Smart Nation Scholarship: 2025 Profile
Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)18 Feb 2025, 08:30 Z
TL;DR\ The Smart Nation Scholarship funds your tech degree, connects you with CSA, GovTech, or IMDA, and commits you to high-impact public sector projects through internships, leadership training, and a four- to six-year bond.
Scholarship Snapshot
- Status: Open until 30 Apr 2026 (last checked 18 Feb 2025)
- Official Listing: Smart Nation Scholarship
- Who It Targets: Singapore Citizens in JC/IB, polytechnic, or university with ambitions to build national digital infrastructure, cyber defence, or tech policy
- Eligibility: Strong STEM or computing track record, leadership experience, and passion for public service impact
- Tenable Institutions: All polytechnics, NTU, NUS, SIT, SMU, SUSS, SUTD, and reputable overseas universities
- Bond: Four to six years depending on study location and sponsoring agency
Award Components
- Tuition and compulsory fees fully sponsored for the approved course
- Annual maintenance allowance, book grants, and computer subsidies
- Overseas exchange or attachment support subject to agency approval
- Paid internships with CSA, GovTech, or IMDA, plus cross-agency hackathons and innovation sprints
- Structured development under the Public Service Leadership Programme tech track, including mentorship and milestone training
- Opportunities for postgraduate sponsorship after demonstrating performance during the bond period
Eligibility Highlights
- Singapore Citizen with excellent academic standing in relevant subjects (Mathematics, Computing, Engineering, Information Systems)
- Demonstrated aptitude through projects, competitions (e.g. hackathons, coding olympiads), or industry internships
- Clear motivation to solve national challenges such as cybersecurity, digital inclusion, data governance, or AI deployment
- Strong communicators able to work across multidisciplinary teams and translate complex tech ideas for citizens and policymakers
- Willingness to undergo security vetting and serve in roles that may require shift work or emergency response
Application Roadmap
- Choose courses aligned with the sponsoring agency's focus: cyber security, computer science, information systems, data science, engineering, or digital policy.
- Submit the Smart Nation Scholarship application with transcripts, CCA records, leadership achievements, and personal statements.
- Sit for technical assessments, psychometric tests, and written exercises shortlisted by the agencies.
- Attend interviews with HR panels and technical leaders to evaluate fit, domain knowledge, and public service ethos.
- Secure university admission (for full-term applicants) or provide proof of matriculation (for mid-term candidates).
- Accept the award, plan internships with your assigned agency, and join orientation programmes run by the Smart Nation Scholarship secretariat.
Preparation Playbook
- Build a portfolio of tech projects that demonstrate impact—open-source contributions, public sector hackathon wins, or data analytics case studies.
- Keep up with national digital initiatives (SG Digital, Smart Nation Sensor Platform, OT cyber defence) to reference during interviews.
- Practise systems thinking to discuss how policy, technology, and citizen needs intersect in government tech deployments.
- Network with current scholars via webinars or LinkedIn to understand agency cultures and rotation options.
- Brush up on cybersecurity basics, cloud architectures, or data ethics frameworks depending on your target agency.
- Draft a development plan that spans internships, capstone projects, and certifications aligned with your post-graduation role.
