If all components of your application are complete, you can submit by the early acceptance deadline. The early acceptance is non-binding. We have a rolling admissions process with a fixed number of slots each year. It may be to your advantage to apply as early as possible. Applicants with a track record of excellence in academic achievements, MCAT/GAMSAT scores, reference letters, research experiences, and volunteer/leadership activities will be considered favorably. A select group of candidates will be invited for interviews starting in September, with notification of acceptances as early as November. Early acceptance applicants who have not been notified of an interview will be rolled into the regular admissions pool for review, and notified of their application status. There is no quota for the number of candidates admitted through early acceptance.

An application will be considered complete once we have all of the following documents:

• Completed online application submitted by the deadline 

• Transcripts & WES Report, if applicable 
• 3-5 letters of recommendation 
• MCAT/GAMSAT - If you have registered for a future exam or are awaiting your scores, please indicate this on the application and inform the Admissions Office

Duke-NUS has a rolling admissions policy. Completed applications are reviewed upon receipt, and selected candidates are invited for interviews. All applicants will receive notification of their application status (accepted, placed on the wait list, or not accepted) by May.

Applicants placed on the waitlist should expect to hear the outcome latest by July.

All notifications will be sent via email and mail. Please notify us of any address changes and update your online application as needed. You may check the status of your application by logging on to your online application.

If you have specific queries, please email us at admissions@duke-nus.edu.sg.

We invite candidates for interviews via email. A majority of our interviews take place on the Duke-NUS campus in Singapore. There will also be a few interviews held in the US during each admissions cycle. The main venue in the US is at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. If selected for an interview, the Admissions Office will contact you with details on the location and date.

Yes. Please note, however, that the online application itself should have all the sections completed and submitted by the deadline. We will be reviewing your supporting documents such as reference letters, transcripts and WES reports (if applicable), as we receive them.

For late submission of supporting documents (references, transcripts and WES reports):

There is a 2-week grace period after the admissions deadline to receive all supporting documents.

For January MCAT takers:

Please note that if you take the MCAT exam in January of the matriculating year, your online application and all your supporting documents should be submitted by the final application deadline of 31^st January. You need to indicate in your application that you will be taking the January exam and reflect the AAMC registration ID number. 

It is recommended that you limit the length to a maximum of 500 words per essay. Please note that we consider plagiarism an egregious breach of conduct and will not consider a plagiarized application for further review, regardless of other attributes or accomplishments. Essays should be written by you, but proofreading by others is encouraged if intended to help polish your work.

Duke-NUS is a graduate medical school, and candidates are required to have at least a Bachelor’s degree by the time of enrolment into medical school. Our students will graduate with a MD (Doctor of Medicine) degree. We do not accept students who already have an MBBS or an MD degree. Doctors with MBBS or MD degrees who wish to pursue a PhD may consider the Duke-NUS PhD programmes such as the Integrated Biology and Medicine. Information on the PhD programmes is available PhD programmes.

Given our unique curricular structure, we do not accept transfer students. You are welcome to apply to Duke-NUS as a first-year medical student, however, with a bachelor degree in any discipline.

Duke-NUS welcomes qualified applicants of any nationality to apply. Our student body represents well over 28 countries. If enrolled at a university with a Pre-Professional Health Advising Office, you may seek input from that resource to help with your application.

Candidates with the option of enrolling into a highly academic graduate entry medical school in their home countries or elsewhere should have valid reasons for attending Duke-NUS and/or living in Singapore. Singapore has a limited number of positions in its medical schools, each of which is valued and intended to educate physicians who plan to serve the country. We are fortunate to have many such qualified international students, as exemplified by our diverse student body representing over 28 countries.

We do not have an age limit to apply to Duke-NUS. Prospective students should note that the MD programme is an extremely demanding and rigorous course that takes 4 years to complete. After graduating from Duke-NUS, further training is required if one is to be licensed to practice medicine. A minimum of 3-8 years post-MD can be expected to complete one’s residency training. It may help to seek the perspectives of matriculated students on this issue.

Duke-NUS is open to students from diverse academic backgrounds, and the choice of a degree should be based on your interests and goals. Among medical students, literature demonstrates little or no difference in performance given different academic backgrounds. Despite some evidence that science graduates may score slightly higher on certain assessments, this effect diminishes with time during medical school. Regardless of the choice of academic background, doing well on the MCAT is important to the success of your application, be it through a solid foundation in the sciences, or by rigorous and disciplined self-study. 

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 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. Additionally, to be eligible for medical registration, the Singapore Medical Council requires a doctor to begin year-one of residency training within 1 year of graduating from medical school. This makes the immediate post-graduation period an unsuitable time for serving the typical 2-year military commitment. 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.

