NUS offers a wide range of global and local programmes, guides, platforms and funding options to support internships. Every year, almost 10,000 internships are administered by the University.
Get started on finding your next internship.
- Practice what you’ve learnt in a real-world environment
- Hone life skills critical to personal as well as professional success
- Gain a broader understanding of industries, companies and careers
- Potentially turn your internship into a full-time position after graduation
Types of Internship Programmes
First, you need to decide which internship programmes are best for you.
Please read the internship programme details before approaching the respective offices.
Students can obtain units for their internships, subject to criteria from the respective faculties.
| Administered By |
Respective Faculties and Schools |
| Duration |
About 2 – 6 months, during semester or vacation period |
| Location |
Local or Overseas*
*Some faculty internships cannot be done overseas. Please contact the respective faculties and schools for more information before application.
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Below is a non-exhaustive list of common faculty internship programmes. Please refer to the respective faculty or school websites for more details.
| College of Design and Engineering |
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
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| Faculty of Science |
Faculty of Law |
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| School of Computing |
NUS Business School |
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| NUS Overseas College |
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The Vacation Internship Programme (VIP) provides students with opportunities to gain work experience and acquire industry knowledge during the vacation periods in May and December every year.
We offer both the credit-bearing internship course CFG2101 NUS Vacation Internship Programme and the non-credit-bearing CFG Vacation Internship Programme.
| Administered By |
Centre for Future-ready Graduates (CFG) |
| Duration |
About 1 – 3 months, during the vacation period (May – August or December – January) |
| Location |
CFG2101 NUS Vacation Internship Programme (credit-bearing) — Local or overseas
CFG Vacation Internship Programme (non-credit bearing) — Local only |
Learn more about the programme →
The NUS Global Internship Programme allows students to gain valuable work experience while living abroad.
| Administered By |
Centre for Future-ready Graduates (CFG) – Non-credit bearing
Respective Faculties and Schools – Credit bearing
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| Duration |
About 1 – 6 months |
| Location |
Anywhere outside Singapore and not university-lab based |
Learn more about the programme and financial support available →
NUS Internship-As-A-Service (IAAS) enables students to take on short-stint, gig projects throughout the year which are recognised as NUS internships. IAAS internships are paid, flexible in duration and can take place with local or overseas companies.
| Administered By |
Centre for Future-ready Graduates (CFG)
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| Duration |
No minimum nor maximum duration for projects. |
| Location |
Local or overseas
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Before Your Internship
Students should start their internship search and application about 6 months before the start of the internship.
With the exception of some industries, application may begin as early as 9 months ahead.
Common platforms for sourcing internships
Other platforms for sourcing internships
Finding internships on NUS TalentConnect
- Go to Jobs & Internships > Search Opportunities
- Filter the respective internship programme opportunities under Position Type:
For Faculty Internship Programmes
- Faculty Internships – XXX
For CFG Vacation Internship Programme
- Vacation Internships – Local (Open to All Faculties)
For NUS Global Internship Programme
- Overseas Internships (Open to all Faculties)
For NUS Internship-As-A-Service (IAAS) Programme
- NUS Internship-As-A-Service (IAAS)
You may also refer to weekly curated emails and create job alerts in NUS TalentConnect to receive updates on latest internship postings.
- Follow the instructions on the posting. Applications may be made directly via NUS TalentConnect, via the company's website or via email.
- Companies will contact you directly for an interview if you are one of the shortlisted candidates. Interviews may take place over the phone or face-to-face.
Comprehensive digital guides
Career Advisory
Your dedicated Career Advisor is here to support your internship ambitions. Schedule an appointment with your advisor for career consultations, resume critique, mock interviews, as well as advice on internships and networking.
Be An Outstanding Intern: Pre-Internship Preparation
Congratulations on securing your internship! Now, let's explore how you can maximise it. Tune in to our 3-part video series to learn how to be an outstanding intern! We will discuss internship preparation, skills to ace your internship, and how to end your internship well!
In this video, we will cover pre-internship preparation.
Be An Outstanding Intern: Skills to Ace Your Internship
This is part 2 of our 3-part video series on how to be an outstanding intern!
In this video, we will cover the skills needed to ace your internship.
Be An Outstanding Intern: Ending Your Internship Well
This is the final part of our 3-part video series on how to be an outstanding intern!
