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quick answer
Can Pakistani Students Get Scholarships in Singapore?
Yes. Pakistani students can study in Singapore on a fully funded scholarship, but mainly at PhD and Master’s-by-research level. The open routes are the NUS Research Scholarship, the NTU Research Scholarship and Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship, and the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship. Each waives tuition and pays a monthly stipend. You apply directly to the university for research admission and ask to be considered for the scholarship.
Singapore Scholarships at a Glance
Singapore’s funded scholarships for Pakistani students are research-degree awards from NUS and NTU that waive tuition and pay a monthly stipend in Singapore dollars.
Best-fit level: PhD and Master’s by research
Open routes: NUS Research Scholarship; NTU Research Scholarship and Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship; NUS Commonwealth Scholarship
Tuition: Fully waived on all three research routes
NUS PhD stipend (international): SGD 3,000 per month, rising by up to SGD 500 after the PhD Qualifying Examination (rates effective 1 January 2026)
NUS Master’s by research stipend (international): SGD 2,900 per month
NTU stipend: Set by the school, plus up to SGD 500 per month after the PhD Qualifying Examination
NPGS stipend: SGD 3,000 per month, plus conference, IT, book, and thesis allowances
Funding period: Up to 4 years for PhD, up to 2 years for Master’s by research
Academic minimum: Second Class (Upper) Honours for the NUS Research Scholarship; First Class Honours for NPGS
Language: GRE, IELTS, and TOEFL are often optional at scholarship stage, but the university may ask for English proof, and an English test applies where your degree was not taught in English
Age limit: None published by NUS or NTU; verify the current position from the official source
Intakes: August and January, with application windows that vary by school
How you apply: Directly to NUS or NTU for research admission, indicating your interest in the scholarship on the same form
Service obligation: The Graduate Assistantship Programme (teaching or laboratory duties) applies to international scholars; no post-graduation work bond on these three routes
Figures shown in: Singapore dollars (SGD)
The Funded Routes Open to Pakistani Students
Three funded routes are open to Pakistani students in Singapore, all at research-degree level: the NUS Research Scholarship, the NTU Research Scholarship with the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship, and the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship. Each one waives your tuition and pays a monthly stipend, and each is decided through your research admission to the university.
NUS Research Scholarship
The NUS Research Scholarship is the main funded route into a PhD or a Master’s by research at the National University of Singapore, and it is open to all international students, including Pakistani nationals. It gives you a full waiver of tuition fees plus a monthly stipend. For a PhD, the international stipend is SGD 3,000 per month, rising by up to SGD 500 after you pass the PhD Qualifying Examination, with these rates effective from 1 January 2026. For a Master’s by research, the international stipend is SGD 2,900 per month. The award runs up to 4 years for a PhD. To hold it you must be eligible for the Singapore Ministry of Education tuition subsidy, and as an international scholar you complete the Graduate Assistantship Programme of teaching or laboratory duties during your study.
NTU Research Scholarship and Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship
Nanyang Technological University funds research students through the NTU Research Scholarship, with the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship as its selective top award, and both are open to international applicants. The NTU Research Scholarship covers your annual tuition fee plus a monthly stipend set by the admitting school, with up to SGD 500 more per month after you pass the PhD Qualifying Examination. It runs up to 4 years for a PhD and up to 2 years for a Master’s by research, carries teaching or laboratory duties under the Graduate Assistantship Programme for international scholars, and has no work bond after graduation. The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship is aimed at outstanding PhD candidates, asks for a First Class Honours degree, gives preference to Singapore citizens and permanent residents while staying open to international applicants, and makes up to 30 awards each year. It pays full tuition, a monthly stipend of SGD 3,000, and conference, IT, book, and thesis allowances.
NUS Commonwealth Scholarship
Because Pakistan is a Commonwealth member, Pakistani graduates can apply for the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship, which goes to research students from Commonwealth countries who are new to NUS and are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents. It consists of a monthly stipend plus a tuition fee subsidy, and the University selects a number of scholars each semester. You must be eligible for the Ministry of Education tuition subsidy to hold it.
