UK universities are among the best in the world, with a stellar reputation for high-quality teaching and global leading research.

UK degrees and qualifications are of a high standard and internationally valuable, and the UK’s university sector is a research powerhouse, creating innovative, timely solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.

The UK is one of the top choices for Singaporeans, and a wide choice of scholarships and fellowships are available to support study and research there:

Chevening Scholarships

Chevening Scholarships are for postgraduate studies in the UK, taught courses at almost any university and on almost any course. Upon completion of their programme, Chevening scholars become part of the Chevening Alumni, an extensive network of professionals from a wide variety of fields.

Among other eligibility requirements, applicants must be able to return to their country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after their award has ended, have at least two years’ work experience, have an undergraduate degree that will enable them to gain entry into a postgraduate programme at a UK University and be able to explain how they are a leader in line of work or area of specialist interest or expertise.

GREAT Scholarships

For the 2022-23 academic year, there are five postgraduate scholarships available for Singaporean students to study specific courses at UK universities. Each scholarship is worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year taught course. Find out more about these GREAT scholarships here.

Commonwealth scholarships and fellowships

The Royal Commonwealth Society of Singapore was re-established in 2016 to promote the Commonwealth and to provide new Scholarships and Fellowships for eligible Singaporeans. These are:

• The Singapore Commonwealth Scholarship in Innovation is available to students to undertake a postgraduate programme at a UK University. The programme should include an aspect of research or development in an innovation related area.
• The Singapore Commonwealth Fellowship in Innovation supports applicants with a clear research plan to collaborate with a British institution. Applicants must have an agreement from a university, company, or other body in the UK that they can undertake a Fellowship collaboration with them.

Scholarships awarded by UK universities to Singaporeans

University of Cambridge

Various Undergraduate and Graduate scholarships are offered by the Cambridge Trust, including the NUS Cambridge Scholarship. This scholarship is available for PhD students who are citizens and permanent residents of Singapore. Applicants should simultaneously apply to the University of Cambridge and the National University of Singapore. Successful applicants are expected to work at NUS after completion of their PhD.

Individual Cambridge Colleges may also offer scholarships to their students. To check for scholarships offered directly by the College you wish to apply to, please refer to their website. An example of this is the Lee Kuan Yew Fitzwilliam Scholarship Fund provided by Fitzwilliam College, which provides opportunities to support graduate research by talented young academics from Singapore or working in fields with some connection to Singapore. These include:

• the Hong Leong – Lee Kuan Yew Masters Scholarship, which guarantees a full funding package for the successful student for a one-year course
• the Kuok Family – Lee Kuan Yew PhD Scholarship, which guarantees a full funding package for the successful student, for three years, subject to annual review

For postgraduate funding, the University’s Postgraduate Admissions web pages contain extensive information about funding opportunities at Cambridge.

King’s College, London

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including the [Singapore Scholarship Fund]https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study-legacy/postgraduate/fees-and-funding/student-funding/postgraduate-taught-funding/2020-21/singapore-scholarship-2020), worth up to £20,000 for eligible Singaporean nationals to undertake an undergraduate or postgraduate taught programme in Law, Natural & Mathematical Sciences, Arts & Humanities, or Social Science & Public Policy. It will be awarded on the basis of a personal statement as well as demonstrable financial hardship to someone who has firmly accepted a confirmed place.

University of Warwick

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants including the Friends of the University of Warwick in Singapore Scholarship which is a full scholarship offered to financially disadvantaged Singaporean citizens and permanent residents who have received an undergraduate offer from the university.

The University of Manchester

Partial undergraduate awards of £5,000 are available to students from Singapore, under the Global Futures Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded based on academic merit and the quality of the application. Eligible applicants, who must be commencing their studies in September 2022, will be invited to apply.

