Admissions
Entry Requirements
The South Asian Studies Programme (SASP) welcomes students who have done well in the GCE ‘A’ Levels (including General Paper) and are curious about South Asia. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the region or its languages, just an interest and enthusiasm to learn.
Admissions to SASP are managed centrally by the NUS Office of Admissions, so applications are not made directly to the programme.
If you’d like to apply to NUS and explore South Asian Studies, visit the NUS Office of Admissions application page for details on how to get started.
Curriculum Options
We offer the following flexible curriculum options which enable students to immerse themselves in the academic study of South Asia:
Single major [B.A. (Hons.)] in South Asian Studies
As a South Asian Studies major, you will begin with the gateway course Discover South Asia: People, Culture, Development, which introduces the region’s histories, societies, and contemporary challenges. From there, you can choose from a wide range of 2000 and 3000 level modules offered by the South Asian Studies Programme (SASP) and other approved departments, allowing you to shape the major according to your interests.
If you pursue Honours, you will complete an Honours Thesis or Project, an opportunity to conduct independent research and develop advanced expertise in a topic of your choice.
This flexible yet rigorous curriculum is designed to give you both breadth and depth, preparing you with specialised knowledge of one of the world’s most dynamic and important regions.
Note: The B.A. (without Honours) is no longer offered from Cohort 2021 onwards.
Second major in South Asian Studies
This pathway lets students pair a core discipline such as Geography, History, or Economics with a second major in South Asian Studies. It combines strong disciplinary training with regional expertise, offering both an enriched academic experience and a competitive edge in today’s job market.
Minor in India Studies
Students have the option to undertake India Studies as a minor. The minor can be undertaken alongside a major in any disciplinary area. To attain the minor in India Studies, students will be required to have 24 Units (about 6 courses) of SN or SN-recognised courses including the exposure course at level-1000.
* Language courses are optional.
These courses offered by the Centre for Language Studies are for students with no background in Tamil or Hindi. Language courses, however, are not compulsory for fulfilling the requirements for the Minor in India Studies. Language courses will normally be on only ONE language track, i.e. either Hindi OR Tamil.
Minor in Asian Studies
The minor in Asian Studies is a multidisciplinary minor jointly offered by the Department of Chinese Studies, Department of Japanese Studies, Department of Malay Studies, Department of Southeast Asian Studies and South Asian Studies Programme. To attain the minor in Asian Studies, students will be required to pass a minimum of 24 Units of courses from a list of recognised courses, including AA1201 Asian Challenges and Interconnections. For more details on the minor requirements, please click here.