NEW STUDENTS
Upon successful admission to the University, you will be required to complete your registration formalities as a student of NUS.
Graduate research students are to refer to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) website for registration information.
Graduate coursework students are to refer to the Registration Guide sent with your offer, along with the information provided below.
Please refer to the Registration Guide for Graduate Coursework students (August 2026 intake) here.
Graduate research students are to refer to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) website for registration information.
If you are offered admission to a CDE Master’s programme, you will be required to complete an online verification of your academic credentials as part of NUS registration formalities. As part of the process, you will be requested to authenticate your degree certificate and transcripts through a credential verification agency and/or the university that issued your qualifications. Instructions will be provided sometime in May.
Note: Verification exercises may also take place during your candidature and after graduation.
Failure to participate in this process, or submission of non-genuine documents, may result in denial or withdrawal of admission, cancellation of academic credits, suspension, expulsion, or revocation of your degree.
You will receive a “Welcome to NUS” email containing a unique login link (pre-filled with the Application Number you used when applying for admission to the Master’s programme) to begin the compulsory Check-in and Onboarding process. The email will be sent progressively from 8 June 2026 and will include the respective deadlines by which you are expected to complete the required tasks. Please do not share the link with anyone.
For students enrolling in MOE-subsidised programmes, you will also be required to declare current or previous admissions to a graduate programme (Master’s or PhD) or other institutions. For Singapore citizens and Singapore PRs, do note that this declaration will affect your eligibility for subsidised tuition fees for your new MOE-subsidised programme if you have previously attempted or completed an MOE-subsidised Master’s or PhD programme at any autonomous university in Singapore.
Please refer to the step-by-step instructions and screenshots for the Check-in process here, or email itcare@nus.edu.sg if you require further technical assistance.
Upon completion of Onboarding, you will receive your NUS-ID account, which gives you access to NUS online services such as your NUS Email and the Student’s Education Records System (MyEduRec). MyEduRec is a one-stop portal where students can manage a wide range of transactions related to academic, financial, and personal information matters. Please keep your NUS-ID and password secure and do not share them with anyone.
Students will be liable for the full semester’s fees unless you inform the University of your intention to withdraw or take a leave of absence via MyEduRec before the end of the second instructional week of the semester (as published here). Please note that the application fee and acceptance fee paid are non-refundable.
You are required to attend the Registration (On-site) exercise in person at the National University of Singapore from 28 July to 4 August 2026. Appointments are to be made via our online booking system, and slots are allocated on a first-come, first served basis (details will be shared around June).
Please bring the original documents you submitted for your application (e.g. educational certificates/transcripts and/or other documents stated in your offer letter), even if your online document verification has been completed.
Your student card will be issued to you once you have completed all registration formalities.
Please also visit the Office of the University Registrar website to review the Risk Acknowledgement and Consent.
Pre-admission Medical Examination
All admitted students (excluding non-graduating students) are required to undergo a pre-admission medical examination prior to enrolment. The university reserves the right to refuse your admission should you decide to decline this process.
You may complete the medical examination (i) at the University Health Centre (UHC); (ii) with your own physician either in Singapore; or (iii) in your home country.
If you choose to consult your own physician, please submit the completed medical examination report (inclusive of the chest x-ray report), written in English, to UHC before the stipulated deadline in their Registration Guide. International students residing overseas should complete this medical examination in their home country.
To submit your medical report, save the completed Medial Examination Form to PDF and email to preadm_med@nus.edu.sg before 7 August 2026 (August 2026 intake). Please check the UHC website for more information on the medical examination.
CAUTION: If you do not complete the Medical Examination by the deadline stipulated by UHC, a Negative Service Indicator (NSI) will be checked against you. As a consequence, you may be locked out of access to certain key student services, including examination results, transcripts, etc.
Additional Medical Examination for Student’s Pass
For international students, in addition to the NUS Pre-Admission Medical Examination (PAME), you are required to complete an additional ICA prescribed Medical Examination Report Form, which includes an HIV test, for the Student's Pass application. You should complete the medical examination and the additional HIV test in your home country, prior to travel to Singapore whenever possible.
The medical reports must be completed in English. The original HIV laboratory test and chest X-ray reports, together with the ICA Medical Examination Report Form for Student's Pass, must be submitted to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) within 3 months of issue for your Student's Pass completion formalities. For more details, please refer to our Registration Guide. If you need more information on the medical examination requirements for Student’s Pass, please check ICA’s website.
All full-time NUS matriculated graduate students are obliged to subscribe to the university’s medical insurance scheme. This scheme provides all full-time students with basic medical and personal accident insurance coverage. Please refer to the Student Insurance website here.
All full-time international students are required to hold a valid Student’s Pass issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for their studies at NUS. Please refer to your Registration Guide and Student’s Pass Matters for details.
