Easy Step by Step Procedures to get Singapore Student Visa

The Singapore Student’s Pass is the most vital element of admission for any international student who plans to pursue his /her studies in the country. Here is the step-by-step procedure to get a Singapore student visa.

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Why Study in Singapore?

Singapore is home to globally recognized universities such as the Nanyang Technical University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), which are among the top-ranking academic institutions renowned for high-quality programs and state-of-the-art schools.

The low cost of living and inexpensive tuition fees are the core factors that lead to its success among international students as a study destination.

After Tokyo, the Economic Intelligence Unit rated Singapore as the second safest city in the world and was acclaimed for preserving ‘Health Security’ including fast access to healthcare and emergency episodes, among others.

Singapore student visa Guide

After receiving the offer letter from the desired university of study for a particular course, students need to apply for a student pass to enter Singapore. Students who have been accepted to pursue educational interests under qualified institutions are given a student’s pass which also takes the form of a Singapore student visa.

All visa applications to Singapore have to be passed through the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority or ICA.

Applications are submitted through the Student’s Pass On-Line Application & Registration (SOLAR) system. Applications for a Student’s Pass must be submitted at least one month and not more than two months before the commencement of the student’s course of study.

International students from countries which require a visa to enter Singapore can show an in-principle approval letter issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at the checkpoints, in place of a visa.

Students under the following categories require a Pass; Approved Private Education Organizations, Kindergarten/Childcare Centre registered with MSF, Foreign System Schools, Institutes of Technical Education, Government/Government-Aided/Independent Schools, Polytechnics and Universities.

Singapore Student Visa cost

Processing Fee/Issuance Fee

A non-refundable, processing fee of $30 is required for every application submitted to ICA. Applicants are also required to file an additional S$60 for issuance of the Pass. For submission, via SOLAR+ you’ll be required to make payment by credit/debit card or Internet banking.

An issuance fee is charged on every student’s pass issued and a further charged multiple-entry visa fee. The fee is payable when the successful applicant completes the formality to collect the Student’s Pass.

Required Documents for Singapore Student VISA

Students must furnish the following documents for application purposes and completion of formalities.

1. Valid passport along with a copy of the particulars page. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your stay in Singapore.
2. The Disembarkation/Embarkation card of the student, granted on entry into Singapore.
3. One recent color passport-sized photograph. The photograph should have a white background.
4. The eForm 16 printouts were submitted through SOLAR;
5. A copy of the IPA letter; and
6. A medical report in the format available on ICA’s website.
7. Completed Student Visa Application Forms – ICA form 16 & Form V36
8. Application fee payment receipt,
9. The offer of place – You need to have an offer of a place from a Singapore institute/university. The forms are usually issued after the tuition fees have been received.
10. Bank Statements – Funds to be shown = Tuition fee + $8,400
11. Fixed Deposit Receipts and Bank loan sanction letter (if necessary)

Note: During the personal interview, additional documents may be requested by the interviewer. These may be documents to prove evidence of academic or financial status, Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended, and Test scores that your college required, such as the TOEFL, GRE, or GMAT.

How To Apply for Singapore Student Visa

Once you have gathered the above-mentioned documents, you can follow the key steps mentioned below in order to have a successful application registration for a Singapore Study Visa.

Note: the application process for the student pass might differ as per the university or the institute to which you have gained admission.

• After you have submitted the student pass application, it will take a minimum of 15 days or a maximum of 4 weeks for visa processing.
• The visa interview might not be a part of the process (depending on the university where you have got admission) and in this case, the candidate will be informed beforehand.
• The final processed visa will be sent to the candidate through courier or it can be collected directly from the Embassy. 
• The Singapore Student visa is then submitted to the ICA two months before the beginning of the academic session. 
• For those students applying through the online portal, you can keep a tab on your visa application by logging on to the website using your Unique Transaction Reference Number. 