Scholarships Awarded by UK Universities to International Students

University of Bath

Scholarships for international students are available for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students. Eligible applicants will be invited to apply. Current funding opportunities specifically for international students include the Chancellor’s Scholarship – an undergraduate first-year tuition fee waiver worth up to £2,000.

Cardiff University

International applicants holding offers for selected Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes will be eligible for the Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship of £2,000. It is automatically awarded if you meet or exceed the conditions stated in your UCAS offer or have an unconditional offer.

City, University of London

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including:

• The Business School International Scholarship (formerly Cass), a scholarship offering £2000 towards Year 1 tuition fees only. Students with outstanding grades who have accepted an offer from City’s Business School as their firm choice are encouraged to apply.

Coventry University

Offers funded studentships for specific PhD projects in a range of research fields. The studentships are open to candidates who have the potential to engage in innovative research and complete the PhD in 3.5 years. The funding includes tuition fees and living expenses. Successful candidates will receive comprehensive research training including technical, personal and professional skills.

University of Dundee

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including the Global Excellence Scholarships, worth up to £25,000, which are awarded to the most inspiring applicants who have demonstrated excellence through academic, extra-curricular or voluntary activities.

University of Durham

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including the BP Scholarship for up to 10 Durham students studying selected courses in science, engineering, management or economics and is worth £3,000 a year. Recipients will also be fast tracked to an interview for an internship or graduate role. Eligible students in the first term of their first year at Durham are sent details on how to apply and scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and potential.

University of Edinburgh

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants.

University of Glasgow

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants from Singapore, including:

• Undergraduate Excellence Scholarships are available for International students of £7,000 per year of study to applicants who can demonstrate excellent academic achievement.

• Over 100 scholarships are available for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees – prestigious, integrated, international, study programmes where students study at University of Glasgow and at one or more of its international partner universities. They cover full tuition fees, monthly stipend and contribution towards travel costs.

• The University of Glasgow is a member of 14 UK-wide Centres for Doctoral Training across the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. These offer a range of PhD and MRes scholarships.

Imperial College London

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including the World Scientific Scholarship, which is awarded on the basis of academic merit and financial need. This scholarship is open to ASEAN students who have been offered a place at Imperial College London. It is worth £5,000 a year for up to 4 years and subject to satisfactory academic progress.

University of Leicester

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants including the College of Science and Engineering Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarship Schemes, each worth up to £5,600 per year, which are automatically considered upon application based on academic results.

London School of Economics and Political Science

Various Undergraduate and Graduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including the Graduate Support Scheme, which is open to eligible applicants for a majority of diploma and taught master’s study. The value of an award ranges from £5,000 to £15,000, depending on financial need.

University of Oxford

Various Undergraduate and Graduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants including The Rhodes Scholarship, the oldest international scholarship programme in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Rhodes Scholarships are for young leaders of outstanding intellect and character who are motivated to engage with global challenges. Full tuition fees and an annual stipend are awarded for two years.

Queen Mary University, London

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants. Many of QMUL’s scholarships are awarded automatically when entry requirements are met, which means that there is no need to apply separately

Royal Holloway, University of London

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including:

• The International Future Leaders Scholarship, which provides a tuition fee reduction of £4,000 in the first year of study for International Students studying any subject with expected grades of ABB at A-level or equivalent, who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills.

• The Electronic Engineering Creativity Scholarship, which is open to new students studying for a degree within the Department of Electronic Engineering. This scheme provides a £1,000 cash award, paid in the first year of study.

Other scholarships include the Business and Management Undergraduate Scholarships (worth £4,000 for the first year and given automatically to all overseas undergraduate students who meet the entry requirements) and the School of Economics and Finance Scholarships (worth £5,000 for first year and awarded automatically to applicants of the School of Economics and Finance on the basis of academic excellence).

St Andrew’s University

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants.

University of Strathclyde

A range of Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are available to Singaporean students across 4 faculties:

• Strathclyde Business School, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science: Available to all international applicants who can demonstrate excellent academic performance; any relevant extra-curricular or professional experience and career development.

