MSF Local Merit Scholarship: 2026 Social Sector Pathways
Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)12 Oct 2025, 09:05 Z
TL;DR
MSF's Local Merit Scholarship funds local degrees, mentors you through internships, and places you on a service track that shapes Singapore's social policies. Apply by 15 March 2026 with a strong service portfolio and clear motivation to work with families and vulnerable groups.
Scholarship Snapshot
- Status: Open Until 15 Mar 2026 (last checked 2025-10-13)
- Official Portal: MSF Scholarships & Internships
- Who It Targets: ‘A' Level, IB, NUS High, and polytechnic students (including non-final-year undergraduates) ready to commit to MSF careers
- Eligibility: Singapore Citizens or PRs with strong academics, demonstrated leadership, rich CCA/community engagement, and a passion for social development
- Tenable Institutions: NTU, NUS, SIT, SMU, SUSS, SUTD (local full-term pathways)
- Bond: 4-year bond for local study (extends to 5–6 years if approved for overseas components)
Funding & Career Development
- Covers tuition, compulsory exam fees, and approved hostel charges for the duration of study.
- Provides a monthly maintenance allowance and discretionary CCA sponsorship for development activities.
- Supports eligible overseas exchanges or postgraduate coursework that reinforce MSF's mission areas.
- Offers structured internships, mentorship, and rotations across social service policy, programme design, and frontline operations.
Eligibility Signals
- Outstanding ‘A' Level/IB/NUS High results or a Polytechnic Diploma with Merit-level GPA.
- Sustained leadership in CCAs, student governance, youth causes, or community partnerships.
- Exposure to social care ecosystems (volunteering with VWOs, social services agencies, or MSF programmes).
- Non-final-year undergraduates may apply mid-stream for remaining candidature.
Application Roadmap
- Now – Feb 2026: Prepare transcripts, testimonial letters, and reflections on social impact work.
- By 15 Mar 2026: Submit your scholarship application via the PSC gateway, selecting MSF as your sponsoring agency.
- Mar – Apr 2026: Complete psychometric assessments and written tasks that test policy awareness and empathy.
- Apr – May 2026: Attend assessment centre activities and panel interviews with MSF leaders.
- June onwards: Receive provisional offers and match to internship attachments before matriculation.
Preparation Tips
- Connect MSF's "Nurturing resilient individuals, strong families, and a caring society" mission to your lived experiences.
- Track social sector initiatives (e.g., ComLink+, KidSTART, Family Service Centre innovations) to discuss current priorities.
- Build evidence of empathy—document outcomes from tutoring, counselling, or ground-up community projects.
- Practise scenario responses that balance policy considerations with frontline realities.
