Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme at the Asian School of the Environment (ASE) offers a rigorous and interdisciplinary training experience that integrates multiple disciplines such as environmental science, ecology, technology, human-environment interactions, and social sciences. The programme combines graduate coursework and a doctoral thesis, all under close faculty mentorship. Students develop advanced research skills through hands-on investigation and interdisciplinary collaboration, building a deep understanding of complex environmental systems. Graduate coursework enhances analytical, technical, and communication abilities, while a focus on leadership and innovative problem-solving prepares graduates to become leaders in academia, research, policy, and industries worldwide.

Should you have any programme enquiries, please feel free to contact ASE's Academic Admin Team at [email protected].

The following are minimum admission requirements. Meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission, as selection is competitive.

The minimum requirement for admission is a bachelor’s degree with minimum Honours (Distinction) or Second Class (Upper) Honours in a related science, engineering, or social science programme.
A TOEFL (internet-based) score of 5.0 or more, or IELTS score of 6.5 or more, is required for international applicants for whom English is not their first language and/or graduates of universities in which English is not the medium of instruction. Test dates must be within 2 years or less from the date of your application. Special arrangements can be made for selected applicants to sit for NTU’s English Proficiency Test (EPT) in place of TOEFL/IELTS.
Both full-time and part-time candidatures are available. Students are expected to complete the programme within a maximum candidature period of 5 years.

Before applying, please contact individual ASE faculty members to discuss potential PhD opportunities and identify a suitable faculty supervisor. You may explore our research areas and learn more about our faculty members through the ASE website. Once you have identified a potential faculty supervisor and obtained their support, please work with both the faculty member and the ASE Academic Admin Team to submit your application.

There are two PhD admission intakes each year, in August and January, with application deadlines on 31 January and 31 July respectively. To apply, please visit NTU's Research Programmes Admission Guide for more information.

When completing your application, please ensure that you select the correct programme:

ASE PhD Programme: Under Programme Applied For > Programme Applied, choose "Asian School of the Environment: Programme Code [221] Doctor of Philosophy (ASoE)".
iGP-EoS PhD Programme: Under Programme Applied For, choose "Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme (IGP): IGPA".

The PhD is designed to be completed with four years of study. During the first two years, students take courses and complete one exploratory research projects in consultation with faculty advisor. They also generate a proposal for their PhD research. After completing a qualifying examination their second year, they focus on completing their doctoral project, working closely with a primary faculty advisor. Students from AY2020 Sem 1 intake onwards are required to complete 18 Academic Units of classes during their PhD, which roughly translates around six courses. Students with a Master’s degree in related fields may request for course exemption up to 1 course (3AUs) for similar courses that he/she has taken during MSc in their respective universities.

PhD Timeline

By the end of the first academic year (second semester): the student submits: (1) tentative titles of research proposals for review by the oral examination committee and (2), a list of courses planned to satisfy the PhD requirement, for review by the academic advisory committee.
By the end of the second academic year: (1) passage of oral exam; (2) satisfactory completion of course requirements; (3) submission of a tentative thesis topic and adviser, and thesis advisory committee; (4) admission to candidacy.
End of the subsequent academic years: satisfactory progress toward completion of thesis.
Completion of PhD thesis by the end of fourth year. If warranted, the student may request an extension of up to one year from the academic advisory committee.

Advising and Thesis Supervision

A supervisor will be assigned for each incoming student. This supervisor serves as a mentor with broad responsibility for a student's academic welfare throughout the graduate program. The supervisor is responsible for guiding students through the academic program, including course work, identifying thesis advisory committee, and completing ASE requirements and prerequisites. Supervisors are chosen from the student’s area of interest.

Coursework Requirements

During the first year, every graduate student will take ES 7002 and ES 7003. These courses should be completed during the first year. Throughout their graduate careers, students are expected to attend departmental seminars and seminar courses led by visiting scientists.

