FAQs
Here are some quick answers to questions about NUS College. You can also search the FAQ document using Ctrl+F. If you have any other queries not addressed in the FAQs, you can reach out to us at nuscollege@nus.edu.sg or nusc.admissions@nus.edu.sg (admissions-related matters).
NUS College (NUSC) is the Honours College of NUS and Singapore’s first Honours College. Its broad-based interdisciplinary curriculum, residential life programme and flagship Impact Experience and Global Pathways programmes complement a student’s major studies at NUS. Although NUSC students belong to a degree-bearing college, faculty or school in NUS, they will take part of their common curriculum and elective requirements at NUSC and live in the residential wings of the College. This gives NUSC students the opportunity to form a close-knit community with peers from more than 60 majors across NUS, working closely with and alongside NUSC faculty members.
An honours college (a concept borrowed from US universities) is a specialised programme within a university that provides a more challenging and in-depth academic experience for students who want to stretch themselves further. It creates a supportive community and offers unique resources designed to help students thrive.
NUSC is an honours college committed to offering enrolled students with various benefits — a specialised curriculum, small seminar-style classes, close student-professor relations, more opportunities for interdisciplinary academic rigour as well as a close-knit residential community.
NUSC does not have its own majors. Instead, we offer an innovative interdisciplinary common curriculum. This is complementary to students’ chosen majors, which they pursue at the degree-bearing colleges, faculties or schools.
Not at all, students at NUS who are not in the NUS College programme are also able to obtain honours degrees in their majors, given that they meet the specific requirements of the Honours track in their course.
NUSC was built upon two remarkable legacies: the University Scholars Programme (USP), founded in 2001, championed interdisciplinary education, and Yale-NUS College, initiated in 2011, embraced liberal arts and sciences while fostering a global perspective.
NUSC offers a broad-based, interdisciplinary education with a liberal arts and sciences tradition. The NUSC curriculum is designed to fulfil the competency aims of the NUS general education and common curriculum courses, with a special emphasis on global orientation and on making a long-lasting positive impact on society. At NUSC, students immerse in a vibrant, forward-looking community that values curiosity and collaboration in the pursuit of excellence.
As Professor Simon Chesterman, Dean of NUSC, puts it: “Our programme will give you broad, interdisciplinary competencies that equip you for life, along with the opportunity to deep dive into areas in which you are passionate.”
NUSC is an honours college designed for students who wish to enhance their academic journey. Students in NUSC can expect to be challenged in various ways, particularly through more frequent interactions with instructors. This dynamically fosters a deeper level of engagement and personal growth.
Although being challenged in their classes, data indicates that NUSC students consistently perform well, both in terms of grades and overall academic achievement. NUSC students are highly engaged and actively seek support from instructors and peers when needed.
Out-of-classroom discussions among students from different faculties are a key component of the NUSC learning experience, encouraging diverse perspectives and collaborative learning. Additionally, due to our small class sizes, NUSC courses are not graded using a grade-distribution policy but are graded based on academic merits of individual students, ensuring a fair and rigorous evaluation system.
Yes, there are plenty of scholarship and financial aid options available – read more here. Do note that applicants enlisting for National Service are encouraged to apply for scholarships in the calendar year they expect to matriculate.
Yes, financial aid is available – read more here.
- Candidates applying to join NUS College should submit their financial aid (FA) application within the stipulated FA application window when they are also applying for their places in NUS.
- NS men should submit their FA application in the calendar year they expect to matriculate.
In addition to qualifying for financial aid packages offered by NUS, NUSC students may also be eligible for the Tan Chew Char Grant and Student Assistance Fund. No separate application is required.
There are two fee components for NUSC students:
Tuition Fee – As NUSC students will pursue majors in their chosen degree-bearing colleges, faculties or schools, tuition fees are pegged to their colleges, faculties or schools at NUS. No additional tuition fees are charged for NUSC courses.
