Cost of Studying in Singapore: Average Tuition Fees & Monthly Expenses

Is it costly to study in Singapore for Indians? This is the fact that Singapore is more expensive than India but affordable as compared to other popular study destinations abroad such as USA, UK, Canada and more. The cost of studying in Singapore depends on factors like the level of study, university type and course choice.

Are you considering Singapore to pursue higher studies? You must have a clear idea about the overall cost of studying in Singapore based on your desired course. Institution type and course type are two major factors that affect the total cost of study in the universities of Singapore. To pursue UG courses in Singapore, you have to keep an average budget between INR 10 lakhs to 46 Lakhs per year. For PG courses, the tuition fee range is INR 12 lakhs to INR 40 lakhs per year.

This amount is only the tuition fee, excluding any other expenses. The amount can vary depending on your choice of study program. The National University of Singapore is on the list of the top 10 universities in the world. Another university in Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, holds a rank in the top 15 universities worldwide. Top-ranked universities, high-quality education and ample job opportunities in Singapore attract students. Students should research well about the total cost of studying in Singapore before coming here.

Why Study in Singapore?

There are various reasons which make Singapore an ideal destination for international students to pursue their undergraduate or postgraduate education. Some of the most prominent reasons are listed below:

• Good Education Quality: The country owns multiple high-ranking universities and colleges which welcome students from across the world. These institutions have earned a reputation for their excellent student-graduate outcome as well as research. Students have the liberty to study an academic area at any level.
• Ease of Language: Most of the higher education institutes follow an English-based bilingual education system. As English is the medium of instruction in the majority of universities and colleges, overseas students find it convenient to study and understand the lessons.
• Financial Assistance: In order to assist students in affording their education, various scholarships are provided by the government of Singapore and various higher education institutes for the overseas students. This helps them focus on their studies without being bothered by monetary issues.
• Good Employment Prospects: Singapore is home to many globally recognised universities and colleges, and a degree earned from any of them is considered prestigious. Due to their reputation, various good companies and employers across the world are open to absorbing students graduating from these colleges.

Top Universities in Singapore

We have listed below some of the top universities in Singapore for international students:

University-Wise Tuition Fees Range

Like all countries, there is a large fluctuation in tuition fees across the different categories of institutions. Effectively speaking, the tuition fee for top universities would be much higher than the of lesser-known universities. Also, the polytechnics in Singapore, which offer certificate diplomas, are cheaper still. For instance, the average yearly tuition fee for a bachelor’s degree in engineering at top universities like NTU and NUS is around SGD 40,000. A student, however, opting to go to a private university like PSB Academy would have to pay around SGD 21,000 in tuition fees for one year.

The same grade of difference is available for master’s program as well. The more famous Universities’ MBA program averages just about SGD 75,000. Let’s have a quick look at some of them and the tuition fee (in INR) for their MBA programs:

As is visible, while the top three MBA programs of the country have high tuition fees, the same program from relatively lesser-known institutes like Nanyang Institute of Management is almost one-third of the same.

Also, in regards to Foreign Universities with campuses in Singapore, it is important to point out that the fee structure remains the same as designed by the University’s home centre. So, a student may not save a considerable amount in tuition fees.

Tuition Fees of Top Singapore Institutes

Given below is the tuition fee for the top Singaporean higher academic institutes for their popular programmes.

National University of Singapore: We have listed below the annual tuition fee required to pursue bachelor's as well as master's courses at NUS, for the academic year 2025-26:

1) Undergraduate Courses:

2) Graduate Courses:

Conversion Rate: 1 SGD = INR 65.09

Nanyang Technological University: We have listed below the annual tuition fee required to pursue full-time courses at Nanyang Tech, for the academic year 2025-26:

Singapore University of Technology and Design: We have listed below the annual tuition fee required to pursue full-time courses at the Singapore University of Technology & Design, for the academic year 2025-26:

University Costs

There are many and varied constituents of University costs. Broadly they include

• Application Fees
• Student Development Fees
• Service Fees
• Student Transport Pass
• Other charges

The larger universities, like NUS and NTU, which have boarding facilities, might also have those costs added, but we would ignore them here as they strictly refer to the cost of living. To give an estimate, the university costs are about SGD 400 – SGD 800 (INR 25 K - 50 K) per month. This might be higher for bigger universities and lower for smaller universities.

Cost of Living in Singapore

The cost of living in Singapore is expensive than in India but less expensive than in some of the developed countries. The high level of urbanisation and the highly capitalised economy have ensured a steady increase in prices. Though student facilities and transportation have concessions, it is still a steady expense. Refer to the table to understand the cost of living in Singapore:

To summarise, the cost of studying in Singapore is not necessarily cheaper than the other famous countries. Where it does save costs is that most of the master’s program, especially MBAs are one-year programs. This, in sense, relatively makes the costs of studying in Singapore less than the other famous study abroad destinations like USA and UK. What a student needs to understand that in case s/he does not get a place at a student hall of residence, which is a great possibility, he/she would have to rely on accommodation outside the campus, which is rather expensive in Singapore.

For more details related to studying abroad and foreign admissions, reach out to Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors for free: