Singapore Scholarships

Trendy and Cutting-Edge Programs

Do you feel drawn towards Singapore as a rich place of study, culture, and adventure? You are not alone – in fact, the entire Western hemisphere feels this pull as well. Western interest in Southeast Asia in general and Singapore especially has exploded in the last two decades, particularly in regards to the booming high-tech industry. Located immediately off the coast of Malaysia in Southeast Asia, the small country is only a flight away from becoming your next place of study to focus on history, culture, technology, politics, economics, language, or development.

When you arrive in your study abroad program in Singapore, you will find one of the liveliest and most colorful countries in Asia, on the leading edge of both arts and culture and business and technology. To prepare for your journey, you may wish to become proficient in Mandarin, but English is also widely spoken in professional and educational circles. Begin hunting below for scholarship options to fund your course of study. You will find  a smorgasbord of financial incentives from both the federal government and many private organizations.

Government Scholarships

The federal government offers two extremely competitive and equally rewarding scholarship programs dedicated to overseas study:

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships were devised by the federal government’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program awards over 700 scholarships of up to $5,000 each year to outstanding students. Besides academic talent, the next biggest requirement is severe financial need. In fact, you must demonstrate eligibility that would make you a Pell Grant recipient, another government program.

Preference is shown to minority students, those attending community colleges or two-year institutions, and the disabled. The Gilman Scholarships are purposely designed to train more diverse leaders in business and international affairs, and Singapore would be a welcome choice of country for study.

David L. Boren Scholarships

Also from the federal government come the David L. Boren Scholarships. These undergraduate and graduate level programs are designed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and generously support international studies in countries critical to national security, including Singapore. Eligible applicants must be a significant head and shoulders length above most of their peers in terms of achievement and potential, since scholarships are ultra-competitive. Up to $20,000 a year is up for grabs at the graduate level.

Students must be enrolled in programs in Singapore that immerse them in common culture and allow them to become accomplished with the native language – Mandarin – in its vernacular form. The deal closer is the agreement a student must make to offer services, and language expertise, to the Defense Department following graduation. This is an ideal opportunity for students willing to commit their time and professional energy later in return for receiving funds now.

Private Funds

Singapore Millennium Foundation

The Singapore Millennium Foundation is a Singapore-based organization committed to bringing together top-notch scholars from all international locations. In the past, they have awarded scholarships to over 200 post-graduate and post-doctoral students engaged in an array of research disciplines for up to $60,000. However, they discontinued their scholarship program in 2010 and are now on a different track of offering research grants to select students studying in Singapore.

Grant applicants will be in the fields of education, special needs education, aging, and non-medical bio-science. Research must be conducted at a Singapore university. For this reason, even though English is a major language, qualified applicants should be proficient in Mandarin as well. Candidates for these significant grant awards are chosen based on their academic record as well as their research.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia

The Freeman Awards for Study in Asia are designed to offer generous support to U.S. students who may be considering studies in an Asian country. The foreign programs you are looking at are not cheap and the Freeman Awards are offered as encouragement and incentive to counteract this expense. The Freeman Foundation believes in the innate beauty of Asia and its contemporary ability to provide unique and ultra-modern environments for Western students. Eligible candidates must have significant financial need in combination with academic excellence. Programs may be summer, semester or a year in length. Awards are up to $7,000.

Micron Scholarships

Electrical Engineering students who think studies in Singapore can further their education in electronics and the technical sector should check out the Micron Scholarships in Singapore. Micron is a leading, worldwide producer of microchip technology. Eligible applicants must be top-notch in their technology major and be able to offer supporting evidence as to why a program of study in Singapore would be of value to their career intentions. Also, candidates must be enrolled in the National University of Singapore or Nanyang Technological University. Awards are up to $6,000 per academic year.

The hitch is that you must be willing to consider employment with Micron following graduation. This is a great deal for a student passionate about technology development who does not mind a bundled package of scholarship, study abroad, and possible career placement.

Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships

Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships are awarded to outstanding students heading off to a foreign destination like Singapore to study. These scholarships are meant to offer students the best representation of America, and be intent on establishing friendly international dialogue wherever they are. Eligible applicants go head-to-head with academically excellent students in an array of fields and international pursuits, so make sure you can prove your merit and financial need. Upon return, candidates must be able to make a professional presentation on their abroad program to a Rotary audience.

Rotary International also plans on offering global grants to students concerned with sustainability, international development, and making a long-term impact on their place of work. Check with your local Rotary Club to see whether they are currently offering scholarships or grants for study abroad in Singapore.

Other Opportunities in Singapore

Another resource in your search for school travel programs to Singapore is the study abroad office of your own college or university. Do not leave this option unexplored, even if they do not appear to have a program specifically for Singapore. Often, colleges will allow the driven and highly persistent student to create their own unique program by partnering with a place of study in another country and essentially placing themselves there.

Let your college know of your intent to study in Singapore, and make sure to be specific and thorough in your academic plans while there. Get in touch with a university in Singapore that you would like to study through, and you may find creating your own personalized foreign study program very rewarding.