For International Students
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.
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
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.
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!
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.
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
All students are required to undergo a compulsory medical examination with The Clinic Group (TCG) in Singapore prior to starting their studies at SMU. Please visit the matriculation website for more details.