A growing number of Singaporeans are enrolling in universities in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Japan.
While her sisters went for more traditional study destinations in the United States and Canada, Ms Stella Darmawan opted to pursue her undergraduate studies in France and Japan instead.
Similarly, Singaporean student enrolment in the US declined from 3,804 in 2013 to 3,183 in 2022, according to IIE Open Doors data. With the total fertility rate fallen to a low of 0.97 in 2023, Singaporean student numbers are likely to continue decreasing across the board.The Netherlands, Germany, France and Japan, according to nationally collated figures from their respective education agencies, have seen proportionately large increases in their Singapore student numbers.
He estimates that the full cost of tuition and living expenses over four years in Tokyo is easily less than half of what it would have cost to study the equivalent programme at King’s College London. Similarly, in Australia, A$8.5 billion of the A$34.7 billion revenue that universities received came from international students. The country’s dependence on foreign enrolments led the head of Australia’s National Tertiary Education Union Alison Barnes to say in August that international students are being seen as cash cows by universities.
Ms Rim Meliani, press attache at the French Embassy in Singapore, highlights the cost of living as another significant draw. She says: “Cost of living in France, even in Paris, is lower than in Singapore, and international students can benefit from financial aid, such as housing subsidies and discounted transportation.”Gen Zers do not want to just study overseas, but also work and live abroad
Singaporean Calista Ng, 25, a fresh graduate from Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, estimates that her tuition fees amounted to about $8,000 a year. This was further reduced by partial or full merit scholarships she received in some semesters.The heavy reliance on international enrolments in some anglophone countries has sparked domestic backlash, leading to increased pressure on lawmakers to reduce foreign student numbers.
For Singaporean Matthew Soh, a 23-year-old psychology student at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, these measures create cause for concern. Mr Soh’s student association, which has about 100 members, regularly organises events which create a sense of home among Singaporean students. Ms Darmawan, who graduated in 2018, estimates that her tuition fees cost $10,000 to $14,500 a year, depending on the country she was based in.
She now lives in Switzerland, where she is completing her master’s in economics and management at the University of Zurich. The Students who spoke to ST cited several reasons for sticking with the tried and tested – ease of communication in English, strong name recognition of universities and the presence of large Singaporean communities that provide a sense of familiarity and support.
“It’s very frustrating because I really do see a future for myself in Australia, and would hate to have to let it go because employers aren’t even willing to consider me for jobs that I am fully and sometimes even over-qualified for.”
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why Singapore firms are entering the German market, and how Enterprise Singapore is helping themEnterprise Singapore, which champions internationalisation, said it has seen a spike in companies exploring opportunities in Europe post-pandemic.
Read more »
Singapore Vandas set to bloom, Netball Singapore unveils First Lady as new patronA new chapter unfolds for Netball Singapore as they rebrand the team and name Ms Jane Ittogi as their patron.
Read more »
Britain looking to boost defence ties with Singapore with ships deployed in regionThe UK will also send an aircraft carrier to the region, including Singapore, next year
Read more »
Britain looks to boost defence ties with Singapore with ships deployed in regionA British aircraft carrier strike group will also visit the Republic in 2025.
Read more »
Singapore Theatre Company returns to Singapore Repertory Theatre name after contentious rebrandTheatremakers who objected to the name change in February welcome SRT's latest announcement.
Read more »
National monuments of Singapore: Singapore River bridgesWhat is a National Monument? Who gazettes them? How many national monuments are there in Singapore? To date, the Preservation of Sites and Monuments, a division of National Heritage Board, has identified and gazetted 75 buildings, structures and sites of national significance as an integral part of Singapore's built heritage.
Read more »