SUTD students will get up to $12k under new Community Grant
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is launching a new education grant for its students that will see them receiving up to $12,000 each over a four-year degree programme.
The new Community Grant will cover more than 800 undergraduates each year, SUTD said in a statement yesterday.
It said the new grant and existing financial programmes mean all its students will receive some form of subsidy or sponsorship for their tuition fees.
Under the grant, an initial sum of $1,500 will be given to all existing and incoming Singaporean undergraduates not receiving any form of financial aid or scholarships, with $1,500 more for each following term.
"The grant is tenable for up to eight academic terms, provided the student continues to meet the eligibility criteria. We are committed to ensure that no deserving Singaporean student is denied access to our programmes because of financial reasons," it added.
SUTD told The Straits Times that the new grant will be backed by its endowment fund.
It already provides financial support for students from lower and middle-income families. With the enhanced Higher Education Community Bursary from the Government, their tuition fees are effectively 100 per cent subsidised.
SUTD president Chong Tow Chong said the efforts are "in line with the Government's efforts to enable every Singaporean student to have the opportunity to receive a good education" .
Across all six universities here, government bursaries for needy students now cover 75 per cent of tuition fees for those pursuing general degrees, up from 50 per cent before last August.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said during his National Day Rally last year that students from less privileged backgrounds must be confident of getting financial aid and must not be deterred from pursuing a course.
"This is fundamental to maintaining Singapore as an open meritocracy," Mr Lee said.
Those interested can visit SUTD's digital open house at openhouse.sutd.edu.sg, which will go live at 11am on Saturday.
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