Number of recipients
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
Preference will be given to research activities that involve collaboration with local scholars and think tanks and demonstrate a strong bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Singapore. Grantees may choose to teach undergraduate or graduate courses, conduct research, or do a combination of both. Classes may be lecture-tutorial style or seminar style depending on the course level and host institution requirements. All teaching grantees should expect to provide student consultation, grade exams, and conduct faculty seminar(s). For teaching/research awards, no more than 30 percent of the grant activity should be spent on research.
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the S. Rajaratnam Insitiute of International Studies, National Institute of Education (NIE), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, or other institutional affiliations may be proposed. Please see required information regarding your proposed housing in Singapore in the “Additional Comments” section.
Three to six months; For Flex grants, see Flex Option section.
Teaching or teaching/research grants may begin in August 2025 or January 2026. Research grants may begin anytime after August 2025 but must conclude by September 30, 2026. Flex grants must be completed by September 30, 2027.
Note that Flex awards are offered for research grants only.
The Flex Award is designed for scholars who require multiple visits to the host country. This option allows grants to be conducted over two or three short segments. Applicants must select Flex in the application form, and clearly describe their plans for Flex in their project statement, including a project timeline. Flex grantees may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host-country academic community.
Strong applications from appropriate disciplines will be considered. Applications specializing in international relations & security, economics & trade, Indo-Pacific regional issues, and education research and/or policy are encouraged, though applicants from a diverse range of disciplines will be considered.
Fulbright East Asia Pacific Regional Travel Program
As conditions allow, Fulbright Scholars in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region may have the opportunity to apply for funds to support short-term (3-14 days) travel to other countries in the EAP region for activities such as lectures, workshops, graduate or faculty seminars, master classes or recitals, curricular advising, or panel presentations. EAP Regional Travel Program funding covers transportation only. Regional Travel Program activities/host sites should not be included in the initial Fulbright application. Scholars may start the process of seeking out invitations for short-term activities in other EAP countries once notified that they have been selected for a Fulbright grant but will only be able to apply for travel program funds, conditions permitting, once they have actively started their Fulbright grant in their host country. Scholars on Flex grants are not eligible for the regional travel grant.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
The letter of invitation must state host institutions are willing to coordinate all visa requirements with the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or the Ministry of Manpower. The letter should also include specific information on cost sharing or subsidized housing - otherwise, this information must be incorporated into the budget plan. See Additional Comments section for more detail.
All teaching and research will be conducted in English; additional language proficiency in Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil is not required.
Terminal degree is preferred, or equivalent professional experience. Both academic and professional applicants must have at least three years of teaching experience at a university, college, or community college at the time of application. Teaching assistantships do not count toward this three-year requirement.
For more information about universities in Singapore, applicants are welcome to review the websites of the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Institute of Technology, and Singapore University of Social and Sciences.
Applicants can also contact the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Exchanges Section for more information.
National University of Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore Management University
Singapore University of Technology and Design
Singapore Institute of Technology
Singapore University of Social Sciences
For more information, please view our schedule of upcoming webinars.
Email the East Asia and the Pacific Team with questions about applying.
$3,400
Flex grants: round-trip travel for the grantee will be included for each portion of the grant. Dependent travel will not be provided.
$1,000 (per semester) for book and educational materials to be donated to the host institution (or other entity) upon grantee's departure
$1,000 (per semester) research allowance for research-only grants
Additional living and housing allowance is provided for grantees with one accompanying dependent or two or more accompanying dependent. These amounts range from $1,600/month to $2,250/month.
In addition, travel allowances are provided for up to two dependents. These amounts range from $2,250 to $4,500.
There are no allowances for dependent tuition. Schooling is available at applicant's own arrangement and cost.
Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester in order to qualify for additional dependent benefits. Dependent benefits are not provided to Flex grantees.
Here are some examples of what it would cost for a person to live in Singapore: - Average monthly rental rates in Singapore are approximately $600 (a common room in a a shared apartment), $900 (master bedroom with attached bathroom in a shared apartment), and $1800 (studio apartment). These rates will vary based on location. You can also choose to rent an entire apartment with multiple rooms. A 3-bedroom apartment can range from $2,200 to $4,500 per month. - A simple meal with a drink can cost between $7 to $15. - Cost of public transportation for a month: $70
Housing allowance may be adjusted depending on host institution support.
Please refer to the figures above for an estimate of total monthly Fulbright award benefits. Benefits may include a monthly base stipend, living and housing allowances, and additional one-time allowances. Benefits may vary based on a scholar's current academic rank (or professional equivalent), the city of placement, the type of award (teaching, teaching/research, or research), and the number of and duration of stay of accompanying dependents. Research-only or Professional Project grantees receive a standard stipend that is not adjusted for academic rank. In most cases, dependent benefits will not be provided to Flex grantees, or to grantees pursuing grants less than four months (or a semester) in length.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
Overview
Singapore is one of the world’s busiest trading ports and a vibrant banking and business capital with a multicultural society. The quality of education in Singapore is high by world standards, partly the outcome of a bilingual education policy, with English being the medium of education starting from elementary school all the way through tertiary education. Singapore is home to six universities. There is a large number of international faculty members at Singapore universities, and Fulbright Scholars adjust fairly easily to their grant activities.
Visas
Fulbright scholars typically enter Singapore using a Training Employment Pass, which is sponsored by host institutions. Scholars are therefore encouraged to discuss visa options with their hosts as early as possible.
Please note that the Training Employment Pass does not come with dependent visa privileges. Candidates are responsible for securing any necessary visas for their dependents and should be aware that it can be a challenging process. It is highly encouraged that candidates begin researching Singapore's visa policies as soon as possible to be fully aware of the eligibility requirements and restrictions associated with different visa categories.
Housing
Candidates will be responsible for making their own housing arrangements. Housing costs in Singapore are very high. If selected, candidates are strongly encouraged to research housing options prior to arrival. Fulbright scholars who bring dependents typically rent serviced apartments.
Some resources to study off-campus housing options/ prices include:
https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-for-rent
https://thehoneycombers.com/singapore/best-serviced-apartments-singapore/
Candidates may consider co-living spaces as well:
Here are some of the activities that past U.S. Fulbright Scholars to Singapore took part in:
To view what daily life is like for Fulbrighters in Singapore, scholars are encouraged to visit U.S. Embassy Singapore's Facebook page and search for "Fulbrighter of the Month" posts.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Housing in Singapore is expensive and applicants should plan for this accordingly. Applicants must provide a letter of invitation from the host institution with specific information on cost sharing or subsidized housing. Alternatively, applicants can provide a detailed budget plan for housing that accounts for their Fulbright stipend, personal funds, or a combination of multiple resources.
Host institutions in Singapore usually try to provide subsidized housing on campus. If no university housing is available, host institutions should provide information regarding housing and housing agents in Singapore. Scholars are responsible for entering into housing contracts on their own.
Applicants should also inquire if the host institution would be able to support their visa application process to permit them to remain in Singapore for the duration of the grant.