Singapore work pass exemption for foreign students: the institution list

If you hold a Student’s Pass issued by ICA and are a full-time matriculated or registered student at one of the institutions listed by the Ministry of Manpower, you may work in Singapore without a separate work pass, subject to conditions that differ between the school term and the vacation period. During vacation, you can work without a work pass if you are aged 14 and above; during the school term, work is allowed only up to 16 hours a week or as part of an approved industrial attachment or internship that contributes to your graduation requirements. You do not need to notify MOM before starting work. Exchange students are not allowed to work, and once your Student’s Pass expires after you complete your studies, your employer must apply for a work pass for you.

The qualifying institution list for vacation work

The exemption for working during the vacation period applies if you are a full-time matriculated or registered student at one of the institutions below, hold a Student’s Pass issued by ICA, and are aged 14 years and above. MOM lists the following institutions as qualifying:

Type of institution	Named institutions
Universities	Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, INSEAD Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, S P Jain School of Global Management Singapore, Yale-NUS College of the National University of Singapore, University of the Arts Singapore
Polytechnics	Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic
International schools	Anglo-Chinese School (International) Singapore, Australian International School, Canadian International School, Chatsworth International School, Dulwich College (Singapore), EHL Campus (Singapore), ESSEC Business School (Singapore), German European School Singapore, German Institute of Science and Technology – TUM Asia, Hollandse School, Hwa Chong International School, International Community School, ISS International School, The Japanese School Singapore, Lycee Francais De Singapour, Nexus International School (Singapore), Overseas Family School, Saint Joseph’s Institution International School, Sekolah Indonesia, Singapore American School, Singapore Korean International School, Stamford American International School, Swiss School in Singapore, Tanglin Trust School, United World College of South East Asia, Waseda Shibuya Senior High School in Singapore, XCL World Academy
Government and government-aided schools	Government Junior Colleges, Government secondary schools, Government-aided Junior Colleges, Government-aided secondary schools, Independent schools, Specialised Independent schools, Specialised schools, Special Education schools
Other institutions	Digipen, Institute of Technical Education Singapore, LaSalle College of the Arts, Millenia Institute, Mountbatten Vocational School, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Sorbonne-Assas International Law School – Asia

If you are from one of these institutions and are waiting for your final examination results or convocation, you can also work without a work pass if the waiting period falls within your vacation. Once you have completed your studies and your Student’s Pass expires, you will need a work pass to work in Singapore, and your employer will need to apply for it.

Working during the school term

During the school term, the exemption is narrower. You can work without a work pass only if you are a full-time matriculated or registered student at one of the listed institutions, hold an ICA-issued Student’s Pass, and your work meets one of two requirements:

• It is for a maximum of 16 hours a week.
• It is under an industrial attachment or internship programme conducted by your university or educational institution. The industrial attachment can be either compulsory or elective, but it must contribute towards your graduation requirements.

The institution list for term-time work is shorter than the vacation list. It includes Digipen, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, EHL Campus (Singapore), ESSEC Business School (Singapore), German Institute of Science and Technology – TUM Asia, INSEAD Singapore, Institute of Technical Education Singapore, LaSalle College of the Arts, Mountbatten Vocational School, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Nanyang Polytechnic, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, S P Jain School of Global Management Singapore, Special Education schools, Specialised schools, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Management University, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Sorbonne-Assas International Law School – Asia, Temasek Polytechnic, University of the Arts Singapore, and Yale-NUS College of the National University of Singapore.

If you want to take a leave of absence during your school term to do additional industrial attachments that do not contribute towards your graduation, you must apply for a work pass.

Who is not allowed to work under the exemption

The exemption does not cover every foreign student in Singapore. Exchange students are not allowed to work at all under this route. If you are a foreign student coming to Singapore under a training attachment programme, you should apply for a Training Work Permit, a Training Employment Pass, or be in the Work Holiday Programme. MOM states that it is an offence for a foreign student to work in Singapore without a valid work pass.

What this means for employers and sponsors

If you are an employer or sponsor considering hiring a foreign student, you need to confirm three things before relying on the exemption. First, the student must be a full-time matriculated or registered student at one of the institutions MOM lists for the relevant period. Second, the student must hold a valid Student’s Pass issued by ICA. Third, the work must fit within the vacation or term-time conditions described above. If the work does not fit, or if the student is an exchange student, you must apply for a work pass through the appropriate channel.

For work pass applications, MOM’s eServices are the main route. Employers or employment agents can submit an application for an Employment Pass, S Pass, Dependant’s Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass or Letter of Consent through the Employment Pass eService. The same eService allows you to issue, renew or cancel a pass (all pass types except Work Permit). The estimated time to complete an application is 10 to 20 minutes. For S Pass matters specifically, the same eService is used, and there is also a Quota Calculator for Work Permits and S Passes that companies can use to calculate how many Work Permit and S Pass holders they can hire.

Checking eligibility before you apply

Before submitting a work pass application, employers can use the Employment / S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT), which gives a preliminary indication of whether a candidate is likely to get an Employment Pass or S Pass. The SAT is not a guarantee of approval, but it can help you decide whether to proceed. For questions about Employment Pass, S Pass or other pass matters, you can use the enquiry eService.

If you are a student and your institution is not on the relevant list, or if you are an exchange student, the exemption does not apply to you. You should not assume that you can work without a pass. MOM’s position is clear: it is an offence for a foreign student to work in Singapore without a valid work pass.

What to do next and what to verify

If you are a student, check that your institution appears on the MOM list for the period in which you intend to work. If you are an employer, confirm the student’s institution, Student’s Pass validity, and the nature of the work before allowing them to start. If the work does not meet the exemption conditions, apply for a work pass through the Employment Pass eService or the relevant S Pass eService.

The institution lists and the specific conditions can change, so verify the current requirements on the official MOM pages: the Work pass exemption for foreign students page, and the Employment Pass and S Pass eServices pages. MOM’s FAQ on how to submit work pass-related requests also sets out which eService to use for each type of request, including applications, appeals, and amendments after approval.

If you need a work pass, the application is submitted by your employer or employment agent, not by you. You should not begin work until the pass is issued and valid.