Residential Fee – NUSC students are required to live on campus in one of the NUSC residential wings for two years to benefit from its residential experience. Students will pay the prevailing rate for the room and meal plan applicable.
NUSC, which admitted its first cohort in 2022, takes in 6 to 7% of each year’s undergraduate cohort across NUS. It offers about 400 to 500 places annually.
No, the NUSC curriculum is designed for students to complete across four years. Hence, all NUSC students must join in their first year.
Details on the NUSC curriculum and how it interacts with our students’ chosen degrees can be found below.
To receive an NUSC graduation certificate, they will need to:
- Complete the NUSC courses required for pairing with their majors,
- Fulfil the compulsory Global Pathways requirement,
- Complete their degree programmes with at least Honours (Merit), and
- Fulfil the compulsory two-year residential requirement at NUSC.
NUSC students have the opportunity to deep-dive into interdisciplinary education. Our curriculum is designed to help students cultivate the necessary skills to work effectively across boundaries, so that they can respond to the challenges of the 21st century – the kinds of problems no one can solve alone.
‘Multidisciplinary’ does not involve connecting across boundaries, pretty much the different disciplines stay within their boundaries.
‘Interdisciplinary’ requires an amalgamation of multiple disciplines, connecting across disciplinary confines, to come up with a cohesive whole.
You may apply for admissions to NUSC through the NUS Office of Admissions (OAM) online applications portal together with your general application to NUS undergraduate courses. Click here for more details.
Indicate your interest in NUSC by checking the box “I wish to be considered for NUS College”, which will be found within the application portal. You will then be directed to submit additional application materials to NUS OAM.
You will need to submit the following to the NUS admissions portal, when applying to NUS College:
• Academic results including final official results
• A record of co-curricular activities or personal pursuits
• Certificates of achievement
• Writing responses to two short-answer questions
• English test scores, if relevant (international qualifications only)
• Standardised test scores, if relevant (international qualifications only)
More details are available within the application portal.
Opening and closing dates for the various application qualifications are based on the admissions timeline set by NUS Office of Admissions. Click here for more details.
Yes, NUSC aims to enrol a diverse community of students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. International applicants are welcome. Applicants presenting international qualifications may be required to submit their SAT/ACT/AP scores and/or English test scores. Click here for more details.
Yes, you may still indicate interest to apply for NUSC, if you have also indicated a course that is compatible with NUSC among your eight choices. To illustrate, suppose an applicant applies to NUSC with the following course choices, and is found suitable by NUSC, the table below provides the possible outcomes.
| Rank | Course | Compatible with NUS College | Outcome 1 | Outcome 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicine | NO | Offered (without NUS College)* | Not offered |
| 2 | Psychology | YES | Not offered | Offered (with NUS College) |
| 3 | Social Sciences | YES | Not offered | Not offered |
You should apply for admission to Yong Siew Toh Conservatory as per their requirements. During your admissions interview with the Conservatory, you should mention that you are interested in applying for NUS College. The admissions team will make their recommendations of shortlisted candidates for the Conservatory with NUSC and relay their list to us. We will contact the shortlisted candidates to take a written assessment and admission interview with us. Information on how to apply to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory can be found here.
NUSC adopts a holistic admissions process. Candidates are required to submit their responses to two short-answer questions. Shortlisted students will be invited to an interview so that the Admissions Committee can learn more about their interests and potential fit for NUSC.
Interviews are an important part of NUSC’s admissions process. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview, so that the Admissions Committee can better understand each applicant beyond what is written on paper. This interaction also provides the College with an opportunity to learn more about their interests, motivations and how they might contribute and benefit from being a part of our community.
Yes, NUSC accepts transfer students from NUS as well as other institutions, and does so only for the Semester 1 intake. However, the candidates must first be accepted by their respective degree-bearing faculties in NUS and be assessed through the NUSC admissions exercise.
