As an Indian student, how much of my tuition fees and living expenses can I get covered by an education loan for undergraduate studies in Singapore, starting from July 29, 2026?

HESL replaces Singapore's older Tuition Fee Loan and Study Loan system from 29 July 2026, and it only covers part of your total cost, so most Indian undergraduates will still need an Indian bank's education loan alongside it to fund the full four years.

What HESL Actually Covers

• Tuition component: up to 45 percent of the subsidised tuition fee payable by international students who receive the MOE Tuition Grant.
• Living allowance: up to 4,100 Singapore dollars a year, but only if you pass a household income test, with NUS setting its current limit at a monthly per capita household income of 1,875 Singapore dollars.
• What it does not cover: hostel or accommodation costs and general personal expenses are not part of HESL, so you need a separate plan for these.

How an Indian Bank Loan Fills the Gap

SBI Singapore currently states its student loan for eligible Indian students can finance up to 100 percent of tuition fees and 75 percent of hostel fees, subject to its collateral or standby letter of credit requirements, with a minimum loan size of 20,000 Singapore dollars. It does not cover general personal living expenses, so a realistic financing plan for a total annual cost of roughly 48,000 Singapore dollars might combine HESL's tuition and living components with an Indian bank loan for the remaining tuition and hostel costs, plus your own funds for day-to-day expenses.

This Information Is Also Available On

StudentLoanSG, the official Higher Education Student Loan portal, and National University of Singapore, schemes for tuition fees and living costs page.

My Advice

In my experience, families assume HESL plus an Indian bank loan will simply add up to 100 percent of costs, but universities and lenders apply their own separate rules about overlapping aid, so you cannot just stack both loans blindly. Confirm your exact university and course first, since tuition varies significantly across NUS, NTU, SMU, and SUTD, and check the MOE Tuition Grant terms carefully, since accepting it affects both your tuition bill and your HESL eligibility together.