How To Apply For Singapore Student Visa

If you are a foreign national and want to study at a Singapore university, you will require a Singapore student visa. The student visa in Singapore is known as a Student Pass.

Who needs a Singapore Student Pass?

Almost everyone who wants to study in Singapore full-time for more than 30 days must obtain a Student Pass.

You are exempt from holding a Student Pass if:

• Your course lasts less than 30 days.
• You have an Immigration Exemption Order. Immigration Exemption Orders are issued to diplomats, military personnel, and their family members.
• You are in Singapore with a Dependent’s Pass and you want to study at an institution that is not at university level.

In Singapore, universities are referred to as Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL).

Eligibility criteria for a Singapore Student Pass

If you have been accepted into an accredited Institute of Higher Learning in Singapore, you are eligible for a Singapore Student Pass. The courses you will take must be full time. Classes that are held part-time, in the evening, or on weekends do not qualify. You can apply for a Singapore Student Pass if you’ve been accepted into one of the following institutions:

Singapore Student Pass application process

The application for a Singapore Student Pass is completed online. The Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) will handle your Student Pass application. You must apply through SOLAR (Student’s Pass Online Application & Registration), the online application tool available on ICA’s website.

The application must be filed at least one month before the start of the semester and no earlier than two months. You can apply from your home country because you do not need to be in Singapore while your application for a Student Pass is being processed.

You can only apply once you have been admitted to a Singapore university. You will be unable to continue with the application unless the SOLAR application number appears on your admission letter from the university/polytechnic. If your application is granted, you will receive an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter outlining all of the documentation you will need to bring to the ICA building in Singapore to pick up your Student Pass. You will also have to pay a non-refundable S$30 processing fee.

Singapore Student Pass application processing time

The processing time for a Student Pass application depends on whether you need a Singapore visa or not:

• If you do not need a Singapore visa, the application will be processed within five working days after the date of submission.
• If you need a Singapore Visa, your application will be processed within ten working days after the date of submission. See a list of who needs a Singapore Visa here.
• Your visa will be included in your IPA letter.

Collecting your Student Pass

After you have printed your IPA letter, you can use it to travel to Singapore. Once you arrive at the airport, produce the IPA letter to the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority agents, who will issue you a Visit Pass. After entering Singapore, you must schedule an appointment at the ICA building to complete the processes for acquiring a Student Pass. You can schedule an appointment online at ICA’s website using e-Appointment.

You must visit the ICA building to complete the Student Pass formalities before your Visit Pass expires. You must send all of the documentation requested in your IPA letter, as well as a completed Terms and Conditions of Student Pass (STP) form. The STP paper is available for download on the ICA website. As the name implies, you will require this document to confirm that you agree to the terms and conditions of a Singapore Student Pass. To obtain the Student Pass, you must pay a charge of S$60.

Requirements for Singapore Student Pass application

When you apply for a Singapore Student Pass, you will require numerous supporting documents and information, including:

• A completed Student Pass Application Form (eForm 16), which you can download from ICA’s website. The form can be completed electronically.
• A passport-size picture in line with Singapore photo requirements.
• The Registration Acknowledgement Letter from your school.
• Photocopy of the bio-data page of your passport.
• Documents stating your educational background.
• Your employment history.
• Documents related to any financial support you are receiving.
• The address where you will be living in Singapore and local contact.
• Any documents mentioned on the In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter.

All of the documents you provide must be in English or translated into English by a certified translator. You must include both the original and the translated documents.

Can you work with a Student Pass?

Yes, you can work with a Singapore Student Pass without requiring a Work Permit/Pass. However, you need to meet the following conditions:

• You must be enrolled in an approved learning institution.
• You must be at least 14 years of age.
• During the school term, you cannot work for longer than 16 hours a week.
• You can work full-time during vacations.
• The work you do must contribute to your school requirements. This means you can only work in an industrial attachment program held by your educational institution.

If you intend to complete an internship as part of your university degree, you can see if you qualify for the Training Work Permit.

An exchange student cannot work in Singapore.

Other types of Singapore Student Passes

Aside from students enrolled in a Singaporean university (IHL), foreign nationals may require a Student Pass to enroll in another Singapore educational institution. This includes:

• Approved Private Education Organisations, which must be EduTrust-certified and registered with the Committee for Private Education (CPE).
  You must apply yourself via ICA’s eService 2-3 months before the course begins.
• Foreign System Schools, which must have EduTrust certifications.
  You will not need a Student Pass if you already hold a Dependant’s Pass or Immigration Exemption Order.
  You must apply yourself via ICA’s eService at least four weeks before the course begins.
• Government, Government-Aided, or Independent Schools.
  You will not need a Student Pass if you already hold a Dependant’s Pass or Immigration Exemption Order.
  You must apply yourself via ICA’s eService at least four weeks before the course begins.
• Institutes of Technical Education.
  You will need a local Singapore contact to submit the application on your behalf.
  The local contact has to be at least 21 years old and a Singapore citizen or permanent resident
  The local contact cannot be an organization/institution.
  They must apply via ICA’s eService at least four weeks before the course begins.
• Kindergartens and Childcare Centres. Your child will need a Singapore Student Pass to attend a kindergarten/childcare center unless they are a Dependent Pass holder or subject to the Immigration Exemption Order.
  You must submit an application on their behalf 2-3 months before the classes begin.

If the applicant is under 12 years of age, they must also submit the vaccination information to the Health Promotion Board (HPB).