• Faculty of Science Scholarships of between £3,000 – £5,000 are available to new international students joining in the 2022/2023 academic year. Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis to candidates who hold an offer of admission and demonstrate excellent academic performance (current and/or previously gained) and any relevant extra-curricular or professional experience.

Further information can be found on the university’s scholarships webpage.

University of Sussex

Various Undergraduate scholarships and Masters courses are on offer to eligible applicants, including the Chancellor’s International Scholarship (£5,000 fee waiver for any student enrolled in a full time undergraduate or postgraduate degree).

• The President’s International Scholarship, for students who are expected to achieve academic grades above the conditions in their offer. Students who are awarded the scholarship will receive £9000 for the first year and will be expected to be ambassadors for the City community.

University College London

Various Undergraduate and Graduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants

University of Warwick

Various Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants including:

• The Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarships. Under this scheme the University offers 250 tuition fee awards ranging in value from £2,000 to full tuition fees for the full duration of undergraduate studies.

• The Albukhary Undergraduate Scholarships. These scholarships are based on academic merit and financial need and provide £20,000 of funding spread over three years.

• Partial postgraduate scholarships are also offered by various academic departments such as the Warwick Business School and WMG.

• PhD candidates can apply for the Chancellor’s International Scholarships which include full payment of tuition fees, a maintenance stipend and a research, training and supporting grant. A number of departments at the University of Warwick also offer funding for research candidates. More information about these scholarships can be found in the Doctoral College scholarships and funding webpages.

The University of Manchester

The School of Engineering offers scholarship awards to academically excellent international students, who are commencing their postgraduate taught (master’s) studies from September 2022. Successful awardees may receive a full tuition fee waiver up to £28,000, or partial waivers of £6,000 or £10,000.

Other Scholarships Awarded to International Students

Aviva Scholarships

On offer for outstanding Asian students with ambitions and will support them in their pursuit of higher education in the UK by covering 20% of tuition fees. Application is through the participating UK Universities which can be viewed on their website.

Other schemes which may support study in the UK

Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

Various scholarships are on offer to eligible applicants, including the National Science Scholarship (PhD), a fully funded scholarship enables Singaporean students with a passion for biomedical sciences, physical sciences and engineering, to study at top research universities around the world.

Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship

This scholarship was set-up by the Tanjong Pagar Citizens’ Consultative Committee with funding from the public. Restricted to Singaporean citizens, Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship recipients can pursue postgraduate studies overseas or locally to develop their potential as leaders in their respective fields. There are no restrictions on the course of study.

Royal Society

Various research grants are on offer to eligible researchers.

Experian and ClearScore provide credit-score checking in the UK. These services allow people to understand their finances, and choose loans and credit cards online.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that Experian and ClearScore are the two largest credit checking firms and each other’s main competitors. Its initial (phase 1) investigation identified concerns that the merged company would be less likely to innovate to help people better understand their finances, potentially leading to people paying more for credit cards and loans.

Therefore, earlier this month, the CMA said it would refer the deal for an in-depth (phase 2) investigation unless Experian offered acceptable ways to address the CMA’s competition concerns.

Experian has chosen not to offer proposals to address the CMA’s concerns and so the merger will now be referred for an in-depth investigation by an independent group of CMA panel members. The deadline for the final decision is 14 January 2019.

Further information about the investigation will be published on the case page.

England’s largest seabird colony will soon benefit from stronger protection as Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey confirms the Flamborough Head and Filey Coast Special Protection Area (SPA) will be extended by over 7,600 hectares.

This protected area of Yorkshire coastline already provides a safe haven for breeding seabirds including gannets, razorbills and the iconic puffin. Now, a quarter of a million breeding seabirds – including almost 2,000 puffins – will be better protected and given a safe space for feeding and foraging.

