4 Reasons to Choose Singapore as a Study Abroad Destination
Singapore is a well-known destination for world-class professionals who want to maximize their career opportunities in and around Southeast Asia. But it’s not just college graduates and new jobseekers who are being drawn in by this small city-state. The country is also proving to be a popular training ground for tomorrow’s transformational leaders and members of the workforce, i.e. young students from across the globe.
There’s no shortage of families who wish for their kids to spend their formative years studying in the Lion City, and students themselves share that enthusiasm. In fact, as of April 2022, it’s estimated that there are about 65,400 international students residing in Singapore. This is a 10 percent increase from the previous year’s number, and it’s estimated that the figure will continue to rise due to the reopening of the country’s borders.
But why exactly do a lot of people choose to broaden and advance their educational horizons in Singapore? Here are the most practical reasons that Singapore has emerged as a top study abroad destination:
The Country Offers a Safe Community for Learners of All Ages
Singapore is one of the top cities in Asia in terms of quality of life. The kind of lifestyle that families and students have access to while living in the city-state makes it easier for them to maximize academic as well as hands-on learning opportunities. Here, younger students can learn to navigate public transportation systems in a quick and safe manner, leaving them with more time for school or hobbies.
Expatriate families, on the other hand, can entrust their children to a boarding school in Singapore in case their work takes them overseas for extended periods. Managed by experienced educators, boarding facilities in the country adhere to rigorous standards before they can accommodate students. These boarding houses offer students a safe space where they can be independent and self-reliant. From their accommodation, for instance, students can plan their meals or shop for essential supplies in nearby stores. These experiences provide students in Singapore the best chance to pick up the practical skills and know-how that they can use just about anywhere.
The Country Fosters a Global Reputation for Academic Excellence
Many parents send their kids to study in Singapore because the country has strived and succeeded in attaining a high standard of education. Students from the Lion City have repeatedly showcased high levels of proficiency in reading, mathematics, and science in international competence assessments. The country is heavily invested in the continued development of its educators and the education system as a whole. Plus, the Ministry of Education is using a multitiered approach to help students manage the pressure that comes with the expectations to do well academically.
These efforts help ensure that the next generations of students from the city-state will continue to be an asset to Singapore and the world at large. It’s the country’s way of nurturing its most well-known special resource: human potential.
It Is Home to Many Respected Local and International Academic Institutions
The National University of Singapore, the country’s national public university, is one of the most highly-ranked academic institutions in the world. Aside from NUS, there are plenty of acclaimed business schools, research centers, and other institutions of higher learning that were founded or have established campuses in Singapore. These universities and colleges attract many globally competitive students and leading scholars and educators from all over the world.
For younger students from expatriate families, Singapore has international schools that offer world-class education from preschool up to high school. These schools are designed to equip students with the tools they need to succeed in an ever-changing world. Many of the graduates of these schools head to renowned universities in the US, Canada, Europe, and other locations every year. Gaining entry to these Singapore international schools can help a student develop the discipline and skills needed to pursue higher education in a respected college or university anywhere in the world.
Students Here Have Access to Multicultural and Multilingual Learning Environments
Singapore is a multicultural and multilingual country, and this is reflected by the community that one can find in both local and international schools. It’s not unusual for Singapore-based students to speak more than one language fluently and interact regularly with people from different places and cultures. The city-state, after all, has 4 official and equal languages: Malay, Chinese, Tamil, and English. Knowing more than one of these can help a person make connections and complete transactions that will benefit their academic and career prospects later in life.
Interacting with people from different backgrounds and countries is also a great way for students to widen their horizons and develop a deeper appreciation for different values and perspectives. These, in turn, can encourage them to consider more creative and out-of-the-box solutions to their problems–a much-needed capability in a highly interconnected and globalized world.
For many families, the academic community and learning options that Singapore offers present students with opportunities to reach their full potential. It’s no wonder, then, that many people move to Singapore so that their children can benefit from the excellent education system and learn independence, self-reliance, and a strong sense of community within the city-state.