Most of what an Indian student finds under Singapore scholarships is either not a scholarship or not open to Indian applicants. This page cuts to the two that matter, using the awarding bodies’ own rules, and it flags the conditions attached to the one you can actually win.
Singapore dollar amounts convert at INR 74.33 to the Singapore dollar on 27 July 2026.
What scholarships can an Indian student actually get in Singapore?
Fewer than the search results suggest, and the two things most often called scholarships are the two you most need to understand correctly. One is not a scholarship at all. The other is real but not open to you.
So this page spends its time on the distinction that saves you money and effort, and on the one undergraduate scholarship an Indian student can genuinely apply for. It is a short list, but a true one.
Why is the Tuition Grant not a scholarship?
The MOE Tuition Grant is a subsidy, not a merit award. The Ministry of Education describes it as help to manage the costs of full-time tertiary education, which is cost support rather than a prize for top students. Many international undergraduates take it, and it is not selective in the way a scholarship is.
Two consequences follow. First, taking the Tuition Grant commits an international student to a 3-year bond working for a Singapore-based employer. Second, the grant and a Singapore government scholarship are mutually exclusive, because the rules bar you from holding a government subsidy and a government scholarship for the same level of study.
So when a page lists the Tuition Grant among Singapore scholarships, that’s a signal the page hasn’t read the rules. The grant is worth having, but it is a subsidy with a bond, not a scholarship.
Can Indian students get the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship?
No. The ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship is one of the most visible awards for studying in Singapore, and it is closed to Indian applicants, because India is not a member of ASEAN.
NTU states the eligibility plainly. It is for Singapore Permanent Residents or citizens from the ASEAN countries, except Singapore. ASEAN means Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. An Indian national does not qualify unless they hold permanent residence in one of those countries.
It is a generous award for those it fits, covering subsidised tuition, a living allowance and more. The useful thing for you is simply to know it isn’t yours to apply for, so you can stop spending time on it.
Which scholarship is actually open to Indian students?
The NUS Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship, which is open to citizens of any Asian country, so an Indian national qualifies. It is the clearest undergraduate route for a strong Indian applicant in the right subjects.
NUS sets the eligibility as citizens of an Asian country or region, excluding Singapore, applying to Computing, Engineering or Science, with some majors excluded. Transfer applicants cannot apply. What it covers is substantial.
| Benefit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | 100% of subsidised fees, taken with the MOE Tuition Grant |
| Living allowance | S$6,000 a year, about INR 4.5 lakh |
| Accommodation | Allowance at the lowest on-campus double-room rate |
| One-time allowances | S$1,750 computer, S$200 settling-in |
| Travel | Passage to Singapore at the start and home on completion |
There is a second route to check alongside it, the NUS International Undergraduate Scholarship, which is open to international students. Confirm its current coverage and conditions on the NUS scholarships pages, because the award that fits you depends on your subject and your record.
What is the condition on the scholarship you can win?
A six-year bond. The NUS Science and Technology Scholarship requires you to serve a six-year bond with a Singapore-registered company immediately after graduation, which is double the three years attached to the ordinary Tuition Grant.
That’s the real trade to weigh. The scholarship removes almost all the cost of studying, but it commits you to six years in Singapore afterwards, which is longer than the degree itself. For someone who wants to build a career in Singapore, that is a strong deal. For someone treating Singapore as one step in a wider plan, six years is a serious commitment to sign at eighteen.
There is a pattern worth seeing across the whole system. Every subsidised route in Singapore carries a bond. The Tuition Grant is three years, the most generous scholarship is six, and the full-fee path is the only one with no obligation at all. The more Singapore pays toward your degree, the longer it asks you to stay.
- The MOE Tuition Grant is a subsidy, not a scholarship. It is not awarded on merit and it carries a 3-year bond.
- The ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship is closed to Indian students, because India is not an ASEAN country.
- The scholarship that is open to you is the NUS Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship, for citizens of any Asian country.
- It covers subsidised tuition plus a S$6,000 living allowance and more, but it carries a six-year bond, double the usual three.
- Every subsidised route in Singapore, grant or scholarship, comes with a bond. There is no bond-free funded path for an international undergraduate.
Frequently asked questions
Are there scholarships to study in Singapore for Indian students?
Yes, but fewer than search results suggest. The NUS Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship is open to citizens of any Asian country, including India, for Computing, Engineering and Science. The widely seen ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship is closed to Indian applicants, and the MOE Tuition Grant is a subsidy rather than a scholarship.
Is the Tuition Grant a scholarship?
No. The MOE describes the Tuition Grant as help to manage the cost of education, so it is a subsidy, not a merit award. It carries a 3-year bond for international students, and you cannot hold it together with a Singapore government scholarship for the same level of study.
Can Indian students apply for the ASEAN scholarship in Singapore?
No. The ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship is for Singapore Permanent Residents or citizens of ASEAN countries, and India is not an ASEAN member. An Indian national qualifies only if they hold permanent residence in an ASEAN country such as Malaysia or Indonesia.
What does the NUS Science and Technology Scholarship cover?
It covers 100% of subsidised tuition taken with the MOE Tuition Grant, a S$6,000 annual living allowance, an accommodation allowance, one-time computer and settling-in allowances, and travel to and from Singapore. It requires a six-year bond with a Singapore-registered company after graduation.
Do Singapore scholarships come with a bond?
The subsidised ones do. The Tuition Grant carries a 3-year bond, and the NUS Science and Technology Scholarship carries a six-year bond. Only the full, non-subsidised fee route has no bond. In Singapore, the more your degree is funded, the longer you commit to work there afterwards.
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