Singapore Management University is the third autonomous university in Singapore. SMU is a popular choice among business students as their programs are modeled after Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania). SMU is a vibrant university which allows students to customize their degree by taking courses from among the six schools of SMU.

Important Deadlines

The application for SMU opens in mid-October and closes by end-March. 

Application Portal for SMU

1. Personal Particulars

In the first section, you will be asked to fill in your personal details such as Full Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Nationality, Home Address, Email IDs, contact numbers, parents’ details, identification document number etc.

2. Educational Qualifications

As an international student, you must have completed 12 years of formal education by July of the admission year. First, you will be asked to choose your qualification. Here, you can select the ‘International Qualification’. The following are the primary components:

• Class 10 grades
• Class 12 grades (most recent results, if not completed 12th grade)

3. Test Results

All applicants with international qualifications are required to take one of the following tests and submit the scores before end of March:

• SAT
• ACT with Writing
• IELTS
• TOEFL

There is also an optional section where you can add your AP courses. You will be asked to input the year in which you took the test, the module you took and the grade you received.

4. Work Experience

This is another optional section where you can add any internship and work experience that you may have completed recently. You can list a maximum of 3 work experiences. You will have to fill in the following details:

• Organization
• Start/End Date
• Job Designation
• Industry
• Job Responsibilities

If you wish to complete an internship before you start university, then we recommend you to work in a field that is related to your course choices. For example, if you are applying for the Bachelor of Business Management, then it will be extremely beneficial if you have completed a Business Development Internship.

5. Achievements

This section allows you to add Co-curricular activities in which you have actively participated. You can include a maximum of 3 activities. So wisely choose the most significant activities/ awards to add. You will have to briefly describe the activity or award and you can include why you chose to participate.

6. Personal Statement

SMU requires one personal statement of 2000 characters (about 300 words). Since you are limited to only this space to express yourself, you should write a concise, well-thought and focused summary instead of a prolonged essay. Some pointers to follow while writing your essay for SMU:

• Give a very brief overview of your background so that it gives a context to your interests and passions.
• Write down your significant achievements and choose 2-3 of these to explain in detail.
• Make sure you back your skills and strengths with examples and scenarios.
• Mention why you wish to study at SMU and what attracts you to their programme. Try to be specific to show your keen interest in SMU.
• SMU looks for intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and excellent communication skills so make sure to explore your passion about subjects in depth. 
• These qualities can also be exhibited in leadership positions, community involvement, co-curricular activities, internships and other relevant activities. So it is recommended to include these examples in your essay.
• Make sure that your sentences are well structured and coherent. 

7. Quick Takes

The SMU application has an additional section where you can express yourself through short answers. The Quick Takes section has 2-3 questions which you must answer in 50 words. Some examples of these questions are:

• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? 
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

These questions must be answered succinctly so make sure you do not get into prolonged details. Try to express yourself honestly and make sure your sentences are concise.

8. Supplementary Information

In this section, you will be asked to fill in additional information like:

• If you have studied at a University before
• Financial Background
• If you wish to stay in SMU’s residences near campus
• If you have ever been convicted by a court of law
• Disability/ Special needs

9. Programme & Scholarship Choice

SMU allows you to choose up to 5-course choices. You should order your choices according to your preference with the topmost course choice being your highest priority. If you are unsuccessful for your first choice then you will be automatically considered for the other courses. It is important for you to check each course’s individual requirements for any entrance examination or additional application components. For example, if you wish to apply for Law then it must be your first choice and you will then be invited for an interview.

Next, you will be asked if you wish to apply for Financial Aid/Scholarships. You will have to submit a separate detailed Scholarship application after you submit your application for admission. 

10. Tuition Grant

In this section, you will be asked if you wish to apply for a Tuition Grant. The tuition grant allows you to pay a subsidized tuition fee. You must be prepared to sign a Tuition Grant Agreement with the Government of Singapore, which would require that you secure employment and serve in a Singapore entity for three years upon graduation. 

11. Finalizing your application and payment

Before submitting your application, you will need to sign an acknowledgement (by ticking the “I acknowledge that all the above information is true” button). 

After submitting your declaration, you will be required to make the payment of SGD15 in order to confirm your application. After you see the confirmation page, you can close the tab. Congratulations, you will have officially completed your application to SMU!

12. Submission of Supporting Documents

After you submit your application, you will be asked to submit scanned copies of your documents. The checklist of document is:

• Copy of Class 12 Final results (when available)
• Copy of latest examination results (example Class 11 Final exam results)
• Copy of University transcript (if applicable)
• Copy of additional score reports (example SAT, SAT Subject Tests, IIT-JEE)
• Copy of Passport (identity document)
• Copy of Co-curricular activities Certificates (if applicable)
• Copy of medical report of any existing conditions (if applicable)
• Copy of Criminal record(s) (if applicable)

Now, you are done with the application process. After submitting all your documents, wait for the university to send out an invitation for an interview, if applicable. The hardest time during the application process is waiting for the results. Now that you have finished the application with a lot of hard work, it is important for you to not stress about the outcome of your application. You have done your best and it is now up to the admissions officers to decide whether to send an offer or not. 

Interviews

Interviews are a key stage in the admissions process for SMU, which believes that academic grades are not the only measure of a student’s ability. It’s best to be fully prepared for this important admissions stage, which takes place between February and April.

Announcement of Offer

If you are successful, you will receive an offer by mid-July and will have to start the matriculation process. It is finally time to start your journey in your dream university!

Tuition and Other Fees

The cost breakdown of studying at SMU is as follows:

1. Tuition Fees: varies by course, the average is SGD 44,770 (approx ₹24.4 Lakh)
2. Campus Accommodation: varies from SGD 2000 – SGD 7000 (approx ₹1L to ₹3.8L), depending on the hall and type of room.
3. Meals, personal expenses, transportation, books & supplies, miscellaneous fees: around SGD 6900 to SGD 9000 (approx ₹3.75L to ₹4.9L)
4. Total average cost is around 29 to 33 lakh rupees.

Sign up at UniRely and talk to our mentors to make your way to Singapore Management University. For more details and queries about the process of applying to universities in Singapore for an undergraduate degree, please visit our website unirely.com.