[13 March 2006]
University Special Terms

Currently, the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Singapore Management University (SMU) have Special Terms, during which students may take a number of modules. These modules will count towards graduation. The two Special Terms of NUS and NTU begin in early May and mid June. Special Terms for NUS are of 6-week duration, whilst those of NTU last 5 weeks. SMU's two Special Terms begin in mid April and mid July, with each lasting 4 weeks. Currently, such optional Special Term classes are offered to all cohorts of students who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study.

In June 2004, MINDEF announced that national servicemen who enlist from December 2004 onwards would have their full-time National Service duration reduced from 30 months to 24 months. With the university calendar starting in July/August, returning NSmen will have to wait up to 9 months before they begin classes at the local universities.

From 2007, NUS, NTU and SMU will allow National Servicemen who have completed their full-time National Service and who have places reserved for them in any of the three universities to matriculate earlier, if they wish, during the various universities' Special Terms. These students would otherwise ordinarily matriculate in July/August of that year.

The universities will facilitate these students to select sufficient modules during the Special Terms, under advice and guidance from the universities, so that the students can graduate one semester earlier, should they desire. The universities will define their own criteria for graduation, and will decide on the modules to be offered for each degree course during the Special Terms.

Students who are enrolled in degree courses that are not on a modular curriculum structure (i.e. NUS Medicine, Dentistry and Law) may choose to make use of the Special Terms to take non-credit gaining enrichment courses, or be involved in research projects. These students will not be able to graduate earlier.

The universities will retain their current academic calendar as well as their current admissions processes. Due to the time required to process applications, female students and non-NS liable male students who apply to the local universities to be matriculated in the same year may not be able to attend Special Term classes before July/August.