Parliamentary Replies
Enrolment in Local Universities
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Wee Siew Kim, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education
- what is the number of rejected Singaporean applicants at our three local universities for the past three years (as a percentage of total enrolment);
- whether these universities have different entry criteria for Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans;
- if Singaporeans must have at least polytechnic or A level certification while some non-Singaporeans may come in at a much younger age through different academic routes with different types of qualifications; and
- how are comparisons between different overseas academic standards done.
Response
Over the past three years, about one out of every two Singapore citizens who applied to the three local universities received at least one offer from the publicly-funded universities.
Most local students apply to university using the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-levels or polytechnic diploma qualifications. However, there are a small number of local students who apply with other qualifications. These include students who have International Baccalaureate qualifications, and those who have undergone an overseas education.
All applicants to our universities, whether local or international, must have completed the equivalent of at least 12 years of formal education leading to a high school qualification or equivalent. As such, applicants with international qualifications tend to be of the same age as local applicants. In a few countries, admission to university is possible after 10 or 11 years of formal education. Applicants from these countries may be considered for admission, but only if they provide evidence of very strong academic achievement. In addition, there is a very small number of university applicants who have qualified under special circumstances. For example, a few young talents aged between 14 to 17 have been accepted by the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music for their exceptional gift in music.
Admission to our universities for both local and international students is based on merit. No local student who qualifies for admission to our universities is denied a place. International students must also meet the entry criteria but as there is a 20% cap on the number of international students, non-Singaporeans are, in practice, subject to more stringent entry criteria than Singaporeans. Our universities have acquired familiarity and knowledge with the various qualifications presented by overseas applicants, and are able to select top students from different education systems accordingly.