In this video, we will discuss how to end your internship well to ensure it comes to a rewarding close!
Student Tips | Interning Remotely at Home
FoS graduate Hong Yu shares her tips for interning remotely at home. Tune in to learn useful ways to maximise your remote internship experience this holiday period.
Internship Guides (Part 2): Planning & Preparing
Learn more about employment contracts, in-camp training obligations and workplace conduct.
After You Secured Your Internship
For CFG-administered internships, CFG issues internship support letter for CPF exemption and funding applications purposes.
To request for the letter, please refer to the steps below:
- Ensure that the internship position is posted on NUS TalentConnect under position Type: Vacation Internships – Local (Open to All Faculties)
For steps to posting on NUS TalentConnect, employers may refer to 2. Decide When to Host Your Internship
- The student has accepted the offer on NUS TalentConnect
- The student has submitted their Experiential Learning Placement form and upload a copy of the letter of offer/internship agreement in the Attachment section on NUS TalentConnect
- Email your request via hire@nus.edu.sg using the email subject “Internship Support Letter Request”
Staying Safe on Your Internship
Your safety is of the utmost importance to us. Please report to CFG any form of harassment or abuse from an employer or colleague within your internship host company.
Contact CFG at careers@nus.edu.sg to report any incidents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Part-time Internships
Part-time internships refer to internships undertaken by full-time NUS student who is taking courses for the semester. Usually, part-time internships are personal arrangement between the students and the employers, with the exception of NUS Internship-As-A-Service.
Students may work on a part-time basis during semester, taking into consideration your class schedule and subject to your home faculty’s approval.
International students (student pass holders) undergoing a part-time work arrangement beyond the VIP Period are subjected to the MOM’s guideline of working a maximum of 16 hours per week during NUS term time.
If you would like to explore part-time work, you can also consider doing so via NUS Internship-As-A-Service (IAAS) on NUS TalentConnect. Do refer to the Student Guide for more information.
If the internship falls under an NUS internship programme, the respective offices would issue an internship support letter. Please contact your home faculty for advice.
The internship support letter from NUS also serve as a CPF exemption letter.
According to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) policy, students working under training programmes in Singapore, approved by NUS, are exempted from CPF contributions. Please refer to CPF website for more information.
All full-time NUS students are covered with basic medical and personal accident insurance coverage during their course of study.
NUS recommends that employers cover interns under their organisations’ insurance schemes, e.g. medical or workmen’s compensation (WICA), especially if they are required to work in high-risk environments (i.e. laboratories, shipyards, heavy industry environments with machinery/equipment).
Learn more about insurance coverage arrangements for NUS students.
International students (student pass holders) undergoing a part-time work arrangement beyond the VIP Period are subjected to the MOM’s guideline of working a maximum of 16 hours per week during NUS term time.
Leave of Absence (LOA) Internships
LOA internships are under the purview of the student’s home faculty.
Please contact your home faculty for advice.
International students (student pass holders) must apply for a work pass if they want to take a leave of absence during their school term to do additional internships that do not contribute towards their graduation.
Please refer to the Work Pass Exemption for Foreign Students policy by the Ministry of Manpower.
LOA internships are under the purview of the student’s home faculty.
Please contact your home faculty for advice.
International students (student pass holders) must apply for a work pass if they want to take a leave of absence during their school term to do additional internships that do not contribute towards their graduation.
Please refer to the Work Pass Exemption for Foreign Students policy by the Ministry of Manpower.
Internship Support Letter
For CFG-administered programmes, CFG will issue the internship support letter.
For Faculty Internship Programmes, the respective faculties will issue the internship support letter.
You may reach out to the respective offices for the letter.
We issue a standard internship support letter for all students.
If your employer is applying for funding and require the student’s NRIC details, the student can self-generate a Student Status Letter which will have the necessary NRIC details. Please refer to the guide on how to generate the Student Status Letter.
The two documents — internship support letter and Student Status Letter — would be sufficient for the funding application.
NSmen who are called up for In-camp Training (ICT) during their reservist periods will not be granted deferment on the grounds of academic commitments. However, CFG or the faculty can issue an internship support letter to assist students with their application for a deferment, which is subjected to MINDEF’s approval.
Students may wish to discuss with their employer for an extension of their internship to compensate for the ICT days.