SMU's own scholarships do not have a separate application. You apply through the same online form as your admission, select up to five scholarships in the scholarship section, write a scholarship personal essay, nominate your referees and upload your records.
SMU shortlists based on your academic results and the strength of your non-academic record, and shortlisted applicants will have to go through a panel interview. The window for A-level students typically runs from mid-November to mid-March. I went through this process for the Lee Kong Chian Scholars' Programme (LKCSP), and the interview was where preparation made the real difference.
At a glance
The AY2027-28 dates had not been published at the time of writing but based on last cycle (AY2026-27), the key dates are:
| Stage | AY2026-27 cycle |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 17 November 2025, 12pm |
| Applications close | 19 March 2026, 11.59pm |
| Interviews for shortlisted A-level applicants | March to May |
| Outcomes released by email, in batches | February to July |
| Acceptance deadline for first-window offers | 25 May 2026 |
| Classes start | 17 August 2026 |
The application window opens months before A-level results are released in late February so you should start to draft your essay and line up referees early (as soon as you finish your final paper).
The application process, step by step
- Choose your programmes carefully. You can list up to four degree programmes in order of preference, and you cannot change them once the application is submitted. If you want Law, it must be your first choice. If you want a double degree, opt in on the form. Your programme choice matters for scholarships too as LKCSP, for example, requires your primary degree to be Business and you must take at least a double major (although scholars often go for double degree).
- Select your scholarships. Indicate your interest in the scholarship section of the admission form. Prospective students can select up to five scholarships. If you submit your application without ticking any, you can still add them through Applicant's Self Service.
- Write the scholarship personal essay. It is completed and submitted online as part of the same application. This is the panel's first look at who you are beyond your grades and questions may be asked about it during your interview.
- Nominate your referees. Recommendations from a tutor or principal are optional, but SMU strongly encourages them. The referee details go in the scholarship section, and your referees submit their recommendations online. Make sure to start requesting for references early as the timeline is often tight and a rushed referee doesn't do good work.
- Upload your supporting documents. Through Applicant's Self Service, upload your O-level results, your A-level results (actual or predicted, whichever applies), and any school testimonials, CCA records and award records. There is a non-refundable S$15 application fee, payable by Visa or Mastercard. For A-level candidates, I recommend only submitting after you get your results in February.
- Shortlisting. SMU shortlists scholarship applicants on academic qualifications and the strength of their non-academic records. More broadly, SMU describes its admissions as "holistic and aptitude-based". Beyond grades, it looks for qualities such as intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, communication skills and a positive attitude which is shown through CCA leadership, community service, relevant awards and relevant work or internships.
- Panel interview. Shortlisted applicants are invited to SMU for a panel interview. Only shortlisted applicants are interviewed, so an invitation already means you are in contention.
- Outcome and acceptance. Outcomes are sent by email in batches, and you can track your status on Applicant's Self Service. If you receive local university offers in the first acceptance window, you must decide by that window's deadline – you cannot hold them over to the second window.
My experience
I applied the moment my A-level results were out, before entering National Service. On paper, my application rested on a foundation of 90 RP, tutor character testimonials and CCA/competition/leadership records. For instance, an individual gold and team championship at the NTU Anatomy Challenge.
For the guys, applying before NS also has a practical upside. If you are offered a place and accept it, SMU will reserve it until you complete your NS and NSmen whose enrolment is delayed by NS lock in tuition fees for the year they applied and received their offer.
The interview
Honestly, I did nothing unusual to prepare. What helped most was a habit I had built long before the interview – reading widely about companies and how their business models actually worked.
One question I still remember: "If you were to start a business, what business would you start?" On the surface, it asks about your ambitions. Underneath, it tests whether you understand which business models are interesting and, more importantly, which ones are viable. I had come across an interesting company in the news some time before, so I could explain how it made money with real understanding, not guesswork.
That kind of answer cannot be crammed the night before. Being informed is not a trick you pull out in the room but rather a habit, and it is always a big plus to be able to link your answer to current affairs.
Tip:If you are preparing now, pick one company you find interesting and make sure you can explain, in two minutes, who pays it, for what, and why they keep paying.
