Frequently Asked Questions
Thinking of applying? Browse our FAQ to have all your questions answered in one place!
| Q: | Where can I find a list of graduate programmes offered by NIE? | ||||||||||
| A: | The list of graduate programmes offered by NIE can be found here. | ||||||||||
| Q: | When can I apply for the graduate programme? | ||||||||||
| A: | We have two intakes a year—in January and August. You are advised to visit the NIE Website and look out for announcements in April and October to confirm if the programme will be open for application at any particular intake. For more details on the application exercise e.g. application periods and list of programmes offered, please click here. | ||||||||||
| Q: | How can I apply for admission? | ||||||||||
| A: | All applications are to be made online Click here to sign up for an ISAAC (Integrated Student and Academic Administration System) account to apply with us. For those with an existing account, login to apply. For technical assistance, please contact Service Desk at 6790 3033 (office hours only) or email to [email protected]. | ||||||||||
| Q: | How many graduate programmes can I apply for? | ||||||||||
| A: | You can submit only ONE application form for either the Masters by Coursework programmes or the Doctor in Education programme. When applying for the Masters by Coursework programmes, you can indicate up to a maximum of two programme preferences, with your first choice being your most preferred option. For the Doctor in Education programme application, only one programme preference can be indicated. Similarly, you can submit only ONE application form for Research programmes (i.e. Doctor of Philosophy or Master of Arts by research or Master of Science by research). Only one programme preference can be indicated. It is important to note that the Doctor in Education is a Coursework with Dissertation programme and is different from the Doctor of Philosophy programme which is a Research programme. Applications for the Doctor in Education must be submitted under the 'Coursework' category, while applications for the Doctor of Philosophy must be submitted under the 'Research' category. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Is there an application fee? | ||||||||||
| A: | The application fee (non-refundable) for graduate programmes will be as follows:
MOE subsidised programme and one self-financing programme, the higher of the two application fees will apply. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Is it possible to request a waiver of the application fee? | ||||||||||
| A: | An application fee is payable for each application to NIE graduate programmes. We are unable to grant any application fee waivers. | ||||||||||
| Q: | What are the modes of payment for the application fee? | ||||||||||
| A: | There are 2 payment modes – Credit Card and NETS. NETS is applicable to applicants with a Singapore bank account and ONLY for in-person payments at the NIE Student Services Centre. International applicants who are not residing in Singapore should select credit card payment instead. | ||||||||||
| Q | What are the documents I need to submit with my online application? | ||||||||||
| A: | For the list of supporting documents required for submission, please click here. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Do I need to submit referee reports? | ||||||||||
| A: | Referee reports are applicable only to the following graduate programmes:
An Academic referee must be a faculty member who has taught you before in an academic capacity and be able to write about your academic capabilities as well as your suitability for higher education. A Professional referee must be someone in your current or former work environment who can provide information about you in terms of your professional work behaviours and capacity. | ||||||||||
| Q: | I graduated from my University several years ago and have lost contact with my professors. What should I do? | ||||||||||
| A: | If you are unable to obtain an academic referee report, you may replace it with a professional referee report. However, please note that professional referee report will not be considered in the capacity of an academic referee. In your online application, please select the option “I am unable to fully meet the referee report requirements” and explain why you were unable to obtain the academic referee report so that our Academic Selection Board can make their fair assessment. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Can I get my reporting supervisors of my organisation or friends to write the academic referee reports? | ||||||||||
| A: | An academic referee must be a faculty member who has taught you before in an academic capacity and be able to write about your academic capabilities as well as your suitability for graduate education. Hence, you cannot get the reporting supervisors of your organisation, colleagues or friends to write the academic referee reports. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Can I nominate my proposed supervisor to be my referee? | ||||||||||
| A: | Due to conflict of interest, your proposed supervisor cannot be your referee. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Can International Student apply to study a part-time graduate programme at NIE? | ||||||||||
