- NUS Office of Admissions - Indicative Grade Profile (AY2025/26 admits)
- NUS Office of Admissions - International Qualifications for Foreigners
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