Timeline

For July Intake

For January Intake

1. Who is eligible to apply to the PGDE programme under the Independent Schools/Specialised Independent Schools/Specialised Schools (IS/SIS/SS) scheme?

Applicants nominated by participating IS/SIS/SS schools.

2. What is the difference between an MOE-sponsored student and an IS/SIS/SS student?

MOE-sponsored students are required to serve a teaching bond with MOE upon graduation. They will be posted by MOE to a mainstream school. IS/SIS/SS students are employed directly by their respective schools and will return to those schools upon graduation.

3. How to apply as an IS/SIS/SS student?

You should consult your school to learn more about the scheme. The schools submit applications directly to NIE, and the students receive MOE sponsorship with subsidised fees.

Applications for the July 2027 intake are now open. Please find the application form here for your download: 

PGDE_Application Form for IS_SIS_SS

4. What are the course fees like for IS/SIS/SS students?

Please refer to the latest General Information Handbook listed on the Programme Handbooks page for the latest course fees.

5. When are the fees payable?

Fees are payable in 2 instalments a year, at the beginning of Semesters I and II. You will be advised on payment matters upon acceptance into NIE.

6. What is the duration of the programme?

The PGDE (non-PE) is a 12-month programme, with lessons commencing in August, while the PGDE (PE) is a 2-year programme. Orientation is held in July. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for more details.

7. What qualifications do I need to enrol into the PGDE programme?

You will need a degree to be eligible for the PGDE programme. Applications are assessed holistically, taking into account academic qualifications, content knowledge, personal qualities, dispositional suitability, relevant experience and other relevant considerations. Admission is based on merit, and meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee a place in the programme.

Please note that for PGDE programme, sufficient relevant classroom teaching experiences will be required for admission, given that most, if not all, MOE-sponsored PGDE student teachers would have completed some form of contract teaching before starting the programme.

8. What sort of certification would I receive upon successful graduation?

The certification would be dependent on the programme that the candidate is enrolled in.

• Postgraduate Diploma in Education
• Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Physical Education)

9. Would the certificate be different from MOE-sponsored students?

Graduates receive the same certification.

10. What is the medium/language of instruction?

Classes will be conducted in English, with the exception of Mother Tongue courses.

11. English Language Proficiency

Applicants who have obtained a General Paper grade below E (for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level Examination sat in 2007 onwards), below C6 (for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level Examination sat in 2006 or earlier), or below grade B4 for English Language (taken in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level Examination) are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English by submitting one of the following English language test results:

• Evidence of having English Language or English Literature as the major subject for degree holders
• International Baccalaureate: a minimum of grade 4 for Literature and Performance (in English) (at Standard Level), or a minimum of grade 4 for English A: Language and Literature, or English A: Literature (at Standard Level or Higher Level), or a minimum of grade 4 for English B at Higher Level, or a minimum of grade 6 for English B at Standard Level, or English A1 or English A2 (at Standard Level or Higher Level)
• NUS High School: an overall CAP of 2.5 in English Language
• Pass in the English Language Entrance Proficiency Test (EL EPT) administered by MOE; or
• IELTS: a minimum of 6 for the Writing sub-test; or
• TOEFL: a minimum of 570 and above (PBT) or 90 and above (IBT); or
• Other EL qualifications deemed suitable by NIE in-lieu of the above.

At NIE's discretion, candidates may need to enroll into NIE's English Content Upgrading Courses.

12. Student Pass Requirement

International students are required to apply for a study visa (student pass) before they can study in Singapore.

For more information on how to apply for a student pass, please refer to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website: https://www.ica.gov.sg/reside/STP/apply.

13. List of subjects offered*

January intake

July intake

*Accurate as of  August 2026