Inbound Exchange

Spend a semester at NAFA and learn in the heart of Singapore’s arts, design and cultural district. As an inbound exchange student, you will join a creative learning environment where studio practice, academic inquiry and intercultural exchange come together.

You will remain enrolled at your home institution while taking approved modules at NAFA. Credits earned during your exchange may be transferred back to your home institution, subject to approval.

Inbound exchange application process:

1. Check your eligibility
   
   
   • Confirm that your institution is a partner of NAFA or UAS. If there is no exchange agreement, you may wish to apply for the Study Abroad Programme.
   • Get nominated by your home institution to go on exchange at NAFA. Please contact your home university’s international office for more information on nomination procedures.
     
     
     • Year of study: equivalent to or above the year of study requested at NAFA.
     • Field of study: equivalent to the field of study requested at NAFA.
     • English proficiency: English language ability is recommended to be equivalent of B2 level/IETLS score 6 (or equivalent).


2. Prepare documents
   NAFA will request supporting documents for your exchange application. These include:
   
   
   1. Personal Identification Documents:
      
      
      1. Coloured copy of passport information page;
      2. Coloured ID Photo (according to photo guidelines by Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority: https://www.ica.gov.sg/photo-guidelines).
   
   
   2. Academic Documents:
      
      
      1. Signed and stamped official transcripts in English, reflecting all completed modules;
      2. List of modules taken in the current semester if not shown in transcript;
      3. Proof of English language proficiency for nominees whose home institution’s medium of instruction is not English: IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL iBT 80 / PTE Academic 50.
   
   
   3. Exchange Application Documents:
      
      
      1. Personal statement (up to 500 words);
      2. Curriculum Vitae;
      3. Portfolio.
   
   
   4. Health Declaration Documents (if any):
      
      
      1. Health declaration must be supported with a doctor’s certification letter or memo if special assistance is needed while at NAFA.


3. Apply online
   Once your home university has approved the exchange, it will nominate you by notifying both you and NAFA.
   
   NAFA’s Global Engagement Team will then contact you directly with the online application and other important submission details.
   
   Late applications will not be accepted. Apply early and allow enough time to complete your submission.


4. Prepare for exchange
   If your application for exchange at NAFA is successful, you will receive a letter of offer with important information on matters such as Student’s Pass application, visa application and arrival preparation.
   
   You must send your formal acceptance of NAFA’s offer within 2 weeks.
   
   Do not make financial commitments towards the exchange until you have received In-Principle Approval of your Student’s Pass application.


5. Join orientation
   Exchange students are invited to attend orientation, which is held a week before semester begins.

Living and studying in Singapore
Singapore is a compact, multicultural city in Southeast Asia and a dynamic hub for arts, design, heritage and creative industries. NAFA’s city campus places you close to museums, galleries, arts venues, and heritage districts.

Singapore is located in the tropics with warm and humid weather throughout the year. Average temperatures range from 25°C to 32°C with sudden downpours and strong sun. English is the main working language, with Chinese Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil also widely spoken.

For more information on Student’s Pass (visa) application, local laws, living costs, accommodation, student support, and opening a bank account, please refer to NAFA’s International Student Guide.

Exchange students continue to pay tuition fees to your home institution.

However, exchange students at NAFA are required to pay the following other fees* per semester:

Credits earned during the Student Exchange Programme may be transferred back to your home institution, subject to approval by your home institution, and count towards your degree progression.

Each NAFA credit = 10 study hours (including contact and independent study hours). The credit load and recognised equivalencies may vary by programme and host institution.

The number of credits per semester at NAFA and their equivalents are as follows:

AY26/27:
University of the Arts London

If you are a student curious about student exchange programme, or if you’re an institution that wants to establish a student exchange agreement with NAFA, get in touch: [email protected]