- SMU was established in 2000 and teaches through six schools and two colleges
- Annual undergraduate tuition for AY2026/27 is S$26,200 for international students who take the MOE Tuition Grant and S$47,700 for those who do not
- SMU is ranked =411 in the QS World University Rankings 2027
- The university had 10,294 full-time undergraduates and 3,766 postgraduates as of 15 September 2025.
What Is Singapore Management University?
Singapore Management University is one of Singapore's six autonomous universities, established in 2000 and based in the downtown Bras Basah district. The Ministry of Education describes SMU as a specialised research-intensive university built around interactive, collaborative and seminar-based learning across management, social sciences, computing and law disciplines.
SMU describes itself as Asia's premier global city university at the nexus of management, social sciences and technology. Its mission is to nurture independent lifelong learners and change agents, and to serve as a gateway between Asia and the world.
The Ministry of Education lists six autonomous universities in Singapore: NUS, NTU, SMU, SIT, SUSS and SUTD. SMU is the specialised one of the group, and its Lee Kong Chian School of Business carries AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting.
The main campus sits at 81 Victoria Street in the heart of downtown Singapore, which the university says strengthens its links with business, government and the wider community.
Which Schools and Programmes Does SMU Offer?
SMU offers undergraduate, postgraduate professional and postgraduate research programmes through six schools and two colleges. Teaching is fully seminar-based, and undergraduates can add a second major or combine two disciplines in a double-degree pathway. Programmes span accountancy, business, economics, computing, law, social sciences and integrative studies.
- School of Accountancy
- Lee Kong Chian School of Business
- School of Economics
- School of Computing and Information Systems
- Yong Pung How School of Law
- School of Social Sciences
- College of Integrative Studies
- College of Graduate Research Studies
Note that two schools were renamed after the original version of this article: the School of Information Systems is now the School of Computing and Information Systems, and the School of Law is now the Yong Pung How School of Law. The two colleges were added later as SMU widened its interdisciplinary and research offerings.
SMU follows a course-credit system. Undergraduates take a common core curriculum alongside their major, and every student goes through global exposure, community service and internship experiences. The SMU-X curriculum lets students work on live industry problems with faculty and corporate partners.
Undergraduate degrees offered in AY2026/27 include the Bachelor of Accountancy, Bachelor of Business Management, Bachelor of Integrative Studies, Bachelor of Science in Economics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Computing and Law, plus the Bachelor of Social Sciences and the Bachelor of Laws.
NUS Singapore: courses, fees and rankingsRead →How Much Does SMU Cost for International Students in 2026?
For AY2026/27 entering freshmen, international students who receive the MOE Tuition Grant pay S$26,200 a year for most degrees and S$30,450 for the Bachelor of Laws. ASEAN nationals pay S$25,150 and S$27,750. Students without the grant pay non-subsidised fees of S$47,700 or S$56,150 a year.
| Annual Undergraduate Tuition AY2026/27 | ASEAN International Students 2026 | Other International Students 2026 | Non-Subsidised 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountancy, Business Management, Economics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Computing and Law, Social Sciences, Integrative Studies | S$25,150 | S$26,200 | S$47,700 |
| Bachelor of Laws | S$27,750 | S$30,450 | S$56,150 |
All international-student figures above are inclusive of the prevailing 9 per cent GST, and are quoted directly from the SMU Office of Admissions and Financial Assistance fee page.
SMU uses a fixed-fee model: students entering in AY2026/27 keep the same regular-term tuition for the normal four-year duration of the degree and are not affected by later cohort increases.
The MOE Tuition Grant is competitive for international students, who may apply only for the Tier C grant. Successful applicants must work for a Singapore-registered entity for three years after graduating. The grant is requested inside the online admission application, not separately.
On top of tuition, compulsory annual miscellaneous student fees for 2026 total S$367 for international students, covering student activities, insurance and IT facilities.
What Are the Admission Requirements for International Students?
