Onboarding Process for Spring Exchange Students

Once you are officially nominated to SMU by your home university for the exchange programme, you will receive application instructions from SMU via email. ​​ ​ 

Documents to submit (in English)​ 

1. Photo identification page of passport with at least 6 months validity from the end of the academic term. Expired passports or passports with less than the required validity will not be accepted
2. Academic transcript ​ 
3. English Proficiency Certificate with at least 2 years’ validity​ 
4. Passport-sized colour photograph taken within the last 3 months (JPEG, < 100kb)

Application Deadline: 25 Sep 2024

If your application is successful, you will receive an official Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and further instructions from SMU to apply for the Student's Pass (student visa), abbreviated as the STP, from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore.

SMU does not offer on-campus accommodation for exchange students. However, as the campus is situated in the heart of the city and easily accessible by public transportation, there are many housing options (e.g. private apartments, condominiums) outside of campus. 

To assist you, SMU will email you a list of housing options with discounted rates for SMU students. We will also create a dedicated Telegram group for you to connect with other exchange students to explore housing options together. ​​ 

However, you are responsible for sourcing and arranging your own accommodation and SMU does not act as a representative for either party in the event of disputes arising from the rental/lease of the property. 

Please note that residential properties in Singapore are not allowed to be used for short-term accommodation.​ You are encouraged to read Singapore’s government policies on short-term rental on the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) website. ​

You may start researching for your accommodation early, but it is recommended to make financial commitments only after receiving the In-Principal Approval (IPA) letter from ICA.​ You are also advised to read and understand all terms and conditions of any housing agreement before committing.

You are required to hold a valid Student’s Pass (STP) during your term of study in Singapore. Students under STP are NOT allowed to intern or work (paid or unpaid), including virtual engagements, during your term of study in Singapore.​ ​ 

Student’s Pass Application Process​ 

1. SMU will register your personal details with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore.​ 
2. You are then required to submit the e-form 16 and other supporting documents to ICA’s e-services portal -SOLAR. Login details and instructions will be sent to you by SMU via email.

Please take note of below when submitting eForm 16:​

3. Pay a non-refundable application processing fee of S$45 to ICA*.
4. Closely monitor the status of your STP application at the ICA Portal and through email, in order to provide any necessary clarifications/ supporting documents within stipulated deadlines.​ 
5. Once your STP application is successful, you will be issued an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from ICA. Please print a copy of the IPA to present at the immigration and during COF. ​ 
6. Pay S$60 issuance fee and S$30 multiple journey visa (if applicable) to ICA. 
7. Once you arrive in Singapore and clear immigration, an electronic Visit Pass (e-Pass) will be sent to your registered email. The e-Pass will allow you to remain in Singapore until the STP is issued. ​
8. You are required to personally attend the compulsory Completion of Formalities (COF) session held by ICA officers at SMU to register personal data including fingerprints and iris scanning. SMU will contact you about your allocated date and time for COF. ​ *You are not required to make an appointment with ICA (step 3 of the STP application) as SMU will be hosting an on-site COF.
9. You will be issued the digital STP within one week of COF. The STP will lapse 7 days after the term end date, therefore, you will need to depart Singapore before 11 May 2025.

For more details and support on the STP, visit the ICA website or contact ICA via ICA_STP1@ica.gov.sg or +65 6391 6100 with your application details.

You are required to pay a miscellaneous fee, which covers registration, matriculation, medical insurance* (excludes travel insurance), IT services and student activities. This fee is mandatory and non-refundable under any circumstances, regardless of the outcome of the Student’s Pass and other border entry applications. ​​​ 

You will be able to matriculate to SMU only after you have paid the miscellaneous fee. It will take 2 working days for the payment to be processed.

​

*Medical Insurance

It is mandatory for you to purchase the SMU Medical Insurance. The cost for this insurance is included in the SMU Miscellaneous Fee.​​ ​

​All eligible students are covered under the following plans (only within Singapore):​​ ​​ ​

• Group Outpatient Primary Care (GP)​​ 
• Group Outpatient Specialist Care (SP)​​ 
• Group Hospital & Surgical Insurance (GHS)​​ 
• Group Personal Accident Insurance (GPA)​​ ​​ 

The SMU Medical Insurance does not cover personal travel/leisure trips out of Singapore. You are strongly advised to purchase travel insurance at your own cost and discretion. ​​More details about the SMU Medical Insurance can be found here​.

You are required to verify your personal data and complete the online matriculation to be able to access the Bidding Online System (BOSS) for course enrolment. ​If you have not previously submitted your photograph to SMU or your submitted photograph was rejected (as notified via email), you are required to submit a photograph to SMU.​​ 

Approved photographs will be used for official records and for printing onto the SMU Student Card. Once the photographs are approved, no changes are allowed.​​ ​

SMU Computer account

You are required to activate your SMU Computer Account two days after completing your Online Matriculation. This account will be used to access SMU's network resources such as your SMU Campus Email and the OASIS Student Portal.

SMU CAMPUS EMAIL

Upon matriculation to SMU and after the activation of your SMU Computer Account, for authentication purposes you must use your SMU Email Account when corresponding with your school and SMU Offices.

