SINGAPORE

• Singapore is the closest neighboring country to Indonesia.
• Singapore is renowned as a country with strict regulations and a transparent, consistent application of the practice of law as well as stable economy and the political conditions are stable.
• Because of its location as a center for Asian trade, society and the environment are multicultural.
• International standard and high quality education.
• The city-state is laid out beautifully, neat, very clean and safe, and supported by technology and world-class facilities.

Although Singapore is one country that has the highest standard of living in Asia, but the cost of living is still affordable when compared to many western countries.

Some of the budget should be considered basic costs such as accommodation, meals, transportation, telecommunications, books and stationery, medical and health care, insurance and personal costs. On average it takes students generally between SGD 2,500 to SGD 2,500 per month – according to the lifestyle of each individual

EDUTRUST CERTIFICATION FOR PRIVATE INSTITUTION (PEI)

EduTrust is a national certification which is the government’s recognition of the high quality of private institution’s education, which is aligned with a world-class business standard. This includes an assessment of the facilities, staff and academic programs offered by private institutions (PEI).

Only private institutions that already have EduTrust are allowed to recruit international students and process the Student Pass. Depending on the assessment of the Singapore government systems of management and service education institutions, the private institutions in Singapore can get qualifications:

EduTrust Star (4-year validity),

EduTrust (4-year validity), or

Provisional EduTrust (1-year validity)

Each PEI getting EduTrust is required to adopt the Fee Protection Scheme (FPS), where the FPS will provide full protection against the tuition fees paid by students. This FPS can be in the form of Escrow Scheme Insurance Scheme or a combination of both for local and international students.

Escrow Scheme using several banks mediation appointed by the government of Singapore (DBS, HSBC and Standard Chartered) in which the student will pay tuition to the bank, and cannot pay directly to the institution. While Insurance Scheme is insurance where private institutions will buy insurance appointed by the government of Singapore to protect the tuition paid directly to them.

For a list of EduTrust awarded institutions, you can inquire directly with the consultant from SUN Education Group.

1. Student Visa & Health Insurance

You are required to have a student visa, or better known as student pass, if you want to study in Singapore; unless you have a Letter of Guarantee (Dependent Pass) or a letter issued by the Immigration Department that is Immigration Exemption Order. For international students who do not have families or relatives in Singapore, school or university will be the guarantor (guarantor) for the duration of the student’s studies.

Here is the pathway to study the management of Singapore:

Choosing the right institution in Singapore → Apply to an institution → Getting an acceptance letter (offer letter) and student contract from the institution → Institutions manage student pass → Letter Student Pass Approval exit → Students went to Singapore and registration to an institution → Student conduct medical check-ups hospitals in Singapore → Students facing ICA (Immigration & Checkpoint Authority) → Student → Student Pass out, was only allowed to follow lectures.

2. Accommodation

There are many choices of accommodation for foreign students in Singapore; but it is advisable to arrange a place to stay before arriving in Singapore, can help schools, education agents and property agents.

A. Boarding School or College

Boarding school or campus is only provided by public institutions and secondary school; campus dormitories at educational institutions usually prioritized for foreign students in the first year. A hostel usually includes meals, laundry and 24-hour security, faith guidance, tuition, supervision, as well as sports and recreation facilities.

Campus dormitory costs an average of SGD 700 – SGD 2,000 per month.

B. Renting Apartment or HDB flats or house

Renting other type of accommodations such as furnished apartments, HDB flats or houses are a few options you can take. HDB flats are flats owned by the government, usually more affordable compared to apartments owned by private parties. Total expenses you will spend depend on the type of accommodations, amenities and location you choose. Some institutions liaise with student residence or sometimes they can arrange it for you.

The cost of renting an apartment on average is about SGD 900 – SGD 2,500 per month. The cost of renting HDB flats ranges from approximately SGD 500 – SGD 900 per month.

C. Homestay

You want to enjoy home cooking and experience staying with Singaporean family? At homestay, they usually rent out rooms and offer full facilities for foreign students.

Homestay costs range between SGD 900 – SGD2,000 per month (including meals).

3. Part–Time Work

As a full time student at a state university, polytechnics or institutions approved by the Ministry of Labor, you have permission from the Student’s Liaison Office to work part time up to 16 hours per week during the school term and you can work full time for the holiday period of instruction.

However, for students of most private universities, students are not allowed to work part-time in Singapore. This happens because the government wants international students to focus on their studies.

1. International School

Schools with foreign educational systems that use the curriculum of each country of origin, must be registered with the Ministry of Education (Ministry of Education, or MOE), Singapore. The acceptance criterias vary in each school, including citizenship and proficiency.

2. Pre-University (Junior College)

After completing the GCE ‘O’ Level, to prepare for entry into the university curriculum, students can choose to sign up for Pre-University (Junior College) or directly to ITE (Institutes of Technical Education) or Polytechnic. Pre-University or better known as Junior College or abbreviated as JC lasts for two (2) years. The curriculum consists of two (2) compulsory subjects, namely general paper and one from the mother tongue (Mandarin, Malay or Tamil), and a maximum of four (4) lessons from the level ‘A’ Level.

