Fees paid by non-ASEAN international students

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Hazel Poa, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the respective fees paid by non-ASEAN international students (i) in polytechnics or (ii) who are undergraduates, and who pay fees nett of a tuition grant, are lower than their fees for secondary school and junior college; and (b) if so, what is the justification for such a situation.

Response

1.International students pay higher tuition fees than Singaporean and Singapore Permanent Resident students at the same level of study. Tuition fees for international students in polytechnics and autonomous universities are also higher than those paid by international students in secondary schools and junior colleges.

2.Eligible international students enrolled in the polytechnics and autonomous universities can apply for an MOE Tuition Grant. If successful, they will pay lower tuition fees, but they are required to work in a Singapore entity for three years upon graduation. International students in secondary schools and junior colleges do not receive Tuition Grant nor have such obligations, so the annual fees they pay are higher than the fees paid by international students receiving Tuition Grant at polytechnics and some university courses. However, even with Tuition Grant, the annual fees payable by international students are higher than Singaporean students in the same course.