Study Trips For Engagement & EnRichment (STEER)

NUS STEER Award

First-time STEER programme participants may apply for the NUS STEER Award to help defray their programme expenses.

Note: The STEER programme application is separate from the STEER Award application.
Students may participate in the STEER programme without applying for the STEER Award.

The value of the STEER Award and minimum programme duration is as follows: 

• Southeast Asia
  • Value of the STEER Award up to S$1,000
  • Minimum duration: 7 days 6 nights*
• Rest of the world**
  • Value of STEER Award up to S$1,500
  • Minimum duration: 10 days 9 nights

*The minimum duration is calculated from the first item of the programme to the final item of the programme, excluding the time spent travelling to/from the destination.
**Only for emerging markets/economies (e.g. developing countries, countries in Middle East, countries in Latin America, countries in Africa). Not applicable to developing countries e.g. countries in Western Europe, countries in North America, South Korea, and Japan. 

Any additional support from faculties/departments, and whether students are on financial aid will be taken into consideration when determining the quantum of STEER Award. Simultaneous applications for Opportunity Enhancement Grant (OEG) and Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) for the same STEER programme, regardless of outcome, will not negatively impact the value of the STEER grant, if any.

Eligible students may only receive the NUS STEER Award once during their candidature at NUS, regardless of the value of the award.

Application for the STEER Award is administered via EduRec:

• The student must apply to, receive an offer, and accept the offer for the relevant STEER programme on EduRec.
• Then, the student may submit their application for the STEER Award via EduRec.

Only full-time, NUS undergraduates are eligible for this award. 

Other Financial Aid Options

Needy full-time Singapore Citizen undergraduate students whose monthly household per capita income (PCI) is not more than S$750 for Academic Year 2023/2024 in any of the semesters during their candidature, may apply for Opportunity Enhancement Grant (OEG) via the Office of Financial Aid: https://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/financial-aid/schemes-for-hostel-fees/opportunity-enhancement-grant 


Students may also utilize their Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) to fully or partially fund their trip. The application process may be found here:

https://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/financial-aid/schemes-for-tuition-fees-and-or-living-costs/post-secondary-education-account

Requirements and Criteria

NUS STEER programme can be organised by NUS units either as a standalone programme or as a part of a regular course. For a study trip to be considered a STEER programme and for participants to receive the STEER Award, the programme must:

1. Be led by an NUS department, faculty, school, college or residential unit (programmes led by NUS clubs, societies and interest groups are not eligible),
2. Last a minimum of 7 days with 6 nights on foreign grounds for trips in SEA or 10 days with 9 nights on foreign grounds for trips to the rest of the world,
3. Take students to emerging markets or economies (please refer to the list of countries eligible for STEER here: https://www.beglobalready.gov.sg/internships/overseas-internships/eligible-markets/), and
4. Include:
   1. Networking opportunities with industry and/or interactions with industry leaders,
   2. Customised visits and/or field trips to companies, government organizations and NGOs to learn about their business operations, goals and challenges,
   3. Cultural activities to foster awareness and appreciation, and
   4. (optional) Joint project opportunities with partner universities including presentations to classmates and/or lectures and panel discussions with academics and students in the country they are visiting.

How to Apply

Organisers who are interested in organizing a STEER programme are required to submit the completed STEER Programme Proposal Form.

Besides the STEER Award, organisers who intend to offer additional support (e.g. additional financial aid, sponsorship of airfare, etc.) are required to include the type of support offered, source of the funds, and monetary value of the support in their proposal. Organisers are also required to indicate financial aid recipients in the list of participants provided. 

As there is limited funding, priority will be given to programmes to Southeast Asia, China and India, that can demonstrate cost-efficiency.

Please submit that the completed proposal in a Word doc (.docx) format to grosteer@nus.edu.sg for review.