1. I am not a medical student; can I still apply for elective posting?
No, the applicant must be a bona fide undergraduate medical school student and already in their clinical years. Unfortunately, we do not accept nursing, pharmacy or allied health faculty students.
2. What is the minimum and maximum posting period?
The minimum and maximum total posting periods are 2 weeks and 12 weeks per application. Postings are counted in weeks, commencing on a Monday and ending on a Friday. The student is only allowed to put up one (1) application at a time
3. Can I do a research project during my electives in Singapore?
Students who wish to do a research project elective must make prior arrangements with a local PI (Principal Investigator) or hospital/department to accept your request before contacting NUS Medicine Electives Team – medelectives@nus.edu.sg. Usually clinical elective timeline will apply. Students are also to produce the same documentation as well.
The usual application process and fees will apply. Request for a research project is subjected to the hospital/department’s approval.
4. Can I start the posting if I have not submitted all the required documents?
No, you are not allowed to proceed with the posting if you did not submit all the required documents. – especially Professional Indemnity Insurance & Travel Insurance (for non Singaporean/SPR student)
5. Who needs to pay for elective fees?
Students who are nominated by their home universities that have a Bilateral Exchange Agreement (BEA) with NUS Medicine are eligible for a waiver of elective fees.
Students who are not nominated or whose universities do not have a BEA with NUS Medicine are still welcome to apply; however, they will not be eligible for the fee waiver.
The elective fee for international students is S$457.80 per week. This rate is calculated based on the fees applicable to local Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, rather than the standard international student fee rate.
Singapore Citizens/ Singapore Permanent Residents are not required to pay any elective fees.
6. Is application fee the same for Singapore Citizens/ Singapore Permanent Residents and International Students?The application fee is the same for all students, S$152.80 per application.
7. How do I make payment for the Application Fees/ Electives Fees?
Payments can only be made via credit card, or PayNow, Alipay
8. Can I make changes to the application submitted?
Request for change in discipline/ department/ hospital of postings will NOT be accepted after the application has been processed by the hospitals. Please submit a fresh application together with the application fee.
For changes in posting date (for any confirmed posting), applicants will be charged a non-refundable administrative fee of S$54.24 for each change request even if the department is unable to accommodate the change of dates. Please take note changes are subject to the availability of vacancies and supervision, and the Dean’s approval.
9. Are there tuition fees payable?
No, there are no other tuition fees involved. Only application fees and elective fee (if applicable) are payable.
10. If my medical school does not have an exchange agreement with NUS Medicine, can we establish one?
NUS Medicine welcomes interest in establishing a bilateral exchange agreement. Interested institutions may send in their request to medelectives@nus.edu.sg. NUS Medicine will deliberate on the next course of action to proceed.
11. What information should be indicated in the Letter of Good Standing (LoGS)/ letter confirming student status
The letter should have the following statement (using school’s letter head):
The applicant is a registered undergraduate medical student of the applicant’s University and will still be a registered undergraduate medical student of the applicant’s University during the period of the elective attachment.
The applicant’s proposed elective attachments are considered suitable. By the time of the proposed elective, the student will be in his/her clinical years.
12. Can I provide documentary proof of one dose of immunity to Rubella?
No, if you are unable to present documentary proof of 2 doses of immunisation, you will have to undergo a 2nd immunisation or screening. For students who are tested negative for immunity, you will have to take 2 doses of immunisation.
13. What if Tdap booster is not available in my country?
Students are required to submit their most recent Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) vaccination record and notify the Electives Team at the time of registration. If the Tdap booster is not available in your home country, you will need to receive the vaccination upon arrival in Singapore, before starting your clinical posting. The Tdap booster can be administered at any local general practitioner (GP), clinic, or hospital. Please ensure you bring your existing Tdap vaccination records before travelling to Singapore.
14. Where can I purchase the Professional Indemnity Insurance/ Malpractice Insurance?
Some students are covered by their parent University, but those who are not have to purchase travel insurance with 3rd party liability coverage from their local insurance companies.
If you are having difficulty getting the Professional Indemnity Insurance, you may approach the Medical Protection Society, Singapore. Alternatively, you may purchase a Health/Travel insurance that covers Personal Liability from your home country.
15. What are the details stated on the Letter of Completion?
Apart from the student’s name and name of Parent University, the other details include:
a) Name of posting department
b) Name of teaching hospital
c) Posting period
d) Posting objectives
e) Medium of instruction/ language used (English)
f) School of Medicine official endorsement
16. Can I obtain a hardcopy of the acceptance letter?
A copy of the acceptance letter can be downloaded via your application. Please login with your own application to download the document
17. Can I get NUS Medicine to endorse forms or documents requested by my School?
NUS Medicine will not be able to endorse any documents from your university or any other special request forms containing statements such as “the student has had the same rights, duties, responsibilities like the regular medical students of the University…” or with similar meanings. The practice of acknowledging such forms has discontinued due to legal reasons.
18. Can I submit the application if I am in the pre-clinical years?
No, postings under our Clinical Electives Programme for Overseas Visiting Students are open to applicants who are bona fide students of a medical school and are already in their clinical years, participating in clinical postings or clerkships.
For pre-clinical opportunities at any other restructured hospitals in Singapore, please contact the hospital directly.
19. Where can I buy a white coat in Singapore?
You may purchase it from NUS Co-op. The nearest one would be at NUS CO-OP@LT27.
