Choose to study in Singapore or study in China?

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If you want to study abroad, and Singapore and China are under your consideration, but you can’t make a decision because you don’t know enough about them, and you don’t know which country is more suitable for you to study. So about the question of whether to study in China or Singapore, today I will introduce these two countries in detail from several aspects. I believe you will have your own answers after reading them.

Basic Information

About China:

For a detailed introduction to China, you can click on our website “why China“.

About Singapore:

Singapore is bordered by Malaysia by the Johor Strait in the north, and Indonesia by the Singapore Strait in the south, and adjacent to the south entrance of the Strait of Malacca. In addition to Singapore Island (88.5% of the country’s area), Singapore also includes 63 surrounding islands.

Singapore is a developed capitalist country, known as one of the “Four Little Dragons in Asia”. At the same time, with its geographical advantages, Singapore has become one of Asia’s important financial, service and shipping centers. Its economic model is called “state capitalism.” According to the 2018 Global Financial Center Index (GFCI) ranking report, Singapore is the fourth largest international financial center after London, New York and Hong Kong. Rated as the world’s first-tier city by GaWC. Singapore is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as a member economy of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Commonwealth (The Commonwealth) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Next, I will compare and introduce the two countries’ affairs about international students in detail.

Universities

As of 2020 data, there are more than 3,000 colleges and universities in China, among which there are 137 double-class universities, of which 42 are first-class universities and 95 are first-class disciplines.

There are 6 public universities in Singapore, the others are private universities.

In the latest QS Asian University Rankings, 124 universities in mainland China are on the list, ranking first, the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University are ranked first and third, and Tsinghua University in China is ranked second. Among the top ten universities, there are seven in China, two in Singapore and one in Malaysia.

In fact, for the choice of universities, Chinese universities have more choices.

International student data

From 2009 to 2018, the number of Chinese students studying abroad doubled from 238,200 to 492,200.

According to official data from Singapore in 2019, there are 67,200 foreign students studying in Singapore.

Apply conditions for studying abroad

Singapore

1. Singapore public university undergraduate application requirements:

Students can pass the domestic college entrance examination scores, and the students’ college entrance examination scores need to reach a score of 50-100 points or more. However, many students still prefer to apply for undergraduate courses in public universities in Singapore by taking the Singapore A-level examinations. Public universities in Singapore also attach great importance to students’ academic qualifications and language performance in terms of application requirements for master’s degree programs.

2. Singapore private university undergraduate application requirements:

In terms of academic qualifications, you can apply when you are in high school (secondary education is also available); in terms of language requirements, students applying for undergraduate majors in private universities in Singapore must have an IELTS score of 5.5-6.0. The application requirements for a master’s degree in a private university in Singapore require students to hold a domestic university undergraduate diploma in terms of academic requirements, and provide an average score during the school period, with a score of 75 or more, and IELTS 6.5 is enough.

China

1. Undergraduate students:

Applicants must have an academic qualification equivalent to a Chinese senior high school graduation, and they are under 25 years old and can enter a university for undergraduate studies. The length of study is 4-6 years.

2. Master students:

Those who have passed the Chinese postgraduate enrollment examination, or have excellent grades in the recent undergraduate graduation from a Chinese institution of higher learning, and those who have been recommended by the school to be exempted from the examination, under the age of 35 can become postgraduates. The length of study is 2 to 3 years.

3. Ph.D. students:

Those who have been recommended by two associate professors or more and passed the examinations of relevant Chinese institutions of higher learning, under the age of 40, can become doctoral candidates. The length of study is 2 to 3 years.

4. Ordinary scholars:

With a university degree of more than 2 years, come to China to study the original major, under the age of 35, can be arranged as a general scholar. The length of study is 1 to 2 years.

5. Senior Scholars:

Graduated from a university and have obtained the equivalent of a Chinese master’s degree, or have obtained the qualification to study for a doctorate degree. After coming to China, under the guidance of a Chinese tutor, they will improve their studies on a certain topic. They are under 45 years old and the duration of study is generally one year.

