COMPULSORY

• A good GPA in a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree.
• A well-crafted statement of purpose detailing research interests, career aspirations, and motivations for choosing our program.
• Letters of recommendation from academic or professional referees, offering valuable insights into the applicant’s qualifications and research potential.
• A comprehensive CV highlighting academic accomplishments and pertinent experience.

*OPTIONAL

• Standardized test scores such as the GRE.
• Publications or involvement in research projects.
• For non-native English speakers, proficiency demonstrated through tests like TOEFL or IELTS.

*Note that evidence of strong quantitative, verbal, and analytical skills (such as GRE scores) and/or indicators of research skills and experience (such as publications) will significantly strengthen your application. 

Graduate level coursework, seminar attendance, dissertation, and an oral examination.

The Department of Physics at the National University of Singapore promotes excellence in a wide range of research areas, including condensed matter physics, surface physics, materials science, high energy physics, atomic physics, superconductor, solid-state ionics, astrophysics, infrared spectroscopy, laser optics, x-ray fluorescence, ion-beam applications, optics, acoustics and computer simulations.

Our aim in research development is not only to acquire new knowledge in fundamental areas, but also to tackle problems of relevance to Singapore’s Industry development. The Physics Department sees a major role in itself in the national effort to advance Singapore into a high-tech era. To this end, many staff members are now carrying out collaborative research work with industry, overseas universities, and government ministries, and engaged in multi-disciplinary research.

The Physics Department has a number of first-rate laboratories which are equipped with excellent and modern research facilities. Among them are the Surface Science Laboratory, the Centre for Nuclear Microscopy, Centre for High-Temperature Superconducting & Magnetic Centre, the Laser Spectroscopy Laboratory and the Image & Signal Processing Laboratory. In addition, the Department has a well-equipped workshop to support the research activities, and three Computer and Applications Laboratories with 200 high-power workstations and PCs, and scientific and advanced visualization software. There are 35 staff members who are actively involved in research work besides their primary teaching duties. The number of postgraduate students is 120. The amount of annual funding, from the university, industries and government agencies, for new and ongoing research projects exceeds 2.5 million dollars, exclusive of equipment costs. The Department’s excellence in research has been evidenced by the presentation of plenary/invited talks by its staff in international conferences and by their service as referees for internal journals.

Limited financial support in the form of research scholarship is available to outstanding Ph.D candidates. The research scholarship includes a tuition fee waiver and a monthly stipend which is sufficient to cover the expenses of the candidate. Presently, the majority of full-time Ph.D candidates in the Department are supported by research scholarships.

Application for research scholarship can be made using the same form on Application for Admission by ticking the relevant box. No separate application is required.

There are two intakes per academic year; one in January and the other in August.

• Research programmes: Application Information
• Graduation Application System (GDA3)
• GDA3-Applicant-User-Guide