University Access

As Singapore progresses, it is important for society to continue providing equal access to quality higher education for everyone with talent and ability, regardless of their socio-economic situation. We believe this is key to building a dynamic and cohesive society – one where our youths have a fair shot at achieving their full potential and a reason to be optimistic about the future.

For students from lower socio-economic groups, tertiary education is an important leveller, providing them with much needed access to developmental and career opportunities, social networks and cultural capital. Yet, they are also less likely to apply for or enrol in a university – daunted by the fees, uncertainties over their ability to secure bursaries/scholarships, as well as the short-term opportunity costs of not working.

We believe that no deserving student should pass up on an opportunity of a transformative university experience for financial reasons. We are actively working with universities in Singapore to guarantee full financial aid for students with demonstrated financial need. This upfront guarantee takes financing out of the application and enrolment decision, so that prospective students do not hit the workforce prematurely due to affordability concerns.

Through our University Access initiatives, we hope to encourage talented students to pursue their dreams at university, while lightening the financial burden on their families, improving life outcomes and enabling long-term upward social mobility.

University Access is a strategic initiative conceived by Quantedge Foundation to catalyse a movement across all autonomous universities in Singapore to ensure that all deserving Singaporean youths have access to a truly need-blind university education.

Under our University Access initiatives, our university partners guarantee that all Singaporean students who meet their respective eligibility criteria receive a financial aid package equivalent to at least 100% of their tuition fees over their entire course of study.

Eligibility for these broad-based initiatives is based only on the student’s household economic circumstances and there is no quota on the number of recipients awarded. Our University Access initiatives are also bond-free.

Difference between University Access initiatives and other bursaries or scholarships

Since 2017, we have been supporting commitments made by Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, National University of Singapore, Singapore University of Social Sciences and Singapore Institute of Technology to guarantee full financial aid for all Singaporean students from families with the greatest financial need.

Check out the eligibility criteria and financial aid packages at the respective universities below.

SMU Access

The first of its kind by any university in Singapore, the SMU Access initiative guarantees full funding of tuition fees for all incoming Singaporean students with demonstrated financial need.

SMU Access is initiated, co-designed and seed-funded by Quantedge Foundation. Together with the Ministry of Education’s matching grant, the Quantedge Foundation Scholarship supports, in perpetuity, 100 recipients annually with full financial aid for the entire duration of their undergraduate programme. It funds recipients’ remaining annual subsidised tuition fees payable (after taking into account other financial assistance awarded by the Singapore Government) and additional financial support for living or out-of-pocket expenses.

Outcomes:
With the assurance of full tuition fee funding and outreach efforts by SMU, more students from lower income households are applying and/or matriculating to SMU.

Since 2017, 140 students have been supported through SMU Access, of which 100 students have received Quantedge Foundation scholarships. The financial support has enabled them to devote themselves to their studies and the full range of co-curricular, exchange, internship and developmental opportunities available at the university.

The growing number of Quantedge Foundation scholars at SMU, many of whom are first in their families to attend university, have also rallied together as community, supporting and encouraging one another in their 4-year journey at SMU. Many have also come together to pay it forward, delivering a 40-week communications and critical thinking after-school programme to students from low-income families at a nearby primary school, to help them develop their communication skills and self-confidence.

Eligibility Criteria for Quantedge Foundation Scholarship

Full-time first year Singaporean undergraduate in the year of award
Resides in 3-room type or smaller HDB flat and family does not own any private property (including overseas)
Gross monthly household per capita income¹ not exceeding $690