All NUSC students must start as Year 1, Semester 1 students and fulfil the NUSC graduation requirements, which includes obtaining an honours degree from their degree-bearing faculty. If you are an existing NUS student and wish to transfer into NUSC, you may only do so if you are changing your degree programme. In that case, all the credits that you have previously obtained within NUS will no longer count towards your GPA and there may be implications on fee subsidies during the candidature of your programme.
For more information, read the transfer requirements, and note the corresponding application period (under ’Important Dates’).
Yes, applicants who are entering National Service may apply to NUS and NUSC. If accepted, they will enrol when they have completed National Service (i.e. deferring their matriculation). Their fees will be pegged to the year they accept the admissions offer to NUS and are admitted into NUSC. They are encouraged to apply for scholarships in the calendar year they expect to matriculate.
RNS who have accepted a place in NUSC but have not been successful in your scholarship application may reapply for scholarships, and it is recommended that this be done in the calendar year of matriculation. The degree-bearing faculties may interview you for the scholarship application. NUSC will review your file from the year of your application and decide based on our holistic criteria.
For those who have already been offered and accepted into a course at NUS, the procedure is to put in a new application if you are interested in NUSC. If you wish to keep the major that you had accepted, it is important that you specify the same major in your new application, and, please do not enter any other choices for your major. Alternatively, if you wish to change your major, you may also apply with new choices.
It is important to note that you will not lose your place in the course you have already accepted if you did not receive an offer for your new application. However, if you are given an offer with your new application, the new offer will supercede your previous acceptance. In order to secure your place in in NUS (and NUSC), you will need to accept the new offer.
Congratulations and welcome to the NUSC community! We have a number of exciting activities lined up for you. However, the most important thing you need to do is to register for housing in the NUSC residences, and accept the housing offer, following the timelines provided to you over email. NUSC is a faculty with a residential component and all Year 1s must stay on campus as part of the NUSC graduation requirement. If you do not register for housing by the deadline, you will not be able to secure housing in NUSC, which means you will not be able to fulfil the NUSC graduation requirement and cannot enrol as an NUSC student.
The NUSC curriculum and experience can be paired with over 60 majors offered by colleges, faculties and schools across NUS. The exceptions are Dentistry, Medicine, Music, Nursing and Pharmacy. Click here for more details.
The NUS College curriculum is meant to enhance the basic NUS degree and is designed to interface well with other programmes and course requirements at NUS. Like other NUS students, NUSC students will fulfil a portion of their courses at their degree-bearing faculties, primarily courses that fulfil their major requirements. However, students will be able to complete all NUS General Education (GE) requirements in NUS College, as well as most faculty-specific common curriculum courses.*
*NUSC students will be able to complete all elements of the common curriculum for the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) and most for the College of Design and Engineering (CDE).
The NUSC curriculum consists of specially curated foundational and common courses, interdisciplinary electives and a flagship team-based project. A key difference between courses in NUSC compared to the common curriculum courses in NUS is the small class size. This allows for intimate seminar-style learning where students get to interact more meaningfully with their professors. Furthermore, unlike common curriculum classes in their degree-bearing faculties, their peers will come from different majors and faculties, facilitating the exchange of diverse perspectives and ideas in the classroom.
Students will fulfil up to 14 courses (56 units) as part of the NUSC curriculum. This comprises 6 courses on global critical competencies, 6 interdisciplinary electives and finally, the capstone Impact Experience Project (IEx), which constitutes 2 courses. Click here for more details.
Do note that some programmes and majors will qualify for waivers from some of the curriculum requirements in NUSC. While all NUSC students are required to fulfil the NUSC course requirements specific to their chosen majors, NUSC students pursuing specific degree programmes in NUS – for instance, Law, Engineering, Accountancy, PPE, the Double Degree programmes, to name a few examples – are waived from some of the curriculum requirements in NUSC. This is so that students pursuing these degrees will be able to integrate their curriculum with the requirements in NUS College.