The announcement comes during National Marine Week, which celebrates the UK’s rich marine life and habitats, and ongoing efforts to protect these for future generations.

Natural England has also launched a consultation to extend the nearby Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA by nearly 10,000 hectares, which if designated, will help protect populations of breeding little terns and common terns.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

We are a world-leader in protecting our marine environment, with a third of our waters already protected as part of our Blue Belt.

National Marine Week is a fantastic opportunity for us all to celebrate the diverse range of habitats which make up the British coastline, and the role we all have to play in protecting these.

These new safeguards for seabirds will help our most precious and iconic wildlife to thrive, and protect our marine environment for future generations to enjoy.

Brad Tooze, Natural England Area Manager for Northumbria:

Extending marine protection areas allows for much loved seabirds to feed and breed in a safe haven, ensuring they can thrive for generations to come in a safe and secure habitat.

Our consultation on extending the Special Protection Area at Teesmouth will help to protect populations of breeding little terns and common terns. Natural England has worked closely with our partners on the Tees to develop these proposals and we welcome views from the local community and stakeholders.

Special Protection Areas are sites designated to protect populations of rare and vulnerable seabirds from human activity – including fishing or outdoor recreation – while minimising disturbance to birds’ open water feeding areas. There are already 45 such sites designated in English waters.

They are just one type of the many Marine Protected Areas in place around the UK to conserve rare, threatened and nationally important habitats and species for future generations. 35 per cent of English waters are part of the Marine Protected Areas network, covering over 200,000 square kilometres.

As part of the Government’s commitment to becoming a world-leader in marine protection, a consultation on designating 41 new Marine Conservation Zones recently closed, receiving an overwhelming 44,000 responses.

The proposed sites will cover an area almost eight times the size of Greater London and help protect species like the short snouted seahorse, stalked jellyfish and peacock’s tail seaweed. If designated, they will mark the most significant expansion of the UK’s ‘Blue Belt’ of protected areas to date.

The Government’s commitment to marine protection forms a key part of our 25 Year Environment Plan, an ambitious roadmap for a greener future.

Alongside expanding the Blue Belt, one of the world’s strongest bans on microbeads was introduced last month to protect our oceans and nine billion fewer bags have been distributed thanks to the Government’s 5p plastic bag charge.

In a further drive to clean up our seas, the Government has also set out ambitious plans to end the sale of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and introduce a deposit return scheme, subject to consultation later this year.

The Charity Commission welcomes the findings and publication of the International Development Committee’s report ‘Sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector’ (eighth report of session 2017-19).

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at the Charity Commission said:

The Commission welcomes the findings of the International Development Committee’s report into sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector.

We are clear that sexual exploitation and abuse, and any other behaviours that put beneficiaries, staff, volunteers and members of the public at risk, have absolutely no place in charity. We are pleased that the report makes a number of helpful suggestions to the sector as to how these can be stamped out. We take safeguarding extremely seriously. Our role is to hold all charities, including those working in the international aid sector, to account for the way they fulfil their duties in keeping people safe.

But the charity sector must go further than simply box-ticking against their legal duties or improving processes and policies. We are particularly pleased to see the Committee’s focus on the responsibility of charity leaders to set an organisational culture that demonstrates zero tolerance for abuse.

Charities should be judged not just by what they do or achieve, but how they go about it. Our research shows that the public expect charities to demonstrate the highest standards are met through everything they do. In the context of safeguarding this means creating safe and trusted environments, including for victims to come forward if abuse does occur, and being transparent with us as the regulator, and the public where appropriate, when things go wrong. It is time for charities and their leadership to fully confront these issues with a real commitment to lasting and demonstrable change.

We are pleased that the Committee recognises our crucial role in monitoring and upholding standards on safeguarding in charities, and welcome the Committee’s recommendation that the Commission should be properly resourced to meet these challenges. We will continue to work with government to ensure we are adequately resourced to meet future challenges.