Applicants need at least twelve years of formal education with strong results in a recognised national or international examination, plus one accepted standardised test. Minimum competitive scores are SAT 1350 or IELTS Academic 7.0 for most degrees, rising to IELTS 7.5 for Law. Applications for the AY2026/27 intake closed on 19 March 2026.
| Standardised Test 2026 | Non-Law Programmes | Bachelor of Laws |
|---|---|---|
| SAT (total) | 1,350 with 650 in evidence-based reading and writing | 1,350 with 700 in evidence-based reading and writing |
| ACT (composite) | 29, with English plus Reading of 57 | 29, with English plus Reading of 64 |
| IELTS Academic | 7.0 overall, 7.0 reading, 6.5 writing | 7.5 overall, 7.0 reading, 7.0 writing |
| TOEFL iBT (from 21 Jan 2026) | 5 overall, 5 reading, 4.5 writing | 5.5 overall, 5.5 reading, 5 writing |
| TOEFL iBT (before 21 Jan 2026) | 93, with 22 reading and 22 writing | 100, with 24 reading and 24 writing |
IELTS, TOEFL, C1 Advanced, PTE Academic and AST scores stay valid for two years, so for the 2026 exercise SMU will not consider tests taken before 19 March 2024. SAT and ACT scores are valid for five years.
Meeting the minimum does not guarantee an offer. Shortlisted applicants to non-Law degrees are interviewed, while Law applicants first sit a writing test and only those shortlisted again are invited to interview.
Indian Standard 12 qualifications are on SMU's list of accepted international qualifications, with an indicative benchmark of at least 90 per cent across five subjects including English. Applicants whose results were not out by the closing date could submit predicted scores attested by a school teacher or counsellor by 31 March 2026, then upload actual results within three working days of release. The AY2026/27 exercise ran from 17 November 2025 to 19 March 2026 with classes starting 17 August 2026, and SMU had not yet published its AY2027/28 dates as of September 2026.
BBA in Singapore: universities, fees and careersRead →How Is SMU Ranked in 2026?
SMU is ranked =411 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, climbing from =511 in the 2026 edition and =585 in 2025. It also sits =122 in the QS Asian University Rankings and reports being fifth globally among specialist universities, a placing derived from the same QS 2027 exercise.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: =411 overall
- QS World University Rankings 2026: =511 (previous edition)
- QS World University Rankings 2025: =585
- QS Asian University Rankings: =122
- QS Sustainability Ranking: =492
- Fifth worldwide among specialist universities, derived from QS World University Rankings 2027
- QS Business Masters Rankings 2024: 2nd in Asia and 24th worldwide
- QS Executive MBA Rankings 2024: 3rd in Asia and 27th worldwide
- QS Global MBA Rankings 2025: 5th in Asia
SMU is a young and deliberately specialised institution, so its overall world rank sits below the broad research universities NUS and NTU while its business and management rankings are far stronger. Prospective students should weigh the subject rankings, not only the overall position.
The Lee Kong Chian School of Business holds AACSB accreditation covering both business and accounting, one of a small group of Asian schools accredited in both areas.
What Is the SMU Campus and Student Life Like?
SMU has a city campus in downtown Singapore rather than a suburban one, surrounded by museums, theatres, galleries, cafes and retail. It houses seminar rooms, digital classrooms, research facilities, sports halls, laboratories and a swimming pool, and hosted 10,294 full-time undergraduates as of September 2025.
Student community
SMU's international students come from India, China, ASEAN countries, Europe, North America, Africa, the Middle East, the Maldives, Japan and South Korea. In SMU's own Statistical Highlights as of 15 September 2025, 60 per cent of postgraduates were international students drawn from 57 foreign countries, and 11 per cent of undergraduates were international students from 33 foreign countries.
Global exposure
The university has more than 300 partner universities across 50 countries for exchange, and states that every student has the opportunity to take part in a global exposure programme.
Sports, clubs and services
A dedicated sports hall supports archery, badminton, basketball, floorball, handball, martial arts, tchoukball, volleyball and other indoor sports. Student clubs and co-curricular groups run alongside academics, and SMU recognises this participation formally through a Co-Curricular Transcript, which won gold at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025.
Teaching staff numbered 407 full-time faculty, of whom 38 per cent are international and drawn from 33 nationalities. SMU dates these faculty figures to January 2023 on its own About page and has not refreshed them since, so treat them as indicative rather than current.
Master of Science in Singapore: courses and costsRead →How Much Do Students Spend on Living Costs in Singapore?
SMU tells international applicants that an average student can live within a monthly budget of about S$2,000. Accommodation is the largest single item at S$250 to S$800 a month, followed by food at S$300 to S$450 and transport at around S$200. Tuition fees exclude all of these costs.
| Monthly Living Expense 2026 | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | S$250 - S$800 |
| Utilities | S$40 - S$100 |
| Transportation | S$200 |
| Telecommunications | S$50 |
| Food | S$300 - S$450 |
| Personal expenses | S$100 - S$300 |
| Books and stationery | S$200 per term |
These are SMU's own published estimates for international students. Actual spending varies widely with the type of housing chosen, since SMU is a city campus and many students rent off campus.