Exploratory Research Projects

Graduate student exploratory research projects are carried out during the first year of residence. The purpose of the research project is for the student to demonstrate the ability to carry out scientific research on their chosen topics, to place it in the context of previous knowledge, and to recognize its implications. Each research project should be a careful written and oral statement of what has been learned up to the time of the examination, together with a discussion of the implications of the research. The research projects should be supported by evidence that may include maps, graphs, photographs, samples, etc. These materials need not be in final form or represent the last word on the subject.

The student should demonstrate breadth in the selection of research project topic. The name of the faculty member most closely involved should appear on the written abstract of research project.

Project supervisor may read each abstract once and provide general comments. Preparation for the oral exam should be independent from supervisors, faculty/lecturer and post docs (i.e. talk rehearsals). However, students are encouraged to seek input from fellow students and research associates.

Qualifying Oral Examinations

The qualifying exam consists of the following items:

a) One project described in a 5-page (including figures and references) report..

b) A 15 minute talk presented to the QE committee.

Two weeks prior to the student's PhD QE’s date, the student will submit his/her abstract, one project described in a long (5-page including figures and references) report), iThenticate Report (not exceeding 10%), a summary of course work already completed, and a short CV (1-page) demonstrating experience prior to entering the PhD.

During the examination, the student will present a 15-minute summary describing objectives, results, conclusions and implications that follow from the research project. The presentation of research project summary will be followed by detailed and general questioning concerning the research project itself and the fundamental science underlying the research project and/or the student’s academic specialty. The chair of the PhD Qualifying Examination Committee will direct the discussion to ensure that all major aspects of each research topic and of the student’s major interests are aired.

Immediately after the examination, the committee chair will inform the student of the exam result. Should the student fail the qualifying exam, he/she may, subject to approval of the PhD Qualifying Examination Committee, be allowed to make a second attempt within three months.

In all cases, the examining committee will prepare a written memo to the student and his or her adviser, which states the result of the exam and makes recommendations regarding the student's further preparation. The supervisor will review the response to recommendations when the student applies for admission to candidacy (see Section 4.5).

Students are not allowed to have any backup / extra slides for their QE talk (beyond the slides they will actually present). In addition, the advisor should only provide minimal inputs to the report and presentation. If the research is to be written up for publication prior to the QE, it is the student’s responsibility to save a version of the report for QE submission prior to getting detailed comments from the advisor and other collaborators.

Thesis Advisory Committee

The Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) must be declared by the end of the 1st year.
The TAC will comprise 3 or 4 members as follows:

3 members consisting of the main supervisor (as coordinator of the TAC) and 2 committee members (for student who does not have a co-supervisor); or

4 members consisting of the main supervisor (as coordinator of the TAC); the co-supervisor (for IGPA students this person must be from a different School within NTU) and 2 committee members.

The TAC will consist of a minimum 2 internal faculty from the School and at least 1 external member. The supervisor is responsible for assisting students to identify their research and training needs, plan their time and design the framework under which their research will progress. Committee members serve as mentors, providing academic and personal support to the PhD candidate and should be diverse enough to support all the research directions of the thesis. Staff from industry and research institutes who have suitable academic qualifications can be invited to be in the TAC. The TAC is also responsible for monitoring the student’s progress and completing the annual research progress report.

The Committee is approved by the Associate Chair (Research) in consultation with the candidate’s supervisors, and approved by the Chair, ASE.

Thesis Defense

The student must submit their thesis to the thesis committee at least one month in advance of the thesis defense. The thesis defense consists of a public presentation (45-50 minutes), with questions from the audience. Following the public presentation, the student will meet for private discussion with the thesis committee. In exceptional circumstances, an external committee chair may be appointed by the Assocciate Chair.

Revisions requested by the committee must be completed and submitted to the committee chair for final approval. If the student fails the thesis examination, subject to the recommendation of the thesis committee and the Academic Committee and the approval of the Associate Chair, the student may undergo another examination within six months.

What are the deadlines for admissions?

There are 2 intakes per year (August and January). For August and January admissions, the deadlines for applications are 31st January and 31st July, respectively.

What entry requirements to I have to meet for admission?

The minimum requirement for admission is a Bachelor’s degree with 2nd Class Honors Upper (or equivalent eg CGPA >3.2).

