An overseas education appeals to many local students fresh out of Junior Colleges and Polytechnics. Many relish the independence and freedom they would have overseas. An education abroad exposes students to a different learning environment, culture and teaches many lessons outside of the classroom.
It is a known fact that it costs more to study in overseas universities, but just how much more are we talking about? How affordable is an education abroad? We look at 5 different courses across different countries to help students better decide on where they should study.
Faculty: Medicine
| School Fees (SGD$) | Accommodation (SGD$) | Living Expenses (SGD$) | Total
(SGD$) |
|
| Singapore
(National University of Singapore) |
26 400 | 5 000 | 4 000 | 35 400 |
| Australia
(Monash University) |
68 000 | 10 000 | 7 000 | 85 000 |
| United Kingdom
(Imperial College London) |
75 000 | 16 000 | 11 000 | 102 000 |
| Ireland
(Trinity College Dublin) |
60 000 | 8 000 | 6 000 | 74 000 |
Faculty: Law
| School Fees (SGD$) | Accommodation (SGD$) | Living Expenses (SGD$) | Total
(SGD$) |
|
| Singapore
(National University of Singapore) |
12 500 | 5 000 | 4 000 | 21 500 |
| Australia
(Monash University) |
35 000 | 10 000 | 7 000 | 52 000 |
| United Kingdom
(London School of Economics) |
40 000 | 16 000 | 11 000 | 67 000 |
Faculty: Business
| School Fees (SGD$) | Accommodation (SGD$) | Living Expenses (SGD$) | Total
(SGD$) |
|
| Singapore
(National University of Singapore) |
9 450 | 5 000 | 4 000 | 18 450 |
| Australia
(University of Melbourne) |
38 000 | 20 000 | 7 000 | 65 000 |
| China (Peking University) |
5 500 | 10 000 | 3 000 | 18 500 |
Faculty: Social Sciences
| School Fees (SGD$) | Accommodation (SGD$) | Living Expenses (SGD$) | Total
(SGD$) |
|
| Singapore
(National University of Singapore) |
8 050 | 5 000 | 4 000 | 17 050 |
| Australia
(Monash University) |
28 000 | 10 000 | 7 000 | 45 000 |
| United Kingdom
(London School of Economics) |
38 000 | 16 000 | 11 000 | 65 000 |
| USA (New York University) |
62 000 | 20 000 | 10 000 | 92 000 |
Faculty: Engineering
| School Fees (SGD$) | Accommodation (SGD$) | Living Expenses (SGD$) | Total
(SGD$) |
|
| Singapore
(National University of Singapore) |
8 050 | 5 000 | 4 000 | 17 050 |
| United Kingdom
(Imperial College London) |
54 000 | 12 000
|
11 000 | 77 000 |
| Australia
(University of New South Wales) |
40 000 | 15 000 | 7 000 | 62 000 |
(Note that school fees for the same course will differ across universities in the same country.)
Fees Per Annum, excluding summer (For a Singaporean student) (estimated):
In our calculations, we focused on accommodation on campus. However, many students opt for off-campus housing to save costs. The living expenses may also differ vastly depending on the student’s lifestyle and habits. We also need to consider that some degrees are attained faster overseas (i.e. 3 years instead of 4 years) which will help to reduce your overall university education costs.
To fund the significantly higher cost of an overseas education, many people look to securing scholarships.
Read Also: 4 Things You Need To Seriously Consider Before Taking Up A Scholarship
However, not every course we decide to pursue are offered in Singapore. For example, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is not a course offered locally. In order to become a vet, one would need to study abroad in countries such as Australia.
Many positions that require allied health professionals are often short-handed in Singapore hospitals. These allied health courses such as physiotherapy are not as widely offered in Singapore and many students look to study overseas on scholarships (usually under MOH). However, starting this year, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) has paired up with Trinity College Dublin (TCD) to offer an Honours Degree in Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy. Students now have more options when it comes to choosing the course of their interest.
Ultimately the decision to study overseas or locally also depends on other factors besides the cost, such as the course you intend to take, the student life, education experience and your ability to finance your education.
Read Also: Common Ways To Finance Your Education
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