Higher school fees for students enrolling in polytechnics and ITE in 2022

Students enrolling in polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) this year will face higher tuition fees.

According to the institutions’ websites, the increment will not affect those currently enrolled, as well as the incoming batch for the two-year Higher Nitec programme in ITE.

For the five polytechnics, the annual tuition fee for Singaporeans will increase by $100 to $3,000. Fees for permanent residents will increase by $200 to $6,200, while international students’ will increase by $400 to $11,400, according to local media reports on Jan 16. 

For those taking ITE’s Nitec diploma, Singaporean students will face an annual tuition fee of $430, up from $410. Fees for permanent residents will increase by $300 to $5,850, while fees for international students will increase by $900 to $16,350.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Education (MOE) said: “The institutions face rising cost pressures in the provision of quality education.

“The subsidised tuition fees are reviewed annually and adjusted where necessary to defray the cost of education at these institutions.”

The Government wants to ensure no citizen will be denied an education at local polytechnics or the ITE due to financial difficulties, the spokesman added. A range of financial assistance schemes such as bursaries and loans are available to support students from low- to middle-income families. 

The ministry will continue reviewing tuition fees and the adequacy of government bursaries in the coming years. “Where possible, it is preferable to have regular but small fee increases than a significant hike in any one year,” the spokesman said.

The polytechnic school year will begin in April, while ITE conducts their intakes in January and April.