3. Primary & Secondary Schools

In general, the length of primary education in Singapore is the same as in Indonesia, which is six (6) years, consisting of a basic program for four (4) years and is followed by the orientation program for two (2) years. Students from Indonesia who want to study in the mid-period of primary education (grade 2-5) and Intermediate (grades 1-3) in Singapore must take the admission test Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS). At the end of the sixth year, students will take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) test. The curriculum taught focuses on the teaching of English, the mother tongue like Mandarin, Malay or Tamil, as well as math, natural science, music, art and crafts, sports and social education.

Upon passing the exam PSLE, students go on to high school with the curriculum ‘O’ Level for four (4) years of age or ‘N’ Level for five (5) years, in accordance with the individual capabilities. This curriculum includes English, the mother tongue like Mandarin, Malay or Tamil, as well as math, sciences and the humanities. In the third year, students can choose to take classes arts, science, business administration science or engineering majors. The final exam is Singapore – Cambridge General Certificate of Education ‘Ordinary’ (GCE ‘O’ Level) or ‘Normal’ (GCE ‘N’ Level). Through this curriculum, students are trained and taught to think critically.

Upon completion of the JC, students will acquire Singapore – Cambridge General Certificate of Education ‘Advanced’ (GCE ‘A’ Level) and can continue into the first year of university in Singapore. At the level ‘A’ Level students will be studying the subjects from the field of Humanities and the Arts, Languages and Mathematics, and Sciences. The subjects of this study are divided into three levels: H-1, H-2 and H-3 based on the degree of difficulty.

4. Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) and Polytechnic

For students who have completed their GCE ‘O’ Level or GCE ‘N’ Level, students have no other choice but to go to the JC of which is ITE and Polytechnic. Both have duration of three (3) years at Diploma level; the difference is the requirement to register, the Polytechnic has higher admission requirements than the ITE. Most Indonesian students applying to the Polytechnic compared to ITE.

ITE offers training programs and internships for high school graduates and workers who want to gain additional knowledge. This program is an ideal choice for the development of engineering skills and to deepen knowledge in the industrial sector. Similarly, ITE, Polytechnic also offers training programs and educational practice. Selection of courses available is also very spacious as Accounting, Business and E-Commerce, as well as Mechanical Engineering, Mass Communication, Design, and Information & Communication Technology, Optometry, Teacher Kindergarten, as well as Precision Engineering, and Automotive Technology.

Singapore has five (5) Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic. Polytechnic education costs hover around SGD 15,000 – SGD 20,000 per year (non-tuition grant).

5. Public University

Singapore as a tertiary education center offers the opportunity to learn different, because it is supported by educational facilities and advanced technology. Tertiary education in Singapore is dedicated to preparing students to face their future.

According to the information from Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore, currently there are five (5) public universities with very competitive admission requirements and scholarship with a contract of employment after graduation. The tuition grant recipients, upon graduation, are required to work in Singapore registered companies for around three (3) years depending on the contract of employment for each individual.

As a public university, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technology University (NTU) offer competitive programs, collaborating with distinguished foreign universities, and owned cross department education centers. Slightly different, Singapore Management University (SMU) is a public university that focuses on business based curriculum from Wharton School of the university of Pennsylvania. While, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is famous for its mission to create leaders and change agents, working hand-in-hand with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Zhejiang University. The fifth and latest public university is Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) was established in 2009 to provide an industry-focused university education for polytechnic upgraders, in partnership with renowned overseas universities in USA, UK, and Australia. SIT became an Autonomous university in 2014 and began offering its own applied degrees the same year.

Other than the five (5) universities above, the Singapore government also subsidizes the SIM University (UniSIM), a private university, that provides education to professionals and students age 25 years and older (mature learners). Just like SIT, since 2014 UniSIM also began offering its own applied degrees.

The tuition fee for 2015/2016 academic year at public universities for an Undergraduate program is around SGD15,300 – SGD 46,200 per year (non-tuition grant) and around SGD23,100 – SGD 61,100 per year (non-tuition grant) for Postgraduate program. Students may appeal to get a tuition grant from the government, which varies between SGD5,000-SGD40,000 per year depending on the program selected.

6. Private Institutions / Private Education Institution (PEI)

Besides the public universities already mentioned above, you have a lot of choices of private institutions and other leading international universities available in Singapore including LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)-both are subsidized by the government. Programs offered range from Certificate, Diploma, and Bachelor Degree up to Postgraduate Degree. All private institutions collaborate with foreign universities from abroad, such as the United States, Australia and UK.

Therefore, through private institutions in Singapore, students can gain qualifications from foreign universities with the more affordable cost of living and supportive environment.

Besides vocational schools that offer a number of courses can be an option; ranging from gemstone design (jewelry) to foreign language courses.

Tuition for Bachelor Degree in private institutions is between SGD 20,000 – SGD22,500 per year; while for Master Degree ranged from SGD20,000 – SGD25,000 per year.