A Statement of Purpose or SOP is one of the most critical documents in Singapore that reflects why the course or program is important for you and how you will benefit from the resources at hand. While applying for a course at any university in Singapore, the student must mention his interests, achievements, and skills. The SOP Singapore provides an opportunity for the students to emphasise their background.
However, a Singapore SOP is not mandatory. Most universities prefer Personal Statements, but students who provide SOP have a better chance of getting admission to their desired universities than others. For a student visa in Singapore, an SOP is not required.
The universities in Singapore register a student pass for the Indian applications on behalf of the students. They file for the pass with Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA). New applications for student passes are supposed to be submitted one month prior to the commencement of classes and not before that.
So how can one write a Singapore SOP? Let’s check the parameters and steps to follow to write a new SOP for Singapore.
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Basic Guidelines on SOP for Singapore
The universities of Singapore are very particular about the guidelines that should be followed by the students while writing their SOP.
- Language: Use of proper language and active verbs is preferred; try to avoid redundant language and too many technical terms.
- Word Limit: The SOP Singapore should not exceed the word limit of 1000 words unless the university specifies otherwise. The page length should not be more than 2 pages unless the particular university/program demands otherwise.
- Font Style and Size: For most universities, the preferred font style is Times New Roman, and the font size is 12pt as it is an academic document. Few universities might accept Ariel font with font size 10pt or 12pt. However, Times New Roman is a standardised font style.
- Plagiarism: The SOP Singapore should be free of error and grammatically correct. It is important to proofread the files and check for errors before submission.
- Structure: The SOP Singapore should be in paragraph format. Bullets are sometimes accepted, so avoid using them. The SOP should not contain any colourful text. It should be written in plain black colour.
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Key Requirements of SOP for Singapore Universities
The top universities of Singapore usually prefer Essays or Personal Statements. However, a Statement of Purpose gives a certain benefit to the students applying for the courses/ programs of their universities. Following are a few universities and their new SOP for Singapore requirements.
- The top university of Singapore, the National University of Singapore, requires a Personal Statement of 2000 characters (300 words approximately.) The students are supposed to write about their achievements, hobbies, interests, and talents. The students are supposed to write the document in MS Word format.
- The university which comes next is Nanyang Technological University. They require a Personal Statement and a writing sample. The word limit for the document varies for different programs. However, the standard word limit is 200 words. Nanyang Technological University requires you to answer a few questions while writing the documents:
- What is unique and interesting about you that sets you apart?
- What is your preferred subject for doing your major?
- Reasons for choosing a specific major?
- What are your goals after you complete your education in the chosen major?
- Next in line is the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Unlike traditional SOP, SUTD provides a list of questions to the students. The students are required to answer two out of four questions. The answers should showcase the new and additional information about the student to help in the applicant’s profile. Additionally, the students are also required to mention a list of achievements, past leadership experiences, and community services.
- One of the top four universities in Singapore is Singapore Management University (SMU). SMU requires a Personal Statement of about 300 words. The document should elaborate on the outstanding achievements and/or contributions of the student. The achievements must include:
- Excellence and/or leadership in sports and/or arts.
- Significant achievements related to the area of the course applied.
- Active and noteworthy participation in entrepreneurial activity.
- Relevant internships or projects in the area of the course applied.
- Relevant/noteworthy participation and leadership in community services and volunteer programs.
- Important awards and achievements in the areas relevant to the course applied.
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Since most universities require Personal Statements, it is important to keep these factors in mind while writing a new SOP for Singapore.
How to Write an SOP for Singapore?
A simple SOP structure will help the student write a new SOP for Singapore effectively. The SOP should be written in paragraphs, each containing different information about the student and flowing with the previous one. The following headings will help in writing a Singapore SOP:
Paragraph 1: Introduction and statement of goals
In the first paragraph, the student is required to write an introduction to his goals. Use creativity to write this paragraph, and also anecdotes can be used to make it more interesting. But this paragraph should not be too long. However, for MBA aspirants, this paragraph can be longer than usual.
Paragraphs 2 and 3: School and Career Highlights
This paragraph can start with a brief history of school and college relevant to the course and career progression. Mention the internship and the projects relevant to the course applied in. The second paragraph is usually dedicated to academic pursuits, so all the achievements and awards of school and college should be limited to this section. The third paragraph should be about the internships, projects, and/or work experience that is relevant to the course.
Paragraph 4: How is the student going to achieve his goals?
In this paragraph, the student must mention his goals and plans. What is his plan after the completion of his education? How is he going to achieve his goal? If the student is planning to do research after the completion, he must mention it. If he is planning to work for a particular organisation, he must mention it.
This will tell that the student has thought about the future and is genuinely passionate about the course applied in. The student can also mention a time period, for example, I wish to work in this specific organisation in about 2 to 3 years. This will increase the chance of getting admission to a particular university.
Paragraph 5: Conclusion
This paragraph is the concluding paragraph. In this paragraph, the student must talk about why he chose the said university to pursue his course and how it will help in his goals. He must also mention why this particular course is necessary for him and his goals.
Additionally, he must mention his short terms goals and long-term goals and how the resources available to him are going to help him achieve those goals. A student with a clear vision stands a better chance of getting admission. This particular format of Singapore SOP helps in maintaining a flow of the information and brings it all together and cohesive.
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Tips to Write an SOP for Singapore
Statement of Purpose is one of the most important documents for assessment as it talks about the student’s interests, achievements, hobbies, and talents. Therefore, there are a few things that have to be considered while writing the SOP Singapore:
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Keep it simple and short
It is a known fact that a particular university receives over a thousand applications. Thus, taking up unnecessary space is not encouraged. The SOP must contain information that is of utmost importance and relevance to the area of interest.
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Write true information
An SOP Singapore is an assessment of why a student seeks education from a particular university. So, the student’s focus must not be on showing off his vocabulary and writing skills. It should be to share the point information and be honest. If the student is caught lying in his SOP about his background, achievements, interests, skills, or work experience, the application may get cancelled. The student might also be barred from getting admission to any other university on the ground of forgery or plagiarism.
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Give enough time
A good amount of time must be dedicated to writing an SOP. All the information should be put in a way that creates a smooth flow that makes sense, starting from school/college to relevant work experiences leading to future goals. The SOP must be written with patience and detail.
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Try to avoid a lot of technical terms
Although writing an SOP using a lot of technical terms might showcase the student as knowledgeable, it is not necessary that everyone will be aware of the meanings. Thus, the SOP must contain words that are easily understandable, and usage of the technical terms should be to the minimum.
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It is very important to keep these pointers in mind while writing an SOP Singapore to have a better chance of getting admission. To sum up, the SOP must reflect a holistic of the student while providing true information. We hope the guidelines will help you write the perfect SOP for your preferred university in Singapore.
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