More details can be found here.
For cohorts that matriculated from AY25/26 and onwards, students are required to complete a set number of foundational and common courses by the end of each academic year to remain in good academic standing. It is important to note that being in poor academic standing detrimentally affects students’ applications to NUSC programmes (e.g. GEx, SRIP), senior year housing and other opportunities.
All of the above information will be relayed to incoming Year 1s through their Peer Mentors and can also be found in the Academic Information PDF guide.
The courses at NUSC typically do not follow a traditional “final exam” format. Instead, a greater emphasis is placed on continuous assessment and collaborative learning both within and beyond the classroom setting.
Depending on the nature of the course offered and the teaching approaches adopted by the respective faculty members, students may be assessed through a wide range of formats – this includes, but is not limited to, presentations, essays, reports, group projects, videos, posters and site visits. This diversity reflects the interdisciplinary approach that NUSC takes in creating a community of engaged learners who stretch one another continuously. By doing so, students are encouraged to demonstrate creativity and problem-solving skills across the different modes of evaluation.
Yes, there are a variety of pre-packaged multidisciplinary programmes (MDPs) within NUS that are available to NUSC applicants. Click here for more details. Do note that these have an additional selection for admission. Furthermore, any NUS student (including NUSC students) may also construct/propose their own MDP by combining courses at NUS, though not all of them will be feasible and overloading may be necessary to complete the graduation requirements.
NUSC also proudly partners with Sciences Po and Waseda University for the NUS-Sciences Po Double Degree Programme and Waseda-NUS Double Degree Programme. For these DDPs, students will obtain a degree from NUS and a degree from NUSC’s partner university.
As these courses have more specialised courses and fixed curriculum, it is difficult for students to complete both their major’s courses as well as courses from NUSC’s common curriculum without extending their period of study.
At the point of application, you must indicate an intended major/choice of course at NUSC, which you will read at your respective degree-bearing faculty or school (the exception being CHS students who have the flexibility of having an undeclared major for the first two years of studies). Subsequently, all students of NUSC will enjoy the flexibility to apply to transfer to another major compatible with the NUSC curriculum during their first four semesters of study, within the transfer windows stipulated by the NUS Office of Admissions.
All incoming freshmen will be assigned a peer mentor – a senior taking the same course as them (or as similar as possible since there are different multidisciplinary programmes). These mentors will guide you, beginning from the very first course registration exercise and help you map out your study plan for your entire university journey. There are also multiple academic-related chat groups set up to allow students to seek more specific advice regarding certain courses or academic programmes. If you require more help, the NUS College faculty advisors are always there to advise you as well.
If you would like to switch majors before the admission application closing date leading to your year of matriculation, you will need to submit a fresh application to NUS for your desired new major(s). You may indicate your new choice(s) in your new application.
If you have already accepted an offer from NUSC, you should select ‘No’ when asked if you would like to apply for NUSC. You should not complete the application form for NUSC in your re-application.
If you are successful in your new application, the NUS Office of Admissions will offer the new major to you together with NUSC, unless the new major is not compatible with NUSC. If you are not successful, the offer that you have already accepted will remain.
If you have missed the relevant admissions application closing date, and you would like to request to switch majors, you will need to submit an appeal to the NUS Office of Admissions for consideration. You may do so during the NUS Office of Admissions appeal window by logging into the NUS Applicants Portal and submitting your appeal.
If you would like to request to switch majors before the start of Sem 1, you will need to submit an appeal to the NUS Office of Admissions for consideration. You may do so during the NUS Office of Admissions appeal window by logging into the NUS Applicants Portal and submitting an appeal.
If you have missed the admissions appeal window, you may contact the NUS Office of Admissions to request for an appeal to switch majors.
You will need to submit an application to the NUSC Academic Team during the usual transfer windows (October and February). Do note that you will only be allowed to change your major within your first four semesters. The NUSC Academic Team will provide advice to you pertaining to your request.
