- NUS ranks 8th in the world and 1st in Asia in the QS World University Rankings 2026, and 17th globally in the Times Higher Education 2026 rankings
- It enrols about 45,000 students across 15 colleges, faculties and schools
- International undergraduates who take the MOE Tuition Grant pay from S$21,400 per year for AY2026/27.
What Is the National University of Singapore?
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore's oldest autonomous research university, tracing its roots to a 1905 medical school of just 23 students. Based at Kent Ridge in southwestern Singapore, it teaches roughly 45,000 undergraduate and graduate students across 15 colleges, faculties and schools, and is widely regarded as Asia's leading university.
NUS is a comprehensive research university offering a wide range of disciplines across both undergraduate and postgraduate education, including the sciences, medicine and dentistry, design and engineering, law, arts and social sciences, business, computing and music. Its main campus sits in the southwestern part of Singapore adjacent to Kent Ridge, and it remains the country's flagship higher-education institution.
How Is NUS Ranked in 2026?
NUS is ranked 8th in the world and 1st in Asia in the QS World University Rankings 2026, released in June 2025. It also placed 17th globally, 3rd in Asia and 1st in Singapore in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, confirming its standing among the world's elite universities.
These 2026 results replace the older figures once quoted for NUS. The university consistently ranks first in Asia in the QS tables and leads Singapore in the Times Higher Education rankings, and it also performs strongly in many QS subject rankings across engineering, computing, medicine and the social sciences.
BBA in SingaporeRead →What Are the Tuition Fees at NUS in 2026?
For AY2026/27, international undergraduates who accept the MOE Tuition Grant pay about S$21,400 per year for general programmes such as Computing, Engineering and Humanities and Sciences, rising to S$30,450 for Law. Students who decline the grant pay non-subsidised fees from S$33,400, while Medicine and Dentistry cost substantially more.
International students may accept a Ministry of Education (MOE) Tuition Grant, which subsidises fees in return for a bond to work in Singapore for three years after graduation. The figures below are the official per-annum tuition fees for the AY2026/27 intake, taken from the NUS Registrar. Professional programmes such as Medicine and Dentistry are considerably more expensive.
| Programme (AY2026/27) | Intl with MOE Grant (S$/yr) | Non-subsidised (S$/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| Computing / Design and Engineering | 21,400 | 39,700 |
| Humanities and Sciences | 21,400 | 36,650 |
| Business | 22,200 | 33,400 |
| Law | 30,450 | 44,450 |
| Medicine (except Nursing) | 87,800 | 190,150 |
| Dentistry | 84,550 | 190,150 |
What Are the Entry Requirements for NUS?
International applicants to NUS must have completed or be completing high school, meaning at least twelve years of general education by the year of application. NUS accepts a wide range of national and international qualifications, and the full list of acceptable high-school qualifications and admissions requirements is published on the NUS Office of Admissions website.
Admission is highly competitive and selective. Applicants are assessed on their academic results, the strength of their qualification, and programme-specific requirements, and some courses require additional tests, portfolios or interviews. Prospective students should check the specific entry requirements for their chosen faculty before applying, as cut-offs vary considerably by programme.
Which Courses and Faculties Does NUS Offer?
NUS delivers its programmes through 15 colleges, faculties and schools, using a broad-based curriculum that combines a major with breadth modules. Students can pursue Minors, Double Majors, Double Degrees, Joint Degrees with overseas universities and concurrent Bachelor-Master pathways, giving considerable flexibility to build depth in a specialisation while exploring wider academic interests.
Fields on offer span architecture, arts and social sciences, business administration, computing, dentistry, engineering, environmental studies, industrial design, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public policy, real estate and the sciences. NUS also maintains collaborations with leading universities across the United States, Europe and Asia, supporting exchanges, joint programmes and research partnerships that broaden the student experience.
The broad-based structure lets students design a course pathway with depth in their chosen specialisation and breadth across their wider interests. Details of the curriculum, module system and academic calendar are published on the NUS website for each faculty and programme.
Cheapest Countries to Study Abroad for Indian StudentsRead →How Does NUS Support International Students?
NUS supports international students through a dedicated International Student Section within its Office of Student Affairs, covering pre-departure guidance and student pass matters. Student volunteers under the i.CARE programme help newcomers settle in, while the Office of Admissions, Career Centre, seven libraries and modern IT infrastructure support students throughout their studies at Kent Ridge.
Campus life is active, with more than a hundred student societies and interest groups ranging from cultural clubs to academic and sporting bodies. NUS has also expanded residential living and learning through its University Town precinct, giving students on-campus housing and college communities alongside their academic programmes.
Eligible students who need financial help can apply to the NUS Work-Study Assistance Scheme, and full-time international students may take on limited part-time work during term time under Singapore's student pass conditions. Details of available support, scholarships and financial aid are published on the NUS website.
Who Are Notable NUS Alumni?
NUS has produced many distinguished alumni across government, business and academia. They include former Singapore Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, former Singapore Presidents Benjamin Sheares, S R Nathan and Tony Tan, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, former World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan, and diplomat and scholar Kishore Mahbubani.
The university traces its history to 1905, when it began as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School. It became the University of Malaya (1949), the University of Singapore (1962) and finally the National University of Singapore in 1980, growing alongside Singapore itself into one of the world's leading research universities centred in Asia.