Taking the MCAT is required of all candidates applying to the MD programme or MD-PhD track at Duke-NUS. In order to cope with a challenging medical programme, it is important to have a solid foundation in the sciences and critical thinking skills; the MCAT is but one of many approaches to measuring such competencies.

All MCAT tests are computer-based tests and conducted by Thomson Prometrix world-wide test centres. Please review the AAMC website for information on international test dates and sites. The number of seats in overseas locations are limited, and applicants have in the past missed a Duke-NUS admissions cycle because of lost opportunities to take the MCAT in time. It is highly advisable to plan ahead. 

You can submit your application, keeping in mind the following caveats. Your online application should be submitted by the deadline of January 31st. There is a 2-week grace period after the admissions deadline to receive all supporting documents. Please indicate on your application the January exam date and the AAMC registration ID number. The Admissions Office can review your application only if there are slots available at the time. This varies from year to year.

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 1^st June 2021.

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, improving MCAT/GAMSAT scores, gaining clinical exposure, and/or participating in research. We would like to reiterate that this is not about resume-building, but demonstrating a genuine commitment to pursuing medicine.

Yes, candidates who are re-applying will have to submit a new application. Re-applicants may use their existing application account to re-apply for the new intake.

Re-applicants who wish to highlight new achievements and experiences, are encouraged to submit additional documents. You will also need to submit recent references to add new perspectives (preferably positive ones!) to your application.

There is no limit, but if re-applying, you are strongly encouraged to reflect on your application, including motivations for pursuing medicine and areas that may benefit from additional work. As members of the Admissions team, we cannot give individualized feedback on prior unsuccessful attempts. We do strive to provide updated information on our admissions processes, however, and are happy to clarify general questions.

Applicants for each admissions cycle are considered on an equal footing. As such, no special consideration is given to re-applicants, even if previously waitlisted or admitted.

Tuition fees are reviewed by the Singapore Ministry of Education annually and are subjected to changes. For each incoming class, tuition fees are fixed for the four years of study (i.e. the amount of annual tuition fee remains the same throughout the 4 years of MD study).

For students admitted to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme at Duke-NUS in Academic Year 2023-2024, the annual tuition fees are as follows:

• Singapore Citizens: SGD 48,050 (GST subsidy provided)
• Singapore Permanent Residents: SGD 61,150 (GST subsidy provided)
• International Students: SGD 78,650 (inclusive of GST)

MD-PhD students completing their PhD at Duke-NUS will: 1) have tuition paid for during the PhD component of their studies; and 2) receive a monthly stipend during the PhD programme. MD-PhD students who successfully complete an approved PhD (subject to terms and conditions) at either Duke-NUS, Duke University (US) or NUS (Singapore) will receive a scholarship that is equivalent in value to their out-of-pocket payment (i.e. tuition fees payable less financial aid received) for the overall MD tuition fees.

Yes. To assist students in financing tuition and other fees, Duke-NUS offers a variety of scholarships, bursaries, and loans. Depending on financial circumstances of a student (include that of self, immediate family, and/or spouse as applicable), the financial aid offered to a student can go as high as 100% of tuition fees payable (excluding miscellaneous fees). As mentioned on our Fees and Financial Aid website, a medical education at Duke-NUS is a partnership involving the student, his/her family and the School.

The Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) scheme is available to admitted students through two of Singapore’s banks, regardless of citizenship. All students with a financial need are expected to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, as any needs-based financial aid provided by the school will only assist with needs not met by a TFL. Students may borrow up to 90% of annual tuition fees of a Singaporean Citizen candidate (amount subject to change). Details on TFL are available at the NUS Graduate School website.

Scholarships, granted to exceptional students (with different criteria depending on source of funds), vary between SGD 10,000 and SGD 50,000 annually. Students may use the funds for tuition fees or personal expenses. Scholarships awarded by philanthropic organizations through Duke-NUS do not impose an additional service commitment (bond), but students are expected to maintain high academic standards and to keep the respective organizations abreast of their academic progress.

Absolutely. The Admissions Committee evaluates candidates based on merit irrespective of financial ability. Upon matriculation, however, students are expected to be fully immersed in a rigorous programme of medical education, and getting a job is not a viable option. For more information, please see Question 2 and visit Fees and Financial Aid.

Compensation during residency is managed by MOHH, with pay typically increasing after each year of post-graduate clinical training. For graduates who obtained a Tuition Fee Loan (interest-free during medical school), the banks administering the loan stipulate that:

• The loan can be repaid in equal monthly installments starting no later than two years from the date that interest is first chargeable on the loan (i.e. shortly after graduation) or upon securing employment, whichever is earlier. As such, repayment can start as late as 24 months after graduation.
• The minimum amount of repayment is $100 per month over a maximum repayment period of 20 years.