Education

Singapore

Kindergarten education

Singapore kindergartens usually provide three-year pre-school courses for children aged 3 to 6. The daily courses for each grade of the kindergarten include learning activities such as the development of language and reading skills, basic arithmetic, simple scientific knowledge, social skills, creativity and problem-solving skills, as well as music appreciation and outdoor games. All children learn two languages, English and their mother tongue.

Primary education

In the first four years of primary school, the curriculum is unified, and after four years, the division is implemented. The division is divided into three different courses based on the language ability of the students. The purpose of diversion is to allow students to learn at their own pace and to fully realize their potential. Primary 1 to Primary 4 are the foundation-laying stage, and the aim is to lay a solid foundation for students in English, mother tongue and mathematics. Primary 5 and Primary 6 are directional stages, and students will be assigned to one of the three main language sources.

Secondary education

Students who pass the primary school leaver’s examination can enter Secondary One. After entering secondary school, students must receive four to five years of secondary education. The school will assign students to ordinary courses, fast courses or special courses according to their learning ability. After four years of study, students enrolling in express courses and special courses can take the high school Cambridge General Certificate of Education (General Level) examination, which is connected by Singapore and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Students can take the “General” level examination for the General Education Diploma in the fourth year of secondary school. Just take the annual examination and reach the admission line of the year. Based on your grades and interests, you can choose junior colleges, high schools and polytechnics (college colleges) to continue your studies or enter social work. The pre-university courses for junior colleges are two years, and for high schools are three years.

Junior College/High School

After passing the Cambridge General Education Examination, middle school students can apply for a two-year course at Jingru Junior College. In addition to the two main subjects of general examination papers and mother tongue, students of junior college must also choose from the liberal arts of their choice, Science or Business, choose four subjects to take the Cambridge General Education Certificate Exam.

Singapore mother-child escort policy

Singapore is one of the few countries in the world that allows the implementation of the “mother-child” study abroad policy. Both public and private primary and secondary schools can enroll foreign students and allow their mothers to work with them.

China

According to the Education Law of the People’s Republic of China, China implements a learning and education system of preschool, elementary, secondary and higher education, and China also requires nine years of compulsory education. After nine years of compulsory education, China can also choose a vocational high school. Vocational high schools in China are usually students who have not been admitted to ordinary high schools. They have to choose vocational high schools, and they cannot be admitted to ordinary universities after graduation. There is also adult education in China, which is to receive vocational training in vocational schools or educational institutions and obtain academic certification after passing the examination. Education in China is certified through examinations, so the examination system is implemented, and different examinations can have different results. For example, you will get a certificate in the academic examination, you will get a qualification for the entrance examination, you will get an industry certificate in the certificate examination, and so on. my country implements a degree system, and degree-granting units grant corresponding degrees and degree certificates to persons who have reached a certain academic level or professional technical level in accordance with the law.

Preschool education

Refers to the education process of children aged 3-6 in kindergarten. Kindergartens are generally run by the private sector. In large and medium-sized economically developed cities, children’s needs for preschool education are basically met. The development of preschool education is moving from cities to rural areas. Some townships have basically popularized one-year preschool education.

Elementary education

Refers to the education process that children aged 6-12 receive in elementary school. Primary schools are generally established by local governments, but also by individuals and non-governmental organizations.

Secondary education

Refers to the process of receiving education in a secondary school during the age of 12-17. Junior high schools, general high schools, vocational high schools and technical secondary schools are all secondary schools. Ordinary middle schools are divided into junior high schools and high schools. The school system is three years each. Some junior high school graduates enter high schools and some enter vocational high schools and technical secondary schools. Secondary schools are generally established by local governments.

Higher education

College, undergraduate and postgraduate education after secondary education. The institutions that implement higher education in China are universities, colleges and colleges. Colleges and universities have three major functions: teaching, scientific research and social services. In order to promote the development and reform of higher education, during China’s “Ninth Five-Year Plan” period, “Project 211” was proposed, that is, facing the 21st century, focusing on the construction of about 100 colleges and universities and a number of key disciplines.

Continuing Education

Including adult technical training, adult non-academic higher education and literacy education.