Who can apply from Pakistan
A Pakistani graduate with a strong research-focused degree can apply for all three routes, because each is open to international students and the funding is tied to research admission, not to nationality. The six points below set out exactly what decides whether you qualify.
All three routes are open to international students, so Pakistani nationals qualify on nationality. The NUS Commonwealth Scholarship is for citizens of Commonwealth countries, which includes Pakistan, and is reserved for new students who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents. None of these routes asks you to take Singapore citizenship or permanent residency to apply.
These are research-degree awards, so they fund a PhD or a Master’s by research, not a taught Master’s or a Bachelor’s. The NUS Research Scholarship asks for an undergraduate degree with at least Second Class Honours (Upper Division), Honours (Distinction), or equivalent. The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship asks for a First Class Honours degree or equivalent. Strong research output and good referee reports lift your application at both universities.
GRE, IELTS, and TOEFL are often optional at the scholarship stage, but this is decided per applicant, not waived for everyone. The university may ask you for satisfactory English scores as part of admission, and an English test usually applies where your previous degree was not taught in English. If your degree was taught in English, ask the admitting school in writing whether a medium-of-instruction letter is accepted in place of a test.
There is no government sending-partner for Singapore and no HEC portal step. You apply directly to NUS or NTU for PhD or Master’s-by-research admission, choose a research area and a supervisor, and tick the box on the same admission form to be considered for the scholarship. A condition for the NUS routes is that you must be eligible for the Singapore Ministry of Education tuition subsidy, and as an international scholar you take on the Graduate Assistantship Programme of teaching or laboratory duties during your candidature. This direct-to-university route is the single most important thing to understand about funded study in Singapore.
The NUS Research Scholarship and the NTU Research Scholarship fund research across most disciplines, from engineering and the sciences to computing, business, and the social sciences and humanities. The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship spans disciplines but is selective. Note that the A*STAR awards lean towards science, biomedical, and engineering fields, but those are not the open route for a fresh Pakistani applicant, so plan around the NUS and NTU university scholarships.
NUS and NTU do not publish an age limit for these research scholarships. Verify the current position from the official scholarship page before you apply, and treat any age figure on a third-party site as unverified. The MTZ enquiry form shows no age cut-off.
The SINGA Question, Explained Honestly
Many families search for SINGA, the Singapore International Graduate Award, but A*STAR no longer lists SINGA as an open route for fresh international applicants, so the funded routes for Pakistani students today are the NUS and NTU research scholarships above.
A*STAR has restructured its graduate scholarships. Its current A*STAR Graduate Scholarship requires a non-Singaporean foreigner to hold, or be on track to obtain, a Second Class (Upper) Honours degree from a Singapore autonomous university, which a Pakistani applicant holding a Pakistani degree does not meet. The two awards A*STAR still runs for overseas students, the A*STAR Research Attachment Programme and the Singapore Research Attachment Programme, are 1 to 2 year research attachments for students already enrolled at an overseas university and nominated by a supervisor, not full PhD scholarships you apply for from scratch.
If you see a third-party page advertising “SINGA 2026 open” with a stipend and a deadline, treat it with caution and check the official A*STAR site before you act, because several of those listings recycle old information. For a funded PhD or Master’s by research in Singapore, the NUS Research Scholarship, the NTU Research Scholarship, the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship, and the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship are the routes to plan around.
Documents You’ll Need
For all three routes you submit one research-admission application to NUS or NTU, and the checklist below is what the university asks you to upload. This is what you submit; who qualifies is covered above in Who Can Apply.
⚫ Academic transcripts for your Bachelor’s degree and any Master’s degree, with certified English translations where the original is not in English
⚫ Degree certificates or scrolls, or a letter from your university confirming your candidature if the certificate has not yet been issued
⚫ At least two academic referee reports, completed and submitted online by your referees
⚫ A research proposal or a statement of your research interest, naming your proposed area and, where possible, a supervisor
⚫ Evidence of English proficiency, or a medium-of-instruction letter where your admitting school accepts one
⚫ GRE scores if you have them, which are often optional but strengthen a research application
⚫ A valid passport and a recent passport-size photograph
⚫ A CV setting out your research output, any publications, and relevant experience
Document sets vary a little between schools, so confirm the exact list on your admitting school’s page before you submit. MTZ checks your set against the school’s current requirement.