What I think made me stand out and secure the scholarship
- Confidence, and knowing what you want. The panel wants to see that you have thought hard about why you are sitting in front of them. Be sure of your goals before you walk in.
- Always prepare for the standard questions you know are coming. Two questions are almost always guaranteed to be asked: Why SMU? and Why this scholarship? Make sure you have clear, honest answers ready for both and that your answer to the second one reflects what that specific scholarship is built to do.
- A well-rehearsed self-introduction. Your self-introduction is the panel's first impression of you, and you only get one shot at it. I rehearsed mine in front of the mirror many, many times, until it felt natural. It is normal for most people to feel awkward talking about your own achievements and strengths, but the fix is not a better script but practice, practice and practice, until what comes through is confidence.
- Honesty when you don't know something. You are speaking to experts and professors and it's fine not to know everything. What is not fine is freezing, or worse yet, bluffing. If you are unsure, start humbly by explaining how far you have looked into the topic, then give it your best attempt. A gap in knowledge is forgivable but arrogance and lack of willingness to admit your gaps in knowledge is far harder to recover from.
- Questions to ask back. Always prepare questions for the panel but let them come out naturally from the conversation. Questions that are built on what was naturally discussed during the interview show that you are engaged and curious, and are much better than generic pre-prepared questions.
What kinds of scholarships does SMU offer?
SMU scholarships fall into three categories: SMU-administered scholarships, donor-funded scholarships, and scholarships from external organisations.
To put these scholarships into context, at AY2026-27 rates, subsidised tuition for Singapore Citizens is S$11,550 a year for most programmes and S$12,750 for Law. A four-year tuition waiver alone is therefore worth roughly S$46,000 for most degrees. Fees are fixed for each cohort's normal four years but can change for new cohorts.
1. SMU-administered scholarships
| Scholarship | Open to | Headline package | Bond |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMU Global Impact Scholarship Award | Singapore Citizens | Tuition waiver, S$14,000 overseas grant, S$5,000 a year living allowance, S$9,000 flexibility grant, optional SMU Master's | Bond‑free |
| Lee Kong Chian Scholars' Programme | Any nationality | Tuition waiver, S$16,000 overseas grant, S$5,000 a year living allowance | Bond‑free* |
| SMU Merit Scholarship | Singapore Citizens | Tuition waiver, S$12,000 growth opportunities allowance | Bond‑free |
| Yip Pin Xiu Scholarship | Singapore Citizens (athletes) | Tuition waiver, S$12,000 growth opportunities allowance | Bond‑free |
| SCIS Achievements / Aspirations Scholarship | Singapore Citizens and PRs in SCIS | S$10,000 or S$5,000 a year for four years, offset against tuition | Bond‑free* |
| SCIS Frontier AI Scholars Programme | Singapore Citizens in specified computing degrees | Tuition after MOE Tuition Grant, S$4,500 a year living allowance, S$14,000 overseas grant, optional MSc | Bond‑free |
I would highlight GISA and LKCSP as SMU's top two bond-free scholarships available.
SMU Global Impact Scholarship Award. GISA is SMU's premier flagship scholars' award. It is open only to Singapore Citizens with outstanding results (A-level, local polytechnic diploma, IB, NUS High School Diploma or equivalent), strong leadership and an excellent CCA or community record. The package includes:
- A waiver of subsidised tuition fees for regular terms, for up to four years
- A S$14,000 Global Learning Opportunities Worldwide (GLOW) grant for exchange or summer programmes, overseas community service, overseas study missions, and overseas case competitions and conferences
- A S$5,000 annual living allowance
- A one-time S$1,800 computer allowance
- A S$9,000 Enhanced Flexibility Grant for on-campus accommodation at Prinsep Street Residences, an overseas exchange or approved professional certifications
- The option of a concurrent or sequential SMU Master's programme worth up to S$40,000
Scholars also take a Scholars' Core curriculum that includes at least one SMU-X course (SMU's project-based courses with real partner organisations) and get priority for exchanges with partner universities such as the University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon etc.
