CSA-National Cybersecurity R&D Lab Scholarship (NCLS): 2026 Profile
Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)03 Oct 2025, 18:50 Z
TL;DR
NCLS funds your NUS cybersecurity Master's tuition, pays stipends for up to 18 months, and grants a $5,000 project fund in exchange for a one-year post-graduation stint with NCL, a Singapore PhD programme, or the local cybersecurity industry. Admission to an eligible NUS Master's track is required before invitations go out.
Scholarship Snapshot
- Status: Application by Invitation (last verified 2025-10-03)
- Official Listing: CSA-National Cybersecurity R&D Lab Scholarship
- Who It Targets: NUS Master of Computing (or related) coursework and research candidates specialising in cybersecurity
- Eligibility: Singapore Citizens or PRs admitted to an eligible NUS Master's programme with a cyber focus, maintaining strong academic standing (CAP 4.0) and a commitment to grow the national cybersecurity talent pipeline
- Tenable Programmes: NUS Master of Computing (General, Computer Science, Infocomm Security, Artificial Intelligence, Information Systems specialisations) and other NUS science or engineering Master's by research with cybersecurity dissertations
- Service Expectation: Minimum one-year contribution to NCL, a Singapore PhD programme, or Singapore's cybersecurity industry upon graduation
Award Components
- Full tuition (after MOE Tuition Grant) for the NUS Master's programme
- Monthly stipend for up to 18 months (S$3,500 for Singapore Citizens; S$2,700 for Singapore PRs)
- One-time project grant of S$5,000 for the academic supervisor guiding the scholar's cybersecurity dissertation or capstone
Eligibility Highlights
- Citizenship: Open to Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents.
- Programme admission: Applicants must first secure and accept an offer from an eligible NUS Master's programme (full-time or part-time) with substantive cybersecurity content.
- Academic performance: Scholars maintain a minimum CAP of 4.0 and remain in good academic standing throughout the programme.
- Cybersecurity focus: Coursework or dissertation must directly address cybersecurity problems aligned with NCL's research mandate.
Application Roadmap
- Submit your NUS Master of Computing (or other eligible programme) application and accept the offer when received.
- For coursework tracks, await the NCLS invitation email (sent to eligible admits) and respond with the requested supporting documents and cybersecurity project interests. Research-track admits should email
aad.dcs@nus.edu.sgorkalaivani@nus.edu.sgonce they accept their offer to register their interest. - Outline a cybersecurity research or applied project supported by your prospective supervisor for the $5,000 grant.
- Attend NCLS briefings or interviews if requested and clarify how you will fulfil the post-award service commitment.
- Finalise scholarship paperwork, including CAP maintenance requirements and the one-year post-graduation placement.
Preparation Playbook
- Align early with an NUS supervisor on a cybersecurity dissertation topic that advances national priorities.
- Map how you can fulfil the one-year commitment—through NCL employment, a Singapore-based cybersecurity role, or a local PhD conversion.
- Track progress toward the CAP 4.0 requirement by scheduling regular check-ins with course instructors and mentors.
- Use the project grant strategically by budgeting for specialised tooling, datasets, or industry testbeds that boost your dissertation impact.
- Join NCL and CSA community events to build networks that support post-graduation placement.
Useful Resources
- mailto:aad.dcs@nus.edu.sg
- mailto:kalaivani@nus.edu.sg
