Winning an A*STAR Graduate Scholarship puts you at the frontier of science with real support at every step. You’ll get hands-on research experience, work alongside leading researchers, and engage directly with industry building the skills and connections that drive tomorrow’s innovations.
Beyond the lab, you’ll join a thriving community of exceptional people, with development programs designed to grow both your technical depth and professional edge.
Here is the official link for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
1. Benefits of the Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
2. Eligibility Criteria for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
3. Research Areas of Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
4. Documents Required for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
5. How to Apply for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
6. Deadline for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
7. FAQs about Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
1. Benefits of the Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
Successful applicants will receive the following support for up to four years:
- Full Tuition Fees: Your entire tuition cost will be covered.
- Monthly Sustenance Allowance: This includes CPF contributions where applicable.
- Additional Allowances: These include a book allowance, computer allowance, conference allowance, and thesis allowance.
- Overseas Attachment Support: You will receive support for up to 12 months of overseas attachment.
For Mid-Term Applicants:
Mid-term applicants will be offered the same terms of support as full-term AGS awardees starting from the point the award is granted. Retrospective payment will be made for all tuition fees and any compulsory fees from Year 1 of study onward.
Note on Allowances:
All rates and allowances are subject to adjustments by A*STAR from time to time.
2. Eligibility Criteria for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
For General Applicants:
- Citizenship: Open to Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR). Non-SPR international applicants are also eligible, provided they hold or are completing their degree from a Singapore autonomous university
- Academic Qualification: You must hold or be on track to earn at least a Second-Class (Upper) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification in a relevant field
- Final Year Status: You must be in your last semester of undergraduate studies at the time of applying
- PhD Admission: You must meet the entry requirements and secure admission to a PhD programme at a recognised Singapore autonomous university
For Mid-Term AGS Applicants:
- Citizenship: Same as above open to Singaporeans, SPRs, and non-SPR foreigners who studied at a Singapore autonomous university
- Academic Qualification: You must have already completed at least a Second-Class (Upper) Honours degree or its equivalent
- Current Enrolment: You must be actively enrolled in a Singapore autonomous university and have completed a minimum of one full semester before applying
- Academic Standing: You are expected to maintain a strong academic record throughout your current programme
- Research Potential: Demonstrated research ability or notable research achievements will strengthen your application significantly
- Academic Referees: Two academic references are required at least one must be your current university supervisor
Important to Know:
The criteria above are not exhaustive. A*STAR reserves the right to apply additional selection standards and may update its scholarship policies at any time without prior notice. Always check the official A*STAR scholarship page for the most current requirements before applying.
3. Research Areas of Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
- Biomedical Research
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Bioinformatics
- Food Science, Food Processing
- Human Potential & Clinical Sciences
- Infectious Diseases
- MedTech
- Metabolic & Brain Health
- Precision and Preventive Health
- Synthetic Biology
- Therapeutics
- Science & Engineering Research
- Automated Hub Operations
- Data, AI and Compute
- Quantum
- Real-time, Resilient & Optimised Supply Chain
- Semiconductors
- Smart and Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing
- Sustainable Energy and Chemicals
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4. Documents Required for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
3.1. Academic Documents
3.2. Passport & National ID card
3.3. English Proficiency Proof (IELTS/TOEFL)
3.4. Recommendation letter
3.5. CV/Resume
3.6. GRE Test (Optional)
3.7. Hope certificate (If applicable)
3.8. Statement of Purpose or Motivational Letter
3.9. Proof of Previous Work Experience (Optional)
3.10. Portfolios or workshop
3.1. Academic documents
This includes all your certificates & academic record like
A: Bachelor’s transcript & certificate
B: Metric & FSC transcripts (10-12th Grade) (A level) (DMCs) and certificates (Supporting academic documents)
C: Course summary (to explain your courses & how your previous courses & studies resemble your future studies to which you are applying)
NOTE:
All of the above documents should be attested by respective boards.
Also, attest them from issuing authority of home countries. The respective university must attest university documents.
In the case of Pakistan, The above-mentioned documents must be attested by IBCC, HEC, and MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
IBCC authority is only responsible for the attestation of metric and inter documents.
Dear offices are present in Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and also in other cities of Pakistan.
HEC office attests to bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. documents.
3.2. Valid passport, Birth certificate & NIC
The passport of the applicant must contain at least one full blank page on both sides.
The passport must be valid at the time of visa application and on arrival to Singapore.
A birth certificate or national ID card is also important to attach.
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3.3. English Proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
Generally speaking, students with IELTS 6.5 overall or TOEFL above 100 are considered good.
Nevertheless, these requirements may vary from course to course and degree to degree.
However, IELTS/TOEFL is not mandatory for Singapore A STAR Graduate Scholarship.
If the University has the condition to provide the testing scores, then you have to show these results.
3.4. Recommendation letters / Letters of References
The applicants must provide up to 2 letters of recommendation. from the previous university, (Depending upon courses).
It is advised to provide a letter of recommendation from the HOD (Head of the department or Relevant course head) who should be a PhD.
The referees need to write their contact details (Email, phone number) at the end of the letter.
The letter must include an official letterhead, signature, and official stamp and must be of the current date.
Ask your Referees to write about your academic achievements & discuss their confidence in you that you are fully compatible with the project or course you wish to pursue.
The referees must also mention how long they know the applicant & when was the last time they came in contact with the applicant.
After submitting your application, the referee will be contacted directly through email.
3.5. CV
The Cv must contain all the latest & relevant information about your occupation & interests.
A perfect CV must be hand-signed.
3.6 GRE Score for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
The GRE score must be 145 under the new scoring system. The score must be much higher in subjects related to your academic field.
