Student Visa For Studying At Universities and Polytechnics In Singapore

This article gives an overview of the immigration procedures for foreign students who wish to pursue their education at an Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) in Singapore i.e. a local university, a polytechnic, or a foreign university with a local campus. Student visa procedures at other types of educational institutes such as private educational organization (PEO), primary & secondary schools, etc. are described in separate reports on this website. See section Foreign Student's Guide to Studying in Singapore for more details.

Student visa in Singapore is called Student Pass and these two terms are used interchangeably in this report. Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore comprise of the following:

Local Universities : National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU)

Local Polytechnics : Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic

Foreign Institutes with Local Campuses : Insead, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, University of Nevada, Digipen Institute of Technology, SP Jain Centre of Management, NYU Tisch School of Arts

Student Visa - Basic Requirements

The following basic requirements apply to foreign students planning to study at universities or polytechnics in Singapore:

• All foreigner students including dependent pass holders are required to apply for student visa. However, if the duration of the course if shorter than the duration of the DP pass, the pass holder may apply for a Letter of Consent instead.
• In order to apply for student visa, a foreign student must first be accepted at the Singapore university or polytechnic as a full-time student.
• A local sponsor is not needed in this case.
• For new enrollments, the student pass application must be submitted within 1-2 months before the commencement of the course.

Applying for Student Visa

Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has implemented an online system called Student's Pass On-line Application & Registration (SOLAR) for filing & handling student visa applications for foreign students. Before you can submit your student visa application, your Singapore university or polytechnic is first required to register you as an accepted student through the SOLAR system.

Upon successful registration, the school will provide you a registration number and login information so you can submit your application for student pass. Once you have received the registration number and login information from the school, you can proceed with filing your student pass application (called eForm 16) using online SOLAR system. Make sure to submit it within 1-2 months before the commencement of the course. You will need the following information for completing the online application:

• Copy of the registration acknowledgment notice along with the login information (as provided by the school that has accepted you as a full-time student).
• Your passport details
• Your Singapore address and contact details. If you don't have any, not to worry, you can provide the details of your university or polytechnic in Singapore.
• Your email ID
• Singapore ID details of your parents if they are holding a Singapore citizenship, permanent residence, or employment pass.

Make sure to print a copy of the completed form as you will need to show it later at the time of collecting your student pass in Singapore. No fee is payable at the time of submitting your student visa application through SOLAR system.

Waiting for Approval

The average processing time for student visa when enrolled in a Singapore university or polytechnic is approximately: a) 3 working days for students who do not require an entry visa; b) 10 days for students that require an entry visa.

However, the following factors might delay the processing time:

• The ICA may ask you to furnish additional details in support of your application on a case-by-case basis. Clearly in such a case the processing time might take longer.
• The processing time during the peak periods of July/August might also be longer than usual. Therefore, it's recommended that you apply for student pass early and don't wait until the last minute.

Collection of Student Visa

Once your student visa application has been approved by Singapore immigration authorities, they will send an In-Principle-Approval (IPA) letter to your school. If you require a visa to enter Singapore, a one-time entry visa will be automatically included in the approval letter. Keep in touch with your Singapore school to ensure you receive your IPA letter on-time.

You can collect your student pass only after you have arrived in Singapore. Before you make your travel plans to Singapore, note that the student pass will be issued not before one month of your course start date. Upon your arrival, you will be issued a social visit pass at the airport. You will need to visit the ICA office within the validity of your social visit pass to complete the student pass formalities at the following address: Student Pass Unit 4th Floor, ICA Building 10 Kallang Road Singapore 208718 You will be required to furnish the following documents during your visit to the ICA office:

• Your passport along with a copy of the particulars page
• The Disembarkation/Embarkation card (white card) given to you at the airport
• One recent passport-size color photo
• Printout of the completed eForm 16 that you submitted through online SOLAR system
• A copy of the In-Principle-Approval (IPA) letter
• A medical examination report as prescribed in your IPA letter
• Any other documents as listed in your IPA letter

The medical examination along with the requested medical tests can be done in your home country or in Singapore. The medical report must be prepared in the prescribed format as indicated in your approval letter. If you are residing in Singapore (e.g. on a dependent pass), your medical examination must be done in Singapore.

Students that are unable to satisfy the medical requirements will not be issued the student pass. Your student pass will normally be ready within 3 working days from the date of submission. ICA charges an annual fee of S$40 for issuing student visa pass. If you require an entry visa to Singapore, you can request a multiple-entry visa for additional S$20 along with the issuance of your student visa pass. No cash payment is accepted. You will have to pay via NETS, CashCard, or EZ-Link card.

Working While on Student Visa

Full-time students of Polytechnics, Universities, and approved institutes by MOM are allowed to work part-time of up to 16 hours per week during school term. However, they need to obtain permission from the Student's Liaison/Affairs Office of their respective school. During their vacations, they are also allowed to work full-time as the Ministry of Manpower has exempted them from applying for work permits.

Student Visa Renewals

In general, students who are studying at universities and polytechnics in Singapore are issued a student pass that covers the full-duration of the course, although exceptions might exist. If you do need an extension, you need to submit the renewal application through the online SOLAR system similar to when you filed a new application.

Cancellation of Student Visa

All student pass holders must surrender their student pass within 7 days of termination of conclusion of their studies in Singapore. You can surrender the pass at the ICA office or at the airport if you are departing Singapore. If you surrender your student pass at the ICA office, you will be issued a short-term social visit pass.