Duke-NUS is the first medical school in Singapore to follow a graduate-entry medicine model, whereby all students are at a minimum required to have a bachelor’s degree. The school’s mission is aimed at producing outstanding leaders in medical research, education, and patient care. Its innovative programme with a distinctive focus on research is modeled after the curriculum at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and adapted to the local learning environment and learner needs. These learner-centered curricula are different than that those at most medical schools in the United States. Find out more information on our curriculum.

Duke University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges (COC), the recognized regional accreditation authority for select geographic regions. As Duke University is one awarding body for the Duke-NUS joint degree, part of its accreditation reporting addresses relevant programme and process information about Duke-NUS. However, accreditation of Duke University itself cannot extend to Duke-NUS. Similarly, the Duke University School of Medicine is accredited by The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting authority for programmes leading to the MD degree in the United States and Canada only. This accreditation cannot apply to Duke-NUS.

Duke-NUS students are required to pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge.) Some students choose at their own expense to complete Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills) if they are in the United States. This test is not administered in Singapore, and neither is USMLE Step 3. To become eligible for full registration with the Singapore Medical CouncilOpen in new tab, Duke-NUS graduates must successfully complete the Assessment for Medical Practice (AMP) ExaminationOpen in new tab, which is similar in design to USMLE Step 3 (and jointly created for Singapore by the National Board of Medical Examiners of the United States and the Ministry of Health, Singapore.)

No. The programmes cannot be completed part-time.

There is a possibility for students to pursue a master’s degree (external to Duke-NUS) during their research year. The master’s degree in and of itself does not satisfy the Duke-NUS research requirements, however. The thesis that students write as part of the degree can count towards fulfilling research requirements at Duke-NUS, provided it satisfies all criteria (e.g. single authored, biomedical research, etc.) as stipulated by the Duke-NUS Research Curriculum Review Committee. Students will have to pay tuition to Duke-NUS if a master's degree is pursued during their research year, in addition to any tuition to the school they attend for the master’s degree.

If the master’s degree does not meet the research requirements at Duke-NUS, a student may apply for a Leave of Absence to start the degree. During this time, he/she is not liable to pay tuition to Duke-NUS. Upon finishing the master’s degree, the student is still expected to undertake and fulfill the requirements of the research year of the MD programme. 

In the rare instances of individuals pursuing post-graduate residency training outside of Singapore (subject to MOH approval on a case-by-case basis), the expectation is for them to return upon completion of training and to fulfill their service commitment obligations in the public sector.

MOH may give sympathetic consideration to students unable to complete their course of study due to circumstances beyond their control. Such cases are reviewed by the MOH on an individual basis.

Singapore residency programmes created in consultation with the ACGME-I (Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education – International), were the first of their kind outside of the United States to be accredited by this organization. Duke-NUS graduates are expected to complete their residency training in Singapore.

For details on the wide range of training options and residency application processes, please visit the MOHH websiteOpen in new tab.

We recommend (and hope) that candidates applying to Duke-NUS are committed to completing their residency training in Singapore. All students must complete their PGY1 before commencement of residency training with effect from AY2019.

 

Historically speaking, Singapore physicians have had an outstanding track record of pursuing fellowships or advanced subspecialty training overseas. Given the young age of our school and the short history of ACGME-I accredited residency programmes, it is premature to predict how such factors may specifically impact requirements for further training and practice elsewhere.

At present, trainees completing residency programmes outside the United States are considered international medical graduates (IMGs), and typically required to have successfully completed the USMLE Steps, in addition to additional training in the US depending on specialty and location. A wealth of information related to these matters is housed on the ECFMG website.

Medical licensure is typically not transferable from one country to another. Upon return to Singapore, eligibility to practice medicine (i.e. obtaining Medical Registration and a Practicing Certificate) will depend on one’s clinical experience (e.g. length of training/practice) and other requirements as directed by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC.) 

Consider gaining some volunteer or work experience in healthcare institutions, including hospitals, clinics, and hospices. Besides being able to serve and contribute to society, volunteering also provides an opportunity to learn and apply many useful skills such as communication, teamwork, and time management. Make the most of your volunteering experience by communicating with patients, nurses and doctors, offering your help, and reflecting on your own interests and aptitude thereafter. Here are some organizations that you can approach for volunteering opportunities. This is by no means an exhaustive list and we encourage you to seek out opportunities in your own area of interest for a unique experience.

Bright Vision HospitalOpen in new tab

Changi General HospitalOpen in new tab

HCA HospiceOpen in new tab

Khoo Teck Puat HospitalOpen in new tab

Singapore General HospitalOpen in new tab

Sengkang General HospitalOpen in new tab

For some of you who might want some headstart in medical school, and especially for those without a background in biology or life sciences, here are some books that could be helpful to prepare you for medical school. These books are particularly relevant to the components of the first science-based course at Duke-NUS known as Molecules, Cells and Tissues (MCT). This course covers Cell Biology, Histology, Biochemistry and Genetics, with an integrated component of clinical applications.

