University Education In Singapore: Student Population Insights

Singapore's education system has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the world by the OECD. The country's focus on education is driven by its lack of natural resources and its need to develop human resources and manpower to build a knowledge-based economy. The government has also been actively promoting the country as a Global Schoolhouse, attracting international students and developing the education sector as a source of revenue.

In 2023, there were approximately 42,000 university students in Singapore, with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) being two of the largest universities in the country. The number of university students in Singapore has been increasing over the years, with the government planning to raise the lifetime cohort participation rate in local universities to 60% by 2025.

What is the total number of university students in Singapore?

The total number of university students in Singapore is difficult to pinpoint exactly, as the sources do not agree on a single figure. However, we can estimate the number of university students in Singapore by looking at the enrolment numbers of the country's top three universities: the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU).

The NUS and NTU each have over 30,000 students, while the SMU has 9,883 undergraduates as of AY2022/2023. This gives us a total of at least 70,000 students across these three universities.

If we consider that the official government policy limits local university graduates per cohort to 40%, and that there are about 45,000 babies born in Singapore each year, we can estimate that around 18,000 Singaporean students are admitted to local universities annually. This suggests that the total number of university students in Singapore is significantly higher than the number in the top three universities, as it includes students from other local universities and foreign universities with campuses in Singapore.

In addition to the top three universities, Singapore has three other autonomous universities: the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). The SIT has an annual intake of over 3,000 students and an enrolment of over 9,000 undergraduates, making it the third-largest autonomous university in Singapore by undergraduate student intake. The SUTD started its operations in 2012 and is also likely to have a significant number of students.

Furthermore, Singapore has a seventh local university, the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), which was established in 2023 through a merger of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts. The UAS is the only publicly-funded private university in Singapore and is expected to have a substantial student population.

Taking into account the enrolment numbers of the top three universities, the intake and enrolment figures of the other autonomous universities, and the presence of the UAS, it is reasonable to estimate that the total number of university students in Singapore is likely to be well over 100,000. However, without official data from the Ministry of Education or other government sources, it is challenging to provide an exact figure.

What is the intake capacity of the top 3 universities in Singapore?

Singapore is known for its high-quality education system, and its universities are consistently ranked among the top in the world. The country's education system has been consistently ranked as one of the highest in the world by the OECD, and in 2020, Singaporean students made up half of the perfect scorers in the International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations worldwide. The island city-state continues to attract students from all corners of the globe, and choosing the right university can be a daunting task.

The top three universities in Singapore are the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU). These universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields and are known for their academic reputation, research output, student satisfaction, and employability prospects.

National University of Singapore (NUS)

The National University of Singapore has over 370 different degree programs, including bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees, and graduate diplomas. The university has a lot to offer across its three campuses and 16 faculties. NUS is home to a multicultural community, bringing together students and staff from over 100 countries worldwide. The university supports the entrepreneurial endeavours of its students and has a strong focus on research, which has raised its public profile and placed it among the world's leading academic institutions. The NUS Overseas Programme and partnerships with other universities ensure that students can also study and travel abroad. The university is associated with numerous figures from the Singaporean political elite, including Prime Ministers Goh Chok Tong and Lee Kuan Yew, and President Benjamin Henry Sheares.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Nanyang Technological University is a highly ranked, publicly funded university in Singapore. Founded in 1981, the university is committed to extensive research in seven different fields, including engineering, business, humanities, arts, and social sciences, and medicine. Located on the city's periphery, its main campus, Tunnan Garden, covers 2km² and is considered to have the biggest on-campus residence infrastructure in Singapore, with 16 halls of residence. The university has joined forces with international partners such as Imperial College London to open a new medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, which is now actively engaged in research aiming to bring positive changes to healthcare in Singapore. The university's award-winning courses help two-thirds of its graduates secure graduate employment before completing their course, with employers including companies such as JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Seagate.

Singapore Management University (SMU)

Singapore Management University is a private university that focuses on business and management education. It has over 7,000 students and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business, accounting, economics, law, and the social sciences. SMU also offers interdisciplinary programs that combine business with other fields. The university has an Office of Research, a number of institutes, and centres of excellence, and provides public and customised programs for working professionals through its Office of Executive and Professional Education.

While exact numbers for the intake capacity of these top three universities in Singapore are not readily available, it is clear that they collectively cater to a large number of students and are highly sought-after destinations for local and international students alike.

How many students attend the National University of Singapore?

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a public research university with a total of 38,000 students from 100 countries and three campuses in Singapore. As of 2022, there were 31,800 undergraduate and 12,100 graduate students at the university, with 25% of the total students being international students. The university has 17 faculties and schools and offers degree programmes in disciplines at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

NUS is one of the six autonomous universities in Singapore and has over 30,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in the country. The university has a main campus located in the southwestern part of Singapore, adjacent to the Kent Ridge subzone of Queenstown. The Duke-NUS Medical School is located at the Outram campus, while the Bukit Timah campus houses the Faculty of Law and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

NUS offers a broad-based curriculum underscored by multi-disciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment. The university has a global approach to education and research, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. It is consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the world and is known for its rigorous and broad-based academic programmes, innovative entrepreneurship education, and experiential learning.

NUS has a low acceptance rate of 5-10%, making it highly competitive for prospective students. The university offers a wide range of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with 68 undergraduate and 220 postgraduate programmes. The average first-year tuition fees for international students range from INR 11 L to 30 L, while courses such as MBBS and MD can cost up to 1 Cr.

The university has a diverse range of majors and attracts students from various backgrounds. NUS is also known for its strong placement rate of 97%, with graduates finding employment in top companies such as Google, TikTok, and Accenture. The average salary of MBA graduates is INR 1.34 Cr PA.

How many students attend Nanyang Technological University?

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a public research university in Singapore. It was inaugurated on 1 July 1991 and is one of the two largest public universities in the country. The university is organised across numerous colleges and schools, including the College of Engineering, College of Science, Nanyang Business School, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Graduate College, National Institute of Education, and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

NTU's main campus covers 200 hectares of land, making it the largest university campus in Singapore. The university has about 35,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, with 24,700 undergraduates and 10,600 graduate students from more than 80 countries. NTU's main campus also has 23 Halls of Residence for undergraduates, each with a capacity of between 500 and 659 residents. They accommodate 14,000 local and international students, with every freshman guaranteed a hostel room.

NTU's first chairman was Michael Fam, and its first president was Cham Tao Soon, who served from 1991 to 2002. In 2006, NTU became autonomous and is currently ranked #15 in QS World University Rankings 2025.

How many students attend Singapore Management University?

Singapore Management University (SMU) is a premier university in Asia, known for its world-class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU currently has over 10,000 students across undergraduate, postgraduate professional and post-graduate research programmes. The university comprises six schools: the School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Information Systems, School of Law, and School of Social Sciences.

SMU offers a wide range of bachelor's, master's, and PhD degree programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with the six schools, as well as in multidisciplinary combinations of these areas. The university is known for its highly interactive, collaborative, and project-based approach to learning.

SMU's city campus is located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with businesses, the government, and the wider community. The university has an acceptance rate of around 45%, making it moderately selective for international student admissions. The eligibility requirements for international students include official high school transcripts, certificates of completion from secondary school, standardised test scores, and English language proficiency scores.

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