The Law Exchange Plus Programme is not compatible with the NUSC curriculum. If you are offered the Law Exchange Plus Programme, and wish to accept the offer, you should transfer out of NUSC as soon as possible through the Office of Admissions.
The NUS French Double Degree Programme is not compatible with NUSC curriculum. If you are offered the NUS French Double Degree Programme, and wish to accept the offer, you should transfer out of NUSC as soon as possible through the Office of Admissions.
Global Pathways at NUS College is one of our flagship programmes that aims to crystalise the foundational learning of global perspectives and world issues by immersing students in international experiences located around the world. The programme prepares our students for the future through three broad tracks: Global Citizens, Global Entrepreneurs and Global Scholars, to acquire essential skills in critical thinking, problem solving and more through transformative overseas experiences. It is a student-centred journey where students can actively build and design their own pathways towards a life of purpose and impact.
Hence, students are required to fulfil the Global Pathways requirement through one or more of the following:
- Global Experience Course (GEx)
- NUS Overseas College (NOC)
- Student Exchange Programmes (SEP)
- Double Degree Programmes (NUS-Sciences Po and Waseda-NUS)
- Regional Impact Experience projects (IEx)
- Summer International Internship Programme (SIIP)
GEx is a specially curated course involving seminars with guest professors, workshops with practitioners, masterclasses with experts, fireside chats with important personalities and field visits to pertinent sites such as start-ups, research centres, government offices, cultural and community institutions.
GEx will take place for four weeks during the vacation period, with preparatory seminars in the semester before and assignments due in the semester after.
Courses and regions change yearly. Check out our regional and international GEx destinations offered here.
GEx is available to NUS College students on a competitive basis, with spaces for up to 60 percent of each cohort, made available each year. Every semester, each GEx class in each location will have an enrolment of about 20 students, led by an on-site NUS College faculty member.
Yes, financial aid is available to successful applicants, depending on their financial status and enrolled GEx course.
All NUSC students are expected to go abroad for an immersive learning experience to fulfil the Global Pathways requirement. Students who are not able to go abroad for any reason can speak to the Vice Dean (Special Programmes) to explore alternative options.
All NOC programmes are open to NUS students, including NUSC students. Click here for more details.
No, all NUSC students are subject to the same application process as NUS students, with each application being assessed based on merit. Click here for more details.
Applications for Global Pathways take place only after matriculation except the NUS-Sciences Po Double Degree Programme (DDP). The NUS-Sciences Po DDP application should be submitted concurrently with your NUS College application. Click here for more details.
The ‘Impact Experience Project’ (IEx) is the other flagship programme in NUS College. Students will work in teams to design, plan, and execute an impact-oriented project through Research, Innovation, Service and creative Expression (RISE). Each team will be supervised by a faculty member and provided with financial resources, connections and mentorship to undertake their project locally or internationally. Click here for more details.
Yes, IEx is compulsory for all NUSC students. The course incorporates a strong component of reflection and is meant for students to consolidate their learning across the whole NUSC experience.
Students are expected to focus on a wicked problem faced by a community that reflects important challenges of the 21st century, and propose and implement upstream solutions. IEx projects are grouped into three clusters reflecting the approaches employed: Science & Tech, Civic & Community, Arts & Design. Our lecturers can supervise a wide range of projects including food security, digital social good, sustainable conservation, educational inequalities and developmental justice.
Students are graded on their team design of the project and evaluations of the project execution, as well as their individual reflections on learning during the whole process.
From AY25/26, IEx carries 8 units for all NUSC students.
Students will spread out the 160 hours of courses’ workload over two years, starting from the second semester of the first year of study.
All NUSC Year 1s are required to reside in the NUSC residential wings. Registration for housing is an important part of the enrolment process into NUSC. NUSC students fulfilling their two-year residential requirement also reside in the NUSC residential wings.