What These Scholarships Cover
These Singapore research scholarships waive your tuition in full and pay a monthly stipend in Singapore dollars; they do not pay for airfare, housing, or family costs, so plan those yourself.
covered:
⚫ Full tuition fee waiver on the NUS Research Scholarship, the NTU Research Scholarship, and the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship
⚫ NUS Research Scholarship monthly stipend: SGD 3,000 for a PhD, rising by up to SGD 500 after the PhD Qualifying Examination, and SGD 2,900 for a Master’s by research (international rates, effective 1 January 2026)
⚫ NTU Research Scholarship monthly stipend set by the admitting school, with up to SGD 500 more per month after the PhD Qualifying Examination
⚫ Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship: SGD 3,000 per month, plus a conference allowance, a one-time IT allowance, an annual book or journal grant, and a thesis allowance
⚫ NUS Commonwealth Scholarship: a monthly stipend plus a tuition fee subsidy
⚫ Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship also gives priority for subsidised campus accommodation
Not covered:
⚫ Airfare or travel to Singapore: these university research scholarships publish no standing airfare grant, so budget your own flights
⚫ Housing as a cash grant: NUS and NTU research stipends do not include a separate accommodation payment, and NPGS gives priority for subsidised housing rather than free housing
⚫ Family or dependant support
⚫ Your Student’s Pass costs and medical insurance, unless your specific school states otherwise
⚫ A settling-in allowance: none is published for the NUS Research Scholarship or the NTU Research Scholarship, so do not count on one
A condition to note rather than a cost: as an international scholar you take on teaching or laboratory duties under the Graduate Assistantship Programme during your study, so the stipend comes with a work obligation.
Singapore figures are shown in Singapore dollars (SGD). Any rupee equivalent is indicative only; use a conservative exchange rate and confirm the live rate with MTZ before making any financial decision.
stipend and allowance rates are set by the universities, the NUS rates shown take effect from 1 January 2026, and the universities reserve the right to revise them. Confirm the current figure on the official scholarship page before you apply.
How to Apply from Pakistan
You apply for funded study in Singapore by applying directly to NUS or NTU for research admission and asking to be considered for the scholarship on the same form; there is no HEC step and no separate scholarship portal. Five steps take you from a research idea to a Student’s Pass.
step-1 →
Choose your research area and shortlist a supervisor. Decide your PhD or Master’s-by-research field, then identify supervisors at NUS or NTU whose work matches yours. The scholarship follows your admission, so this comes first.
step-2 →
Approach your supervisor and prepare your research proposal. Write to your shortlisted supervisor with a short proposal, since a supervisor who supports your application strengthens it. Build the documents from the checklist above while you wait for a reply.
step-3 →
Submit the graduate research admission application and tick the scholarship box. Apply to NUS or NTU for the research programme, and on the same admission form indicate that you wish to be considered for the research scholarship. This single direct-to-university step is the Pakistan mechanism for Singapore.
step-4 →
Meet the conditions. Have your referees submit their reports, provide your English proof or medium-of-instruction letter where asked, and check that you meet the Singapore Ministry of Education tuition subsidy condition that the NUS routes require.
step-5
Accept the offer and start your Student’s Pass. If you are admitted with the scholarship, accept in writing, then begin the Student’s Pass application through Singapore’s ICA once the university issues your acceptance.
Timing follows an annual pattern: NUS and NTU run research intakes in August and January, and the scholarship is decided together with your admission offer. Application windows vary by school and close several months before the intake, so do not rely on a single deadline you read on a third-party site. MTZ confirms the live dates for your chosen school before you apply.
How MTZ Helps You Apply
MTZ works alongside your direct application to NUS or NTU, from first profile check to your Student’s Pass, without ever standing between you and the university or the funder. Here is what that support looks like at each step.
