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Singapore Management University : Career, Admission, Fees & Acceptance Rate

Updated on 29 February, 2024

upGrad Abroad Team

upGrad Abroad Team

upGrad abroad Editorial Team

The Singapore Management University (SMU) is among Asia's most prestigious institutes. Established in 2000, SMU was Singapore’s first public-funded private university, modelled after the famous Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

Importantly, this institute has AACSB International and EQUIS accreditation. The official address of SMU is as follows - 81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065.

The Singapore Management University’s QS World Ranking lies in the #511-520 range. In addition, if you are interested in pursuing Business and Management Studies, SMU can be a great option. QS ranks SMU at #38 globally for Business and Management subjects. 

Infrastructure

Singapore Management University has six specialized schools. These schools provide courses in Accountancy, Business, Economics, Computing and Information Systems, Law, and Social Sciences. 

Here are the prominent facilities that you should also be aware of as an international student.

  • Educational Institutes: Business Families Institute, Institute of Service Excellence, UOB-SMU Asian Enterprise Institute, International Trading Institute, etc.
  • Academic Centers: AI & Data Governance, Computational Law, Marketing Excellence, Secure Mobile Centre, Social Innovation, Singapore Resolution Dispute Resolution Academy, etc.
  • Lab Infrastructure: Networks and Society Groups, Intelligent Software Engineering Research Lab, Urban Computing and Engineering Lab, Pro Bono Centre
  • Libraries: Kwa Geok Choo Law Library, Li Ka Shing Library, SMU Connexion
  • Amenities: Arts and Culture Centre, Basement Studio, Sports Hall, Swimming Pool, Gymnasium, Fitness Centre 

The Singapore Management University focuses on three key research areas:

  • Digital Transformation
  • Sustainable Living
  • Growth in Asia

As a result, you can explore research opportunities and work in centres like Intelligent Software Engineering, AI-based Decision Making, Living Analytics, and many more. Each school has several core research subdomains.

For instance, the School of Accountancy allows students to conduct studies on  Financial Performance Analysis, Accounting Information Systems, etc. On the other hand, the School of Social Sciences focuses on areas like Sociology, Humanities, and Political Science.  

Hence, there are ample research opportunities at SMU. Thus, to accommodate a diverse international student population, the medium of instruction is English.

Academics

One academic year at the Singapore Management University is divided into three terms. However, the third term is optional for students.

The dates for each term keep changing every year. You may find a quick breakdown of the tentative months as follows.

  • Term 1: August to November
  • Term 2: January to April
  • Term 3 (Optional): May to July

After knowing the term periods, the admission procedure is vital. Take a look at the Singapore Management University admission process:  

  • The applications are available online
  • You can enter and submit all the details on the official online portal
  • Uploading the necessary documents is compulsory
  • These documents include passport, secondary school or university results, English proficiency exam scores, school testimonials, and medical reports (for students with disabilities)
  • After this step, you have to pay SGD 15 (INR 840) as the application fee online 
  • The university will then communicate for an admission interview. In case you aspire to pursue a Law course, a writing test is mandatory

The Singapore Management University admission requirements are as follows:

  • First, you need valid exam grades as per the course demand
  • For instance, an undergraduate program will require you to provide intermediate college scores
  • On the contrary, a post-graduate program will demand a Bachelor’s degree from recognized universities
  • Apart from this essential requirement, you also need to portray proficiency in English
  • SMU accepts SAT, ACT, IELTS, TOEFL, C1, and PTE exam scores for considering applications
  • If you want to pursue Law programs, the minimum scores for SAT, ACT, IELTS, TOEFL (iBT), C1, and PTE are 1350, 29, 7.5, 100, 191, and 76, respectively 
  • For all other programs, the minimum scores for SAT, ACT, IELTS, TOEFL (iBT), C1, and PTE are 1350, 29, 7.0, 93, 185, and 66, respectively
  • You can also appear for the paper-based TOEFL. In such a case, you need to score at least 600 for Law admission and 583 for entry to other programs

The Singapore Management University acceptance rate is only 7%. This statistic proves the highly selective and competitive admission process. Hence, you will need a good mixture of academic scores and interview preparation to enter SMU.

