For Incoming International Students

There are several campus housing options you can consider, including SMU’s Prinsep Street Residences (PSR). The application portal is now open for campus housing. You are encouraged to apply as soon as you can.

Singapore has one of the highest living standards in the South East Asia.

An international student in Singapore spends, on average, about S$750 to S$2,000 a month on living expenses. This amount will, of course, vary depending on your lifestyle and course of study.

Click here for information on the estimated living expenses in Singapore.

If you prefer to rent a private apartment, you can engage the services of property agents to help you with such arrangements. Please note that you would need to pay an agent fee if you engage their services. These are some of the things to look out for:

Rent This includes the rental amount of the unit, rental deposit, security deposit, administrative charges, agent fees for service rendered, etc.

Location Check whether the apartment or hostel is conveniently located and if public transport, grocery stores, food outlets or banks are easily accessible.

Period of lease The lease of a unit is normally for a year. Landlords of private apartments usually ask for up to three months' rent as deposit. However, short term lease is available but usually at a higher rental.

Others The cost of accommodation depends on several factors such as the locality, type of premises, size, furnishings provided, recreational facilities available, period of lease. Housing in Singapore is generally expensive, especially within the city.

Please note that the contract or tenancy agreement is solely between the student and hostel management or owner. Beware of scams:

• Make sure you visit the room or apartment for rent, and ensure that you thoroughly understand the contract or tenancy agreement before you make any commitments
• Never make any payment before that
• If in doubt, consult your peers, senior students and friends

Students may apply to stay at SMU’s Prinsep Street Residences (PSR), which is sought out for its diverse social, cultural, and academic programming, and its location at the heart of Singapore!

PSR can accommodate up to 255 students in a typical year. If you apply to PSR but are not able to secure a space, we will try our best to let you know as soon as possible so that you have sufficient time to explore other suitable accommodation options. 

Hostel fees will be charged for the duration that the students had committed for their stay, which may be by semester or for the whole academic year.

The SMU student insurance plans are in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students. 

SMU provides basic medical insurance for matriculated undergraduates, postgraduates and non-graduating students. To learn more about the SMU student medical insurance, please click here. 

Specialist consultation, hospitalisation or surgery can be a financial burden for students. All SMU Undergraduates are covered under a Group Personal Accident Policy, and a Medical and Group Hospitalisation & Surgical Policy. Insurance premiums are payable annually. It is mandatory for all International Exchange Students to participate in this insurance scheme. The insurance fee is inclusive of other miscellaneous fees. Students will be instructed on the payment arrangements they are formally accepted to study at SMU.

Medical facilities in Singapore are of a high standard and are readily available. A visit to a General Practitioner (GP) usually costs around S$30. However, SMU students will only need to pay S$5 for each doctor’s visit at The Clinic @ Campus located at Basement 1 of SMU. 

Singapore's public hospitals accept patients without a doctor or specialist's referral. Vaccinations are required only if you come from a yellow-fever area. You do not need to worry about malaria here as Singapore is not within the malaria zone

Yes, all SMU students are required to undergo a compulsory medical examination with The Clinic Group (TCG) in Singapore prior to commencing studies at SMU. You can check the matriculation website for the list of TCG clinics. It is strongly advised to check with the clinic beforehand as certain clinics with high crowd volume may take a few days to process the medical report.

Please refer to Travelling to Singapore - Overview (ica.gov.sg) for more information on travelling to Singapore.

In accordance with the Immigration Act, any foreigner who is not a Singapore Permanent Resident and wishes to study at SMU is required to apply for a student's pass.

SMU will advise you by email on the student's pass application procedures. After receiving the email, please log on to the SOLAR system on the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website, with your assigned SOLAR application number and your personal particulars. Once you have logged on to the system, you may proceed to complete the student's pass application form (Form 16) and submit the application online to ICA for processing.

Please ensure that you read through the FAQs before you proceed to apply online. The FAQs are available at the ICA website.

We will keep in touch with you via email throughout the student's pass application process until you arrive safely in Singapore. Hence, please ensure that you check and clear your mailbox regularly.

Completion of Formality (COF)

All international students are also required to make an e-appointment with ICA for the Completion of Formality (COF). Once you have confirmed your travel dates, please log on to SOLAR or the ICA website to arrange an e-appointment date as there are limited slots. Please note that:

All students who received their student pass in-principle approval (IPA) after 31 May 2024 are required to attend the Offsite Enrolment (OSE) in-person at SMU in August to complete the student pass formalities

ICA is the sole authority for processing and approval of student pass applications. SMU will monitor your application and will notify you once the In-principle approval (IPA) is issued for your application. As ICA will require longer period of time to process applications during this peak season, you must submit your student pass application as soon as you receive the application instructions from us.

SMU is located at the heart of the Central Business District and is very accessible via public transportation.

