Study abroad in Singapore: The European Health Insurance Card does not apply there, and we found no social security agreement that covers health insurance. For tourist stays, no visa is needed for up to 90 days. For longer stays, such as a study period, a residence permit is required, and the immigration authority decides which category applies. There is no travel warning. The DAAD uses 825 euros per month as a benchmark for students.
Study abroad in Singapore at a glance
| Point | Information (status October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | European Health Insurance Card does not apply, travel health insurance with repatriation cover is recommended | European Commission, Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | No visa for tourist stays up to 90 days, for longer stays a residence permit | Federal Foreign Office |
| Tuition fees | No verified amount, fees depend on the exchange agreement | Host university |
| Living costs | 825 euros per month as a benchmark for students | DAAD, scholarship rate list (undated) |
| Study abroad BAföG | Possible, responsible office according to the DSW assignment: Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim | German Student Union, leaflet (status January 2026) |
| Travel warning | No partial or full warning, only security information | Federal Foreign Office |
All information is general guidance and not individual advice. The official pages linked below are binding.
How are you insured in Singapore?
European Health Insurance Card and social security agreements
Singapore lies outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. The European Commission names the EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the scope of the European Health Insurance Card. Singapore is not on this list. Your card from your statutory health insurer therefore does not count as proof of cover for treatment there.
We did not find a social security agreement with Singapore that covers health insurance, so we do not name one. Ask your statutory health insurer in writing which benefits it provides for a stay outside the EU, and get the answer confirmed. The basics for statutory insured people abroad outside the EU are summarised in our guide on private health insurance for students outside the EU, which is available in German.
Health care in Singapore
For direct entry from Germany, no vaccinations are required. The Federal Foreign Office recommends the standard vaccinations according to the STIKO schedule, especially against measles, and a hepatitis A vaccination. For long stays or particular exposure, the page adds chikungunya, dengue, hepatitis B and typhoid. Dengue has caused high case numbers in recent years. There is no preventive medication and no specific therapy, but a vaccine is available.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, medical care is at European standard. Private hospitals are very expensive. Air quality is often poor, which affects people with heart or lung conditions, older people, small children and allergy sufferers in particular. In many countries hospital bills must be paid or advanced before discharge, and a hospital can refuse your departure until the bill is settled.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The Federal Foreign Office recommends a travel health insurance with repatriation cover for the whole stay. The page explicitly asks whether the insurance covers an air ambulance flight to Germany. Without sufficient cover, you bear the costs yourself. Which benefits you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. Background information is in our guide on travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and Work and Travel, available in German.
Do you need a visa for Singapore?
For tourist entries, the Federal Foreign Office states that no visa is needed for up to 90 days (status of the page 25.10.2026). The page warns that exceeding this period can be punished severely. For entry, your passport must be valid for at least six months. Accepted are the passport, the temporary passport and the children’s passport. Identity cards are not accepted.
Before you travel, you must complete an online entry declaration, the SG Arrival Card. Fingerprints are taken on every entry and exit. Children under six are exempt.
The Federal Foreign Office gives no information on study. Longer stays require a residence permit, and the immigration authority ICA names the categories. Which visa or permit fits your studies is decided binding by the Singapore diplomatic mission. We do not give a rule of our own, because we have no official statement on it. Keep these documents ready:
- Passport with at least six months of validity on entry and free pages
- Confirmation of the online SG Arrival Card
- Residence permit or study documents if you stay longer than 90 days
- Proof of travel health insurance with repatriation cover, as recommended by the Federal Foreign Office
There is no travel warning for Singapore. The Federal Foreign Office gives only security information and names no regions with a warning level. The page mentions piracy in the Singapore Strait, which affects commercial ships in particular, and the situation in the Middle East, which can disrupt flights. According to the page, there are currently no concrete signs of a threat.
What does a study abroad in Singapore cost?
Tuition fees
Which fees arise at the host university depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general amount, because we found no official figure. Ask your university and the host university before you accept a place.
Living costs
For students in Singapore, the DAAD uses a monthly scholarship rate of 825 euros. This is a benchmark, not a budget. The DAAD scholarship rate list carries no date, so you cannot read off its status. Ask the host university what it expects exchange students to budget.
Funding: Erasmus+ and study abroad BAföG
Singapore is not one of the Erasmus+ programme countries. Whether your university has an exchange agreement with a partner there and awards funds is for the International Office to clarify. For more on planning, see our guide Planning Erasmus and study abroad, available in German.
Study abroad BAföG is possible for a part of your studies abroad. According to the DSW assignment, the responsible office is the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. According to the leaflet (status January 2026), you must have a permanent residence in Germany, and funding starts at the earliest with the month of application. Outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, a foreign-stay supplement may be added. Under the BAföG foreign-stay supplement regulation, it is a percentage of the need that the Federal Foreign Office sets. We have not verified a euro amount for Singapore.
Worked example: For a study period of five months, the DAAD benchmark of 825 euros per month gives 4,125 euros for living costs. Tuition, insurance and flights are not included, because we have no verified amounts for them. The sum is a guide, not a promise.
Steps before you leave
- Have your statutory health insurer confirm in writing which benefits it provides for a stay outside the EU.
- Take out travel health insurance with repatriation cover and check whether the air ambulance flight to Germany is included.
- Check that your passport is still valid for six months on arrival and has enough free pages.
- Ask the Singapore diplomatic mission whether you need a residence permit for your studies.
- Complete the SG Arrival Card online before you travel.
- Clarify your vaccinations: measles, hepatitis A and, depending on the length of stay, dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid and chikungunya.
- Ask the International Office about fees, insurance requirements and the host university’s budget.
- If you receive funding, file the study abroad BAföG application about six months before the start. The required details are in our guide to study abroad BAföG, available in German.
Frequently asked questions
Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in Singapore?
No. The European Commission names the EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as the scope. Singapore is not among them. We found no social security agreement with Singapore that regulates health insurance.
Do I need a visa for Singapore?
For tourist entries, no visa is needed for up to 90 days, according to the Federal Foreign Office. For study with a longer stay, the authority decides on the residence permit. We do not give a rule of our own.
Do I have to pay tuition in Singapore?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a verified amount. Ask your university and the host university before you accept a place.
What are living costs in Singapore?
The DAAD uses 825 euros per month as a benchmark for students, without a dated list. It is not a budget. Ask the host university what it expects exchange students to budget.
Is there a travel warning for Singapore?
No. The Federal Foreign Office names no partial or full travel warning for Singapore (status of the page 25.10.2026). It gives security information, for example on pickpocketing, piracy in the Singapore Strait and monsoon and typhoon periods.
Who handles study abroad BAföG for Singapore?
According to the DSW assignment, the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim. The assignment is in the leaflet of the German Student Union (status January 2026).
Sources
- Federal Foreign Office, Singapore: travel and security information (status of the page 25.10.2026, German)
- European Commission, FAQ social security: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- DAAD, scholarship rates for students and graduates (undated, German)
- BAföG foreign-stay supplement regulation, section 2 (undated, German)
- German Student Union, leaflet study abroad BAföG (status January 2026, German)
Sources accessed on 25.10.2026 unless stated otherwise.
Related
- Study Abroad in Thailand: Insurance, Visa, Costs
- Study abroad in Japan: health insurance, visa, costs
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Status: October 2026. This guide gives general information and does not replace individual advice.
