Research Programmes Admission Guide

Students are required to pursue an independent but supervised research on an approved topic based on which a thesis must be submitted for examination. Students are also required to attend classes and pass the examinations.

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General Requirements

General Admissions Criteria

We encourage graduates with strong academic potential and passion for research to apply for NTU’s postgraduate research programmes. To support a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment, applicants shall provide evidence of strong academic foundations, including technical and English proficiency, relevant research experience, motivation to pursue graduate studies, and their personal character by submitting the following: 

  1. Bachelor’s Degree: A strong Bachelor’s degree with minimum Honours (Distinction) and its equivalent.
  2. English Proficiency: A good TOEFL/IELTS1 score for applicants whose Bachelor’s degree is not conducted in English.
  3. Research Proposal: A well-crafted research proposal that demonstrates the applicant’s research potential and motivation.
  4. Resume: A resume that highlights personal and academic achievements, prior research experience and skills, leadership and character.
  5. Academic References: Academic referee reports that provide insights into the applicant’s potential and character. 

Demonstrating strong quantitative, verbal, or analytical skills through GRE/GMAT2/GATE3 test scores will greatly enhance your chances of admission.

Please refer to the admission requirement of respective programme.

 1TOEFL/IELTS test dates must be within 2 years or less from the date of your application.
2GRE/GMAT test dates must be within 5 years or less from the date of your application.
3Applicants from India may use the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) score of at least 90th percentile in place of GRE. Test date must be within 3 years or less from the date of your application.

Candidature Periods

For higher degrees by research, candidates may be admitted as full-time or part-time students. The minimum and maximum periods of candidature for both full-time and part-time are as follows:

Full-TimePart-Time
ProgrammesMinimumMaximumMinimumMaximum
Doctor of Philosophy
(All PhD except LKCMedicine)		2 years5 years3 years5 years
Doctor of Philosophy
(LKCMedicine)		3 years5 years3 years5 years
Master's Degree1 year3 years1 year3 years

Note:
Students will pay fees at non-subsidised rates if they exceed the maximum candidature period as stated in the above tables. 

How to Apply
Application has to be done online.

Application Period

There are two intakes each year -  August or January. Applicants are advised to submit their application before the last day of submission for the desired intake.

Intake in August or January is subjected to the school’s selection and recommendation. The University reserves the right to admit applicants in other semesters.

For applicants who are interested in the NIE programmes, please apply at https://ntu.sg/NIEGradProgIntake.

Admission IntakeOpening of Application PortalLast day for submission of online application with supporting documents
August Semester1 October

15 November (for CoHASS)

31 January (for all other Schools)

January Semester1 June31 July

Supporting Documents

You must upload electronic copies of your supporting documents to the application portal. Documents uploaded must be in English, file size must not be more than 2MB. Otherwise, they must be accompanied by certified translations in English language. Please email the outstanding documents to the respective School for them to upload.

An application fee of S$50 (Nett) will be charged for each Research application. Payment can be made online before submitting application by VISA/Mastercard.

General Information on Supporting Documents

1. Passport/ Identification card (NRIC)

  • Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) has to upload NRIC and Re-entry permit. 
  •  A copy of the personal particulars page of your passport

2. One recent passport-sized colour photograph

  • Image showing full face must be taken within the last 3 months.
  • Photograph must be in colour and taken against a white background.

3. Valid TOEFL/IELTS/GRE/GMAT/GATE Scores

4. Degree Certification and Official Transcripts (Bachelor and/ or Masters)

4.1. Degree Certificate

a. Original Language
b. Official translation in English (if original is not in English)

4.2. Official Transcripts

a. Original Language
b. Official translation in English (if original is not in English)
c. Grading or marking scale of the Transcript (Interpretation of Grades/Marks)

(Translation can be done by the Home University or any official authorized parties)

Note on Official Transcript

  • A copy of official transcript with detailed academic results (marks obtained in each subject, not just grades obtained, wherever possible) is required from each university attended. It should show the university name with the official stamp or it should be certified and translated by the university. 
  • If the transcript is in a language other than English, please provide an official English translation as well and the subjects in the translation should be listed in the same order as that of the original transcript (label the transcript if need be).
  • The applicant is responsible for requesting transcripts from his/her university or universities.

5. Two Academic Referees' Reports

  • Application must be supported by two (2) academic referee reports.
  • Provide the name and institutional email addresses of two (2) academic referees.
  • The Referee email address must be an Official institutional email address. Email address given by the free-email provider will not be accepted (i.e. email address given by hotmail, gmail, yahoo, qq, etc).
  • Upon submission of the online application, it will auto-activate an email with login ID and password to the respective Referee to notify them to complete an online Referee Report. Do ask your Referee to look out for the email in inbox/ junk mail and complete it within 14 working days upon receipt.
  • It is important to key in the correct email address for your Referee, as changes cannot be made to the online application after its submission.
  • No changes are allowed once the application has been submitted. To change the referee’s details, applicant will need to inform School.
  • Please ensure referee report is not more than 1MB. If it is more than 1MB, please print the output to PDF and adjust the settings to make it less than 1MB.

6. Other Supporting documents (if applicable)

  • Research proposal
  • Resume
  • Research publications

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Notes on Application

  • Application fee payment can be made online before submitting application by VISA/Mastercard within 60 days. Please ensure that application fee is made to the correct Research Application Number (eg R21xxxxx). Application fee payment is non-transferable and non-refundable.
  • Complete set of supporting documents (must be legible) have to be uploaded via the application portal. Do not send paper copies. Late submission will not be accepted. The School may contact applicants for additional information or documents at a later date (if required).
  • You may check your  application status 3 working days after you have made successful online payment. 
  • Applications will be deemed invalid and will not be processed if payment is not made by the stipulated deadline and applicants will have to re-apply as a fresh applicant. No further notification will be sent to these applicants
  • You may submit your application via the online application portal first. Subsequently, you may submit the test score to the respective school once you have obtained it. Do inform School of the expected date you can receive the test score.
    Please provide the following information:
    • NTU Online Application Number
    • Applicant’s Full Name
    • School that you had applied to
  • Application portal is best used with Internet Explorer 8.0 and above. If error persists, please provide a screenshot on the error that you had encountered and email to admission_research@ntu.edu.sg.
    Please provide the following information:
    • NTU Online Application Number
    • Applicant’s Full Name
    • Applicant’s NRIC/Passport Number
    • Applicant’s Date of Birth
    • Type of Browser Used

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    Estimated Living Expenses

    To gain a comprehensive understanding of the financial obligations throughout your postgraduate education at NTU, it is crucial to consider various cost factors. In addition to the Tuition fees and Miscellaneous fees applicable to full-time programmes, it is essential to account for the estimated cost of living, as outlined below.

    Type of Costs Estimated Amount (SGD)
    Accommodation (On-Campus) $516 - $756
    Meals $300 - $800
    Transport (within Singapore) $80 - $200 (buses and trains)
    Personal Expenses $300 - $630

    *The estimated cost of accommodation is based on the rate of a single room or twin-sharing room.

    Last updated: March, 2024

    Sources:
    EDB Singapore
    Life at NTU

    Offer and Acceptance
    • Application status will be updated after you have received the University's acknowledgement receipt of application.
    • Please note that email enquiries on receipt of application and application status will not be entertained.
    • Application results may take up to 4 months from the date of application. 
    • If you need to defer your enrolment, please reach out to your school to discuss your request.

    For admissions matters and enquiries, please submit using the "Enquire Here" button.

    Note: The University is not represented by any third parties and / or agents. All applications must be submitted directly to the University on its official application portals.

    Enquire Here