IHLs in Singapore

The application process for a Singapore student visa is different for different educational levels from the Polytechnics and Universities. There are 20 IHLs in Singapore which are;

• Digipen Institute of Technology Singapore
• Ecole Superieure Des Sciences Economiques Et
• German Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)
• Commerciales (ESSEC), INSEAD (Singapore)
• Nanyang Technological University
• Nanyang Polytechnic
• Singapore University of Technology and Design
• Ngee Ann Polytechnic
• National University of Singapore
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts
• Republic Polytechnic
• Singapore Institute of Technology
• Singapore Polytechnic
• Sorbonne Assas International Law School
• S P Jain School of Global Management
• Temasek Polytechnic
• Singapore Management University
• The University of Nevada.

Other institutions include Las Vegas (UNLV), Singapore and University of Chicago Booth School of Business), to the Approved Private Education Organizations (Institutes like James Cook, MDIS and Curtin which are registered with the CPE and the Institutes of Technical Education which provide vocational training to secondary school leavers in Singapore.

Note, to get a Singapore student Visa you can either apply online or via the Singapore Consular Office in your country to obtain the Singapore visa application.

For all the categories of institutions, the applications have to be submitted through the Student’s Pass On-Line Application & Registration (SOLAR) system. The process for IHLs higher learning is as follows:

Registration of Application by an Institute of Higher Learning (IHL)

The university has to register with SOLAR using the student’s name, date of birth, nationality, gender, the course details and application reference number. Before the foreign student can apply to the Student’s Pass-through SOLAR, the Name, date of birth,  and nationality of the student

Submission of eForm 16 by Student

Once the college has successfully registered the student, the student may log in to SOLAR to submit eForm 16.

Applicants must have the following information before logging into SOLAR; A registration acknowledgment notice with the login information provided by the college,

Passport details (passport number, date of expiry, etc.), Singapore’s resident address and contact details (if not available, provide the school’s registered address), Applicant’s email address, and One recent passport-sized color photograph.

Students whose parents are Singaporeans or foreigners who are working or residing in Singapore are required to provide the NRIC/FIN of the parents;

Upon submission of the eForm 16 through SOLAR, students will print a copy of the eForm. It will be submitted to the Student’s Pass Unit, ICA, to complete formalities for the issuance of a Student’s Pass.

It takes a minimum of 10 working days to process the student pass but could take longer during the July –August period, as applications increase. Hence, students are advised to apply in advance during that period.

Students who are deemed fit to get a Student’s Pass are issued an in-principle approval letter by the ICA through their university.

The visa for students, who require it, is attached to the IPA. On reaching Singapore, students are required to report to the Student’s Pass Unit for completion of further formalities.

Dependents

The spouse and children of full-time graduate research students can get sponsorship from the university for a Social Visit Pass to stay in Singapore. The graduate students should get their spouse and children to apply for an entry visa at Singapore’s embassy, so when the spouse and children arrive in Singapore, they will be given a 4-week Social Visit Pass at the airport.

A General Look at the Visa Procedure:

• Once admission is obtained, the next step is to obtain a Student Pass or Visa to study in Singapore.
• The Student Visa is usually issued for the entire duration of study at the cost of 30-50 Singapore dollars.
• The Student Visa takes only about 10-15 working days to be processed and issued, but earlier applications are encouraged.

Additional Information

Work permits are not required for those who want to work during holidays, as they can work full-time without any visa restrictions.

You can work part-time for up to 16 hours per week. After the degree program is over, international students can submit an application for a one-year Visit Pass to ICA (Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore) online through e-VP, if they want to look for employment opportunities in Singapore.

International students are required to cancel their Student’s pass within 7 days from their graduation. For cancellation the student has to submit; A cancellation form, Travel document, The Student’s Pass Card and Student’s Visit Pass and Disembarkation/Embarkation Card.

How long does it take to get Singapore student visa?

The processing time for Singapore Student Visa can be somewhere between 15 days to a maximum of 4 weeks and mainly varies as per the type of academic institution.

We hope this blog provides you with the details of obtaining a Singapore Student Visa. If you need assistance for writing impressive SOPs, LORs, and academic essays, you can get in touch with our Leverage Edu experts and we’ll guide you throughout the process of applying for a study program in Singapore along with sorting out accommodation issues as well.

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