FAQs
Are testimonials compulsory?
Applicants will have to either upload one testimonial/recommendation letter or input the referee’s details and email address in the online application form. Your referee(s) should ideally be someone who knows you well (at least 6 months in recent years) and can attest to your character and academic ability, e.g. your principal or high school teacher (preferably teaching Maths/Science), or someone who knows you professionally, e.g. an internship or work supervisor.
I had not been successful in my application to SUTD in the last admissions exercise. Can I apply again this year with the same results?
You will not be penalised for re-applying in the new admissions exercise and your new application will be assessed in competition with the pool of applicants applying this time round. However, we do recommend that you consider supplementing your new application with additional relevant information not presented previously to improve your chances of being considered for admission.
What can I expect during the conversation with SUTD faculty/leader? How important is this in determining my chance of securing an admission placement?
The conversation with our faculty/leader is an important one as it will provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about SUTD. It will also help us to understand your motivation for applying to the University, get to know you better and discuss whether SUTD is a good fit for you. If you are selected for our Special Programmes, you will be invited for a special selection exercise which also includes a conversation with our faculty/leader. You will be notified of the details via email once you are selected.
For scholarships, we will be looking out for outstanding achievements in both your academic and co-curricular activities, as well as your service and desire to help the community – which may set you apart from the competition.
Based on the conversation as well as your application profile, our faculty/leader will provide an assessment which will be fully reviewed by the Admissions Selection Committee, who will make the final decision on your admission placement and/or scholarship.
How do I check my application status? When will I be notified to book my conversation slot?
At any point upon your application submission, you may check your application status via the application portal.
In general, you will be notified by end April if you are selected to attend a conversation session with our faculty/leader.
What do I need to prepare before I start my online application?
The online application guide can be found here. You can also save your application and submit it when ready, before the application closing deadline.
Is there an application fee?
A non-refundable application fee of S$20 (inclusive of GST) is payable. Please note that payment must be made by the application closing date. Payment is by debit cards and credit cards only.
Can I accept more than 1 financial aid award?
Yes, students may be awarded more than one financial aid award depending on your financial situation.
What if I had applied for financing schemes such as Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA), Tuition Fee Loan (TFL), CPF Education Loan Scheme (CPFELS) and/or Study Loan (SL), but I am then given financial aid awards?
Your financial aid awards will apply first, followed by PSEA, CPFELS, TFL and SL, depending on which scheme you had applied for.
How will the financial aid awards be utilised?
Government Bursaries:
For Higher Education Community Bursary (HECB) and Higher Education Bursary (HEB), the funds will be directly credited to the recipients’ bank accounts.
SUTD Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG)* and/or SUTD-administered Study/Bursary Awards:
The awards will be used to offset your tuition fees directly. Any excess will be carried forward to the following academic term.
*The grant from the SEOG may comprise donor-supported EOGs and/or donor bursary awards. Funding for hostel fees is only applicable for the Freshmore terms where hostel stay is compulsory.
SUTD-administered Special Programme/Grants:
The funds will be directly credited to the recipients’ bank accounts.
All financial aid awards do not cover Compulsory Miscellaneous Fees. Except for SEOG, all other financial aid awards do not provide funding for hostel fees.
Does SUTD administer the Mendaki Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy (TTFS)?
No, this subsidy is administered by Yayasan Mendaki.
Please visit the Mendaki Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy (TTFS) page or Yayasan Mendaki’s website for more information.