Part-time international students are not eligible for the Student’s Pass and must hold a valid work pass to stay in Singapore. If you are holding a Student’s Pass in Singapore, you are only allowed to work if you meet specific requirements. Find out if you are eligible here.
NUS will initiate a registration with ICA on your behalf, for your Student's Pass application. A separate email will be sent to you to submit an eForm16 to apply for Student’s Pass and/or Visa online via the Student’s Pass Online Application & Registration (SOLAR) system after you have accepted your offer of admission. Do not proceed with this application if you do not intend to register for the intended semester.
If ICA approves your Student’s Pass application, you will be granted an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter, which you can print from ICA’s SOLAR system. For international students from visa-required countries, please present a printed copy of your IPA letter together with a valid passport to the Duty Officer at the Immigration Checkpoint upon arrival in Singapore. Your IPA letter will serve as a single-entry visa to enter Singapore. You will then be issued a Short-Term Social Visit Pass*, typically valid for 30 days, to complete your Student’s Pass collection formalities. Please note the In-Principle Approval (IPA) issued by ICA will be valid for 4 months from the date of issuance.
The IPA letter does NOT constitute a valid pass to remain in Singapore. The e-visit Pass issued to students upon arrival determines their length of stay in Singapore. Students who fail to obtain their Student’s Pass before their e-Visit Pass expires must extend the e-Visit Pass or be liable for overstaying.
For more details, please refer to Immigration Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) website on Student’s Pass for University Students and their FAQ page.
Our college does not sponsor spouses and/or children of international graduate coursework students’ visa and Long-Term Visit Pass applications. Please enquire with ICA directly for Long-Term Visit Passes.
Pre-Departure Travel Checklist
Please refer to the travel checklist by Singapore Immigration for travellers entering Singapore here.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Grant of New Student's Pass
There are no longer any COVID-19 measures for travellers arriving in Singapore from 13 Feb 2023, regardless of vaccination status or traveller profile.
Completion of Student's Pass Formalities
All students must complete their Student’s Pass formalities within the period of your visit pass by attending one of our University’s Offsite Enrolment Session (OSE) on 24 Jul 2026; 27 – 31 Jul 2026; 4 Aug 2026, in person at NUS.
As appointments for completing Student’s Pass formalities are now booked directly with ICA, you may only schedule your appointment after completing your Student’s Pass application, which involves the following steps:
- Step 1: Submit your medical report and signed Student’s Pass Terms and Conditions form. Approval from ICA may take up to three working days.
- Step 2: Pay the issuance fee and, if applicable, the multiple-entry visa fee. Payment should be completed at least one day before booking your appointment.
You are reminded to prepare all the required documents and payment receipts stated in the IPA Letter before attending the OSE appointment. During the OSE appointment, please provide a Singapore mobile number that can receive SMS. Passport photos must also meet ICA’s photo requirements.
Students must have a valid booking to complete Student’s Pass formalities at the on-campus OSE sessions. Students who attempt to walk-in to the ICA Building or OSE sessions without an appointment will be turned away.
*IMPORTANT: If your visa is expiring before the OSE or ICA e-appointment date for completion of your Student's Pass formalities, please submit a request to extend your visit pass at ICA e-service portal at least 14 days prior to the expiry. In the event that you are unable to extend your STVP or book an OSE slot/e-appointment to complete your Student's Pass formalities before the expiry of your IPA or STVP, please report to Immigrations & Checkpoint Authority (ICA) immediately. Do note that staying in Singapore without a valid pass is an offence and will result in charges and fines.
Please take note of the following:
- Expiry dates of the IPA letter / Social Visit Pass
- You will need to complete the Student's Pass formalities before the IPA letter (4 months upon issue), or the validity of the short-term visit pass (30 days upon entry into Singapore) expires, whichever is earlier
- If your IPA is expiring or has expired before you can complete the formalities, submit a re-application for your Student’s Pass:
a. Graduate Research Students: Complete this form and email to GradEnquiry@nus.edu.sg
b. Graduate Coursework Students: Email to CDEGradCoursework@nus.edu.sg
Note: You may write to ICA at ICA_STP1@ica.gov.sg to request for refund of processing and issuance fees, subject to review on a case-by-case basis.
Under Regulation 8(5)(b) of the Immigration Regulations, foreign students must report any change in their local address to ICA within 14 days of the change. Students with a valid Singpass account can do so via ICA’s e-Service. Students may also approach their educational institutes or local sponsors (if applicable) to assist them in updating change of address via the e-Service.
Students who do not have a valid Student's Pass by NUS' stipulated deadlines may receive a warning and may face subsequent dismissal from NUS if the warning is not heeded within 7 days. Their IPA will also be cancelled.
For more information on Student’s Pass matters, please refer to the Office of the University Registrar.
Singapore’s Travel Health Control Measures
Travellers planning to enter Singapore must comply with the prevailing border control measures and public health requirements. Please refer to the Immigrations & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website for the latest measures and requirements.
