Not only is it the largest Tech Hub in Asia, where the headquarters of a series of large corporations such as Google, Meta, Grab, etc. are located, the Lion Island has emerged as a destination to study IT in Singapore, where you will definitely be respected if you are qualified.

Why is that? What are the conditions and costs for studying abroad in this field? All will be analyzed in detail in this article!

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Why should you study IT in Singapore?

Not only is it a financial center but also the largest Tech Hub (Technology Center) in the region, where the headquarters of Google, Meta, Microsoft, etc. Study in Singapore in IT (Information Technology) brings many advantages such as:

Save time

Bachelor's degree is only 2 to 2.5 years. In particular, at private and international institutions (such as James Cook University, Kaplan, PSB Academy), an academic year has up to 3 semesters (no long summer vacation). Meanwhile, the master's program is only 1 year. So, you will graduate and go to work earlier than your peers. From there, soon build a financial foundation,

International standard degree

Singapore brings together the world's top public schools (NUS, NTU, SMU). With private schools, you also have the opportunity to transfer to England, Australia, or Ireland to receive a prestigious, international-standard degree.

Degrees from the above schools help people studying Information Technology in Singapore have the opportunity to receive high salaries, promotion and long-term settlement.

Applied learning program

Today's curriculum is extremely practical, reducing heavy academic theory, and especially, embracing the technology wave: AI & Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and FinTech.

Choosing to study IT in Singapore will definitely help you accumulate in-depth knowledge that can be applied directly to work, suitable for development, even when in Singapore or returning to Vietnam.

Cheap cost

Because Singapore is quite close to Vietnam, traveling between the two countries is not difficult. Airfares are cheaper. On the other hand, compared to the US or UK, the total living expenses and tuition fees are much more economical.

Conditions for studying IT in Singapore

Depending on the school you choose (Public or Private), the conditions for studying IT in Singapore will be different:

Public Universities (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD)

Entry conditions are quite strict because of the high fighting rate. Specifically:

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GPA: Graduated from high school with a grade 12 average score of 8.5 to 9.0 or higher (the school carefully screens scores of natural subjects such as Mathematics and Physics).

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English proficiency: IELTS from 6.5 - 7.0 (no skill below 6.0) or TOEFL iBT from 90 - 100 points.

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SAT score (usually > 1,400)/ACT or pass the school's separate entrance exam.

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National/international awards in Informatics, Mathematics or Science are preferred.

Private & International School Division (JCU, Kaplan, PSB, MDIS)

Studying IT in Singapore at these schools is easier and can accept both secondary school graduates, high school graduates and full-time university students.

For students who have just finished 9th/11th grade, you can follow the route: study the Foundation course for 6-8 months → Directly transfer to College (Diploma) and Bachelor's degree. Conditions are:

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GPA: Completed grade 9 or grade 11 with GPA > 6.5.

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English proficiency: Not required, because private schools all have preparatory English training courses right at the school. You just need to take the placement test and study until you are qualified to transfer directly into the IT industry. But if students have IELTS from 5.5 - 6.0 (or equivalent), students will be given priority.

For those who want to study IT in Singapore directly at the University level (get a bachelor's degree). Conditions are:

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GPA: Graduated from high school in Vietnam with a GPA of 6.5 - 7.0 or higher (Some high quality schools such as JCU Singapore may consider more carefully or require 11th & 12th grade transcripts to reach the Good/Excellent level).

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English proficiency: Minimum IELTS score of 5.5 – 6.0 required (or TOEFL iBT score of 60–79 or Pearson PTE score of 50–57). If you do not have an international certificate, you can take a test or take an English language course at school.

Cost of studying IT in Singapore

In general, there are two major costs for studying IT in Singapore, including:

Tuition

Tuition fees for studying IT in Singapore vary, depending on whether you choose a public or private school.

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For public schools (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD), self-funded tuition costs from 35,000 - 55,000 SGD/year (about 630 million - 990 million VND/year). But if you have a scholarship, it only reduces to 13,200 - 17,200 SGD/year (about 240 million - 310 million VND/year).

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For Private & International schools:

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Tuition for a bachelor's degree in IT at James Cook University (JCU Singapore) is about 68,800 SGD (about 1.25 billion VND).

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Full-course tuition at PSB Academy ranges from 35,000 - 45,000 SGD (about 630 million - 810 million VND).

Living expenses

On average, in a year, international students need to spend from 1,500 to 2,500 SGD/month (about 27 million - 45 million VND/month). Specifically:

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School dormitory or shared room in HDB apartment: 500 - 900 SGD/month.

