Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)

Higher Education Student Loan (HESL)

For postgraduates

The Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) provides loans to students who need help to finance their tertiary studies when they pursue approved MOE-subsidised full-time and part-time postgraduate by research (PGR) and full-time postgraduate by coursework (PGC) programmes in SUTD.

From 1 July 2026, the following groups of students who wish to apply for the HESL can do so via the new StudentLoanSG (SLSG) portal (https://go.gov.sg/slsg), which will also be launched on 1 July 2026, 10AM. As a start, the portal will accept HESL application from the following students who can use their Singpass account:

1. Newly matriculated students in Academic Year 2026/2027 intake.
2. Existing students (AY2025/2026 intake and before) who do not have an existing MOE Tuition Fee Loan (MOE TFL) and/or MOE Study Loan (MOE SL).

HESL – Base provision

The HESL Base Provision loan is tenable for the entire postgraduate programme duration. Re-application is not required.

Please find the overview of the HESL scheme below:

Note:

• The HESL does not cover compulsory miscellaneous fees, hostel fees and GST.

Eligibility

• All full-time and part-time postgraduate by research (PGR) and full-time postgraduate by coursework (PGC) students paying subsidised tuition fees are eligible for the loan scheme, with the maximum loan amount capped at the HESL Base Provision, depending on student’s citizenship.

Guarantor

• Must be between 21 and 60 years old at point of loan application.
• Must not be an undischarged bankrupt.
• Must be a Singapore Citizen for an applicant who is a Singapore Citizen.
• Can be either a Singapore Citizen or a Singapore Permanent Resident for an applicant who is a Singapore Permanent Resident.
• Can be of any nationality for an applicant who is an International student.

Loan repayment and interest rate​

• Repayment: Not later than 1 year after graduation.
• Minimum repayment amount: S$100 per month
• Maximum repayment period: up to 10 years.
• Interest rate: 3-month compounded Singapore Overnight Rate Average (3M SORA) plus 1.5 percentage points or such other rates as may be determined from time to time by the bank.
• Late payment interest for overdue and unpaid loans/loan instalment: 3M SORA plus 4.5 percentage points or such other rates as may be determined from time to time by the bank.
• The interest rates will be revised on a half-yearly basis based on the 3M SORA¹ published on the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) website² on 1 March (for the period 1 April to 30 September) or 1 September (for the period 1 October to 31 March of the following calendar year)³. You can visit DBS website at go.dbs.com/sg-moeloanrates for the applicable interest rates on every 1 April and 1 October.
• Interest and loan sum are paid directly to the bank.
• The loan is interest-free during the course of study, i.e. interest will only start accruing after graduation or upon leaving the institution.
• Student should follow up with the appointed local bank in writing for the repayment of the loan amount if the student withdraws from studies or has his/her studies terminated.

1. SORA is the volume-weighted average rate of borrowing transactions in the unsecured overnight interbank SGD cash market in Singapore between 8am and 6.15pm. The 3-month compounded SORA is the rolling compounded average of daily SORA over the past respective period.

2. eservices.mas.gov.sg/statistics/dir/DomesticInterestRates.aspx

3. If 1 March or 1 September falls on a weekend and/or a public holiday when the 3M SORA rates are not published by MAS, we will take the 3M SORA published on the MAS website on the last preceding business day in Singapore. For example, if 1 September is a Saturday, we will take the 3M SORA published on MAS website on 31 August.

How to apply

Students can apply via the StudentLoanSG (SLSG) portal (https://go.gov.sg/slsg) from 1 July 2026, 10AM. The bank administering HESL scheme for SUTD is DBS.