We read your transcripts, degree class, and research background against the published bar for each route, then tell you plainly whether a Singapore research scholarship is a realistic target for your profile or whether another destination fits you better. You get an honest read before you spend time on an application.
Finding a supervisor whose work matches yours is the part most applicants get wrong, so we help you shortlist research groups at NUS and NTU, shape a short proposal, and prepare your approach to a potential supervisor.
Your transcripts, referee reports, research statement, and English evidence all have to line up with the admitting school’s current list. We check your set against that list, flag gaps early, and help you present a research application that competes.
When you submit the graduate research admission application, we make sure you tick the scholarship consideration box on the same form, that your referees know their deadline, and that the Ministry of Education tuition subsidy condition for the NUS routes is addressed.
After you accept an offer, we guide you through the Student’s Pass application with Singapore’s ICA, so the visa step does not stall a place you have already won.
Start with the free scholarship eligibility assessment:
The honest limits you should know first
A UAE scholarship is real but never automatic, so know the limits before you set your heart on one route.
Read these limits before you apply.
MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship; every funded place in Singapore is decided by the university or the funder, not by us, and you should know the real limits before you commit.
If a funded Singapore PhD does not fit your profile, MTZ also guides Pakistani students through funded routes to the UK, Australia, and China, and we will tell you honestly which one gives you the better chance.
Singapore’s funded routes for Pakistani students sit almost entirely at PhD and Master’s-by-research level. There is little to no full funding open to a fresh Pakistani applicant at undergraduate or taught-Master’s level. At those lower levels the main help is the Singapore Ministry of Education Tuition Grant, which is a partial subsidy that carries a three-year work bond in a Singapore-registered company, not a full scholarship, so treat it as a fee reduction with a commitment attached rather than free study.
SINGA, the award many families search for, is no longer listed by A*STAR as an open route for fresh international applicants, so plan around the NUS and NTU research scholarships instead. Every one of these awards is competitive, the stipend comes with a teaching or laboratory duty under the Graduate Assistantship Programme, and the funding depends on you first securing research admission and a supervisor. Stipend rates and conditions are set by the universities and can change, so confirm the current figures on the official page before you apply
Singapore Compared, Route by Route
The three funded routes differ mainly in who they suit and how selective they are: the NUS Research Scholarship is the broad open route, the NTU awards run alongside it with a selective top tier, and the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship is the Commonwealth-specific route Pakistan can use.
| Feature | NUS Research Scholarship | NTU Research Scholarship and NPGS | NUS Commonwealth Scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | PhD and Master’s by research | PhD and Master’s by research (NPGS is PhD) | PhD and research degrees |
| Who it suits | Any strong international research applicant | Strong applicants; NPGS for the most selective PhD candidates | Graduates from Commonwealth countries, including Pakistan |
| Tuition | Fully waived | Fully waived | Tuition fee subsidy |
| Monthly stipend | SGD 3,000 PhD, up to SGD 500 more after the QE; SGD 2,900 Master’s by research | Set by the school, up to SGD 500 more after the QE; NPGS SGD 3,000 plus allowances | Monthly stipend, amount set by NUS |
| Funding period | Up to 4 years PhD | Up to 4 years PhD, up to 2 years Master’s by research | Typically the research degree period |
| Academic minimum | Second Class (Upper) Honours | Second Class (Upper) Honours for RSS; First Class Honours for NPGS | Strong research degree, set by NUS |
| Service obligation | Graduate Assistantship Programme; no post-study bond | Graduate Assistantship Programme; no post-study bond | Graduate Assistantship Programme; no post-study bond |
| How you apply | Direct NUS research admission, tick scholarship box | Direct NTU research admission, tick scholarship box | Direct NUS research admission as a Commonwealth applicant |
| Best for | Your default starting point | NTU-strong fields and top PhD profiles | Commonwealth applicants seeking an NUS-specific route |
All figures are in Singapore dollars and were verified at the official NUS and NTU pages on 13 June 2026. Confirm the current figure on the official scholarship page before you apply.
Questions Pakistani Families Ask
These are the questions Pakistani students and parents ask most about funded study in Singapore, answered from the official NUS, NTU, and A*STAR sources verified on 13 June 2026. This wording is the locked source for the FAQPage schema.