Lee Kong Chian Scholars' Programme. LKCSP is another one of SMU's most prestigious scholarships and there are 60 slots open each cycle. It is open to incoming full-time freshmen of any nationality who show leadership, communication skills and a substantial CCA or community service record. The package is generous as well, including:
- A waiver of subsidised tuition fees for regular terms, for up to four years
- A S$16,000 Global Opportunities grant for overseas exchange or summer programmes, overseas community service projects, and overseas case competitions and conference presentations
- A S$5,000 annual living allowance
- A one-time S$1,800 computer allowance
- Development programmes run by SMU's Student Success Centre
The catch is the degree requirement. GISA lets you take any single degree single major but LKCSP does not. You must take on at least two disciplines, with one at least from the School of Business. In practice:
- If your degree is Business Management, you need to take a second major from any other SMU school (e.g., School of Accountancy)
- If your degree is anything else (Accountancy, Economics, Law, Computing or Social Sciences), you need to take a second major in Business.
- If you take a double degree, one of the two must be Business Management.
2. Donor-funded scholarships
These are funded by individual donors and foundations. Some are merit-based and some are for students with financial need. A few examples:
Dato' Kho Hui Meng Scholarship. This is a generous scholarship worth up to S$87,600 over four years, for freshmen of any nationality (with priority for Singaporeans, Malaysians and PRs) with excellent results, leadership and social skills, and active involvement in sports and community service. You apply through the scholarship section of the admission form, shortlisted applicants are interviewed, and recipients must keep a CGPA of 3.6 or above from Year 2.
Ian R. Taylor Scholarship. Also worth S$87,600, for Singapore Citizen freshmen with outstanding results and active CCA or community involvement. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed.
3. Scholarships from external organisations
Government agencies, statutory boards and companies also sponsor undergraduate scholarships that can be taken at SMU. Examples on SMU's list include the Public Service Commission, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, GIC and the Smart Nation Scholarship. These are not exclusive to SMU, so you compete with students heading to other universities. You apply directly to each organisation, and each sets its own closing dates and terms, including any bond. Check them early rather than assuming they follow SMU's timeline.
If you are a Singapore PR
The Lee Kong Chian Scholars' Programme and the SCIS Achievements / Aspirations Scholarship are open to you, alongside the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship and the Science & Technology Undergraduate Scholarship. Read the terms carefully. PR scholars take up the MOE Tuition Grant, with its three-year work obligation, and the Science & Technology Undergraduate Scholarship carries a six-year bond with a Singapore-registered company.
How to choose your five
Five choices is not an invitation to tick boxes at random. Your chances depend on how well your profile matches each scholarship's criteria, so filter before you choose:
- Citizenship first. The Global Impact Scholarship, Merit Scholarship, Yip Pin Xiu Scholarship, Frontier AI Scholars Programme and Ian R. Taylor Scholarship are for Singapore Citizens only.
- Then your degree. LKCSP needs a Business component. The SCIS scholarships need you to enrol in SCIS. The Frontier AI programme needs a specific computing degree.
- Then your story. Global Impact is built around leadership and societal impact. LKCSP rewards holistic, entrepreneurial development. Yip Pin Xiu is for international-level athletes. Pick the ones your record can defend under questioning in an interview.
What happens once you are a scholar
Winning is the start, not the finish. A few conditions apply across SMU scholarships:
- Coverage. Tuition waivers cover the regular terms (Semesters 1 and 2) for up to four years. Double degree scholars must complete their studies within four years and this often means you have to overload your semesters.
- Grades. Your academic performance is monitored every term, and you will be notified if you fall below the minimum CGPA in your scholarship agreement. Read that agreement properly – it is the document that governs what happens next.
- Other awards. You cannot hold another award of a similar nature without SMU's prior written approval.
- Allowances. Living allowances are paid in two equal instalments by Week 7 of Term 1 and Term 2.
Didn't get one? You still have a second shot
Missing out at admission is not the end. Current SMU students can apply for scholarships every January through the student portal, OASIS, selecting up to three. Outcomes are expected by mid-August.
