Information on Application to Graduate Coursework Programmes
Important: The University has not engaged any external agencies to undertake graduate student recruitment on its behalf. Candidates interested in our graduate programmes are advised to apply directly to the University and not through any agents. Candidates who apply through agents will not have any added advantage in gaining admission and the University reserves the right to reject such applications without giving reasons.
1. APPLICATION
Applications for admission to graduate coursework programmes are available online. For access to the online system, please visit the website here. You can refer to the user guide here which we hope you will find useful in helping you complete your online application.
If you wish to apply for more than one coursework programme in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (where more than one programme is open for applications), please submit separate application for each coursework programme. However, should you be successful in more than one programme, you can register for only one programme of study. Unless granted approval by the University, no student may concurrently be a candidate for more than one degree or register as a candidate of NUS and of another university or institute.
You will only be required to submit your application online and upload scanned copies of your supporting documents. Please ensure that all your scanned documents are clear as the review committee will use these documents to assess your application:
- Your transcript(s) and degree scroll(s) do not have to be certified at this stage or sent directly from your university. Please ensure that the transcript information like grading scale is also uploaded.
- Your GRE/IELTS/TOEFL score reports can be a scanned copy. You do not have to arrange for the original to be sent to us unless you wish to e.g. if your score report is expiring soon.
There is no need for you to send anything to us by post by the application deadline. If your application is shortlisted for admission, you will be contacted by the department after the deadline and will be asked to submit your supporting documents to them by post.
2. PASSWORD (FOR ONLINE APPLICATION ONLY)
When submitting your application online, you will be asked to enter a password. Your password is important and can be used, together with your application number, to access the following online system related to your application:
3. APPLICATION FEE
Application for each coursework programme must be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee, inclusive of GST . You will only be able to submit your online application after the application fee has been paid.
The application fee for the respective programmes are:
| Coursework Programmes | Application Fee |
| Graduate Diploma in Social Work | S$50 |
| Master of Arts (Arts and Cultural Entrepreneurship) | S$54.50 |
| Master of Arts (English Language and Linguistics) | |
| Master of Arts (Literary Studies) | |
| Master of Arts (Theatre and Performance Studies) | |
| Master of Communication | |
| Master of Science (Applied Geographic Information Systems) | |
| Master of Science (Climate Change and Sustainability) | |
| Master of Social Work | |
| Graduate Diploma in Climate Change and Sustainability | |
| Master of Arts (Contemporary Southeast Asia) | S$60 |
| Master of Arts (Japanese Visual Cultures) | |
| Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Southeast Asia | |
| Master of Arts (Applied and Public History) | S$100 |
| Master of Arts (Asian and Global History) | |
| Master of Arts (Chinese Culture and Language) | |
| Master of Economics | |
| Master of Psychology (Clinical) | |
| Graduate Diploma in Applied and Public History | |
| Graduate Diploma in Asian and Global History |
The modes of payment are:
Online Payment by any of the methods (available only for online application)
- VISA, Mastercard or AMEX
- Debit Card (applicants must have an online banking account with either of the following banks - POSB/DBS, UOB or Citibank).
OR
Complete the Application Fee Form and send it together with a cheque or bankdraft made out to "National University of Singapore". Please write your name, mailing address, e-mail address, programme applying for, and contact telephone numbers (home & office) on the reverse of the cheque/bankdraft. Personal cheques, crossed, are accepted only from candidates in Singapore. International applicants are requested to send only bankdrafts and not personal cheques for the application fee.
OR
Complete the relevant Application Fee Form and make payment by NETS at the Student Service Centre (located at Level 1, Yusof Ishak House) during operating hours.
Please note that an application without the application fee payment or with insufficient application fee amount will not be processed.
4. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Applicants should ensure that all supporting documents are in English or accompanied by an official translation in English. Translated copies of the documents must be certified true copies. In particular, translated copies of the transcript(s) and degree scroll(s) must be certified by the issuing institution(s).
There is no need for you to send anything to us by post by the application deadline. If your application is shortlisted for admission, you will be contacted by the department after the deadline and will be asked to submit relevant supporting documents to them by post.
- Singapore NRIC (for Singaporeans).
- Re-entry permit (for Singapore permanent residents).
- The page of your passport bearing the passport number and your particulars; if you do not have a passport, please enclose citizenship certification/birth certificate (for citizens of other countries).
- Employment Pass and letter of approval from employer (for international applicants working in Singapore).
Academic Qualifications Section
- Diploma, Bachelor, Master degree scroll(s)/certificate(s). Graduates from local universities can upload the Opencerts file with their online application.
- Transcript(s) of academic records or result slips from each university or college attended. Please ensure that the university's grading scheme is included in the scanned copy that you upload to your online application. NUS students can submit their unofficial transcript(s). Graduates from local universities can upload the Opencerts file with their online application.
Test Scores Section
TOEFL/IELTS Score Report - Applicants whose native tongue and medium of university instruction is not English should submit TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores as evidence of their proficiency in the English language. The minimum TOEFL/IELTS* score required is as follows:
- Internet-based test (iBT): Minimum score of 85 (with minimum of 22 for the writing section)
- A minimum IELTS of 6.0
*TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition and IELTS indicator are accepted.
