First announced during the Singapore Budget 2024, the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SLUP) supports mid-career Singaporeans aged 40 and above in undertaking significant reskilling and upskilling to boost their prospects in their current jobs or pivot to a new career.
In the past two years, including during the Singapore Budget 2025 and National Day Rally 2025, the programme was beefed up to include part-time courses as well as quality courses offered by industry leaders and private training providers, instead of mainly those offered by Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs).
Read Also: [Live Updates] Singapore Budget 2025: Live Coverage And Real-Time Commentary
What Is The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme?
There are three components to the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP).
#1 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) Top-Up Worth $4,000
The first is the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) Top-Up. Unlike the $500 SkillsFuture credit that all Singaporeans receive at age 25, this top-up is meant to be more targeted than previous tranches of SkillsFuture top-ups, with usage confined to selected training programmes with improved employability outcomes.
For example, it can offset out-of-pocket course fees when enrolling into around 7,000 part-time and full-time diploma, post-diploma, undergraduate programmes, and courses for the Progressive Wage Model sectors.
All Singaporeans will receive the $4,000 in the year they turn 40. These SkillsFuture credits have no expiry date.
#2 Support For Mid-Career Singaporeans To Pursue Another Subsidised Full-Time Diploma
Previously, individuals who have received MOE subsidies or government sponsorship for a diploma or higher qualification (e.g., degree) were not eligible for another subsidised full-time diploma qualification at our institutions.
Singaporeans aged 40 and above will now qualify for the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES) for another subsidised full-time diploma at the Polytechnics, ITE, and Arts Institutions (i.e., Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts). This will expand the opportunities available for mid-career Singaporeans to take subsidised courses.
The subsidies are pretty significant. Here’s a look at the annual fees at Polytechnics for the Academic year 2025.
| Singapore Citizens (below 40 years old) | Singapore Citizens (40 years old and above) | Permanent Residents | International Students |
| $3,100 | $2,100 | $6,400 | $12,400 |
As we can see, Singapore citizens who are 40 years old and above will enjoy tuition fees ($2,100) that are even lower than those of Singapore citizens who are below 40 years old. It’s also significantly lower than what PRs ($6,400) and international students will be paying ($12,400).
The $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) Top-Up can be used to cover this tuition fee.
#3 SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance
Perhaps the most generous subsidy of all is the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance. Since working adults who intend to take a full-time diploma will have to make significant sacrifices in terms of time to commit to full-time studies, they may need to take time off from their jobs or even stop working altogether for a period of time.
To better support mid-career workers who need to undergo substantive reskilling, the government will provide a training allowance to Singaporeans aged 40 and above who undertake full-time long-form training to partially offset the income loss from taking time off from work.
This has been available since March 2025 for eligible individuals who enrol in the following full-time long-form training programmes.
(i) Full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme courses, which are designed to support mid-career transitions into sectors with good hiring opportunities.
(ii) Full-time publicly-funded full qualifications up to undergraduate degree level offered by our Institutes of Higher Learning and Arts Institutions.
The training allowance will be equivalent to 50% of the individual’s average income over the latest available 12-month period, capped at $3,000 per month. For example, someone who earns $6,000 a month or more will receive a maximum of $3,000 a month for up to 24 months. Someone who earns $4,000 a month will receive $2,000 during their training period for up to 24 months.
During the Singapore Budget 2025 speech, PM Lawrence Wong extended the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance to selected part-time long-form training programmes. The part-time training allowance will be a fixed allowance of $300 per month, and will help trainees defray incidental training expenses (e.g., books, materials, transport). This scheme will be implemented by early 2026.
During National Day Rally 2025, PM Lawrence Wong said that the scheme will be further expanded to include “quality courses offered by industry leaders and private training providers”.
Every Singaporean can receive up to 24 months of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance throughout their lifetime. This can be shared for both full-time and part-time training.
Read Also: Complete Guide To SkillsFuture Credits – And How Singaporeans Can Use Them
The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme encourages lifelong learning among Singaporeans by offering a combination of SkillsFuture credits, course subsidies, and training allowances. It also provides an opportunity for mid-career Singaporean workers who are considering a career switch to not only further their studies in an area of their choice but also receive training allowances during their study period.
Read Also: Why Singapore Employers Need To Be Prepared For An Older Workforce
Here’s an infographics that tells you all you need to know about the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance. Infographics courtesy of SkillsFuture.
Source: SkillsFuture
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