NUS Research Scholarship
National University of Singapore · Singapore
Research scholarships at Asia's highest-ranked university, covering tuition and a monthly stipend for graduate research students.
Application deadline
15 Nov 2026
102 days remaining
- Intake
- Aug 2027 intake
- Open to
- Worldwide
- Study level
- Masters, PhD
We never charge for applications
What the scholarship covers
- Full tuition fee subsidy
- Monthly stipend of SGD 2,000–2,700
- Conference and research allowances in some faculties
- Access to world-class research facilities
Eligibility requirements
- Bachelor's degree with at least second-class upper honours
- Strong English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)
- GRE required by some faculties
- Open to applicants of any nationality
Documents you will need
- Online graduate application
- Degree transcripts and certificates
- Research proposal
- Two academic referee reports
- English and GRE test scores where required
How to apply, step by step
- 1
Identify the faculty and research area
Requirements differ by faculty, so start from the department you would join rather than the university.
- 2
Contact potential supervisors
Not mandatory everywhere, but supervisor interest substantially strengthens a research application.
- 3
Prepare the research proposal
Align it with existing research at NUS rather than proposing something the department cannot support.
- 4
Sit required tests
TOEFL or IELTS for all international applicants; GRE for several faculties.
- 5
Submit the graduate application
Scholarship consideration is automatic for research students, no separate application.
When to do what
Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.
20 weeks before
Identify the faculty and read its research group pages.
16 weeks before
Email potential supervisors with your CV and interests.
12 weeks before
Book TOEFL/IELTS and GRE if required.
10 weeks before
Draft the research proposal.
7 weeks before
Request referee reports.
3 weeks before
Submit the online graduate application.
What the panel is actually looking for
- Academic record and class of degree
- Research proposal quality and departmental fit
- Supervisor interest where applicable
- Referee assessments
Common mistakes to avoid
- A proposal unconnected to any active NUS research group.
- Overlooking faculty-specific GRE requirements.
- Contacting supervisors only after submitting the application.
- Applying to the wrong intake, deadlines differ across faculties.
Fields of study
Don't miss this deadline
We'll email you before applications for NUS Research Scholarship close.
Apply to more than one
Even outstanding applicants are rejected for reasons outside their control, quotas, country allocations, a stronger field that year. Shortlist three or four awards you genuinely qualify for and apply to all of them.