As Singapore grows in popularity with Chinese students, universities roll out Mandarin-taught programmes
But with a full-time job, preparing for English-language tests required by many foreign universities proved difficult. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed her plans further.
But when the Chinese native resumed her search after the pandemic, she discovered that some Singapore universities offer postgraduate programmes taught in Mandarin.
Ms Jin, now 35, applied to both the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), eventually enrolling in NTU's Executive Master of Science in Managerial Economics programme in Mandarin. She began her studies in March this year.
When she completed her undergraduate studies at Chongqing University a decade ago, most of her peers aspired to pursue further education in the US or Europe. Today, many of her classmates at NTU are Chinese students who view Singapore as the preferred destination for postgraduate studies straight after earning their first degree, she said.
"They really like Singapore. I think it's because Singapore's economy has done very well these few years," Ms Jin said.
"Ten years ago, growth in the US and Europe was very good so everyone wanted to go there. Now, we want to come to Singapore because the economy is doing well and there's access to the Southeast Asian region, which is also growing. So there are more job opportunities here.'
SINGAPORE MOST POPULAR CHOICE AFTER UK
A report by China's Ministry of Education and Beijing-based think tank Centre for China and Globalisation ranks Singapore as the second-most popular destination for Chinese students, after the United Kingdom.
Singapore universities are responding to this trend by introducing more Mandarin-taught postgraduate programmes.
NTU, the Singapore Management University (SMU), the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) are among those launching new courses.
NTU's Nanyang Business School will introduce a new Executive Master of Business Administration in Mandarin this October, said Professor Boh Wai Fong, NTU's vice-president for lifelong learning and alumni engagement.
About 50 students graduate from the joint MBA programme between NTU and Shanghai Jiao Tong University each year, he said. Enrolment in the university's three other existing Mandarin-medium programmes has remained steady, with about 240 students in total admitted annually.
One of these is the Master of Science in Technopreneurship and Innovation, which sees about 50 students on average per academic year.
SUSS launched its first Mandarin-medium postgraduate course in 2024, which received strong interest, a spokesperson said. This prompted the university to roll out more Mandarin programmes in areas such as fintech, data analytics and intellectual property. These new programmes will begin this July.
Applications by international students rose by 30 per cent between the 2024 and 2025 academic years, with a significant increase from China and ASEAN countries, the spokesperson said.
SUTD's first Mandarin-taught Master's in Technology and Design programme will start in September this year, with about 60 students enrolled so far, including students from China, said the university's chief of staff for student experience and transformation Jonathan Kua.
SMU's business school is set to launch a Chinese Executive MBA in January 2026.
'While it is still early in the admissions cycle and we cannot confirm the final student profile, we have seen strong interest from Chinese-speaking applicants, including those from China,' an SMU spokesperson said.
RANKING, NETWORKING AND COST KEY FACTORS
Chinese students who spoke to CNA said the growing appeal of Singapore universities lies in their strong showing in global rankings. In the latest QS World University Rankings published in June, NUS ranked eighth globally and top in Asia, while NTU climbed three places to 12th.
"For Chinese students, what they value most is the QS rank of the school," said Ms Wang Xuan, a former NTU master's student. "Singapore actually has two schools in the top few. So it's really a good option for the students."
The 27-year-old was deciding between Singapore and Hong Kong, and eventually decided on the former because she thought it would expose her to more cultures.
'If you look at the top few (universities), basically all those in the US and UK, the language issue is a major problem,' said Ms Wang.
Singapore universities are easier for Chinese students as they do not have to take TOEFL or IELTS exams, she added, referring to the English proficiency exams required by some universities.
Mandarin-taught MBA courses are particularly attractive to Chinese nationals seeking to expand their business networks in Southeast Asia, she added. Some students also see these programmes as a way to integrate into the local community.
Mr Xu Ren is pursuing a part-time MBA at NUS while working at a bank in Singapore. He first came to Singapore in 2016 to study for a master's in wealth management at SMU after graduating from a Canadian university and working there.
'A master's degree is kind of like a must nowadays for students in China,' said the Beijing-born 35-year-old. 'Another reason I chose Singapore is because I wanted to go somewhere where I would have the opportunity to immigrate, to get permanent residency and even maybe get citizenship as well.'
Having considered Australia, Canada and Singapore, he picked Singapore due to its relevance to his finance background. He chose to enrol in NUS because of its high QS ranking and reputation.
'SMU is a good school and offers a very good education, but it doesn't really have a QS ranking … Now I can say I'm a graduate from one of the top 10 schools in the world,' said Mr Xu.
With a sizeable Chinese-speaking population, Singapore offers a 'good place for bridging' for students less fluent in English, he added.
Cost is another consideration – university fees in Singapore are relatively lower than in the US and UK.
Ms Jin estimated that studying in the US would have cost her around 1 million yuan (US$140,000), compared with half that amount in Singapore for a one-year course.
'Actually Singapore is already quite expensive now. But what they can get in return, the QS rankings that they can bring back to China to try to find a job … it's very worth it,' she said.
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