Admissions 2026: Innovation & Design Programme
If you are applying for admission to NUS this year, we encourage you to consider joining the Innovation & Design Programme (iDP). We welcome students from all disciplines. Find out more about iDP below!
What is iDP?
The iDP aims to nurture students who are passionate about design, engineering, and entrepreneurship as apply their knowledge and skills to solve problems or design new products, services, and experiences. In the iDP, students from different disciplines learn various tools and processes for ideation and design by working together on hands-on projects that have real-world impact. Those who are keen on entrepreneurship are encouraged to further develop their projects for commercialisation. The iDP is designed for students who aspire to be technopreneurs or are keen on hands-on project work.
The iDP is open to students from all disciplines as a Second Major or Minor in Innovation & Design. Students who complete the iDP will graduate with the Second Major or Minor along with a primary major from their own discipline.
What you will learn in iDP
The iDP curriculum brings students through an enriching journey in design and innovation. The learning journey begins with fundamental courses that introduce students to basic concepts in innovation and design, and culminates in a major design project and a final year project where students are expected to apply their design knowledge and skills to develop solutions to real problems. Students will also take a number of electives to widen their knowledge about topics in design, business, and entrepreneurship.
Projects you can work on in iDP
Innovation needs a team-based process to succeed. From day one, iDP students learn to work together on their projects with peers from different disciplines and are mentored by faculty members with diverse backgrounds. Projects in iDP are open-ended and span diverse themes. The iDP is also home to many multidisciplinary competition projects.
In this theme, students work on projects to develop solutions for healthcare needs in hospitals and the community.
In this theme, students design future mobility solutions and novel vehicles for people and goods.
In this theme, students design smart solutions that leverage on Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and automation to enhance everyday life, work, and play.
In this theme, students work on projects to develop solutions to tackle challenges of urbanisation and sustainability.
In this theme, students develop applications using virtual reality and augmented reality to meet different needs.
In this theme, students design complex engineering systems and automations for various applications.
In this theme, students design our next generations of Galassia nanosatellites as well as work on projects for international space competitions such as the University Rover Challenge and the CanSat Competition.
Bumblebee is a student-run, multi-disciplinary robotics team. The Bumblebee team designs and builds Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs) to navigate across oceans independently, from the shore line and the water surface, to deep waters.
NUS Calibur Robotics is a student-run team comprising members hailing different academic disciplines, working together to develop multiple robots to compete in the DJI RoboMaster University Championships – the ultimate robot death match.
In NUS Formula SAE, we design and fabricate a formula-style single seater car to take part in FSAE Michigan, one of the toughest inter-varsity competitions where we compete against some of the best universities around the world in both static engineering judging and dynamic time trials.
What do our students say about iDP?
Students in iDP come from diverse disciplines within the College of Design and Engineering as well as other Faculties/Schools in NUS. Hear from our current students about why they decided to join iDP, the projects they are working on, and what they think about their experience in iDP so far.
Arts and Social Sciences
Fathinah Al-Husna Subhan, Ho Ee Hsuen and Baid Samyak
Ravichandran Harini and Tan Mei Ling, Felicia
How you can join iDP
There is no additional requirement for admission into iDP other an enrolment in any primary major in NUS. We welcome applicants from all disciplines who are enthusiastic to be part of our unique learning experience!
Students who are applying to any Engineering or Computing major in NUS may add iDP as a Second Major or Minor in Innovation & Design in their NUS application form, while those who are applying to Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Industrial Design may add iDP as a Minor in Innovation & Design. Successful applicants will be admitted into iDP during matriculation.
Students who are applying to other majors in NUS as well as those who are unsure whether to join iDP at matriculation may enrol in iDP in any semester up to the start of their fifth semester in NUS.
Visit us at NUS Open House 2026
Look out for us during the NUS Open House on 7 March 2026!
Programme booth and talks
Visit our programme booth at UT Sports Hall 1 of Stephen Riady Centre to find out more about iDP from our faculty staff and students.
You can also hear more about iDP and the Design & Engineering Scholars Programme, and get answers to your burning questions during these talks:
- 11 am @ LT53 (Stephen Riady Centre, Level 2)
- 2 pm @ LT51 (Stephen Riady Centre, Level 1)
Get a free gift when you visit us
Get an exclusive pack of Kopi Siew Dai cookies, specially-made by our alumni at the moonbeam.co, when you drop by our programme booth at UT Sports Hall 1!
About the moonbeam.co
The Moonbeam Co is a Singapore-based sustainable food-tech startup founded in 2021 by three NUS graduates.
They upcycle brewer's spent grains (BSGs) — a byproduct typically discarded by breweries — into nutritious, high-fibre granola and other food products. Their mission centers on tackling food waste and food insecurity, and they've developed a proprietary process to transform BSGs into a crispy, oat-like ingredient. They also partner with schools and workplaces to promote sustainability education and initiatives.
The company has won several awards, including the TechStyle For Social Good Agrifood Tech Grand Prize (2022).
Tour of Innovation & Design Hub and Make-Your-Own-Keychain workshop
Join the campus tour and alight at Design & Engineering at EA to visit our Innovation & Design Hub.
During your visit, you can also learn how to make your own keychain using the prototyping equipment at the Hub!
Join us at EDIC Project Showcase 2026
Want to see more projects by our students and hear about their experience in iDP? Join us at our next project showcase on 17 April 2026.
Register your attendance by 1 April 2026. Admission is free!
Get in touch with us!
If you have questions about iDP, feel free to drop us an email at idp-query@nus.edu.sg.