Fully-Funded PhD in Singapore for Indian Students
NUS and NTU fund almost every PhD candidate with a monthly stipend and full tuition, and Indian applicants can often submit a GATE score instead of the GRE.
PhD in Singapore at a glance
- Tuition fees
- Fully covered by the Research Scholarship for the standard candidature (up to 4 years)
- Typical funding
- NUS/NTU Research Scholarship, or the government-backed SINGA award in STEM fields
- Monthly stipend
- SGD 2,700 before your qualifying exam, rising to SGD 3,200 after (about ₹2-2.4 lakh)
- Duration
- Up to 4 years
- GRE required?
- Optional at most departments; several accept a GATE score from Indian applicants instead
- Language
- English-medium throughout; IELTS or TOEFL needed unless your degree was taught in English
- After the PhD
- No dedicated post-study visa - a 1-year non-renewable pass to job-hunt, then an employer-sponsored work pass
Why Singapore is a fast-growing option for Indian PhD applicants
NUS and NTU consistently rank among Asia's top research universities and inside the global top 20, with particular strength in engineering, computing, and life sciences. For an Indian applicant, Singapore adds a short flight, a large existing student community, and no language barrier to clear before you can start research.
Nearly every PhD admit at NUS or NTU comes with a Research Scholarship attached, much like the US model: departments generally don't admit a PhD candidate they don't intend to fund.
How PhD funding works in Singapore
The default route is the Research Scholarship: SGD 2,700 a month before you pass your Qualifying Examination in year one, rising to SGD 3,200 a month after, renewed annually for up to four years, with tuition fully covered throughout.
SINGA, the Singapore International Graduate Award, is a stronger package administered with A*STAR alongside NUS, NTU, and SUTD, but it only funds Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering. It pays the same stipend scale plus a one-time SGD 1,500 airfare grant and a SGD 1,000 settling-in allowance. Above both sits the President's Graduate Fellowship, roughly SGD 3,400 a month, awarded only by nomination after a strong first year rather than through a direct application.
Are you eligible?
A bachelor's with a strong record and real research exposure can get you into some programs directly, particularly in engineering and computing, though a master's strengthens most applications. Committees evaluate the whole file: transcripts, a statement of purpose, two to three recommendation letters, and evidence you can actually do research.
GRE is optional at both NUS and NTU for engineering and computing PhDs, and NUS Computing explicitly accepts a GATE score from Indian applicants in place of it, a genuine advantage if you already sat that exam for a B.Tech or M.Tech application. An English test (IELTS around 6.5-7 or TOEFL 90+) is required unless your prior degree was taught fully in English.
How admissions actually work
Applications go to the department or school, not to an individual professor's inbox first, similar to the US system. That said, naming a potential supervisor and your shared research interest in your statement of purpose measurably helps, since departments still match funded students to specific labs once admitted.
Most schools run two intakes a year, in August and January, which gives Singapore a genuine second chance if you miss a US or UK deadline in the same admissions cycle.
Timeline and Student Pass for Indian students
August-intake applications typically open around October the year before and close between November and January depending on the school, with decisions arriving by March or April. January-intake applications generally close mid-year.
Once you're admitted, the university applies for your Student Pass through Singapore's SOLAR immigration system on your behalf. Government fees are modest, around SGD 90-135 in total, but Indian nationals must lodge a refundable SGD 5,000 security deposit as a banker's guarantee before the pass is issued, so budget for it even though you get it back when you leave in good standing.
Go deeper: PhD Stipend in Singapore 2026: SGD 2,700–3,400 a Month at NUS and NTU · How to Email a Professor for a PhD Position: The Template That Gets Replies
Comparing destinations? Fully-funded PhD in Germany · Fully-funded PhD in USA · Fully-funded PhD in UK · Fully-funded PhD in Canada · Fully-funded PhD in Switzerland · Fully-funded PhD in Australia
See which universities offer funded positions on our universities page, match your Indian qualification to funded PhD fields in our PhD-by-degree guide, or read student articles on funded admissions.
FAQs: PhD in Singapore
How much does a PhD student earn in Singapore?
The standard NUS/NTU Research Scholarship pays SGD 2,700 a month before your qualifying exam and SGD 3,200 a month after (about ₹2-2.4 lakh), with tuition fully covered. SINGA pays the same scale in STEM fields, plus a one-time airfare grant and settling-in allowance, and the nomination-only President's Graduate Fellowship pays around SGD 3,400 a month.
Is a PhD in Singapore fully funded?
Yes, for almost all admitted candidates. NUS and NTU attach a Research Scholarship to nearly every PhD offer, covering full tuition plus a monthly stipend. STEM applicants can also target SINGA, a government-backed award with a stronger benefits package.
Do I need to take the GRE for a PhD in Singapore?
Usually not. GRE is optional at both NUS and NTU for engineering and computing PhDs, and NUS Computing explicitly accepts a GATE score from Indian applicants instead. Some other departments may still ask for it, so we check the specific program during shortlisting.
Can I stay and work in Singapore after my PhD?
Singapore doesn't offer a dedicated post-study work visa the way the UK or Australia does. Graduates from NUS or NTU can get a 1-year, non-renewable Long-Term Visit Pass to job-hunt, but it doesn't let you work. Once you have a job offer, your employer sponsors an Employment Pass, which requires a monthly salary of at least SGD 4,500.
What is SINGA and am I eligible?
SINGA, the Singapore International Graduate Award, is a government-backed PhD scholarship run with A*STAR alongside NUS, NTU, and SUTD. It only funds Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering, so if your research sits in social sciences, business, or humanities, the standard Research Scholarship is your route instead.
Can EduSail help me apply to NUS or NTU?
Yes. Your application is guided by mentors from our network of active researchers, led by scholars like Anand Sahu and Dr. Sonam Chorol, who each weighed funded offers from more than one country before choosing their own path. We help you build a research-fit statement of purpose, identify a potential supervisor to name in your application, and decide whether SINGA or the standard Research Scholarship suits your field. Start with our free eligibility check to see where your profile stands.
Ready to start your PhD journey in Singapore?
Get an honest, free assessment of your chances: score your profile against the criteria that decide funded admissions.