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Approved Private Education Institutions

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You will need to apply for a Student’s Pass if you are a foreigner who has been accepted and offered a placement to pursue full-time study at an EduTrust-certified Private Education Institution (PEI) in Singapore that is registered with the Committee of Private Education (CPE), unless you already have an Immigration Exemption Order.

All PEIs registered with the CPE must have EduTrust certification before they can offer placements to foreign students. Your Student’s Pass application will only be accepted if the PEI you have enrolled in is EduTrust-certified.

Visit the CPE Website for more information.


Apply Online Documents Required
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You will need to provide original documents and official translations (for documents in languages other than English), as well as copies of the documents for ICA to retain.

ICA accepts:

  • Translations provided by the embassy of the country that issued the document
  • Translations produced by a notary public in Singapore or the country that issued the document
  • Privately created translations attested by the embassy of the country that issued the document, or notarised by a notary public in Singapore or the country that issued the document.

ICA does not endorse any private translation companies or entities. Insufficient documentation may result in non-acceptance of your application. You may be required to provide additional documents to support your application.

You will need the following documents/ information to complete your Student's Pass application, please have them ready before you apply:

  • The Registration Acknowledgement Letter from the school you plan to attend
  • Your travel document biodata page and birth certificate (if applicable)
  • Your personal information, including the list of countries / places you have previously resided in, your educational background, employment history and financial support
  • Your parents’, spouse's, and/or siblings’ personal information (if applicable)
  • Your residential address and contact details in Singapore
  • Your email address
  • Your recent, passport-sized, digital, colour photograph taken within the last three months. Please refer to the photo guidelines for more information.
  • Foreign-born applicants aged 12 years 0 day or below, are required to submit their vaccination information to Health Promotion Board (HPB) with effect from 1 February 2019. For details, please visit the HPB website.
Security Deposit

If your Student’s Pass application is approved, you will receive an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter that will indicate whether you need to pay a security deposit. Click here to see a copy of the Security Bond Form.

The amount of the security deposit (if required), which must be paid using Banker’s Guarantee, is as follows:

Country / Place Amount per person
(i) Bangladesh, Myanmar, People’s Republic of China and India S$5,000
(ii) Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand S$1,000
(iii) Others S$1,500

You will not need to pay a security deposit if you are:

  • A citizen of Malaysia or Brunei
  • A holder of a valid Dependant’s Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass or Work Pass
  • The child or spouse of a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident (PR)
  • A foreign student attending a full-time course at an EduTrust-accredited PEI
  • A foreign student attending a full-time university programme (graduate or postgraduate) with the exception of the University of London tuition programmes, at an EduTrust-provisional PEI
  • Under 16 years old when you apply for your Student’s Pass.

The security deposit is refundable if you have departed Singapore and have not breached any of the conditions stated in the security bond. It generally takes about six weeks to process a security deposit refund upon cancellation or expiry of your Student’s Pass.


Procedure

New Application

You will need to apply online using the e-Service at least two months and not more than three months before your course begins.

You do not need to be in Singapore while your application is being processed. As such, we recommend you apply for a Student’s Pass before arriving in Singapore as you cannot extend your stay while processing is underway. If your application is approved, you can then enter Singapore to complete the formalities required to issue your Student’s Pass.

If you are a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) above 19 years old who wish to attend a language, commercial, vocational or fine arts non-graduate or postgraduate degree course (including a University of London tuition programme) at an EduTrust-PEI, you may be required to attend an interview at the Singapore Embassy in Beijing.

Renewal Application

If you have a valid Student’s Pass and wish to continue taking the same course at the same school, you may renew your Student’s Pass online using the e-Service.

Transfer Application

If you wish to take up a different course or study in a different PEI, you must apply for a new Student’s Pass online using the e-Service at least four weeks before your new course begins.


Fees

A non-refundable S$30 processing fee is payable.

Payment can be made using:

  • Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card or,
  • American Express (AMEX) credit card or,
  • Internet Direct Debit (DBS/POSB, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered Bank Internet Banking accounts in Singapore) or,
  • PayNow.
Processing Time

New Application

The processing time for a new Student’s Pass application is within one month (and within two weeks for an EduTrust-accredited PEI) (excluding the date of submission). Some applications may take longer time to process.

You may enquire about the application status using the e-Service.

Renew / Transfer Application

The processing time for a renewal/transfer application is within one week (excluding the date of submission). Some applications may take longer time to process.  

You may enquire about the application status using the e-Service.