Courses

The programs at SMU are divided into three types- undergraduate, post-graduate, and professional. Hence, you should choose the type of course based on your current academic requirement.

Take a look at some popular undergraduate courses at the Singapore Management University: 

  • Bachelor of Accountancy
  • Bachelor of Laws
  • Bachelor of Social Science
  • BSc Computing and Law
  • BSc Computer Science
  • BSc Economics
  • BSc Information Systems

Here are the famous Master’s level programs that you can study at SMU:

  • Master of Laws (LLM)
  • Juris Doctor Program
  • Executive MBA
  • MSc Management
  • MSc Innovation
  • MSc Accounting
  • Master of Professional Accountancy
  • Master of IT in Business

You can also explore over 800 professional courses at the Singapore Management University. These programs will provide you with a general idea of the courses:

  • Advanced Diploma in Data Analytics and Machine Learning
  • Advanced Certificate in Data Protection Operational Excellence
  • Executive Certificate in Law Firm Management
  • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification
  • Graduate Certificate in Digital Finance
  • Graduate Certificate in Strategic Digital Transformation in Finance
  • Advanced Certificate in Data Protection Principles

For each course, you need to enroll for two SMU credit semesters. However, you can take a maximum workload of five SMU credits per semester. The programs at SMU follow a Grade Point Average (GPA) scoring system. So, you can achieve the highest cumulative GPA of 4.0 studying at the Singapore Management University. 

Now that you are aware of the popular courses and credit structure take a look at the top programs:

  • Accountancy and Finance
  • Business Management
  • Law
  • Information Systems

SMU also offers a Master of Philosophy in Economics research program. This course spans two years and includes a thesis as a chance to contribute to the field of Economics. 

All this information might have increased your interest levels to study at SMU. So, the academic dates will prove vital for providing a basic idea of the university schedule.

The details of the 2022-23 Singapore Management University academic calendar are as follows.

  • Term 1: 15 Aug 2022 to 20 Nov 2022
  • Term 1 Exam: 21 Nov 2022 to 02 Dec 2022 
  • Vacation: 05 Dec 2022 to 08 Jan 2023
  • Term 2: 09 Jan 2023 to 16 Apr 2023
  • Term 2 Exam: 17 Apr 2023 to 28 Apr 2023
  • Term 3A: 01 May 2023 to 04 Jun 2023
  • Term 3B: 19 Jun 2023 to 23 Jul 2023

You can expect the dates to lie around the same range for different academic years. Still, the official university calendar has updated dates for new academic semesters. 

Extra-curriculars and Diversity 

SMU has four dedicated student organizations that indulge in co-curricular activities: 

  • Arts and Cultural Fraternity (ACF)
  • SMU Sports Union (SSU)
  • SMU Xtremists (SMUX)
  • Special Interest & Community Services Sodality (SICS)

Each organization specializes in its respective field. For instance, you can explore Latin ballroom dance, visual arts, media centre, etc., with the ACF. Or you can even play sports like basketball, badminton, handball, soccer, and much more under the SSU.

Also, you will be amazed to know that SMU has unique International Student Clubs. Twelve clubs at the Singapore Management University fall under International Connections (ICON). Finally, the student leadership groups and functional bodies complete the extracurricular facet of this institute.

The Singapore Management University believes in global diversity. Almost 58% of post-graduate students are non-Singapore citizens. So, you can collaborate and build fruitful relations with a diverse group of like-minded individuals.

In terms of diversity beyond the student population, SMU follows an inclusive environment.  39% of its faculty is international. This implies that SMU welcomes foreign professors and provides excellent opportunities for global talent.  

This educational institute also celebrates cultural diversity through interactive workshops. The Diverse-City celebration promotes such international variety where you can learn about various global cultures. 

