Social Service Scholarship (Mid-Term): 2025 Profile

TL;DR
Already reading social work or therapy? The NCSS mid-term scholarship pays your remaining tuition, allowances, and exchange programmes—then commits you to four years of service locally (six if you study overseas).

Scholarship Snapshot

• Status: Application Cycle Closed (last checked 2025-10-03)
• Official Listing: Social Service Scholarship (Mid-Term) — National Council of Social Service
• Who It Targets: Current undergraduates in NCSS-recognised social work, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, or speech therapy programmes with at least one academic year remaining.
• Tenable Institutions: NTU, NUS, SIT, SMU, SUSS, and approved overseas universities (mid-term conversion)
• Bond: Four-year bond for local scholars; six-year bond for those completing their remaining candidature overseas.

Funding & Scholar Support

• Tuition fees for the remaining semesters within the normal candidature duration.
• Monthly maintenance allowance and a pre-studies allowance that bridges living costs between semesters.
• Sponsorship for overseas exchange or immersion modules to broaden practice perspectives.

Eligibility Essentials

• Completed at least one academic semester and maintaining strong university results to date.
• Have at least one full academic year left before graduation at the point of application.
• Meet all baseline criteria for the full-term Social Service Scholarship, including citizenship/PR status, academic excellence, and community leadership.
• Not presently bonded to or funded by another scholarship or sponsorship.
• Application windows mirror the full-term cycle: 1 January – 31 March and 1 – 30 September.

Application Timeline

1. Aug–Dec: Consolidate practicum feedback, client impact stories, and reflective journals from your first-year placements.
2. 1 Jan – 31 Mar / 1 – 30 Sep: Submit mid-term application with updated transcripts, supervisor reports, and a plan for the remaining candidature.
3. Apr / Oct: Complete assessments on ethical reasoning and stakeholder management, followed by panel interviews with NCSS leaders.
4. May / Nov: Discuss deployment interests, supervision needs, and exchange plans before the scholarship agreement is finalised.
5. Jun / Dec: Sign the bond, align future practicum postings with NCSS, and join pre-induction community immersion sessions.

How to Stand Out

• Translate practicum learning into sector impact—how did you improve client outcomes, streamline processes, or advocate for policy shifts?
• Highlight collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and demonstrate readiness for complex caseloads.
• Prepare examples of reflective practice and supervision goals to show you can grow under NCSS clinical guidance.
• Line up faculty or field supervisors who can validate your professional competencies and resilience.

Scholar Experience & Commitments

Mid-term scholars move quickly into advanced caseloads, benefiting from targeted supervision, sector seminars, and leadership labs while completing their undergraduate requirements.

The resulting four- or six-year bond accelerates progression into senior social worker or therapist roles, with NCSS supporting postgraduate specialisations and management tracks for high performers.

Useful Resources

• NCSS Social Service Scholarship: https://www.ncss.gov.sg/social-service-careers/scholarships/social-service-scholarship
• NCSS Careers Portal: https://www.ncss.gov.sg/social-service-careers