International students can work part-time in Singapore if their institution appears on the Ministry of Manpower's approved list and they meet the conditions of their Student's Pass. Singapore has one of Asia's strongest economies. Working while you study can help you cover living costs, gain local work experience, and build your professional network. This article explains who can work part-time, how many hours are allowed, and what steps you should follow before you accept any job offer — based on the current rules published by MOM and ICA.
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Disclaimer: Work rights rules can change, and MOM updates its institution lists periodically. Always check the MOM work pass exemption page and the conditions printed on your Student's Pass before you accept any job offer.
Can international students work part-time in Singapore?
Yes — but only if you study at an institution named on one of the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) official lists. If your school is on the list, your Student's Pass (STP), issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), already covers your right to work within set limits — you don't need to apply for a separate work pass.
You must also be a full-time, matriculated or registered student for the exemption to apply.
Which students can work part-time in Singapore?
Here's the part many guides get wrong: eligibility isn't based on your school being a "government university" versus a "private school." MOM doesn't use that distinction. Instead, it publishes two separate, specifically named lists of institutions — and whether you can work, and when, depends on which list (if either) your exact institution is on.
1. Institutions where students can work during vacation
This is MOM's broadest list. It includes all of Singapore's public universities and polytechnics, ITE, several private and specialised institutions (like INSEAD, LaSalle, and NAFA), and — perhaps surprisingly — many international and government secondary schools and junior colleges, such as the Australian International School, Canadian International School, Dulwich College (Singapore), and government-aided schools.
If your school is on this list, you can work full-time during your official school vacation, provided you:
- Are a full-time matriculated or registered student at one of the listed institutions,
- Hold a valid Student's Pass issued by ICA, and
- Are aged 14 or above.
You do not need to notify MOM before starting vacation work.
2. Institutions where students can work during school term
This list is much narrower — it covers roughly two dozen institutions, mostly universities, polytechnics, and ITE, plus a handful of named private and specialised schools (including INSEAD, ESSEC, EHL, Digipen, Duke-NUS, S P Jain, Sorbonne-Assas, and the University of the Arts Singapore).
Note: The table above shows common examples only. MOM's lists are longer, are named institution-by-institution rather than by category, and can be revised. Always confirm your exact school appears on the current MOM list — being a well-known or CPE-registered Private Education Institution (PEI) does not automatically qualify or disqualify you. Not sure whether your school appears on either MOM list? Check the official lists directly on MOM's website or confirm with your institution's international student office.
Not sure whether your school appears on either MOM list? Check the list directly on MOM's website or ask your school's international student office to confirm.
3. Exchange students
If you are in Singapore as an exchange student, you are not allowed to work, according to MOM. This applies even if your host institution is on the approved list, and regardless of how long your exchange programme runs.
How many hours can you work in Singapore as an international student?
Your allowed working hours depend on whether school is in session or on official vacation.
MOM's guidance states the term-time cap as "a maximum of 16 hours a week" — it does not specify a fixed Monday-to-Sunday cycle, so confirm with your employer or school how your week is tracked if you're working close to the limit.
MOM's guidance states the term-time cap as "a maximum of 16 hours a week" — it does not specify a fixed Monday-to-Sunday cycle, so confirm with your employer or school how your week is tracked if you're working close to the limit.
Note: "School vacation" means the official holiday periods listed in your institution's academic calendar. A study break or reading week is usually still part of term, so the 16-hour weekly limit typically still applies. Ask your school to confirm which dates count as official vacation before you increase your working hours.
What types of work are allowed for Student's Pass holders in Singapore?
Eligible students can take on part-time or vacation employment, subject to these rules:
- You generally need to work as an employee, under a contract of service with an employer, rather than as a freelancer or self-employed person — work pass exemptions of this kind are built around an employer-employee relationship. Confirm the nature of any role with your school if you're unsure.
- You must be at least 14 years old to work during official school vacation (this is stated explicitly by MOM for vacation work).
- Your Student's Pass must be valid for the entire period you are working. Do not continue working if your pass has expired or is being renewed.
- Eligible students do not need to apply for any extra work permit. If your institution is on the relevant MOM list, your Student's Pass covers the right automatically.
- Mandatory internships or industrial attachments that are compulsory or elective components of your course, and that count toward your graduation requirements, can be exempt from the 16-hour term-time cap — this is stated directly by MOM. Confirm the arrangement with your school before you begin, since attachments that don't count toward graduation require a separate work pass.
Tip! Your university or polytechnic career centre can help you find legal part-time jobs. Many institutions have dedicated job boards for students and can advise on which types of work suit your Student's Pass conditions.
How do you start working part-time in Singapore as a student?
Follow these steps to make sure you start working legally and with confidence.
- Confirm your school is on the relevant MOM list. Visit the MOM work pass exemption page and check whether your institution appears on the vacation list, the term-time list, both, or neither, before you apply for any job.
- Read your Student's Pass conditions. Your pass has specific conditions attached to it. Review the ICA Terms & Conditions of Student's Pass so you understand what's permitted for you personally.
- Find a suitable job. Use your school's career centre, official Singapore job boards, or your institution's student job portal to look for part-time work.
- Tell your employer about your work rights. Show your employer your Student's Pass and explain the 16-hour weekly limit during term time. A responsible employer will want to confirm your eligibility before you start.
- Track your hours every week. Keep a clear record of your working hours so you stay within the 16-hour term-time limit.
- Renew your Student's Pass before it expires. You must hold a valid pass at all times while working. Speak to your school's student services office well before your pass expiry date.
Tip! Your institution's international student office is your best first contact for work rights questions. They deal with these questions every day and can give you advice specific to your school and your Student's Pass.
What happens if you work without permission in Singapore?
Working without a valid work pass, or outside your Student's Pass conditions, is a serious offence in Singapore.
Warning: Working illegally under Singapore's Employment of Foreign Manpower Act can result in a fine of up to S$20,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, and your Student's Pass may be cancelled by ICA. You could also be barred from re-entering Singapore. Employers who hire you without verifying your eligibility can face similar penalties. Always confirm your rights before you accept any role. (Sources: ICA Student's Pass conditions; MOM enforcement guidance.)
If you are ever unsure about your work rights, contact your school's international student office.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the internship or industrial attachment is a compulsory or elective part of your course and counts toward your graduation requirements, MOM allows it even if the hours exceed 16 hours per week during term time. Optional work experience that isn't required for your course counts toward your 16-hour weekly term-time limit. Always confirm the arrangement with your school and check the MOM work pass exemption page before you begin.
No. If your institution is on MOM's approved list, you don't need to notify MOM or ICA before starting vacation or term-time work — the exemption is automatic. It's still good practice to confirm with your school's international student office that the job type and hours fit your Student's Pass conditions.
Usually not. A study break or reading week is typically still part of the academic term, so the 16-hour weekly limit generally still applies. The unlimited vacation work allowance applies only during official holiday periods listed in your institution's academic calendar. Confirm the exact dates of your official vacation with your school.
No. You must hold a valid Student's Pass at all times while working in Singapore. Once your pass expires, you're no longer covered by any work pass exemption. Contact your school well in advance of your expiry date to start the renewal process.
No. MOM explicitly excludes exchange students from the work pass exemption, even at institutions such as NUS or NTU that are otherwise on the approved list.
Not necessarily. Eligibility depends on whether your specific institution is named on MOM's list — several private institutions, such as INSEAD, ESSEC, and Digipen, are included on the term-time work list, while some institutions of any type that aren't on either list have no work exemption at all. Always check your specific school rather than assuming based on whether it's public or private.
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