Study abroad expenses

Singapore

Tuition

The tuition fee of public universities in Singapore is about S$15,000 per year. The above tuition fees enjoy the bursary from the Ministry of Education of Singapore. After graduation, students need to work in Singapore for three years. Undergraduate fees at private universities in Singapore total S$40,000 to S$50,000. The first year of undergraduate tuition costs S$10,000. The average tuition fee for the second and third years is S$20,000. The specific tuition fee depends on the major.

Living expenses

The cost of living at the University of Singapore is 60,000-70,000 RMB a year. Living expenses include accommodation, food, transportation, entertainment and other expenses. The biggest expense of living expenses is accommodation costs. Accommodation costs 500-1,500 SGD per month. Accommodation costs vary depending on the location. , Accommodation types, facilities and the number of people living in the same room vary. For food and beverage expenses, students need 12 SGD a day, about 400 SGD a month. The transportation fee is S$50-100 per month, and students of government universities can enjoy transportation concessions.

Scholarship

Singapore scholarships depend on students’ performance, attendance rate and so on. Singapore has an annual review, and international students still have to compete with local students. However, the school here also has a bursary. This bursary is specifically set up to allow more international students to study here in Singapore, and as long as it can be accepted by the school, you will have the opportunity to get this bursary. In addition, the official bank here also provides various interest-free loan programs to these students in order to attract more international students to study.

If the student’s grades are good, but if it is financially difficult, the bursary can also be obtained, and its interest rate is relatively low so that the burden on the student is not too heavy, and the amount of bursary is generally not very large, Students generally work for 1 to 2 years is enough to pay off.

Generally, public schools in Singapore organize some examinations. If students can pass these examinations, they can be admitted and get scholarships. However, high test scores are still required when applying. That is, students can apply in China and can quickly know if they have applied.

If you complete the application for school and bursary through the selection examination, the bursary you can usually get is enough to pay 60%-65% of the tuition. If you have good grades, you can even get tuition-free, and you can get part of the living expenses. If you are studying at a Singapore Polytechnic, the general bursary is enough to cover about 80% of the tuition.

China

Tuition

There are many schools in China, and the cost of each school is different. In China, public schools charge much lower than private schools. Publicly-run general undergraduate majors are generally 10,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan per academic year, and publicly-run junior college majors are generally 20,000 yuan to 60,000 yuan. The tuition fees of independent colleges and private universities are about 50,000 yuan, and the tuition fees of Sino-foreign cooperative education programs range from tens of thousands of yuan each year.

Living expenses

The cost of living is mainly determined by the price of the area where the school is located and the student’s own economic conditions. In first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, prices are naturally higher, while prices in other second and third-tier cities will be lower. In addition, school cafeterias will be cheaper than outside restaurants. Because colleges and universities have government subsidies, the food in cafeterias is of good quality and low price. Moreover, China’s Internet economy is very developed. You can buy everything you need online. If you go to the mall and find the price of something that you can’t pay for, you can look for something similar online, and you will find a lot of cheap things.

And there are second-hand websites in China, you can buy some second-hand books and furniture at very affordable prices if you don’t mind. If you travel, short distances, buses and subways are very convenient, the price is cheap, and there are discounts. For long trips, trains and high-speed rails are usually considered. In China, it is very convenient to travel by high-speed rail. In summary, the cost of living is about 800 to 1500 RMB per month.

The accommodation fee for public schools is 1,000 to 3,000 yuan per year, and the accommodation fees for private schools are similar. In addition, the environment of the dormitory for foreign students in Chinese schools is relatively good, with complete facilities.

Scholarship

There are many types of scholarships in China. China scholarships include China government scholarships, local government scholarships, Confucius Institute scholarships and school scholarships, among which are divided into full scholarships and partial scholarships. In China, full scholarships cover tuition, accommodation and living expenses. Doctoral advanced scholars can get up to about 100,000 yuan a year, and ordinary undergraduates can get about 60,000 yuan a year. Part of the scholarship is not so much, ranging from 2000 to 20000.

That’s all about studying in Singapore and China. If you think it’s helpful, please share it on your social media.

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