24 Best Universities In Singapore For International Students 2024

If you are looking to study in Singapore, you are surely making a great choice. This location has a lot to offer for international students, including world-class universities and exciting student experiences. With more than 24 universities and colleges in Singapore, you’ll surely have a wide range of choices.

Out of 24 universities in Singapore, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University are the top-performing schools in Singapore. This list covers both public and private institutions in Singapore.

To help you narrow down your school options, we’ve compiled the best universities in Singapore. We based our rankings on academic reputations from reputable sources and the number of international students. By doing this, you’ll have an efficient way of comparing your target universities and choose your host university in Singapore.

How do I get admission to the best universities in Singapore?

Applying to the universities in Singapore involves submitting requirements and following specific admissions procedures set by your chosen university. The requirements often include a student visa, application packages, and language scores. Check out our guide for international students who want to study in Singapore to learn more about applying for admission in this country’s universities!

How much are the tuition fees at the best universities in Singapore?

Tuition fees at Singapore’s universities can vary depending on which university, degree, and program you will be enrolling in. Generally, tuition fees for the bachelor’s level range from 17,700 SGD to 128,100 SGD , while tuition fees for the master’s level range from 8,425 SGD to 127,100 SGD. If you are interested, check out the affordable universities in Singapore!

As we cover the best universities in Singapore for international students, feel free to check out the university’s information on Admission, Tuition, Courses, and Language Requirements by looking at the individual university pages.

Top Universities in Singapore for International Students

The National University of Singapore is more than just Singapore’s oldest university. It represents the best of Asia, offering high-quality education sought by many worldwide. It is part of the elusive top 20 universities worldwide, placing 11th in the QS Top Universities World University Ranking. The university’s forte programs are incredibly diverse, including research, engineering, business, sciences, and more. As NUS focuses on impact and innovation, it promises to improve society and technology.

Although often second in age and prestige in Singapore, Nanyang Technological University’s quality of education and training is impeccable. As such, it has found its niche among the world’s elite, placing in the top 20 to 40 places in worldwide university rankings. Such excellence can be credited to its assembly of world-class faculties and institutes, including the National Institute of Education and the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering. It’s commitment to research and innovation, evident through its application of sustainable practices and construction of the Smart Campus, is also a factor to its high quality education.

The Singapore Management University, or SMU, is an autonomous academic institution in Singapore. Founded in 2000, the university offers degree programs in business and computer fields and has been one of the top education providers in Asia. At present, the university is home to more than 12,600 students, with over 10% international enrollment.

The role of arts and design in advancing technology and societal growth has long been underrated. They are just as significant as the more technical and scientific aspects, which the Singapore University of Technology and Design recognizes. This premier and specialized institution hone students’ artistic talents, skills, and intelligence toward developing technology and society. It efficiently intertwines the worlds of art and science to create the best applications and innovations.

ESSEC Asia-Pacific is a higher education institution established in 2005 and is located in Singapore. Aside from its campus in Singapore, there are also campuses in France and Morocco. Educational opportunities in this university are at Bachelor, Master, Doctoral, and Grand Ecole levels. The university is also committed to developing accessibility and disability in education.

Universities specializing in the social sciences are quite a rarity, making the Singapore University of Social Sciences a refreshing institution. Nearly all of its undergraduate and graduate programs are concentrated on the humanities, human development, business, behavioral sciences, law, Chinese studies, and other similar courses. Besides the social sciences, SUSS also provides a limited number of science, technology, and engineering courses. This reflects the university’s brand of inclusivity. It offers disciplines beyond its specializations and educates students from all walks of life – whether young or old, working or not, Singaporean or not.

Singapore Institute of Technology is the place for students who want a fast track to employment. This specialized university of applied learning molds students to become the-cream-of-the-crop professionals and play significant roles in society’s innovation and economic progress. To achieve such, SIT only offers quality programs that are fine-tuned according to the industry’s demands. From engineering to business, these courses are a crucial need of society, and the institute does its best to satiate such necessity. Moreover, SIT has valuable partnerships with foreign universities, such as The Culinary Institute of America and Trinity College Dublin, to give students more opportunities and expand their horizons.

LASALLE College of the Arts is one of the premier schools for art and design in Asia. It aims to educate the next generation of artists, designers, and leaders in creative industries. It boasts a modern campus equipped with studios and spaces that inspire students to bring their creative visions to life.

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts is an EduTrust-certificated higher education institute in Singapore. It is a specialized university that offers Diploma and Bachelor’s degree courses. These include disciplines in Fine Arts, Design, and Music. A variety of student events are also conducted, which include boating, restaurant visits, arts festivals, and more. Government financial schemes, university scholarships, and financial aid schemes are also available to help students in their finances.