Helpful books include -
1. BRS Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Genetics (Board Review Series) 6E by Lieberman and Ricer
2. BRS Genetics (Board Review Series) by Dudek
3. BRS Cell Biology and Histology 7E by Gartner and Hiatt

You are encouraged to browse through these in preparation for MCT course if you have not been recently exposed to these subjects. Do be informed that these books are not replacements for the curriculum and course material. They only provide you with some head start to the course.

We have compiled a list of books below recommended by Associate Professor Lai Siang Hui, an Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School and heavily involved in the curriculum, especially for the first year medical students.

Here is a list of books that are worth reading even if you eventually do not embark on a career in medicine.
1. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
2. Lost Art of Healing by Bernard Lown
3. How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman
4. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

To understand some of the ethical and legal issues faced by doctors, you can read
1. Resolving Ethical Dilemmas: A Guide for Clinicians 5E by Bernard Lo

To inject some laughter which simultaneously reflect some aspects of truth and reality, you can read
1. House of God by Samuel Shem

 

For students admitted to the PhD (IBM/QBM) programme at Duke-NUS, the following will be provided: 
- A scholarship covering 100% of tuition and miscellaneous fees payable for the 4-year duration; and 
- A monthly stipend for the 4-year duration of the PhD programme

Students admitted to the PhD (CTS) programme at Duke-NUS from Intake 2022 will be required to pay annual tuition fees of $28,000 along with Miscellaneous Student Fees.

Admitted students are offered a Duke-NUS scholarship that pays a minimum stipend of $3400/month that has no service obligation. However, students may be nominated for more prestigious and higher paying scholarships, which differ in their service requirements.

To become a mentor in any of the PhD courses, individuals must be a regular rank member of the Duke-NUS faculty and fulfill a distinct set of additional criteria. View the current list of approved IBM facult mentors for more information.

The number of specialty courses required differs between programmes. Most programmes require about 10 additional credits of coursework. The HSSR programme differs slightly, as it has a heavier emphasis on coursework. Details of the individual programme requirements can be found at the following websites: HSSR, NBD, CVMD, EID, and CSCB.

Applicants applying to the IBM PhD programme will need to register and sit for the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). However, the GRE is not required for Bachelor degree holders or final-year undergraduates from the National University of Singapore (NUS), National Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) in relevant disciplines.

For applicants applying to the QBM PhD programme, they will need to register and sit for the GRE (Graduate Record Examination).

For applicants applying to the CTS PhD programme, with the exception of applicants with SMC recognized medical degrees, all other candidates are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test or MCAT results 

We welcome all applicants who are keen to earn a PhD to embark on a career in health or medical research. Our recent classes had average GRE scores in the range of 315  and graduated with second upper class honours and above. However, we look at a number of other aspects as well, including research experience, letters of recommendation, and individual essays. We do not have firm minimum scores, and excellence in other areas can offset deficiencies.

No, this is a research based degree, and does not provide clinical training. Those interested in practicing medicine should consider the Doctor of Medicine (MD) instead.

Students with an MBBS degree are encouraged to apply to our PhD programmes, which is well-suited to provide training in research to individuals with clinical experience.All applicants must have completed the GRE.

Laboratory rotations are an integral part of the training and are required when it is part of the curriculum.

The PhD programmes is akin to a full-time job, except for the PhD in Clinical Sciences. Students get the same public holidays as other faculty and staff at Duke-NUS. Any additional vacation time is decided between the student and his or her thesis mentor, but 3 weeks per year is typical.

YES. The MITM is a part-time programme designed with the working professional in mind.

A typical week in the MITM will include pre-session studying of reading materials and recorded lectures that will be conducted on your own time, prior to the scheduled session. This preparatory work will lay the foundation for the students to have an efficient session that is arranged virtually on Wednesday evenings 6:00-10:00pm Singapore time, each week.

The MITM also includes, in the second year, attendance at a one-week intensive Eureka Institute course.  Students may apply to participate in a course offered in Singapore or in Siracusa, Italy.  

Tuition is $25,000 SGD per year, for two years.

The MITM is a self-pay degree programme.  However, you are encouraged to explore tuition support from the following sources:

If you are a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident, you may apply for tuition support from the NMRC Research Training Fellowship programme. 

NUS offers an MSc in Translational Research & Innovation that focuses on training scientists and leads graduates to have the technical competence to support a research project under minimal supervision.  The focus of the MITM, on the other hand, is on developing scientists and other stakeholders to be able to navigate the translational medicine landscape in order to better ensure that scientific discoveries make their way to patients efficiently and expeditiously.