Singapore (Inbound)

The NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) Inbound programme is all about getting aspiring international student entrepreneurs plugged into Singapore’s start-up ecosystem and experiencing education at a leading global university centered in Asia.

Strategically located with a business friendly environment, Singapore is an attractive hub for start-ups with over 9,000 start-ups, the highest number in Southeast Asia, and the top destination in the region for start-up investment.

To date, there are 12 start-ups that have attained unicorn status in Singapore including NOC alumni start-ups – Carousell and Patsnap. It doesn’t stop here. The start-up scene is set to grow with the strong ecosystem of universities, accelerators/incubators, investors and government support that provides financing, mentorship and talent. Join us and get connected today!

Programme Structure

Students who embark on the programme can expect the following:

Exciting 6-month internship at one of Singapore’s high-growth and innovative start-ups
Learning about entrepreneurship through entrepreneurship-focused courses
Networking with like-minded peers, entrepreneurs, alumni and investors through activities and events at entrepreneurial-theme residence, N-House
Be part of the vibrant NOC entrepreneurship community

N-House

Academic Details

NOC Inbound programme is credit bearing. All courses will be allocated to students. Please seek your home university's advice on the transfer of credits for the courses taken before embarking on the programme.

Region	Home University	Courses
Asia	Ateneo de Manila University	ETP3201, ETP4212
	Bandung Institute of Technology
	Chulalongkorn University
	Fudan University
	Hanoi University of Science and Technology
	International University – Vietnam National University
	Nagoya University
	Southern University of Science and Technology
	Universitas Gadjah Mada
	Universitas Indonesia
Europe	KTH Royal Institute of Technology	ETP3201, ETP3202, ETP4212
Europe	Technical University of Munich	ETP3202, ETP4212
Americas	Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile	ETP3202, ETP4212
Americas	University of Toronto	ETP3201, ETP4212

Course Description

ETP3201 Start-up Internship Programme (12 credits)
This course documents the learning experience from the internship through logbooks, internship reports, presentations and company evaluations. Students’ are expected to engage in continuous reflections of their learning experience including hands-on practice at the internship host company, interactions with the programme assessor, peers at work and networking with the business/entrepreneur community. Also, students will need to deploy their observation and analytical abilities and interrelate the entrepreneurship knowledge and skills learnt between both the classroom and the workplace.

ETP3202 Start-up Case Study and Analysis (8 credits)
This course involves the writing of a case study on the start-up process and challenges faced by the internship host companies of the students. Students will apply the concepts and frameworks learned in entrepreneurship courses to document the key processes of companies in the real world.

ETP4212 Venture Creation – Process and Mindset (4 credits)
This course focuses on the venture creation process and the entrepreneurship mindset necessary to create a viable new business from innovative product idea. Through a series of lecture classes, workshops, case studies, industry talks, and a major group project, students will learn a number of tools that help them to understand the industry value chain and competitive strategies, develop value propositions for their product ideas, explore various business models, and craft effective go-to-market approaches.

Financial Details

Tuition fee to NUS is waived but students are required to pay for Miscellaneous Student Fees and application fees for the relevant pass to work and study in Singapore.

Miscellaneous Student Fees¹	Amount (including 9% GST)
Student Service Fee	SGD66.44
Health Service Fee	SGD132.50
Pass to work and study in Singapore	Amount (including 9% GST)
Student’s Pass² (For all students except those from Technical University of Munich and Nagoya University)	Up to SGD90
Work Holiday Pass³ (Only for Technical University of Munich and Nagoya University students)	Up to SGD205

During the programme, students will continue to pay for regular living expenses with their personal allowances. Students will be paid a monthly stipend by the company. Below is a list of estimated expenditure⁴ that students may incur during the stay in Singapore. These amounts however vary according to students’ personal needs and lifestyle. The following costing below excludes non-essentials and major items such as shopping, entertainment, computers, electronic/communication devices, travel plans, etc.

Estimated Costs (per month)	On-campus (N-House)⁵	Off-campus
Accommodation	SGD500	SGD650 – SGD1,500⁶
Food (3 meals a day)	SGD250 – SGD500	SGD400 – SGD800
Public Transport	SGD100 – SGD150	SGD200 – SGD300
Personal Expenses	SGD300 – SGD500	SGD300 – SGD500
Total	SGD1,150 – SGD1,650	SGD1,550 – SGD3,400

Notes:

¹Please refer to more information from Registrar’s Office.