MAD School by Chatsworth Mediart Academy, or simply MAD School, is a higher education institution in Singapore that offers Certificate, Diploma, and Higher Diploma programs. Some of these programs include Advertising and Design, Communication Design, and Advertising Design. Aside from these programs, arts and design workshops are also conducted at MAD School.

The DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore is a private university that aims to prepare students for careers in the digital economy. It offers programs in the specialized fields of technology, arts, and video game development. The institute’s campus is equipped with top-notch facilities and spaces that inspire creativity, including art studios, production laboratories, and lecture theaters.

INSEAD, which stands for Institut Européen d’ Administration des Affaires, is a private Business school originally located in France. In 1999, the institution built a campus in Singapore, where students from Asia can pursue Business graduate degree programs offered by the main campus without needing to fly to Europe. Besides its Asia Campus, INSEAD has campuses in San Francisco and Abu Dhabi.

Having only served two decades in the education industry, Orita Sinclair School of Design and Music is one of the youngest universities in Singapore. The university states that its purpose is to provide bold and imaginative education in design and music. Four core values are reflected in its teaching practice: Empathy, Passion, Integrity, and Creativity. Only diploma programs and certificate courses are available at the university.

SP Jain School of Global Management is a business school that has campuses in Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Sydney. The Singapore campus offers Bachelor’s programs in Business Administration. Additionally, Master’s programs are also offered in the field of Global Business and Business Administration. Some programs are conducted through face-to-face sessions, through blended methods, or online learning. The university upholds its belief in providing innovative, critical, and principled education.

James Cook University Singapore is an institution run by James Cook University in Australia. Since its establishment in 2003, the university offers Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate courses for local and international students. These programs cover a variety of disciplines such as Accounting, Aquaculture, Commerce, Environmental Science, and Games Design.

EHL Campus (Singapore) offers short courses and a Bachelor’s program in International
Hospitality Management. It has a campus equipped with modern classrooms, meeting rooms, purpose halls, gardens, and training centers. Campus events called “Open Houses” are regularly conducted, where prospective students are introduced to the industry of business and hospitality.

BCA Academy is a Singaporean university that offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, Diploma, and Certificate Degrees. These can be taken part-time or full-time, depending on the course. The vocational college has provided quality training and education since 1984. Its mission is to create leaders honed by the quality training, learning and research programs of the school.

Founded in 2008, Curtin Singapore is a young and internationally recognized university. It offers Diploma, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate courses. The university has multiple faculties which handle Science and Engineering, Health Sciences, Business and Law, Humanities, and Education. Part of the university’s goal is to address issues concerning Singapore and the ASEAN region. Its service is guided by core values that include Integrity, Respect, Courage, Excellence, and Impact.

Singapore Aviation Academy is an aviation school established in 1958 that offers Diploma, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degree programs. It is the training arm of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and provides internationally-recognized programs in aviation. The academy aims to train the next generation of professionals who can answer to global aviation needs.

The Sorbonne-Assas International Law School provides programs in the fields of business and international law. It is best known for its part-time LL.M. in International Business Law, which can be quickly completed in 9 months. Short programs and summer courses are also offered by the school for professionals who want to continue learning through case studies, lectures, and other exercises that don’t require a significant time commitment.

Aventis Graduate School, previously named Aventis School of Management, is a graduate school that specializes in Business, Management, and Economics courses. The school has a mission to provide flexible, affordable, and transformational education. It also considers developing core values as an important part of education and promotes values development in every program curriculum.

Jewellery Design and Management International School uses its motto of “Creativity Inspired” to guide its teaching of certificate and diploma courses, which include Fine Jewellery Design, Precious Metal Arts, and Fashion Jewellery Arts. The school aims to train the next generation of professionals in the field of jewelry design and has built a campus with state-of-the-art facilities and top-quality equipment to aid in the students’ learning.

TUM Asia was founded in 2002 and serves as the southeast Asian campus of the Technical University of Munich, a prestigious German university. As such, it offers programs in the fields of engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Some of these programs are joint programs offered in partnership with other universities.

Initially founded as the Theatre Training and Research Programme in 2000, this independent theatre school was renamed Intercultural Theatre Institute in 2011. It offers a three-year diploma training program in theatre and contemporary art. On one hand, the school’s vision is to create culturally and socially diverse leaders. On the other hand, its mission is to create competent, critically aware, socially engaged, and artistic professionals.