For example, Students with engineering backgrounds must have good scores in Physics, Chemistry, etc., while students of the social sciences and humanities must have good scores in Verbal subjects.
3.7. Hope certificate (If applicable)
If the final transcript isn’t ready, then students can apply with a Hope certificate from their university.
However, they must be graduated before their arrival in Singapore.
(Please make sure you contact your university in this regard )
What is Hope’s certificate?
In simple words, It is a certificate based on the previous semester’s performance, that indicates that the candidate will pass the final exams with excellent results.
3.8. Statement of Purpose or Letter of Motivation
Technically SOP (Statement of purpose) and LOM (Letter of Motivation) are the same things.
It’s a Short biography to tell the panelist about yourself:
A letter of motivation or SOP could be a tricky part while applying for the Scholarship in Singapore.
In this letter, you are asked to write about your personal and professional reasons why are you applying for a course & scholarship.
The maximum length of this letter is three pages, But it is advised to make it short & concise to one page.
How to write a perfect letter of Motivation
If you are interested in writing your LOM on one page concisely, then follow this exact method.
LOM consists of three parts.
3.9.1. Introduction (one paragraph)
3.9.2. Body (3 paragraphs)
3.9.3. Conclusion (1 paragraph)
Let’s explain these three things one by one.
3.9.1. Introduction:
An introduction is a gateway to the rest of the letter. Try to capture their interest in the first few sentences. Be original & creative.
Make it personal & full of enthusiasm.
TIP: Try to initiate a story about yourself relevant to the scholarship you are applying for & then expand it to the first paragraph of the body.
3.9.2. Body:
In the first paragraph of the body, try to tell about your relevant academic & experienced background to the course.
And your professional goals attached to Singapore & university. Share your expectations of the scholarship.
In the 2nd paragraph be more precise & focus on the specific achievement related to the scholarship & course.
In the 3rd paragraph expand on what you are currently doing & the interesting things you look forward to.
3.9.3. Conclusion:
Tell them why you are the best candidate for the Singapore Scholarship. Don’t sound needy or use pompous language instead focus on why you deserve it.
Tell them how this scholarship will help you or the future of your community.
3.9. Experience letter
Applicants must provide an Experience letter from their previous jobs & Internships.
Try to customize the work experience letter with future studies.
Mention your job descriptions, work projects & the skills you learned through time.
The letter must be signed & verified by the Head or CEO of the company.
The work experience could be Paid,
Unpaid,
full-time,
part-time, or voluntary.
It could be done before, during, or after graduation.
3.10. Portfolios or workshop
It’s optional. But students can attach portfolios or workshops to support their cases for university admission or scholarship.
5. How to Apply for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
The A*STAR Graduate Scholarship (AGS) application is managed directly through A*STAR. Here’s how to go about it:
Step 1: Prepare Your Application
Start by visiting the official A*STAR scholarships page to review all current requirements and open application windows before you begin filling anything in.
Step 2: Submit Online
All applications must be submitted through the A*STAR online application portal. There is no paper or email-based submission. Make sure every required document is uploaded clearly and completely before you hit submit.
Step 3: Choose Your Research Area
Browse the available research programmes and institutes on the A*STAR Research Entities page and identify the areas that genuinely align with your interests and background. Your choice here will shape your entire PhD journey, so take the time to explore properly.
Step 4: Arrange Your Referees
You will need to provide two academic referees. Once you submit your application, your referees will be notified automatically and given a set window to submit their references. Make sure you inform them in advance don’t leave this to the last minute.
Step 5: University Application
Unlike some other scholarship schemes, AGS applicants are also required to apply directly to a PhD programme at one of Singapore’s autonomous universities. Check with your chosen university for their specific admission process and deadlines, as these run alongside not instead of the A*STAR application.
Step 6: Submit Early
Aim to submit your application well before the closing date. Late or incomplete submissions are not considered, and referee delays are one of the most common reasons applications stall.
A Few Things Worth Knowing:
- You can apply across research areas that differ from your undergraduate major A*STAR values potential and curiosity, not just subject match
- Keep an eye on the A*STAR scholarships FAQ page for updates on deadlines, eligibility changes, and contact details for the admissions team
- If anything is unclear, reach out directly via the A*STAR contact page rather than relying on third-party sources
6. Deadline for Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
Application Timeline:
|
Application Cycle |
Interviews |
Application Outcomes |
|
First application cycle: Opens on 1 November Closes on 1 February |
Mid-February to March |
From mid-April |
|
Second application cycle: Opens on 1 June Closes on 1 August |
Mid-August to October |
From mid-November |
*A*GA may consider off-cycle applications on a case-by-case basis
*Successful candidates will be notified via email
7. FAQs about Singapore A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
Q. Do I need to have prior research experience?
Having prior research experience can help strengthen your application, but it is not required. A*STAR will take a holistic approach when reviewing each application and will consider other factors as well, such as your achievements in science or math-related competitions and your co-curricular activities.
Q. What is the allowance like for A*STAR scholarships?
During your PhD studies, A*STAR scholars receive a competitive monthly allowance in addition to full sponsorship of tuition fees. Please refer to the coverage section of the respective scholarship pages for more details.
Q. My examination results are not available yet. Can I still apply?
Yes, you may apply using your school’s preliminary results. Please send in your final results as soon as you receive them.
Q. What qualities does A*STAR look for in a scholar?
Beyond academic excellence and a genuine passion for science, ASTAR looks for people who are committed to a research or research-related career in Singapore. ASTAR makes a significant investment in each scholar, and the goal is for every scholar to become part of Singapore’s Research, Innovation, and Enterprise ecosystem.
Q. Do I need to serve a bond?
For overseas scholarships, students are generally required to serve a bond ranging from two to six years.
