Polytechnic & ITE Nitec Fees to Increase for New S’porean Students for This Year’s Intake

For the majority of the people, education is a relevant part of our lives. If you are considering tertiary education in the near future, it would be helpful to note the increasing fees.

Higher Fees for Polytechnic and ITE Nitec in 2022

According to the institutions’ websites, tuition fees will increase slightly for the incoming 2022 batch. Depending on your situation, you will either breathe a sigh of relief or lament at the news, since the increase in tuition fees will only affect the students enrolling in the new academic year.

For Polytechnics, the school year begins in April, whereas for the Institution of Technical Education (ITE) the new school semester can either start in January or April.

Here is a simple breakdown of the tuition fees.

For Polytechnics

Singaporeans will need to pay an annual tuition fee of $3,000, an increase from the initial $2,900.

The tuition fee for Permanent Residents (PRs) will rise from $6000 to $6,200.

For international students, the tuition fee will increase by $400 to $11,400.

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For ITEs

Singaporeans taking the Nitec Diploma will have to pay an annual tuition fee of $430, an increase from the initial $400.

For PRs, the annual fee is now $5850; $300 more compared to the previous years.

International students will see an increase of $900 to $16,350.

However, for Higher Nitec students on a two-year programme, tuition fees will remain the same at $590, $7,760 and $20,360 for Singaporeans, PRs and international students respectively.

Reasons for the Increase

Although the increase in fees may seem unfortunate, there are good reasons for this. 

A spokesman for the Ministry of Education (MOE) mentioned that “institutions face rising cost pressures in the provision of quality education.” 

As a result, “subsidised tuition fees are reviewed annually to defray the cost of education,” and the decision to increase the prices was reached after considering inflationary adjustments. MOE believes that the slight increase will enable institutions to deliver better quality education. 

While Junior Colleges (JCs) remains as another viable option for graduating secondary school students, Polytechnic and ITE students can look forward to more “industry immersion”.

On Friday (7 Jan), Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman mentioned that “MOE will update their course curriculum with a framework for learning life skills and more flexible course structures.”

This creates more opportunities for job shadowing and industry exposure, “standing them in good stead when they enter the workplace”, said Dr Maliki.

Education for All

If you are fretting over expenses, the government is here to help.

The MOE’s spokesman mentioned that “notwithstanding the fee increases for the new academic year, the Government is committed to ensuring no one is denied education due to financial difficulties.”

There are various financial assistance support schemes available, which include government bursaries or loans for students from low-to-middle income families. Additionally, institutions can also help with the payment of tuition fees and offer provisions to decrease the cost of living. 

The government is committed to this promise; the Ministry will continue to review the support schemes regularly to ensure their relevance.

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Featured Image: Shutterstock / Ah Xiong