After SINGA Selection: An Award Is Not a Student's Pass
Shortlisted applicants are emailed. Then come university enrolment and the ICA Student's Pass. Follow A*STAR, the host university and ICA — not a visa agent.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
2 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Shortlist first, then the university
Per the 2023 brochure, shortlisted results are released about 12 weeks at the earliest after the application closing date, and only shortlisted applicants are notified by email. That is why silence after you click Submit is not automatically a portal error.
The same brochure says you do not apply on the university portal unless the university contacts you later for more details. After an award, follow those host emails. Coursework and thesis rules sit with the university that confers the PhD.
The 2023 FAQ says you are neither required to take up citizenship nor work in Singapore after graduation. That is SINGA as of that brochure, so recheck the live wording. Do not confuse it with AGS, which publishes a service commitment for some internationals.
Student's Pass — ICA, not A*STAR
If you are a foreigner accepted as a full-time matriculated student at a listed Institute of Higher Learning, ICA says you need a Student's Pass unless you already hold a valid Dependant's Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass, or Immigration Exemption Order. Official page: ICA — Institutes of Higher Learning.
| What ICA's IHL page says | |
|---|---|
| When | Apply online at least two months and not more than three months before the course begins. Apply before you arrive if you can; ICA says you cannot extend your stay while processing is underway. |
| What you need | Registration Acknowledgement Letter from the school, travel-document biodata page, birth certificate if applicable, personal history, family details if applicable, Singapore address and contacts, email, and a recent digital passport-sized colour photo (taken in the last three months). |
| Fee | Non-refundable S$45 processing fee. ICA lists Visa/Mastercard, AMEX, selected Singapore internet banking (direct debit), and PayNow. |
| Time | Within one week (within two weeks if a visa is required), excluding the submission date. Some files take longer. |
The e-Service landing page is SOLAR+. Use ICA's own system. NTU's student-services page also points full-time internationals to ICA SOLAR and says formalities are by e-appointment only.
Post-selection checklist
A SINGA email is not a pass.
Progress: 0% (0 of 6). A planning tool, not an official A*STAR or ICA decision
If the answer is no
Official pages checked for this guide do not publish a SINGA appeals portal. Questions go to singa_enquiries@hq.a-star.edu.sg. If you reapply, confirm the next 2027/2028 window on A*STAR rather than assuming the historical June/December pattern still holds.