Please note that some Departments/Programmes may set higher requirements than those stated above e.g., the Master of Social Work requires a minimum IELTS of 6.5.
TOEFL/IELTS score are only valid for two years after the test and the validity should not expire before the beginning of the application period for coursework programmes.
Some successful candidates may still be required to take the Diagnostic English Test at our University and, where necessary, attend the Graduate English Course.
Other English language 'proficiency tests' will not be accepted for this purpose. Tests that claim to be predictions, estimations, simulations, equivalents, practices, etc. of the TOEFL or IELTS are invalid.
The ETS has stated that their Institutional Testing Program cannot be used for admission.
GRE Score Report - Applicants (except NUS/NTU/SMU/SUTD graduates) applying to the Department of Social Work are required to submit GRE score reports. Please refer to the admission requirements here for more details.
Please note that the GRE scores are valid for five (5) years from the test date and the validity should not expire before the beginning of the application period for coursework programmes.
Referee Section
Your recommendations from two academic referees are to be submitted via the online admission system. You should check with your referees and obtain their institutional e-mail address. E-mail addresses from domains other than ".edu" may be subject to additional screening and filtering. Even if you have not submitted your online application, you are encouraged to trigger the email to your referees once you have assigned them to your application. Click on the “Send to Recommender” button in the online application system to trigger the email notification. If not, after your online application is submitted, an automated e-mail will be sent to your referees inviting them to complete their recommendations online. Your referee reports will be sent to us directly via the online application system so there is no need for you to send separate recommendations to us.
Referees will be given 14 days to submit his/her referee report after receiving the email notification. You are advised to remind your referees to submit their reports when the deadline is nearing and the report status remains as “awaiting”.
Only if your referees are unable to access the online system should you ask them to complete the paper-based report. The referees' report must be sent directly to the departments. Download the Referee Report Form here.
Please note that candidates applying for admission to the Master of Psychology (Clinical) programme are required to submit one additional referee, on top of two academic referees, commenting on profession/clinical/research skills.
Please note that candidates applying for admission to the Master of Science (Climate Change and Sustainability) and Graduate Diploma in Climate Change and Sustainability programmes are required to submit one referee either from a university advisor (in the case of recent graduates) or an employer (in the case of those who graduated from university several years ago).
Supporting Documents Section
Documentary evidence of financial support - International applicants must submit documentary evidence of financial support in the form of a letter of confirmation from a sponsor and a bank statement, or documentary evidence of scholarship or other award obtained. The financial statement should reflect a minimum sum as indicated below for the different programmes:
| Programme | Minimum sum required* |
|
S$40,000 |
|
S$50,000 |
|
S$60,000 |
|
S$80,000 |
* The minimum sum required includes the estimated living expenses plus tuition and miscellaneous student fees during the normal duration of each programme.
Writing sample - Candidates applying for admission to the Master of Arts (English Language and Linguistics), Master of Arts (Literary Studies) and/or Master of Arts (Theatre and Performance Studies) programme(s) are to submit a sample of your own writing between 4,000 and 6,000 words in length.
Latest CV and supporting documents for scholarship - Candidates applying for admission to the Master of Psychology (Clinical) programme are to submit their latest CV and supporting documents for scholarship obtained (if available).
Personal statement and writing sample - Candidates applying for admission to the Department of History's Graduate Diploma and Master's programmes are to submit a personal statement and writing sample. The personal statement, in no more than 1,000 words, should address two of the following questions - (1) applicant's academic background in history or related disciplinary track-record; (2) any practical or professional experiences related to history; (3) professional or intellectual aspirations that relate to the training the applicant hopes to receive from the programme; (4) what historical questions inspires the applicant to apply for the programme. The writing sample, in no more than 20 pages, to represent the applicant’s scholarly or professional work or experience.
5. APPLICATION CLOSING DATES AND NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION OUTCOME
The Master of Arts (Arts and Cultural Entrepreneurship) and Master of Communication programmes will close on 30 November (in the year preceding the intake). The Master of Science (Applied Geographic Information Systems) programme will close on 31 January (in the same year as the intake).
Please note that the Master of Psychology (Clinical) programme has two intakes. The closing date for application submission for both intakes will be on 15 January (in the same year as the August intake/in the year preceding the January intake).
Applicants who had submitted their application online can check the status of their application here.
The outcome of applications will be made known by 31 May (in the same year as the intake) for the August intake, or by 31 October (in the year preceding the intake) for the January intake.
The respective department will correspond with you primarily using e-mail during application process to convey messages such as requesting for outstanding documents, interview notification etc. Hence, it is very important that you provide a valid and correct e-mail address and maintain your e-mail account regularly. The University will not be responsible for undeliverable e-mails and their consequences.
Note: Due to the large number of applicants seeking admission, we are sorry we will not be able to attend to enquiries on the status of applications or receipt of documents.
7. REJECTION OF APPLICATION
Inaccurate or false information or omission of material information or no application fee payment will render your application invalid. The University has not engaged any external agencies to undertake graduate student recruitment on its behalf and it reserves the right to reject without giving reasons, applications submitted through any external agencies and applications that are incomplete or inaccurate. Persons admitted on the basis of inaccurate or false information may be expelled.