Master of Science in Research (MRes)

Results of TOEFL or IELTS

Applicants who previously studied in a non-English speaking curriculum will be required to present documented evidence of their competence in written and spoken English by submitting their results of TOEFL or IELTS exams.

To meet the English language requirement for our programme, applicants must achieve one of the following minimum total scores:

• TOEFL paper-based test: 600
• TOEFL internet-based test (exams taken before 21 January 2026): 85
• TOEFL internet-based test (exams taken on or after 21 January 2026): 5
• IELTS: Overall band score of 7.0

The TOEFL score or IELTS result is only valid for 2 years after the test and should be valid by the end of the application deadline for the programme.

Applicants should email a scanned copy of the official TOEFL/IELTS scoresheets to admissions@duke-nus.edu.sg during the online application period. IELTS scoresheets must display your Test Report Form Number.

For verification purposes, candidates are also requested to nominate our Institution to access your results online/electronically as follow:

• TOEFL iBT: Designated Institution (DI) code of C974 through ETS Data manager
• IELTS: Select IELTS Indicator ‘Duke-NUS Medical School’ through IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) Verification Service

There is no need to post the hardcopies of the results to us.

If you are still unsure on whether you are required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS test score, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@duke-nus.edu.sg to seek clarification before the application period closes.

At present, Duke-NUS does not have a deferment policy for admitted students. As such, male Singapore Citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident applicants are expected to have fulfilled their National Service (NS) obligations before matriculation. For international applicants required to serve in their home country’s military, a few points should be kept in mind. While “Leave of Absence” (LOA) is in place for a number of academic, research, and personal reasons, this is contingent on approval by the Student Promotions Committee. Generally, LOA is not granted for fulfillment of National/Military Service obligations. Given these specifications, it is strongly recommended that full-time National/Military Service is completed, or is in the process of being completed, before applying to Duke-NUS.

We require all applicants to Duke-NUS who have previously accepted scholarship offers with service commitment expectations, to directly confirm with their respective sponsoring organization(s) whether or not they are eligible to join Duke-NUS. All accepted applicants are expected to complete their existing commitments (e.g. scholarships, contract work, etc.) prior to matriculation into Duke-NUS.

S$23,000 per year 

S$46,000 over 2 years

Yes. Candidates may re-apply after reflecting on their previous attempt. Highlighting new achievements is very important. Some suggested approaches may include obtaining relevant work or academic experience, increasing participation in research. We would like to reiterate that this is not about resume-building, but demonstrating a genuine commitment to pursuing research in medicine.

As the letters of recommendation are submitted through our electronic recommendation service, we will no longer accept letters of recommendation via Interfolio and other credentials services with effect from 1st June 2021.

We invite candidates for interviews via email. A majority of our interviews take place on the Duke-NUS campus in Singapore. If selected for an interview, the Admissions Office will contact you with details on the location and date.