Students are required to pursue independent but supervised research on an approved topic based on which a thesis must be submitted for examination. Students are also required to attend classes and pass the examinations.

#1 in Asia and #4 in the world for Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing, according to the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

• Mechanical Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering

¹TOEFL/IELTS test dates must be within 2 years or less from the date of your application.
²GRE/GMAT test dates must be within 5 years or less from the date of your application.
³Applicants from India may use the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) score of at least 90th percentile in place of GRE. Test date must be within 3 years or less from the date of your application.

Course exemptions are case-by-case basis subjected to review and approval.

Please contact us at: mae.msc@ntu.edu.sg

Documents to prepare:

• A copy of the transcript of course(s) taken before.
• Course syllabus of previous course and current course syllabus to apply exemption for.
• Highlight the similar syllabus/topics that you have taken before
• For exemption of Graduate English: IELTS/TOEFL or MOI
• For exemption of Prescribed Electives: Certification of Dissertation undertaken at Masters level, and Oral Defense (if applicable)

Candidature and Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for the award of a PhD, a student must fulfil the following conditions:

• Obtain the total AU required for the completion of the programme within a period between the minimum and maximum candidature period stipulated for the programme.
• Fulfil the course requirements for the degree programme.
• Fulfil the minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) for graduation.
• Complete thesis examination and oral defence for the PhD programme, and thesis examination for Master’s by Research programme.
• Fulfil 50% of the total AU required with courses from their Academic College (for research programmes except Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme).
• Fulfil the residential requirements (i.e. minimum years of study at NTU) for joint degree programmes.
• Fulfil the minimum AU requirement for letter-graded courses from NTU (for research programmes).
• Satisfy all other requirements prescribed by the programme of study or School.

Curricular and Academic Unit (AU) Requirement

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

To graduate with a PhD, students must complete a total of 20 Academic Units (AUs).

Important Note on Additional AUs: Any AUs taken beyond the required amount should be taken after your Qualifying Examination (QE) so they are graded as Pass/Fail. If taken before the QE, they will be graded and included in your CGPA computation.

PhD Critical Literacy Modules (8 AUs)

These modules are mandatory and graded on a Pass/Fail basis. They will be reflected on your official transcript (e.g., "Seminars 3 AUs Pass").

 *FCRS Components (0.5 AU):

• Part 1: Fostering a Respectful Workplace (Online anti-harassment content).
• Part 2: Fostering a Community of Support through Psychological First Aid (Via the UWO PFA mobile app). Successful completion awards a certificate from the Singapore Red Cross.

Postgraduate Research Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core (PGR ICC) course (GP8001: Artificial Intelligence Literacy)

Course Information 

Artificial Intelligence Literacy is a 9-contact hour course consisting of: 

• 5 Lectures comprising 4 Modules (hybrid mode, flipped classroom). Each module consists of recorded lecture(s) with individual assessment (MCQs)
• Independent group project (~5-6 students per project)

Group project presentation and discussion:

• Compulsory : Briefing Session in Week 3: Introduction to the group project outlines and meeting your group members.
• Optional Tutorials in Weeks 6 and 9: Two sessions for groups to collaborate on their projects and consul with tutors.
• Compulsory : Tutorials in Weeks 12 and 13 (2 x 2 hours) : Group project presentations, facilitated discussions, and peer evaluations, including assessments of individual contributions to the group work and presentation.

Epigeum Research Integrity (GP8003) formerly ERWA01 Course [PhD and Masters (Research) students]

All research students are required to complete the Epigeum Research Integrity Course, ERWA01, in their year 1 (Refresh at end of Year 3). ERWA01 is a research integrity course with 1.5 AUs that is applicable to ALL NEW PhD and Masters (Research) students who join NTU. The ERWA01 course site will be available on NTULearn on the first day of the semester starts. 

The GP8003 (formerly ERWA01) exam will be administered by RIEO for all newly registered Postgraduate by Research students.

The exam details are as follows:  

Communications / Writing Training for PhD students

The courses will be Pass/Fail courses. Students can take any one of these courses to fulfil this requirement: Communications / Writing Training Programme | Graduate College | NTU Singapore. Students are encouraged to register for the Communication course early to secure a place, as class capacity is very limited.

Optional:  Should students need one-on-one tutoring/mentoring, they can schedule appointments with special tutors at LCC Communications Cube or NIE Grad Centre for individualised feedback on their writing and oral communication skills. 

Graduate English Requirement:
While not required for QE eligibility, Graduate English should be taken in Year 1, Semester 1. Clearing this early ensures you have the proficiency needed to read research literature, communicate effectively with your team, and draft high-quality papers.

HWG703 (Graduate English)

Postgraduate students will be required to take and pass HWG703, unless exempted.

The School will inform new intake students to submit the HWG703 exemption form at the start of the semester.

Students who are not eligible for an exemption are required to register for HWG703 via GSLINK - Graduate Course Registration System during the Registration Period.

PhD Qualifying Examination (QE)

To be eligible for the QE, you must first complete 15 AUs of coursework.

QE Timeline:

• Standard: Between the 12th and 18th month of candidature.
• With Exemptions: Between the 6th and 12th month of candidature. 

Enrichment Opportunities

All Postgraduate Research (PGR) students are encouraged to enroll in optional enrichment modules to build their transferable skills. Not Required for Graduation. Students’ Choices

Popular Options Include:

• Scholarly Communication & Impact (Offered by NTU Library) – Counts as 2 seminars and can be counted in the requisite 40/26 PhD/MbR seminars.
• Transferable Skills Series (TSS) (Offered by Graduate College) – Counts as 1 seminar and can be counted in the requisite 40/26 PhD/MbR seminars.
• University Teaching for Teaching Assistants and other elective modules offered by CTLP.
• Other Communications courses (Offered by LCC or other Schools/Colleges).
• Internship
• 3-Minute Thesis* (Submit entry).

*Note: 3MT remains mandatory for PhD students in COE

Important Notes on Enrichment:

• Enrichment modules are not reflected on the official result transcript, though entities may offer certificates of participation/ completion. They will eventually be recorded in the NTU Achievements & Service Record (ASR) System when the system is ready for PGR.
• If an enrichment module is graded, it must be taken after your QE so it registers as Pass/Fail. If taken before QE, it will affect your CGPA.
• As the mandatory communication course is now 2 AUs, student can always take 3 AUs course to fulfill the 2 AU requirement.