Singapore has several different levels of higher education: institutes of technical education, polytechnics, universities and private institutions.
Institute of Technical Education
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) provides two-year courses which lead to a National ITE Certificate. There are three ITE colleges in the country with 12 different locations. Courses offered include business studies, engineering, communications and technology as well as beauty and wellness, creative media and hospitality.
Polytechnics
Polytechnics provide three-year diploma courses, which can lead to university studies. There are five polytechnics in Singapore:
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Nanyang Polytechnic
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Ngee Ann Polytechnic
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Republic Polytechnic
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Singapore Polytechnic
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Temasek Polytechnic
Universities
Local Universities
Singapore has three local universities: two are publicly funded and one is private.
Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore are public universities and have over 20,000 students, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and established research facilities.
Singapore Management University is a publicly funded private university whose curriculum focuses on business and management courses.
Foreign Universities
There are also a number of universities from Australia, the US, Canada and Europe who have established satellite campuses in the country or partnerships with local universities. These campuses or partnerships offer students from both Singapore and the region to follow an international course at a fraction of the cost of moving further away to a country with a higher cost of living.
Private institutions
Finally, there are numerous private institutions which operate autonomously and include two arts institutions and more than 300 private commercial, IT, fine arts and language schools. Two quality-assurance bodies in Singapore ensure that private institutions meet student welfare and regulatory standards: the CaseTrust for Education and Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organizations (SQC-PEO).
Academic calendar
The standard university academic calendar in Singapore is divided into two semesters. The first semester usually starts mid-August and lasts until the beginning of December. The second semester starts mid-January until the end of April.
Graduate vs. postgraduate
In the US, the term 'graduate' is used for master's and PhD studies. This is the equivalent of 'postgraduate', which is used in the UK. Universities in Singapore may use either graduate or postgraduate for studies at master's and doctorate level.
