University places for foreign students capped at 20%

27 July 2007

University places for foreign students capped at 20%

We refer to the reports on the Parliamentary Session on 17 Jul. During the session, Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Manpower, stated that 987 foreign students who applied to the three local universities this year were offered places.
We would like to clarify that this figure refers only to the foreign students who had obtained local GCE 'A' level qualifications or polytechnic qualifications. Including foreign students who apply with foreign qualifications, the universities offered places to a total of 4,218 foreign students.
As Mr Gan has stated, the universities have been more selective in offering places to foreign students. Places were offered to 18% of the 22,933 foreign students who applied. For local students, places were offered to 14,781 or 51% of those applying.
In planning for university places, the Ministry of Education and the three universities first determine the number of publicly subsidized places to be provided for local students. The universities provided places for 23.5% of local students this year compared to 20.8% in 2000.
Consideration is then given to the admission of foreign students, which is limited to 20% of the total student population. In practice, the universities admit fewer foreign students in courses where there is strong demand from Singaporeans and more in other courses.
It is essential for our universities to admit good foreign students to create the vibrancy and diversity necessary to make our universities the first class institutions that Singaporeans deserve.

Perry Lim
Director, Higher Education
Ministry of Education