Frequently Asked Questions

Questions Answers
What is the admission cut-off? The current admission cut-off is unknown. However, we can use previous year indicative grade profile as a guide.
What are the admission requirements? Find out here
What is the difference between common admissions and direct admission degree programmes? CDE’s direct admissions degree programmes are Architecture, Computer Engineering, Industrial Design, and Landscape Architecture. Each of these has its own admissions requirements and admission standards. The common admissions “Engineering” programme, as the name suggests, has a common set of entry requirements and a single admissions standard. If you are admitted to Engineering you have access to any one of the 10 Majors (degrees) in the common admissions pool; which one you choose is up to you.
Do I need to have a background in Physics to apply for an Engineering common admission degree? No. The only pre-requisite for the Engineering programme is mathematics. For Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘A’ level applicants we require H2 Mathematics and we have equivalent requirements for those with other qualifications. Although physics is not an admission requirement, those without H2 Physics (or equivalent) will take a bridging course to prepare for higher-level courses that require this knowledge.
What is Area of Specialisation (AOS)? AOS allows students to delve deeper into a topic of their Major while 2nd Major/Minor allows them to explore another area to broaden their knowledge.

Course requirements for 2nd Major is greater; hence a student can only expect to do one 2nd Major.

However, it is possible to do two Minor/AOS. See here for example.
Do I have to declare a Major at the point of application, or can I decide later? If you choose one of CDE's direct admissions Major that choice is made when you submit your application. If you choose the common admissions “Engineering”, you will have the opportunity to choose your Major at the point of application (called “preferred Major” in the admissions portal). If you have yet to decide which Engineering Major is for you, you can select “Major to be Decided” at the point of application.
If I select Engineering common admissions, will my preferred Major be secured? Yes. If you are admitted to the Engineering common admissions programme you can choose any one of those 10 Majors. CDE will give you a place in your choice of major. There are no internal quotas; you will be placed where you want to go.
After I declare my Major, can I still change my mind? For the Engineering common admission courses, you can re-declare your Major up until your fourth semester of study. For the direct admission courses, you can apply for a transfer in February and October each year.
What is the difference between Major, Minor and AOS? For Major, students are allowed to use up to 16 Units to double count toward these programmes. For Minor, students are allowed to use up to 8 Units to double count toward these programs.

The 2nd Major or Minor also allows counting toward the 1st Major's UE requirements so that the students can complete their course of studies within 4 years in NUS.

Likewise, AOS is allowed to have up to 8 Units double count toward the ISE programme e.g. IE3120 to meet both AOS and IE Technical Elective requirements.

The 2nd Major or Minor or AOS will not reflected in the degree scroll and it is only reflected in the transcripts.
What is the difference between doing ISE as a first Major vs a different first Major with systems engineering (SE) as a second Major? In general, a second Major will be less comprehensive as it has lower units requirements than a first Major. Someone who is interested in the full suite of ISE tools should take BEng (ISE). Second Major in SE is suitable for individuals who wish to complement their first Major with systems skills.
Are Industrial & Systems Engineering graduates in demand? Yes. Based on the 2023 Graduate Employment Survey by the Ministry of Education conducted six months after graduates complete their final examinations, 94.6% of our graduates found employment and the reported median salary is $4,600.
Industrial & Systems Engineering teaches us a combination of skills. Does it mean that we are generalists? It will be wrong to say that our graduates are generalists as each of these skill sets are strongly grounded in fundamental principles and rigorously covered in our degree programme. This is necessary as it provides our students with sound technical competency to solve real world problems, across multiple industries.

It will be more accurate to say that our students are flexible and versatile, which are essential in a Covid and a post-Covid world. Our graduates have a useful set of analytical, computing, and managerial skills that can be applied across multiple industries, enhancing their chances for:

HIGH PAY: Seek out the best paying jobs
RESILIENT: Be protected against industry-specific shocks and trends
INTEREST: Find employment in an industry that they are interested in
Can I have a career in computing and AI with a degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering? Definitely. In fact, we observe that our graduates are increasingly finding employment in technology companies due to the growing opportunities there. The ISE BEng programme provides a strong foundation in programming and analytics, which leads to careers in computing and artificial intelligence. Interested students are encouraged to take additional courses in this area through their unrestrictive electives.
How is student life like for Industrial & Systems Engineering students? We are closely-knit, and there are exciting student life events that cater to all students throughout the academic year. Check out ISE club’s Instagram to find out more.
What tuition fee will a National Serviceman pay? National Servicemen who had accepted admission to NUS earlier but plan to register and enrol as a student with the current cohort and beyond will be charged the tuition fees prevailing at the time they accepted their offer of admission.

If the National Serviceman does not accept the place first offered and accepts offers to NUS in the subsequent years, he will not be able to enjoy the tuition fee effective in the year of his first offer but will have to pay the tuition fee effective in the latest year of offer which he has accepted.

If the National Serviceman accepts the place first offered and successfully changes his course of study in a subsequent year, prior to his enrolment to the University, he will pay the tuition fee of the new course at the rate applicable to the year of the first offer accepted.