Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027: Fully Funded PhD at NTU Singapore

The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 is now open, and it is the most prestigious doctoral scholarship at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. It funds a full-time PhD, covers your full tuition fees, and pays a monthly stipend of S$4,300 for international students, with additional allowances for books, technology, thesis preparation and overseas conferences. Applications for the 2027–2028 academic year close on 31 December 2026, and applicants to the National Institute of Education have a separate deadline of 30 December 2026.

The scholarship is awarded by nomination only, which is the detail that catches people out. There is no separate scholarship form, and you cannot apply for it directly. You apply for a PhD at NTU through the graduate admissions portal, and the university nominates its strongest applicants for the award. This guide explains what the scholarship covers, who can apply, how the nomination works, and how to get your application in before the deadline.

What the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 Covers

The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 is a fully funded doctoral award. It covers the full annual tuition fee for the PhD, so tuition is not something you need to budget for. On top of the tuition coverage, you receive a monthly stipend. The stipend rates were revised with effect from January 2026, and for international students the rate is S$4,300 a month. The published rates go up to S$5,300 a month depending on citizenship status, so check the rate that applies to you on the official NTU page.

The scholarship also includes allowances for books, information technology, thesis preparation and participation in overseas conferences. Those allowances matter for a research degree, because conference travel and research costs add up over four years. The award is tenable for one year in the first instance and is renewable for up to four years in total, subject to satisfactory progress, and there is no bond attached to the scholarship. That means you are not required to work for a particular employer after you finish your PhD.

International students who hold the scholarship take part in the Graduate Assistantship Programme, which involves a teaching or research assistance duty alongside the PhD. The university also gives scholarship holders priority for on-campus accommodation, which is a practical benefit in Singapore, where housing is expensive and competitive. Confirm the current terms on the official NTU page before you apply, because the university reserves the right to vary the amount of the award stipend at any time.

Who Can Apply for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027

To apply for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027, you must be an outstanding graduate or a final-year student aiming for a leading research career. The scholarship is designed for people taking their first step towards research, and the eligibility bar is a hard line rather than a preference.

The academic bar is high. Applicants are expected to hold an Honours degree with Highest Distinction, or its equivalent, and final-year students who are on track to achieve that standard can also apply, with documentation of their expected result. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee selection, because the scholarship is competitive and awarded through a nomination and selection process. The university looks for academic excellence, research potential and leadership qualities, and shortlisted candidates are interviewed.

The scholarship is open to applicants of all nationalities, and it is for full-time PhD programmes at NTU. It is not for taught master’s degrees, and it is not for part-time study. If your interest is in education, note that programmes administered through the National Institute of Education have a separate application window, and the NIE deadline is 30 December 2026 rather than 31 December 2026. Do not assume the two deadlines are interchangeable.

How the Nomination Works

The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 is awarded by nomination only, and understanding that mechanism is the key to a successful application. You cannot apply for the scholarship directly. There is no scholarship form, and there is no box you can tick that guarantees consideration.

Instead, you submit your application for a full-time PhD through NTU’s Graduate Admissions portal during the application period, and you indicate your interest in the scholarship in the application. The university then nominates its strongest applicants for the award. That means your PhD application is your scholarship application, and the quality of that application decides whether you are nominated.

In practice, that means three things. First, your research proposal and your academic record carry the weight, because they are what the nominating school sees. Second, your referees matter, because the nomination decision draws on their assessment of your research potential. Third, you should contact a potential supervisor before you apply. A supervisor who wants to work with you is the strongest possible support for a nomination, and most successful applicants have had that conversation before they submit.

Shortlisted candidates are interviewed as part of the selection process. The interview tests your research potential and your fit with the programme, so be ready to talk about your research interests in detail, and about why you want to do a PhD at NTU specifically rather than anywhere else.

The Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 Deadline

The application period for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 for academic year 2027–2028 runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 December 2026. That is the window for the main NTU application, and the last date to apply is 31 December 2026.

Applicants to programmes under the National Institute of Education work to a slightly different window. The NIE application period runs from 2 November 2026 to 30 December 2026, and the last date to apply through NIE is 30 December 2026. If you are applying through NIE, the 31 December date does not apply to you, so check which window covers your programme before you plan your submission.

Submit your application through the NTU Graduate Admissions portal during the window. There is an application fee of S$50 unless it is waived, and the fee is paid when you submit. Do not leave the application to the last day, because references and documents take time to arrive, and a PhD application with missing documents cannot be nominated. If you are applying for several December scholarships at the same time, keep a simple tracker with the award, the deadline and whether your references are in. Our round-up of scholarships closing in December 2026 lists the other awards closing this month, and our guide to the SMART Scholarship USA 2027 explains the American award that closes on 4 December 2026.

How to Apply for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027

Applying for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 means applying for a PhD at NTU, and the steps are straightforward if you start early. First, choose your research area and find a potential supervisor. Read the supervisor’s recent publications, and write to them with a short, specific email about your research interests and why their group is the right place for your PhD. A supervisor’s support is the single most valuable asset in a nomination-based scholarship.

Second, prepare your documents. You will need your academic transcripts, your degree certificate or evidence that you are on track to complete your degree, your CV, your research proposal, and your references. Check the official NTU page for the full document list, because the list can change between cycles. Your research proposal should be specific, feasible, and connected to the work of the school you are applying to. A vague proposal is the most common reason strong students are not nominated.

Third, submit your application through the NTU Graduate Admissions portal between 1 November and 31 December 2026, indicating your interest in the scholarship, and pay the S$50 application fee unless it is waived. If you are applying through the National Institute of Education, use the NIE exercise instead, and submit between 2 November and 30 December 2026.

After submission, the schools nominate their strongest applicants, shortlisted candidates are interviewed, and the university makes its awards. The scholarship starts with the PhD in the 2027–2028 academic year. If you are not nominated, your PhD application may still be considered for admission with other funding, so a strong application is worth the effort even if the scholarship itself is very competitive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027?

It is a prestigious, fully funded doctoral scholarship at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore for outstanding graduates and final-year students. It covers full tuition fees and pays a monthly stipend of S$4,300 for international students, with additional allowances for books, technology, thesis preparation and conferences.

What is the deadline for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027?

The application period for academic year 2027–2028 runs from 1 November to 31 December 2026. Applicants to programmes under the National Institute of Education have a separate window, from 2 November to 30 December 2026.

Who can apply for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027?

Outstanding graduates or final-year students of any nationality who are applying for a full-time PhD at NTU can apply. Applicants are expected to hold an Honours degree with Highest Distinction or its equivalent, and the scholarship is awarded through university nomination, not by direct application.

What does the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027 cover?

It covers full tuition fees, a monthly stipend of S$4,300 for international students, allowances for books, information technology, thesis preparation and overseas conference participation, and priority for on-campus accommodation. The award is renewable for up to four years and carries no bond.

How do I apply for the Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship 2027?

Apply for a full-time PhD through the NTU Graduate Admissions portal during the application period, indicate your interest in the scholarship, and pay the S$50 application fee unless waived. There is no separate scholarship form. The university nominates its strongest applicants, and shortlisted candidates are interviewed.