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Private room in apartment (Condo): 1,000 - 1,600 SGD/month.

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Meals: At the Food court, Hawker Center or cooking yourself costs about 400 - 600 SGD/month.

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Transportation (MRT & Bus): Students enjoy preferential prices, about 80 - 120 SGD/month.

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Personal consumption (Phone, internet, necessities): About 150 - 300 SGD/month.

So total living expenses for 1 year: Fall around 18,000 - 24,000 SGD/year (about 325 million - 430 million VND/year).

How to apply for a scholarship to study IT in Singapore

Among the fields of study abroad in Singapore, IT is considered a key field, being invested and encouraged by the government and schools. Therefore, there are many scholarship packages for you to choose from, mainly from the following two sources:

From Public Schools (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD)

The value of the scholarship to study IT in Singapore at a public school is up to 100% of the tuition fee with a living allowance of about 5,800 SGD/year (about 105 million VND), allowance to buy computers and round-trip air tickets.

For example, there is the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship, the prestigious Dr. Goh Keng Swee (GKS),…

However, because the competition level of these scholarships is very high, to get one, you must have at least a 12th grade GPA of 9.0 or higher (especially Math and Physics); Have an SAT score of 1500+ or ​​ACT score of 33+; IELTS 7.0 or higher; Priority is given to having national/international excellent student awards in Informatics and Mathematics.

From Private & International Schools

This source of scholarships to study IT in Singapore is quite easy to find because the requirements are not high. Sponsorship value ranges from 2,000 SGD to 50% - 100% of tuition for the first year or the entire course.

For example, Curtin Singapore Scholarship covers up to 50% of tuition fees; James Cook University (JCU Singapore) scholarship is worth 25% - 50% or 100% of tuition for the first year of study.

To apply for a scholarship, students need a GPA of 7.5 to 8.0 or higher; IELTS score of 6.0 or higher and a short essay of about 300 - 500 words sharing about career goals, passions,...

How to apply for a visa to study IT in Singapore

Nowadays, applying for a visa to study IT in Singapore has become much easier, because it does not require complicated financial proof. Students will go through the following steps:

Step 1: Register for school

After choosing what major to study in Singapore, for example IT with some specialized training schools, you submit your application (Transcript, Degree, IELTS,...), and pay the registration fee, the school will send you an admission letter.

Step 2: Declare on the SOLAR system

The school also gives you a code called SOLAR Application Number. Use this code, go to the SOLAR system of the Immigration Department (ICA), log in to complete the eForm 16 (declaring personal information) and pay the processing fee of 30 SGD.

Step 3: Wait for the IPA letter

After 2–4 weeks of review, if the application is valid, ICA will issue an IPA letter, which has the same value as a temporary visa to help you enter Singapore legally. At this time, you proceed to pay the first semester tuition fee to the school where you want to study IT in Singapore.

Step 4: Immigration & Health Examination

You print the IPA letter along with the airline ticket, passport and immigration declaration (SG Arrival Card) to check in. After arriving in Singapore, you are required to have a medical examination according to regulations. This is to ensure you do not contract an infectious disease.

Step 5: Receive Student's Pass

In Singapore, you can go to the ICA building to receive your Student's Pass digitally via email or the Singpass app.

Prestigious Singapore study abroad consulting center

For those who choose to study IT in Singapore for the first time, even though you are good at English, you may not understand the legal regulations on applying for a visa, building your own effective study-settlement path, or applying for valuable scholarships to study abroad.

Therefore, choosing a reputable Singapore study abroad consulting center, like tuansing, can fully support you in many aspects. For example:

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Orientation for choosing a school: Consider the different teaching methods between British and Australian schools, in difficult fields (AI, Cyber Security, Big Data, Software Engineering).

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Processing admission applications: Professional team, with the ability to translate and notarize school transcripts, degrees, and birth certificates in accordance with the standards of Singapore schools. At the same time, submit documents and track approval progress.

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Instructions for writing scholarship essays: The reputable Singapore study abroad consulting center has a network of relationships and understands scholarship information from schools such as Curtin, JCU, and Kaplan. A team of experts will guide you in writing a scoring essay.

Contact tuansing now for free daily consultation!

Conclusion

As a developed country, home to the headquarters of a series of large corporations, studying IT in Singapore will open up not only high-paying job opportunities, but also practical learning experiences and accumulating valuable knowledge.

Above are all instructions on conditions, costs and how to apply for a Singapore student visa in IT - IT for those who are unclear. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to contact us for support!