² Please refer to more information from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

³ Please refer to more information from Ministry of Manpower.

⁴ Please refer to more information from Global Relations Office.

⁵On-campus accommodation at N-House is offered to all students on the NOC Inbound programme (subject to availability). It is better for students to stay in a room/unit that matches their preferred criteria and standards, we strongly recommend that students source and rent a private accommodation near their internship host company office location. While Singapore is a city-state connected by affordable and reliable public transport, we recommend staying near the host company office location to reduce travel time between home and office. Students will be notified of their host company office location before they come to Singapore. Please refer to more resources from Office of Student Affairs.

⁶Actual rental depends on whether there is room sharing and whether utilities are included in the rent.

Application Information

There are 2 intakes to the NOC Inbound Programme every year.

January to June
July/August to December

All students on the NOC Inbound Programme must be nominated by your Home University coordinator. Please approach your Home University coordinator on specific application timelines and intakes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All students should have at least one remaining semester of study upon returning to their Home University. The results and transcripts from NOC programme are available only in October and April.

Nominated students will be required to pass an online interview with a start-up company in Singapore before the programme begins. This online interview and placement process with the start-ups will be facilitated by the NOC Inbound Programme Manager. Students do not need to self-source for an internship company in Singapore. NOC reserves the right to withdraw students from the programme should students fail to pass any online interview and secure placement with a start-up company by the stipulated deadline.

Programme Timeline

	January Intake	August Intake
Briefing to students	August	March
Vetting of CVs	September to October	March to April
Application to NUS after nomination from Home University	September to October	March to April
Company Interviews	October to November	April to June
Embark on Programme in Singapore	January to June	August to December

Upcoming Internship Period

Year	2025
January intake	15 January – 27 June
August intake	5 August – 26 December

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the NOC Inbound programme for?

The NOC Inbound programme is for aspiring international student entrepreneurs who would like to learn and experience entrepreneurship and the start-up ecosystem in Singapore. It is more than a typical exchange programme. You will be expected to work full-time and immerse yourself into the operations of a start-up alongside taking entrepreneurship courses at NUS that will be arranged for all students after office hours.

Am I allowed to intern for a period shorter than 6 months?

You must intern for the full 6 month period to earn the internship credits and receive the certificate of completion.

Am I allowed to change my internship company during the programme?

You are not allowed to change your internship company after you have accepted an internship offer from the company during the company interview period.

Am I allowed to transfer from NOC Inbound programme to NUS Exchange programme?

You are not allowed to transfer from the NOC Inbound programme to the NUS Exchange programme.

Student Testimonials

Liao Jingchi

January 2023 NOC Inbound Programme (Southern University of Science and Technology)

I was still struggling with my future direction half a year ago, but my internship as part of the NOC Inbound Programme has made me realize my interests in combining cutting-edge bio-science technology and big data analysis technology. The entrepreneurship courses as part of the programme also gave me a very quick introduction to the field of innovation and entrepreneurship allowing me to pick up practical entrepreneurship skills. Read More!

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Sam

January 2023 NOC Inbound Programme (International University – Vietnam National University)

I chose to participate in the NOC Inbound Programme because it offers a unique opportunity by combining both academic learning and practical experience through an internship with a startup. During my time in the NOC program, I had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into entrepreneurship. One of the most significant takeaways for me was the importance of customer discovery in the startup process. It is crucial to thoroughly understand the true needs of the target market before developing or scaling a product or service. Read More!

Jan Hendrik Pluer (Aug 2022 NOC Inbound)

Jan Hendrik Plüer

August 2022 NOC Inbound Programme (Technical University of Munich)

By working in Singapore and studying at NUS you meet inspiring people, build a great network and explore business ideas. If you want to become an entrepreneur, this is the place to be in. In my first weeks here, I chatted with more than 10 founders to understand how to start my businesses. Together with Munich, there are few places where you will get similar access to a startup ecosystem.

Neha Verma

January 2022 NOC Inbound Programme (University of Toronto)

My NOC experience has been absolutely incredible! Working at a pre-launch stage company was a great learning experience. Living in N-House helped me truly immerse myself in the start-up spirit as every person had a start-up or a business idea. The Pitch night was amazing but my most interesting memory is going to a bar and hearing N-house people talk about their ideal business plan for this bar! If you have ever been curious about entrepreneurship or have that itch to create, this is definitely a program you should check out!