NUSC students must stay in one of its residential wings for two years during their candidature, one of which must be their first year of studies. This enables students to develop a close-knit intellectual community through shared and common experiences, interacting with one another and with the Residential Fellows to broaden their horizons and enrich their learning experiences.
All NUSC students will be required to spend two years in residence. Due to limited campus housing, we are unable to guarantee accommodation for all four years.
Please click here for estimated costs for housing. NUS College is committed to providing opportunities for all deserving students. Students are strongly encouraged to apply to the NUS Office of Financial Aid if affordability is a concern.
NUSC students stay in one of three NUSC residential wings — Cendana, Elm or Saga. All the rooms are in a suite format with either 4-room, 5-room or 6-room options. Each room comes with air-conditioning (charged on a pay-per-use basis) and is furnished with basic amenities (desk, chair, cupboard, bed frame and mattress etc.).
Students are also allowed to opt for either a single-gendered or mixed floor. Every 3 floors in Saga and Cendana (2 floors for Elm) constitute a neighbourhood. Each neighbourhood comes with a Sky Garden, which is a communal seating area with greenery surrounding it.
Residential Fellows:
The Residential Fellows are NUS and/or NUS College staff who stay on campus with their own families, taking charge of two neighbourhoods each. They provide invaluable support in their various capacities, which include jointly organising neighbourhood events with their Residential Assistants, as well as offering advice to residents in need.
Residential Assistants:
The Residential Assistants are responsible for strengthening the support network for students residing in any of the three residential wings. They provide peer pastoral welfare for students and serve as an information resource for them. Importantly, they support the Master, Residential Fellows and Residential Student Life Managers (RSLMs) in policy enforcement and administrative duties. Each neighbourhood is assigned one Residential Assistant who will act as a point of contact for all residents under their care.
Residential Student Life Managers:
Residential Student Life Managers act as mentors, advisors and community builders for residents across the college. They actively contribute to the vibrancy of student life by encouraging social interaction, facilitating students’ personal growth and organising meaningful engagement opportunities.
Yes, meal plans are compulsory for all NUS College residents staying on campus. The meal plan includes breakfast and dinner six times a week (excluding Saturday dinners and Sunday breakfasts).
Operation Hours & Food Options:
Breakfast
- Muslim, Western, Asian, Non-Halal Vegetarian, Cereal, Daily Counter (sliced bread, coffee, milo etc.)
- Monday to Saturday, 7.00am to 10.30am
Dinner
- Muslim, Indian and Halal Vegetarian, Western, Asian and Non-Halal Vegetarian, Noodle, Daily Counter (salad, soup, cordial drink etc.)
- Monday to Friday (and Sunday), 5.30pm to 9.30pm
NUSC is first and foremost a faculty; an honours college with a four-year broad-based interdisciplinary common curriculum consisting of a typical academic requirement of 14 course units (or fewer for programmes with waivers). NUSC also has an integrated residential component (under which students are required to spend two years in one of its residential wings).
NUS Residential Colleges, on the contrary, offer two-year academic and residential programmes with about four course units.
Candidates applying to NUSC can apply concurrently to the Residential Colleges (RC) Programmes (UTCP and RVRCP). As applications for admission to the RC Programmes are conducted separately from NUSC, UTCP and RVRCP will evaluate your application independently of your application to NUSC.
However, do note that concurrent offers from NUSC and from the RC Programmes will not be made. In particular, NUS will assume that any candidate applying to both NUSC and the RC Programmes prefers to enrol in NUSC rather than the RC; NUSC will evaluate the candidates first and candidates who are offered a place in NUSC will not be offered a place in the RC Programme.
From Semester 2 of AY25/26, NUS Law and NUSC will co-locate in the former Yale-NUS College premises.
In preparation for this, the College Deanery and staff team have worked closely with the Student Management Committee (MC), in consultation with the student community, to optimise the NUSC spaces within the campus grounds.