About
SMU’s Overseas Postgraduate Scholarship is a prestigious scholarship that aims to attract and encourage talented young Singaporeans to embark on an academic career by providing financial support for an overseas PhD/terminal degree programme as well as academic guidance and mentorship.
The scholarships may be awarded to applicants who
- have just completed undergraduate studies; or
- have completed a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s programme and/or have worked for some years; or
- are currently enrolled in a PhD programme overseas
On successful completion of the PhD/terminal degree programme, the scholar will be considered to join SMU’s faculty as an Assistant Professor on the tenure track.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
- Singapore citizens
- Graduates with good Bachelor’s or Master Degrees in, but not limited to accountancy, business, computer science, economics, law, statistics and/or social sciences
- Excellent academic record plus a high degree of proficiency and motivation for a research area that is strongly aligned with SMU’s core areas of excellence
- A keen interest in an academic career at SMU
Supported Fields of Study
The following fields of study will be supported for PhD studies or a terminal degree in the case of Law:
- Accountancy
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Finance
- Geography
- History
- Information Systems
- Law
- Literature
- Marketing
- Operations Management
- Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Strategy & Organisation
Explore here to find out more about SMU's research strategies and areas of excellence.
Explore here to find out more about schools’ and College of Integrative Studies’ research areas.
Value of Scholarship
The scholarship provides
- Full tuition and compulsory fees
- Monthly stipend
- Overseas maintenance allowance
- Return economy airfares
- Conference and fieldwork grants
- Overseas medical insurance
Scholars will also each be assigned a SMU faculty mentor throughout their course of study and have opportunities to participate in faculty development programmes.
The scholarship is tenable for a period of five years.
Service Commitment
5 years in SMU after completion of PhD/terminal degree studies. Mid-term awardees will have a service commitment of 1 year for every year of sponsorship.
Application Process
Application for Intake 2025 commences on 15 Nov 2024.
Only shortlisted applicants (those selected for March 2025 Final Interview) will be notified of the outcome of their applications.
Timeline for Year 2025 Intake
- Application Submission - 15 November 2024 to 15 January 2025
- Interview by Respective Schools (shortlisted applicants only) - January to February 2025
- Final Interview by SMU Selection Panel (shortlisted applicants only) - Mid to End March 2025
- Start of Scholarship - July 2025 (depending on the programme)
Contact Information
For more details on START, please visit our START website.
Should you require further assistance, you may wish to contact our START Coordinator at: START_Coordinator@smu.edu.sg.