CDE Graduate Programmes are based on a modular system. Under this system, workloads are expressed in terms of Units, and academic performance is measured by grade points on a 5-point scale. To assist you in planning your academic journey, you may refer to the NUS Bulletin for an overview of the available options and pathways. This bulletin contains essential information on courses, your programme of study and its graduating requirements.
You can expect to receive an email from your Department by July with the latest timetable and instructions on how to register for your courses online. When online course registration opens, please log in to MyEduRec using your NUSNET ID and password.
In the meantime, do refer to CourseReg@EduRec website for the step-by-step guide. You may also refer to your respective departments’ website for updated information in July.
For students who wish to apply for credit transfer of courses from their previous study / pre-taken / double-counted courses to their new Master’s candidature, please submit the application in the first semester of study, before the end of Instructional Week 2. Late applications will not be considered. For details, please refer to the Credit Transfer/exemption policy for coursework programmes in CDE.
For graduate research students to be considered for credit transfer (with or without grades), they must first be matriculated (i.e., registered) in their research degree programme. They may then apply for credit transfer by submitting the Application Form for Transfer of Credits to EngD/MEng/PhD/Master's by Research Programme via their Thesis Advisor(s) and Department to the Office of Graduate Programmes, within the first two instructional weeks of their candidature. The form must be submitted together with a copy of their academic transcript indicating the courses for which they wish to apply for credit transfer. Please note that all requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and some Departments may impose minimum grade requirements for transfers of courses.
Students are expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to the academic and administrative policies and procedures established by the Senate and the University administration at all times.
CDE graduate students are also to refer to their student handbook uploaded in My student portal for administrative matters relating to their candidature.
Upon completion of onboarding, students will be issued an official NUS email address, which will be used for official communication, as well as an NUSNET ID for logging in to myEduRec. Students are advised to update their contact numbers and addresses in myEduRec and to check their official NUS email regularly to avoid missing important updates.
Note:
- International candidates who are not long-term residents of Singapore at the time of application may apply only to full-time Master’s programmes and, if offered admission, must be registered as full-time students.
- Registered full-time students are not allowed to take up employment without the University’s permission. Students found working without approval may have their candidature terminated immediately. Student pass holders who intend to take up employment should refer to the ICA website for the relevant requirements.
- Students are not permitted to pursue more than one degree simultaneously, or to be concurrently enrolled as a candidate of this University and another university or institution.
For self-funded programmes, please refer to the relevant Department website for full tuition/programme fees and any applicable fee rebates.
For MOE-subsidised programmes, please refer to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) website for fee information.
All students, whether registered on a full-time or part-time basis, are charged miscellaneous student fees regardless of attendance. These fees are due at the same time as tuition fees and are non-refundable. The miscellaneous student fees payable is set out here.
You will be able to view and print your student bill via the Education Records System (myEduRec) by the first week of the semester, after you have completed Registration. No hard-copy bill will be provided.
For more information on due dates, payment modes, and sponsorship payments, please refer to Student Finance Matters.
The following changes will affect your tuition fees if not submitted before the end of Instructional Week 2 of the semester:
- Application for semester Leave of Absence (LOA) if you do not plan to read any courses this semester, via myEduRec (Academic > Academic Records > Apply for Leave of Absence); or
- Request for withdrawal if you do not intend to continue your Master of Science programme of study, via myEduRec (Home > Academics > Student Requests); or
- Change of residency via myEduRec (Personal Info > Myinfo Demographic Information). Please attach your Certificate of Citizenship/Singapore NRIC/Collection Slip; or
- Change of academic load (full-time to part-time or vice versa) via Mystudent portal. Part-time fees will apply if you convert from full-time to part-time within Instructional Week 2 of the semester. Full-time fees will be charged for conversions thereafter.
Students who completed registration (regardless of attendance) and subsequently apply for Leave of Absence, or leave the University, either through withdrawal of their own accord or termination of candidature by the University, after Instructional Week 2 of the semester, will be liable for the full semester’s fees. Refund requests (including the acceptance fee) will generally not be considered. In addition, students enrolled in MOE-subsidised programmes will also have their MOE subsidy duration deducted.
For more information on the cost of living in Singapore, please refer here.
For accommodation and housing related information, please refer to the Office of Student Affairs website.
Coursework graduate students are advised to budget and source for off-campus accommodation as priority will be accorded to full-time research students, and the demand for on campus housing generally exceeds supply. Please refer to the eligibility conditions here.
Calling all new graduate students in the August 2026 intake! We warmly invite you to the College of Design and Engineering’s Graduate Programme Welcome Talk. Come meet the CDE community and kick off this exciting new chapter with us!
Date: 6 August 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 10am
Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students who are unable to attend the session in person may watch the livestream or view the recording (viewers will be prompted to log in to NUS MediaWeb using their student account to access the livestream).
For the best viewing experience of the speakers and slides, please log in on a laptop or desktop computer.