Address:

Singapore Management University

Administration Building,

81 Victoria Street,

Singapore 188065

By MRT – alight at Bras Basah Station (Circle Line)

By Bus – 7, 14, 16, 36, 111, 131, 162, 167, 171, 502, 518, 700, 700A

By Taxi - Taxi service in Singapore is easily available, convenient, and reasonably priced. If this is your first time in Singapore, you are strongly advised to take a taxi to your hostel from Changi Airport. Taxi bays are available at the Changi Airport arrival halls. Taxis are metered and fares start from S$3.20. A list of possible additional surcharges can be found posted in the taxis. For trips originating from the airport, there is a surcharge of between S$3 to S$5. Between midnight and 6 a.m., there is an additional surcharge of 50% of the fare shown on the meter. Tipping is not expected. Most taxi drivers are conversant in both English and Mandarin. If you are dissatisfied with the taxi service for whatever reasons, please note down the taxi number and time of boarding so that you can provide feedback to the respective Taxi Companies. 

• Complete the Disembarkation/ Embarkation card, which you will receive while on the plane. Copies are also available at the Immigration Checkpoint at the Singapore Changi Airport. You must present this with your passport and the original copy of your Student's Pass approval letter (application for those who require a visa to enter Singapore) to the Duty Officer at the Immigration Checkpoint upon your arrival in Singapore. Please retain the portion of the Disembarkation/ Embarkation card and your Student's Pass approval letter which will be returned to you, as these are required for the completion of your Student's Pass formalities at the Immigration Checkpoints Authority.
• Complete your medical examination. Remember to make a photocopy of your medical examination report for the ID verification exercise at SMU.
• Complete your Student's Pass formalities at the Immigration Checkpoints Authority (ICA) – please see Question on “How do I go about applying for my Student Pass?”

Required documents:

- IPA Letter

- Passport

- Disembarkation/ Embarkation card

- Form 16

- Medical report from approved hospitals/clinics in Singapore

• Open a bank account.
• Finalise your Tuition Fee Loan application (if pending).
• Attend SMU Matriculation.
• Verify your original academic documents at:

Office of Undergraduates Admissions

SMU Administration Building, Level 3

For enquiries, you may contact us at:

Tel: (65) 6828 0980

Email: admissions@smu.edu.sg

SMU will arrange for a visa to be issued should you require one to enter Singapore. The student's pass in-principal approval (IPA) letter that you will receive will include a single-entry visa. Please ensure that you have received the IPA letter before you leave for Singapore. 

To facilitate a smooth administrative process in Singapore, please ensure that you have these items ready prior to your departure for Singapore:

• A valid passport for international travel with a validity of at least six months.
• A photocopy of the bio-data page of the passport
• Student pass In-Principal-Approval (IPA) Letter
• Form 16 – to be presented when collecting your student pass from ICA.
• Pre-enrolment medical report.
• SMU's Letter of Offer (printed copies from email are also acceptable)
• All original academic transcripts and educational documents. International full-time undergraduates must bring along their original high school results and/or transcripts, SAT I report etc. for verification at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at SMU upon arrival into Singapore. Official translations of documents are required if they are not in English.                                                          
• Other forms of personal identification, such as an identity card and birth certificate
• Six passport-sized photographs done in your home country (size: 35mm x 43mm)
• Letter or email confirming your accommodation plans in Singapore.

There is a comprehensive list of contact emails on the matriculation website https://matriculation.smu.edu.sg/contact.

Please feel free to contact any of our SMU colleagues from the list.

The one-time confirmation fees are for pre-course activities and the actual matriculation process. For the matriculation process, the costs are allocated for registration, information technology services, library services, sports-related activities, student activities, insurance, as well as academic-related services.

SMU students are covered under a medical insurance scheme. When you collect your SMU student card, you will also be issued a medical e-card which you can use to visit a doctor. If you are unwell, you can visit the doctors on SMU’s Panel Clinic list (https://www.mycg.com.sg/smu#smu-e-card-panel). 

If you have concerns about your arrival at the airport, please email our staff from the Diversity, Inclusion and Integration (DII) team at dii@smu.edu.sg.

Examinations will be conducted in-person, on campus.

Classes will be taught in-person, on campus.

SMU Numbers

IT Helpdesk

6828 0123

Dato' Kho Hui Meng Career Centre

Email: placement@smu.edu.sg

Office of Dean of Students

Email: deanofstudents@smu.edu.sg

Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre

6828 0786 

Email: counselling@smu.edu.sg                                                                                                                                                                          

Centre for Student Financial Assistance

Email: finasst@smu.edu.sg

Centre for Social Responsibility

6828 0676

Office of Campus Infrastructure and Services

6828 0343

Office of Finance

Email: studentloans@smu.edu.sg (Student Loans)

Office of Registrar

6828 0100

Office of Student Life

Email: studentlife@smu.edu.sg

Office of Admissions and Financial Assistance

6828 0980

Li Ka Shing Library

6828 0355

Kwa Geok Choo Law Library

6828 0635

Emergency Numbers

Ambulance and Fire Brigade

995

Non-Emergency Ambulance

1777

Police

999

Police Hotline

1800 255 0000

General Numbers

Local Directory Assistance

100

Immigration Enquiry Service

6391 6100

Flight Information

1800 542 4422

Taxi Booking Numbers

CityCab

6552 1111

Comfort Taxis

6552 1111

SMRT Taxis

6555 8888

TransCab

6555 3333

Premier Taxis

6363 6888

Prime Taxis

6778 0808

Yellow-Top Taxis

6293 5545