For applicants whose native language is not English, a good TOEFL score is required. Test dates must be within 2 years or less from the date of your ation. IELTS may be submitted in place of TOEFL. In some circumstances, special arrangement can be made for selected good applicants to sit for NTU’s English Proficiency Test (EPT) in place of TOEFL/IELTS.

How do I apply to the programme?

Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the projects site of the ASE and contact faculty to discuss possible PhD topics. Applicants who do not contact faculty before applying are unlikely to be admitted to the program.

You may apply for both Asian School of the Environment and Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, as EOS have collaboration with both schools and the scholarship offered by both schools will be same To apply on-line for graduate programs by research.

For PhD program under Asian School of the Environment:

Navigate to the Graduate Research Admission System

Under Program Applied For > Program Applied – Select “[221] Doctor of Philosophy (ASoE)”

Under 'proposed supervisor’ you can indicate the name of the Professor whom you are interested to join his/her research group, so that your application materials could be directed to his/her attention but this is subjected to the Selection Committee's discretion.

For PhD program under Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS):

All IGS students are required to have their main and co- supervisors from different Schools.

Navigate to the Graduate Research Admission System

Under Program Applied For > Program Applied – Select
"[IGPA] Doctor of Philosophy IGPA - Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS)"

Under 'proposed supervisor’ you can indicate the name of the Professor whom you are interested to join his/her research group, so that your application materials could be directed to his/her attention but this is subjected to the Selection Committee's discretion. Please indicate on the online application form, under 'proposed field of research' the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS).

How will I know what the status of my application is?

Generally, the application process may take up to 4 months or more, depending on the completeness of the application, consideration, evaluation and approval by the respective Schools/Board of Graduate Studies.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome as follows:

August intake - notification by May/June or earlier

January intake - notification by November/December or earlier

What scholarships are available to me?

Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents

International Applicants

What are the tuition fees ?

Tuition fees will be in accordance with the fees set by the Ministry of Education and are subject to change. But, tuition fees should be covered under the scholarship schemes.

What are the conditions of the offer of admission?

Medical examination

The offer of admission is made to you subject to the condition that the University is satisfied that your health is good and that you are free from diseases. As such all full-time international students and all students awarded Research Scholarships must undergo and pass a medical examination prior to admission to the University. This is to determine their medical fitness to pursue their program of study in the University.

In addition, the issuance of Student's Pass to international students by the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is also subject to medical clearance. International students must pass the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis (TB) medical tests before they can be issued with their Student's Pass.

The above medical examination must be done at the Medical Centre in Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Please allow 7 working days before matriculation for your medical examination to be processed. Please click here for further information.

Students who fail the above medical examination cannot be admitted to the University. Those who fail the above medical examination will be repatriated to their home country at their own cost.

Current PhD Project at ASE

Here is the list of projects currently available. Please email the faculty if you are keen in devising a project of your own or simply to discuss about PhD opportunities at ASE.

^{Project Title}	^Supervisor	^{Start Date}	^{Application Deadline}	^Duration	^Remarks
^{Constraining the thermal and temporal evolution of basaltic magmatic systems}	^{Asst Prof. Euan Mutch}		^{31st Jan 26}	^{4 years}
^{AI-Enhanced Physics-Based Simulations for Earthquake Modelling}	^{Asst Prof. Luca Dal Zilio}		^{31st Jan 26}	^{4 years}
^{AI-Enhanced Earth System Modeling for Nature-Based Climate Solutions}	^{Asst Prof. Cheng Yanyan}		^{31st Jan 26}	^{4 years}
^{Carbon dynamics of peatlands / Fire hazard forecasting in peatlands}	^{Asst Prof. Alexander Ruggles Cobb}		^{31st Jan 26}	^{4 years}
^{Interdisciplinary research on carbon biogeochemistry}	^{Asst Prof. Thomas Michael Blattmann}		^{31st Jan 26}	^{4 years}
^{Environmental and Geohazard Monitoring using Fibre-optic sensing}	^{Asst Prof. Lai Voon Hui}		^{31st July 26}	^{4 years}