| A: | The Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) does not issue Student Pass for part-time programmes. An international student who wishes to pursue the part-time programme must have either a valid Employment Pass or Dependent Pass from ICA to reside in Singapore throughout the course of study. If the validity of the Employment Pass or Dependent Pass expired before the student can complete the part-time programme, NIE will have to withdraw him/her from the programme as he/she does not have a valid pass to stay on in Singapore. For international students who are offered full-time study with the Institute, they will be issued Student Pass by the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in order to remain in Singapore throughout the course of study. The issuance of the Student Pass is subject to the medical clearance of the international students. |
| Q: | What are the entry requirements for the graduate programmes? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | For Doctor in Education (EdD): You must hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree with good grades from an approved university which we judge to be of satisfactory standing, plus at least four years’ relevant experience in education or education-related fields. You will be interviewed by the Academic Department that offers your selected specialisation courses, and may be required to have gained educational and work experience as a prerequisite to these courses. For Masters by Coursework: Please refer to the relevant programme webpages for the specific requirements for individual programmes: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/programmes/graduate-education/graduate-programmes. For Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): A Bachelor’s degree with honours at least at Second Class Upper level, a Master’s degree in the relevant areas and the ability to pursue research in the candidate’s proposed field of advanced study. Shortlisted applicants will undergo an interview session as part of the selection process. For Masters by Research: A Bachelor’s degree with honours at least at Second Class Upper level in the relevant areas and the ability to pursue research in the candidate’s proposed field of advanced study. Shortlisted applicants will undergo an interview session as part of the selection process. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | How do I secure a proposed supervisor? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | You are advised to browse through the following NIE webpages (depending on your research interest) to contact a potential supervisor from NIE before making a formal application. As a guide, you may wish to briefly introduce yourself, explain your research interests and mention the potential supervisor’s research that you find interesting. We strongly suggest you reach out to potential supervisors at least 3 months in advance of application deadline as the process of finding a potential supervisor and preparing your proposal may take longer than you anticipate. Your application may be rejected if no suitable supervisor is identified at the point of application. For EdD programmes: Please refer to the respective academic department webpages for potential supervisors or contact the appropriate research programme leaders listed in this link for advice. For PhD programmes: Please click here for list of potential supervisors. You may also contact the appropriate research programme leaders listed in this link for advice. For Masters by Research programmes: Please click here for list of potential supervisors. You may also contact the appropriate research programme leaders listed in this link for advice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | What are the IELTS / TOEFL requirements for admission? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | Graduates of universities with non-English medium of instruction are required to submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score. These test dates must be no more than two years before the date of application.
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| Q: | I am an international applicant and completed my degree entirely via English as the medium of instruction. Am I still required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | If you have completed your Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree entirely via English as the medium of instruction, you will not be required to submit the TOEFL/IELTS score. Your academic transcript should indicate the medium of instruction as English. Otherwise, please obtain a statement from your University certifying that you have completed your Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree via English as the medium of instruction | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Is Duolingo / PTE score / TOEFL Home Edition accepted? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | No, these tests are not accepted. Currently NIE only accepts the following: *Only accepted for application to Master of Arts (Teaching Chinese as an International Language) programme. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Does NIE accept IELTS One Skill Retake? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | No, it is not accepted. If your IELTS does not meet the minimum score requirement, please retake the entire IELTS exam. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | What is the GRE / GATE requirements for admission into PhD and Masters by Research? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | Except for graduates of the Autonomous Universities in Singapore, applicants pursuing research programmes are required to submit a good Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score, the test taken not more than five years before the date of application. In lieu of GRE, applicants from India may use the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) score of at least 90%, the test taken not more than three years before the date of application. GRE - Minimum score of 319 for both Verbal and Quantitative sections. Minimum score of 3.5 for Analytical Writing section. Autonomous Universities refer to Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Can I submit TOEFL or IELTS in lieu of GRE? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | The TOEFL/IELTS tests assess candidates’ English proficiency, while the GRE test evaluates one’s ability to undertake the rigor of research studies. Since these tests serve different purposes, a TOEFL or IELTS score cannot be used as a substitute for a GRE score. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Does NIE accept GRE Home Edition? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | No, it is not accepted. We only accept GRE General Test taken physically at the test centre. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Is it possible to request a waiver of the GRE score? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | It is compulsory for all applicants of research programmes except for graduates of the Autonomous Universities in Singapore to submit the GRE score for our assessment. If you did not complete your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at Singapore Autonomous Universities, you will need to submit a GRE score that meets NIE’s minimum score requirement at the point of application. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Can I submit my online application for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master's by Research programme first and provide the GRE score later? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | The GRE score needs to be submitted at the point of application. Should you require more time to obtain a GRE score that meets the minimum score requirement, you can apply for the programme during the next available intake after obtaining it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Am I eligible to apply for the graduate programmes? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | Please visit the respective programme webpage(s) for the entry requirements. Applicants must meet all stated requirements to be eligible to apply. We are unable to ascertain your chances of gaining admission to the programme at this time. Please submit an application for the Academic Selection Board’s review. While fulfilling the entry requirements is essential, it is important to note that admission to the NIE graduate programmes is highly competitive, and fulfilment of entry requirements alone will not automatically guarantee an applicant a place in the programme. All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis subject to the applicant’s academic merits, professional qualifications and working experience. As selection into the programme is based on merits and subject to competition, the Academic Selection Board will evaluate each application in the context of the entire pool of applications received for the intake exercise. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | I am currently pursuing the final semester of my degree. Am I eligible to apply for the upcoming intake exercise? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | The deadlines for submitting your degree certificate and official academic transcripts are as follows:
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| Q: | As I am currently pursuing my degree, I do not have formal work experience. Can internship experience be taken into consideration? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | Internships/practicums do not count towards work experience requirement. Only relevant formal full-time work experiences after completion of Bachelor’s degree are considered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | When will I know the results of my application? | ||||||||||||
| A: | Generally, applicants will receive the application outcome via email as follows:
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| Q: | Will interviews or tests be conducted? | ||||||||||||
| A: | Interviews/tests are conducted at the discretion of the Academic Selection Board. If you are selected for an interview or test, you will be notified. | ||||||||||||
| Q: | Are applications assessed on a rolling basis? | ||||||||||||
| A: | Applications are not assessed on a rolling basis. The applications will be reviewed collectively after the application deadline. | ||||||||||||
| Q: | How do I make changes to my submitted application? | ||||||||||||
| A: | As you have submitted your online application, you will not be able to make changes at your end. Please email to [email protected] and provide us with the following details:
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| Q: | Can I change my selected programme after submitting the application? | ||||||||||||
| A: | Changes to programme preference(s) for applications are permitted within the application period. However, we cannot accommodate any changes once the assessment begins. Please email [email protected] with the following details:
You may be required to pay the difference in the application fee, if applicable. Please note that we are unable to accommodate to changes across coursework and research programmes. |
| Q: | How long is the candidature period? | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | Generally, the candidature periods are as follows:
to the relevant programme webpages for details. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Do NIE offer online learning? | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | The default mode of learning is face-to-face classes. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | What does the class schedule look like? | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | Except for students enrolled in the Master of Arts (Applied Psychology) [MAAP] programme, full-time students can typically register for a maximum of 4 courses, while part-time students can register for up to 2 courses. Lessons are usually conducted on NIE campus in the evening from 6pm to 9pm on weekdays (unless otherwise stated). If you register for 4 courses as a full-time student, please be prepared to avail yourself four times a week for lessons. For interested candidates of the MAAP programme, please refer to the study plan here. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | Does NIE accept transfer students from other Universities? | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A: | We are unable to accede to requests to transfer graduate programme across Universities. If you are interested in our graduate programmes, you will need to submit a fresh application for the Academic Selection Board’s review. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Q: | What are the fees payable for the graduate programmes? | ||||||||||
| A: | Fees are reviewed every academic year. More details such as the method of calculation of the tuition fees can be found at: NIE website (www.ntu.edu.sg/nie) > Admissions > Graduate Education Admissions > Tuition Fees Payment of fees can be made via Interbank GIRO / credit card / Flywire. | ||||||||||
| Q: | What are the programmes that have MOE subsidy? What are the eligibility criteria? | ||||||||||
| A: | The list of MOE-subsidised programmes are as follows: · Master of Education (all specialisations) · Master of Teaching · Research programmes (Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science) MOE Subsidy – Eligibility Criteria
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| Q: | Is the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy applicable to the graduate programmes? | ||||||||||
| A: | The SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy is applicable only to the Masters by Coursework (MOE-subsidised) programmes, namely: · Master of Education · Master of Teaching Singaporean students aged 40 years and above will pay fees that are 60% lower than the standard subsidised fees payable by other Singaporean students who are below 40 years old. However, this is not applicable to students paying non-subsidised fees. For more information, please visit www.skillsfuture.gov.sg. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Can SkillsFuture Credit be used for the graduate programmes? | ||||||||||
| A: | SkillsFuture Credit is a grant from the Government to Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above. It is applicable to all graduate programmes offered by NIE. For more information, please visit www.skillsfuture.gov.sg. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Are there any incentives applicable to graduate programmes? | ||||||||||
| A: | Starting from Academic Year 2025, the following incentives are applicable to Self-financing Masters by Coursework programmes: (i) Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents who enrol in self-financing master’s by coursework programmes at NTU/NIE will enjoy a $5,000 subsidy. An additional fee subsidy of up to S$10,000 is available for qualifying Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents in need of financial aid. (ii) NTU/NIE Alumni NTU/NIE alumni will receive 10 per cent tuition fee rebate. | ||||||||||
| Q: | Are there scholarships available? | ||||||||||
| A: | Please refer to the following website for the list of scholarships/grants offered by NIE and external agencies: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/admissions/graduate-education/scholarships-awards. The following is a list of the scholarships administered by the Institute. Please visit the NIE Website for more details:
1 Open to full-time and part-time applicants who are Singaporeans or Singapore Permanent Residents. There is no separate application form. You may apply for the scholarships by indicating in the online application form. 2 Open to full-time and part-time applicants. Applications must be made on the prescribed forms (available in NIE website) and uploaded to the online application system for admission. 3 Open to full-time applicants. There is no separate application form. You may apply for the scholarships by indicating in the online application form. 4 Open to full-time and part-time applicants. The application form is available in the NIE Website. 5 Not open for application. Awarded only via nomination. | ||||||||||
| Q: | I am still waiting for my organisation to provide me with the sponsorship outcome. Should I submit my application first? | ||||||||||
| A: | Applicants who are currently working with sponsors, donors or financial institutions to fund their studies are encouraged to submit their applications early to NIE so as not to miss out on our application period. |
| Q: | Who can I contact if I have enquiries about the graduate programme(s)? |
| A: | For admission and application related enquiries, please write to [email protected]. For administrative matters related to the programme(s) such as time-table, study plans, please write to [email protected]. For academic specific enquiries relating to the programme(s) such as curriculum requirements, you may contact the respective programme leader(s). Please refer to the relevant programme webpage and select ‘Additional Information’ tab for the email address of the respective Programme Leader(s). |
| Q: | Will I be eligible to work as a teacher with the Ministry of Education (MOE) after completing a graduate programme at NIE? |
| A: | NIE graduate programmes are not teacher training programmes. The qualification obtained upon completion of our graduate programme is not a form of teaching qualification that will enable you to teach in MOE schools. |