Career/Professional

The Singapore Management University has a vast network of academic, research, and industrial connections. Interestingly, SMU collaborates with University College London, Carnegie Mellon University, and North-eastern University.

As a student, you will also be interested in knowing a foreign university’s business connections. Here’s a list of organizations collaborating with SMU:

  • Dell Technologies Inc.
  • Citibank Singapore Ltd.
  • Salesforce.com
  • Kaspersky Lab
  • Datacamp
  • Google Asia Pacific Pvt. Ltd.
  • Tibco Inc.

You can benefit from these connections and opt for a Work-Study Elective Program (WSEP). You can study and work in a long-duration internship at a specific organization. With over 100 career development workshops and more than 250 employers participating in career fairs, job opportunities are plenty at SMU.

In addition, the career coach and services team support students with adequate work opportunities during and after course completion. Firms like Deloitte, Accenture, Credit Suisse, PwC, and Prudential Assurance Company are some of the significant job stations of SMU alumni.

SMU alumni work predominantly in streams like Business Development, Finance, Education, and Engineering. Hence, if you aspire to make a career in one of these fields, Singapore Management University can prove a perfect choice.   

Successful alumni of any institute are a testament to the level of education and career guidance. SMU has some well-known professionals working in different sectors. Here’s a list of some notable alumni:

  • Pritam Singh: Politician, Lawyer, and Author, Singapore
  • Rebecca Lim: Actress, The Ultimate Winner
  • Nirvana Chaudhary: Managing Director, CG Corp Global
  • Alvin Poh: Co-founder, Vodien Internet Solutions
  • Jasmine Sim: Actress and Model, Singapore
  • Pauline Ng: Founder, Porcelain Pvt. Ltd.
  • Ben Boesch: Chief Digital Officer, VFS Global
  • Dr. Fermin Diez: Author, Fundamentals of HR Analytics
  • Karl Mak: Co-founder, Chief Executive, Hepmil Media Group

Overall, the list of some successful alumni might be helpful to give you an idea about the achievable career progress after studying at SMU.  

Financial

The Singapore Management University fees vary as per your selected course. In addition, if you receive a tuition grant, the annual fee for a program will reduce considerably. However, this section will include non-subsidized fees to give you a general idea. 

Note that the Bachelor of Laws course's annual fees (non-subsidized) is SGD 47,510 (INR 26,58,500). For other undergraduate courses in Accountancy, Business Management, Computer Science, etc., the fees are SGD 44,950 (INR 25,15,300).

If you opt for additional courses in Term 3, the annual tuition cost will be SGD 4,495 (INR 2,51,500). In the case of the Bachelor of Laws program, this particular term fee is around SGD 4,751 (INR 2,65,900). The Master’s program’s tuition fees will hover around SGD 48,150 (INR 26,94,300). 

You can apply for tuition grants during the application process. However, upon availing the tuition grant, you need to work in a Singapore entity for three years upon graduation. 

SMU also provides an estimate for study material costs. You can expect the expenses for such materials to be SGD 1,500 (INR 84,000). Apart from the tuition fees, you should always have an idea of the tentative living cost in a foreign country.

The cost of living will always vary depending on your lifestyle. Still, you can expect the average expense to be SGD 2,000 (INR 1,12,000) per month. This value considers accommodation, utilities, food, travel, and personal expenses. 

The Singapore Management University offers residential options like Prinsep Street Residences: HA Hostel at Pearl’s Hill for students.

Overall, this information can prove a valuable guide if you decide to study at the reputed Singapore Management University. 

upGrad Abroad Team

upGrad abroad Editorial Team

We are a dedicated team of study-abroad experts, ensuring intensive research and comprehensive information in each of our blogs. With every piece written, we aim at simplifying the overseas education process for all. Our diverse experience as journalists, content writers, editors, content strategists, and marketers helps create the most relevant and authentic blogs for our readers.

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