MOE Higher Education Student Loan Scheme
Learn how the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme supports your studies with loans to finance your tertiary studies when you pursue approved MOE-subsidised diploma programmes.
From 29 July 2026, the new Higher Education Student Loan (HESL) scheme will be implemented to provide loans to students who need help to finance their tertiary studies when they pursue approved MOE-subsidised diploma programmes at Republic Polytechnic. It will replace the MOE Tuition Fee Loan scheme and MOE Study Loan scheme, which will be merged under the new loan scheme.
Components of HESL
(1) Base provision:
For all eligible Singapore Citizens (SC), Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) and International Students (IS), it covers up to 90% of the subsidised tuition fees payable, depending on your citizenship.
(2) Means-tested provision:
For eligible SC, it covers the balance of your subsidised tuition fees not covered by the base provision and loan for living allowance.
For eligible SPR and IS, it covers living allowance only.
To be eligible for Means-tested provision, you must be:
(i) A SC and SPR with gross monthly household per capita income (PCI) of $3,500 or less.
(ii) IS with gross monthly household PCI of $1,875 or less.
You will have flexibility to decide the components that you want to take up (i.e. base provision only, or base provision and means-tested provision). Within the means-tested provision, SC students can also decide if they want the loan to cover fee balance only, loan for living allowance only, or a combination of any of these two.
Approved loan funds will first be used to offset outstanding tuition fees. Any remaining balance (for students who apply for living allowance loan) will be disbursed to the student.
Interest rate
HESL scheme is interest-free during the course of study, with interest commencing only upon graduation or when students leave their institution.
Loan Repayment
The maximum loan repayment period for HESL scheme is 10 years.
Summary
Nationality | HESL Component | ||
(1) Non-means tested | (2) Means-tested1 | ||
Base Provision | Balance Fee Coverage | Living Allowance Loan | |
Singapore Citizens | 90% | 10% | Up to $3,200 per academic year |
Singapore Permanent Resident | 75% | N.A. | |
International Student | 55% | N.A. | |
1 Balance fee coverage and living allowance loan are subject to means‑testing and approval. Students are to contact help-schoolfee@rp.edu.sg (opens in new tab) for assessment before applying.
How to apply for HESL
Students who wish to apply for the HESL scheme can log in to the StudentLoanSG (SLSG) portal (opens in new tab) using their Singpass.
To ensure a smooth application process, please ensure that you have an active DBS/POSB bank account. Before submitting your application, compare the personal information in your MyInfo profile with your DBS profile. If there are any discrepancies, please log in to DBS digibank and update your DBS profile records accordingly before proceeding with your application on the StudentLoanSG portal.
A mismatch between your details on MyInfo and DBS records may result in your loan application being rejected. You may refer to the guide here [PDF, 289.33 KB] (opens in new tab).
As a start, the portal will accept HESL applications from the following students who can use their Singpass account:
a) Newly matriculated students in Academic Year (AY) 2026 intake
b) Existing students (before AY2026 intake) who do not have TFL and SL for their current course of study
If you have taken up the MOE Tuition Fee Loan Scheme, no action is required from you. However, if you wish to apply for new or additional loan provision under the HESL scheme, please contact help-schoolfee@rp.edu.sg (opens in new tab) for advice from 15 September 2026. Students may apply for HESL in the SLSG portal from 15 September 2026, if you are found eligible.