Oasis Portal

OASIS is SMU’s online student portal for academic and financial related matters. After completing online matriculation and activating your SMU Computer account and email, you may access OASIS to familiarise yourself with the portal. ​

BOSS Bidding System

The Bidding Online SyStem (BOSS) is where students place bids to enrol for courses.​ After completing your online matriculation and activating your SMU Computer account and email, you may access SMU’s Student Portal – OASIS and familiarise yourself with the BOSS portal.

Integrated Information Technology Services

For more details and support on IT matters, please visit SMU's Integrated Information Technology Services (IITS) webpage https://iits.smu.edu.sg/ or email helpdesk@smu.edu.sg.

GEO will host a virtual onboarding briefing to cover important administrative matters and to address pre-arrival questions and clarifications. You are are highly encouraged to attend this session.

Courses at SMU are not pre-allocated. Course enrolment is done through the online BOSS Bidding system. Prior to BOSS Bidding exercise, you are required to identify and seek pre-approval for courses of interest from your home university. ​​

Due to the competitive nature of bidding, you are recommended to seek pre-approval for as many courses as possible (at least 16) in order to have an alternative course plan and allow flexibility.

Some courses at SMU have course pre-requisites. Pre-requisites are courses that you should have already successfully completed at your home university, in order to qualify to take a specific course at SMU. While you are not expected to have completed the exact SMU prerequisites, you need to ensure that you have completed a similar prerequisite in your home university.

It is your responsibility to seek early advice and guidance from the respective instructors, or risk having to drop the course and bid again in the subsequent rounds/windows.​ If the approval for the prerequisite is rejected by the SMU instructor, you will not be allowed to take that course.

Course enrolment at SMU is done through a bidding system called BOSS. It is essential that you understand and familiarise yourself with BOSS before the start of the bidding exercise. ​

Please note only matriculated students are able to participate in the BOSS bidding exercise.

GEO will host a virtual BOSS bidding workshop to familiarise you with the BOSS bidding system. This session will be conducted by SMU student coaches and will be done in a hands-on workshop format, virtually. ​You are are highly encouraged to attend this session.

SMU is situated at the heart of Singapore, surrounded by multiple MRT stations and bus routes, ensuring convenient accessibility via public transport. For detailed instructions on accessing various SMU buildings, visit this link.

SMU will host a compulsory Completion of Formalities (COF) session for you to register your personal data (including fingerprints and iris scanning) with Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) to complete formalities for your Student’s Pass (STP).​

This is a compulsory event that you are required to attend, in person.​

A compulsory orientation is arranged for all new exchange/ visiting students ~one week prior to the start of the academic term. This provides a great platform for students to learn more about the about key features of SMU, explore Singapore and make new friends.

GEO will organise a 1-1 consultation session during the first week of your academic term to answer any administrative or academic questions you may have. You are free to walk-in and no prior appointment is needed.

You are required to personally verify your documents in person and collect your SMU student card.

Once you have changed your address in Singapore, you are required to update ICA and SMU by following the below steps:​

1. ICA: click here to update ​​ 
2. SMU: Login to OASIS and update the local address

If you wish to open a local bank account, you can do so after obtaining your Student’s Pass (STP). The Proof of Residency required for this can be obtained by following the below steps:​​ 

1. Update your local residential address on OASIS​
2. Reach out to Student Services Hub for a Proof of Residency form via SSHelps@smu.edu.sg

Academic Information

Examinations

You are required to sit for all the final exams. Changing of exam dates are strictly NOT allowed. All grades will be reflected on the SMU’s official transcript.

Grading System

“W”, “I” and “F” Grade:​​ 

• Dropping of courses between Week 3 and 7 of the term will result in a “W” or Withdrawal grade
• Dropping of courses from Week 8 onwards will result in an “F” or Fail grade​
• If you are unable to fulfil certain course requirements due to medical reasons, you can file for “I” or Incomplete grade

You are encouraged to immerse yourself in SMU’s vibrant student life and Singapore’s diverse cultural landscape for an enriching exchange experience.​

More details about SMU’s vibrant student life activities can be found here.

You are welcome to join SMU’s Exchange Student Ambassador (ESA) training to expand your SMU experience.

This complimentary 6-week training aims to empower a selected group of proactive incoming students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources for personal and professional development. Selected students will get to learn from industry experts, expand your networks, and gain skills to effectively represent yourself and SMU as an esteemed SMU Ambassador. ​

You are invited to attend the end-of-term Cohort Gathering for a last hurrah! This celebration will allow you to reminisce your exchange journey and bid farewell to what we hope will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience with friends you made from around the world.​

You are invited to complete an end-of-term survey as your final administrative task at SMU. The feedback from the survey would be invaluable to SMU to enhance the experience for future groups of students.​​

Your Student’s Pass (STP) will expire 7 days after the term end date; which means you need to depart Singapore before 11 May 2025.​

If you wish to extend your stay in Singapore, you are required to cancel your STP within seven days of the expiry date. This is to be done using your Singpass account via ICA’s SOLAR system. ICA will then issue a Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) upon cancellation of the Student’s Pass for you to continue to remain in Singapore legally.​​ ​ 

Overstaying in Singapore is a serious legal offence.​​

The official digital transcript will be sent to your SMU campus email. The transcript will include the course title, course code and grade of the respective courses enrolled. No hardcopy of the transcript will be issued. 

SMU does not send the digital transcript to any third party including the student’s home university. Therefore, you are responsible for providing the transcript to your home university for credit transfer and other related matters.