Applicants, regardless of nationality, may apply for undergraduate admissions with their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Applicants who have completed the IB Career-related Programme (CP) may also apply and compete for admission to NUS. Applicants who are currently or have been enrolled in a university as an undergraduate would need to apply as a Transfer applicant.
Admission will be considered holistically based on academic merit, non-academic achievements, and additional interviews/tests (if required) as well as open competition among all eligible applicants. Applicants must meet the programme prerequisites for the programmes that they are applying for.
For programmes requiring additional interviews/tests, applicants will be assessed based on their performance at the interviews and/or tests.
It is mandatory for all applicants to authorise the International Baccalaureate (IB) to release their IB transcripts to the 'National University of Singapore' (Institute Code 000690). Applicants can do so by informing their school’s IB coordinator. Please refer to the IB website for details.
You may refer to the FAQ for more information.
Some applicants may be required to fulfil the Mother Tongue Language (MTL) requirement for admission. Refer to more information below.
The Mother Tongue Language (MTL) requirement set by the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) is applicable to the following groups of applicants:
|
School |
Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents |
International Students |
|
Independent/ Specialised Independent Schools in Singapore (Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), School of the Arts, Singapore Sports School, St. Joseph’s Institution) |
Applicable |
Applicable |
|
Other IB World Schools within and outside Singapore |
Applicable |
Not Applicable |
The MTL requirement can be fulfilled through one of the following:
- IB Diploma Programme : Pass in MTL A: Literature, MTL A: Language and Literature or Language B MTL at Standard or Higher Level (The IB Standard Level Language ab initio does not fulfil the requirement)
- Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level l: Minimum of ‘D7’ grade for Higher MTL (IGCSE MTL First Language examination does not fulfil the requirement)
- Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level:
- Minimum of ‘S’ grade for H1 MTL, H1 General Studies in Chinese or H2 MTL Language & Literature
- Pass in MTL Syllabus B paper
- Pass MTL-in-lieu subject approved by MOE at the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level/ A-Level/ IB Diploma Programme
- Exemption from MTL approved by MOE
Submission of the official MTL examination results slip/ transcript/ exemption approval is required for the University to review your fulfilment of the MTL requirement.
Applicants who have been away from Singapore’s school system for some years and have not kept up with the study of their MTL or a language that can be offered as MTL-in-lieu may apply for MTL exemption.
The MTL exemption application will be facilitated by the University as part of the application, and the results will be made known to applicants who receive admission offer from NUS. Please note that MOE does not accept direct applications for MTL exemption. The application for MTL exemption will also not prejudice the evaluation of the application for a place in the University.
Applicants unable to fulfil the MTL requirement but satisfy all other admission requirements may apply for admission with no prejudice to their application. Successful applicants will be admitted on a provisional basis. They are required to fulfil the MTL requirement, by attaining the minimum grade listed above, during their course of undergraduate studies in order to graduate from NUS.
Information on the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level MTL paper or Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level Higher MTL paper for private candidates are available on the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) website.
- Applicants should apply with actual IB Diploma Programme results.
- Applicants who have retaken exam papers after graduation must re-authorise the release of their latest IB transcripts to NUS.
- Please provide NUS with your IB Personal Code by keying it in the undergraduate admissions application form.
- Most applicants presenting November 2024 or earlier IB Diploma Programme results will receive their application outcomes progressively by May 2025.
- Refer here for tips on how to complete your admissions application.
- Applicants should apply with predicted IB Diploma Programme results, as attested by their high schools.
- NUS should receive your IB Diploma Programme transcript from the IB by 7 July 2025.
- Please provide NUS with your IB Personal Code via the NUS Applicant Portal by 18 June 2025.
- May 2025 IB Diploma Programme examination session applicants who wish to apply for NUS Dentistry in Academic Year 2025-2026 are required to submit the following documents and test scores by the admissions application deadline of 5 February 2025:
- Predicted IB Diploma results (endorsed by applicant's high school) and
- SAT/ACT with Writing and
- SAT Subject Tests/AP Exams
- May 2025 IB Diploma Programme examination session applicants who wish to apply for NUS Medicine in Academic Year 2025-2026 are required to submit the following documents and test scores by the admissions application deadline of 5 February 2025:
- Predicted IB Diploma results (endorsed by applicant's high school) and one of the following:
- UCAT (UK or ANZ) or
- SAT/ACT with Writing and SAT Subject Tests/AP Exams
- Predicted IB Diploma results (endorsed by applicant's high school) and one of the following:
- Applicants presenting May 2025 IB Diploma Programme results will receive their application outcomes by the third week of July 2025.
- Refer here for tips on how to complete your admissions application.