Stephen Riady Young Entrepreneur Scholarship: 2026 Profile
Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)20 Oct 2025, 09:40 Z
TL;DR\ NUS's Stephen Riady Young Entrepreneur Scholarship funds tuition, provides a S$6,000 annual stipend, a S$2,000 tech grant, and access to up to S$50k in seed funding—without a bond, but with the expectation that you lead on-campus venture initiatives.
Scholarship Snapshot
- Status: Application Cycle Closed (last checked 2025-10-20)
- Official Listing: Stephen Riady Young Entrepreneur Scholarship
- Who It Targets: Singapore Citizens with stellar A-Level, IB, NUS High, or polytechnic results who plan to pursue an NUS undergraduate degree (excluding Dentistry, Medicine, Music, and Yale-NUS) and build start-up ventures
- Award Value: Full tuition, S$6,000 annual allowance, S$2,000 computer grant, and access to NUS Enterprise seed funding up to S$50,000
- Bond: None, though scholars remain active in NUS Enterprise ecosystems
Award Components
- Tuition coverage: Pays subsidised tuition fees for the minimum candidature period.
- Annual stipend: S$6,000 to support living and prototyping costs alongside academic commitments.
- Technology grant: S$2,000 computer or equipment allowance to accelerate venture development.
- Seed capital access: Eligible ventures can pitch for up to S$50,000 in incubation funding via NUS Enterprise.
- Entrepreneurial ecosystem: Priority access to BLOCK71 residencies, Lean LaunchPad bootcamps, mentorship clinics, and overseas market immersion trips (if offered).
Eligibility Highlights
- Singapore Citizens entering NUS full-time undergraduate studies with excellent academic records and entrepreneurial drive.
- Demonstrated leadership and extra-curricular involvement—innovation challenges, hackathons, venture societies, or social enterprises.
- Clear start-up aspirations articulated through essays, portfolios, or traction achieved (e.g., prototypes, competitions, revenues).
- Applicants must maintain strong term CAP and remain in good conduct to renew the award each year.
Development & Expectations
- Scholars serve as ambassadors for NUS Enterprise, sharing experiences at outreach events and mentoring junior founders.
- Structured mentorship pairs scholars with venture builders, alumni founders, or industry partners to refine go-to-market strategies.
- Incubation resources—makerspaces, entrepreneurial coursework, and venture acceleration programmes—are prioritised for recipients.
Application Roadmap
- Prepare venture dossier: Compile your business concepts, market validation, financial projections, and team overview.
- Apply via NUS Financial Aid & Scholarships portal: Submit personal statements highlighting entrepreneurial milestones and community impact.
- Pitch evaluation: Shortlisted candidates deliver a pitch to NUS Enterprise panels and undergo behavioural interviews centered on grit and vision.
- Award confirmation: Successful applicants receive scholarship offers aligned with their course admission; confirm acceptance and plan academic workload.
- Onboarding: Join NUS Enterprise orientation, map a personalised development plan, and schedule mentorship check-ins.
Preparation Playbook
- Build traction—ship an MVP, secure pilot customers, or win entrepreneurship competitions to showcase execution capability.
- Develop a clear fundraising roadmap and articulate how the seed funding will accelerate milestones.
- Strengthen financial literacy (unit economics, burn rate) to impress panels during Q&A.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams; the scholarship values founders who can mobilise diverse talent.
- Engage with existing scholars or BLOCK71 communities to understand expectations around outreach and mentorship.
