Study in Singapore

If you’re studying a full-time course in Singapore for more than 30 days, you will need to apply for a Student’s Pass with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Singapore does not have a separate student visa. You apply for the Student's Pass online through the SOLAR system. The Student’s Pass is the document which allows you to stay in Singapore for the duration of your course.

Unlike the UK, Canada, or Australia, Singapore does not have a specific post-study work visa. Graduates who want to stay and work must secure an Employment Pass or S Pass tied to a specific job offer, applied for by a Singapore-registered employer. There is no automatic bridging period once the Student's Pass expires, so job hunting typically needs to happen before or soon after graduation.

Student's Pass — Key facts

• Duration: Your Student’s Pass is normally issued for the length of your study programme. Your institution can renew it through SOLAR, usually around 3 months before it expires.
• Work rights during study: Students at Singapore’s six autonomous universities (NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT, SUSS) and approved polytechnics can work up to 16 hours/week during term time without a separate work pass. You can also work full-time during official university holidays. Students at private institutions generally cannot work unless they have specific permission from ICA. It is, therefore, important to check your eligibility before taking up employment.
• Eligibility: Usually, you will need an unconditional offer of admission from an approved institution, proof you can support yourself financially and, for most nationalities, a medical examination. The Student’s Pass fee is about SGD 90, comprising SGD 30 for the application fee and SGD 60 for the issuance fee.

Post-study work — Key facts

• No separate post-study work visa: Singapore currently does not have a separate graduate or post-study work visa.
• Employment Pass (EP): This is for professional and managerial positions. You need a job offer, a minimum qualifying salary starting at SGD $5,600/month (rising with age; SGD $6,200/month in financial services as of 2026), and a minimum of 40 points under the points-based COMPASS framework
• S Pass: This is an alternative work pass for mid-skilled roles, with a lower salary floor (around SGD $3,300/month), for graduates whose starting salary falls short of the EP threshold
• Route to permanent residency: After several years of continuous employment on an EP/S Pass (commonly after three to five years), graduates may apply for Permanent Residency, assessed case-by-case with no fixed qualifying period