FINANCIAL SCHEMES: TUITION FEE LOAN FAQs

Q1: Who can apply for the Tuition Fee Loan?

A: All students regardless of citizenship can apply for the loan.

Q2: What does the Tuition Fee Loan cover?

A: It covers up to 75% of the subsidized tuition fees payable for the whole course of study.

Subsidised tuition fee is the difference between the full tuition fee and the tuition grant amount from Ministry of Education. The Loan does not cover annual supplementary fees.

Q3: How do I apply for the Tuition Fee loan?

A: The procedures to apply for tuition fees loan are as follow:

Obtain the application form from One-Stop Centre or download the form from here.
Enclose your application with a copy of your NRIC (Singaporean/Singapore PR)/ passport (foreigner) and a copy of your guarantor's NRIC
Submit the completed form with the supporting documents (stated in (b)) to One-Stop Centre during the application period.

Q4: Do I need a guarantor for application of Tuition Fee loan?

A: Yes, one guarantor is needed for application of the loan. He/she must be aged between 21 and 60 years and must be a Singaporean/ Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR). He/she must not be an undischarged bankrupt.There is no income qualification.

The guarantor should preferably be one of your parents.

Q5: What is the obligation of the guarantor under the Tuition Fee loan scheme?

A: The guarantor is responsible for settling the full outstanding loan and interest charges if the student defaults payment.

Q6: Am I required to repay the amount loaned via the Tuition Fee loan for the entire course of study?

A: Yes, you need to repay the total loan amount plus interest charged, after you have graduated/left Republic Polytechnic.

Q7: Will I be charged interest for the Tuition Fee Loan?

A: Yes, you will be charged interest at the prevailing average lending rate of the Big 3 banks, ie DBS, UOB, OCBC. While the Loan is interest-free during the course of study, interest will be chargeable immediately upon graduation. For those with NS obligations, the interest will be charged 1 month after ORD.

Q8: What is the repayment period for the Tuition Fee Loan and when do I start to pay?

A: The repayment period is 10 years.

For students without National Service obligation, repayment starts not later than 6 months after completion of course.

For student with National Service obligation, repayment starts not later than 1 year after completion of National Service.

Q9: What is the minimum amount of repayment a month for the Tuition Fee Loan?

A: The minimum repayment amount is S$100.00 per month.

Q10: When do I start repaying my Tuition Fee Loan if I decided to withdraw or is dismissed?

A: Repayment for loan with interest starts immediately once you are withdrawn/dismissed.

Q11: Do I need to re-apply for the same Tuition Fee Loan every semester?

A: Once the loan is approved, it will be valid for the entire course. There is no need to re-apply for the loan every semester.

Q12: I would like to terminate the Tuition Fee Loan from next semester onwards, what should I do?

A: For termination of the loan before graduation, you will be required to inform the Office of the Registrar via email to Help-Registrar@rp.sg.

Q13: How do I claim monies from the Tuition Fee Loan to pay tuition fees?

A: You do not have to claim monies from the loan.

Instead, the monies will be credited directly to your student's account with Republic Polytechnic on such date and in such amount (i.e. 75% of subsidised tuition fees).

Q14: After I have applied for the Tuition Fee Loan, do I still have to pay for my school fees?

A: The Tuition Fee Loan only pays for up to 75% of subsidized tuition fees. Hence, you have to pay for the remaining of the fees which are not covered by the loan. In addition, you have to pay for the annual supplementary fees which are not covered by the loan.

Q15: How long does the processing of the application for the Tuition Fee Loan take? When will I know if my loan application is approved?

A: Your application will be processed by the bank. The processing time varies and on average it takes about 3 months. You will be notified via email regarding the application status. During this period, you should settle the remaining amount of your fees which are not covered by the loan.

Q16: What is the due date for the application of the Tuition Fee Loan?

A: Students will be informed about the application period for each semester. You need to submit the application within the period. However, some students may be advised by the Office of the Registrar to submit the application from time to time.

Q17: If my Tuition Fee Loan application is rejected/unsuccessful, can I apply for it again?

A: Yes, you may. In the subsequent application, please note the reason for rejection of the previous application.

Q18: If I am repeating my year of study, can the Tuition Fee Loan cover for the tuition fees for the additional year of study?

A: Yes, you will continue to be covered under the loan as long as you are a student of Republic Polytechnic.

Q19: Can my friend be my guarantor for the Tuition Fee Loan?

A: Yes, as long as he/she meets the following criteria:

aged between 21 and 60 years
Singaporean/ Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR).
not an undischarged bankrupt.

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