Responding to some of the key recommendations and themes raised in the Committee report, the Commission said:

Improving reporting

We welcome the Committee’s focus on transparency from charities, by recommending an increase in the quality and quantity of reports of serious incidents. We expect all charities to report serious incidents to the Commission. The considerable increase in the number of safeguarding reports received this year shows that there was, as we had consistently warned, historic under-reporting and we remain concerned that there is still inadequate and inconsistent reporting of serious incidents across the charitable sector.

We are particularly pleased with the Committee’s focus on the need for a sector-wide approach to reporting, in order to ensure the whole sector takes responsibility for exploitation and abuse that occurs through its service delivery. The Committee acknowledges, and we agree, that an increase in the number of reports should be considered an indicator of improved reporting mechanisms, and provides an opportunity for the sector to improve.

Commission’s funding

We are pleased that the Committee has understood the important role that the Commission plays in holding to account charities for their decisions, governance and oversight of the people they are responsible for keeping safe.

We are pleased that the Committee recognising the challenges faced by the Commission with an ever increasing demand on our services, including from an increase in safeguarding related incident reports, and the need for the Commission to be resourced to meet public expectations.

We will continue to work with government to ensure we are adequately resourced to meet future challenges.

Organisational culture and sector leadership

We are particularly pleased to see the Committee’s focus on the responsibility of charity leaders to set an organisational culture that prioritises transparency and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, at all levels of the organisation. We are clear that charities must live their values, and demonstrate clearly to the public how they ensure the safety of their beneficiaries, staff, volunteers and members of the publics.

We agree whole-heartedly with the Committee’s focus on the need for charity leaders to show ethical leadership and to set and uphold an organisation’s values. The Committee calls on the Commission to penalise charities where there is a failure to do this, something that we already take extremely seriously in our regulatory engagement with charities.

We are also pleased to see the Committee’s recognition of the need for gender balance in the sector’s leadership, and the connection they have made between diversity and the ability to challenge and change cultures. The Commission’s own research demonstrates that trustee boards are not reflective of the communities charities serve, with men outnumbering women two to one; the Committee’s report adds to an already compelling case for the sector to address this.

Resources for safeguarding

We are pleased that the Committee highlighted the importance of donors considering the resource implications of statutory safeguarding and keeping people safe, when offering grants. As we said during oral evidence, the Commission is clear that the costs associated with keeping people safe is a fundamental part of delivering a high quality, safe, front-line service.

International Aid Sector Ombudsman

We recognised in our evidence that, by virtue of the size, complexity and multi-jurisdictional nature of the aid sector, there are a number of regulatory gaps that must be addressed in order to ensure victims and survivors of exploitation and abuse have a right to recourse. We note with interest therefore the Committee’s recommendation of the creation of an international aid ombudsman in order to provide access to further recourse to justice to victims and survivors of exploitation and abuse. It is beyond the Commission’s remit and role to investigate individual complaints of abuse – our role is focus on a charity’s governance and trustees’ compliance with their duties – and acknowledge therefore the potential for an organisation to provide a right of appeal and an avenue for victims and survivors. We stand ready to work together with government, the charity sector and the broader international laid sector, if this recommendation is taken forwards.

Next steps

We are pleased to have worked closely with DFID to help ensure charities learn the wider lessons, following to the allegations that surfaced in February. The International Safeguarding Conference in October provides another focal point for the charitable sector to come together to demonstrate their commitment to change. We have worked significantly to ensure alignment of this work with the international aid sector, with the UK charitable sector, particularly on improving safeguarding standards and practices, including on organisational culture.

Notes to editors

1. The Commission’s approach to safeguarding and action taken prior to the allegations being published in February, are set out in our written evidence to the Inquiry.
2. We recently published an update on the work of our safeguarding taskforce, which is available on GOV.UK.
3. In December 2017 we issued a regulatory alert to charities around safeguarding.
4. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see the about us page on GOV.UK.