Yes, mainly at PhD and Master’s-by-research level. The open routes are the NUS Research Scholarship, the NTU Research Scholarship, the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship, and the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship. Each waives tuition in full and pays a monthly stipend. Full funding at undergraduate or taught-Master’s level is rare for fresh Pakistani applicants.
No, not as a fresh-application route. A*STAR no longer lists the Singapore International Graduate Award as an open scholarship for new international applicants, and its current graduate scholarship requires foreigners to hold a degree from a Singapore university. Plan around the NUS and NTU research scholarships instead, and check the official A*STAR site before trusting any third-party “SINGA open” listing.
The NUS Research Scholarship pays international PhD students SGD 3,000 per month, rising by up to SGD 500 after you pass the PhD Qualifying Examination, with these rates effective from 1 January 2026. For a Master’s by research the international stipend is SGD 2,900 per month, and tuition is fully waived in both cases.
Not always. GRE, IELTS, and TOEFL are often optional at the scholarship stage, but the university may ask for satisfactory English scores as part of admission, and an English test usually applies where your previous degree was not taught in English. Ask your admitting school in writing whether a medium-of-instruction letter is accepted.
Rarely. These funded routes are research degrees, so they cover a PhD or a Master’s by research, not a Bachelor’s or a taught Master’s. At those lower levels the main help is the Ministry of Education Tuition Grant, which is a partial fee subsidy that carries a three-year work bond in Singapore, not a full scholarship.
You apply directly to NUS or NTU for PhD or Master’s-by-research admission and tick the box to be considered for the scholarship on the same form. There is no HEC step and no separate scholarship portal. You choose a research area and a supervisor first, because the funding follows your admission.
It helps a great deal. The scholarship is tied to research admission, and a supervisor whose work matches yours and who supports your application strengthens it. Shortlist research groups at NUS or NTU, then approach a potential supervisor with a short research proposal before or alongside your application.
No post-graduation bond applies to the NUS Research Scholarship, the NTU Research Scholarship, or the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship. During your study, though, international scholars complete the Graduate Assistantship Programme of teaching or laboratory duties, so the stipend carries a work obligation while you are enrolled.
The NUS Research Scholarship asks for an undergraduate degree with at least Second Class Honours (Upper Division), Honours (Distinction), or equivalent. The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship asks for a First Class Honours degree. Strong research output, publications, and good referee reports lift your application at both universities.
NUS and NTU do not publish an age limit for these research scholarships. Verify the current position on the official scholarship page before you apply, and treat any age figure on a third-party site as unverified. The MTZ enquiry form shows no age cut-off.
NUS and NTU run research intakes in August and January, and the scholarship is decided together with your admission offer. Application windows vary by school and close several months before the intake, so do not rely on a single deadline you read elsewhere. MTZ confirms the live dates for your chosen school before you apply.
No, not as standing benefits. These university research scholarships publish no airfare grant, so budget your own flights, and the stipend is not a separate housing payment. The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship gives priority for subsidised campus accommodation rather than free housing, so plan your living costs from the monthly stipend.
Yes. Pakistan is a Commonwealth member, so Pakistani graduates can apply for the NUS Commonwealth Scholarship, which goes to research students from Commonwealth countries who are new to NUS and are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents. It gives a monthly stipend plus a tuition fee subsidy.
No. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship. Every funded place is decided by the university or the funder. MTZ assesses your profile honestly, helps you match a supervisor, builds a research application that competes, and guides your Student’s Pass, but the decision rests with NUS, NTU, or the funder.
Start Your Singapore Application with MTZ
If a funded PhD or Master’s by research in Singapore fits your profile, the next step is a free profile assessment, where we tell you honestly whether the NUS or NTU route is a realistic target for you. Message either office on WhatsApp, or fill the enquiry form and we will come back to you.
Author: Mubbashir Qureshi, CEO, MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd. 25+ years personal experience guiding Pakistani students into study abroad and international education.
Last verified: 13 June 2026. Next review: 01 March 2027.
