Undergraduates

FDDP – FAQs

At NUS
(Years 1 and 2)
At Grande Ecoles
(Years 3 and 4)
At NUS
(Master's Programme)
Miscellaneous

At NUS (Years 1 and 2)

As the recommended technical preparatory courses are an integral part of the FDDP, all FDDP students are required to register for all the necessary technical preparatory courses (i.e. Special Mathematics and Physics classes).

Please approach your Home Faculty’s FDDP Coordinator and Administrator.

The outstanding university/faculty requirements will then have to be completed upon your return from France. This may result in a delay in graduation and/or fees implications to the student and should be avoided. Please consult your Faculty’s FDDP Coordinator.

Each FDDP student will have a ranking converted into the ‘GPA in the French Institution’ and an existing ‘NUS GPA’ based on all the courses taken for their undergraduate degree. The ‘Final GPA’ for the undergraduate degree class of honours is the average of student’s ‘NUS GPA’ and ‘GPA in the French Institution’.

These will be for extreme cases such as a total lack of effort or behaviour that brings discredit to NUS – we certainly do not expect to encounter such circumstances. Students must also ensure that they meet the level of academic performance expected of a FDDP student to remain in the programme.

Starting from AY 2025/2026, after students’ successful application to the FDDP, you will be enrolled in French language courses during the regular semester. If you have prior experience in French language, you will be required to take a placement test prior to your course enrolment.

As students will be enrolled in the usual French courses offered by CLS, credits and grades of the course(s) will be counted towards students’ GPA.

The Placement Test is a test to determine the level of your French proficiency. You are required to sit for the test at Centre for Language Studies (CLS) after every language immersion so that you can take a French course that is suitable for your level. 

To find out more about the Placement test, please check the CLS website at http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/cls/.

Please approach CLS to see whether there are other time slots for the same course that you can take. If this is not possible, please change the timing for some of your other courses to accommodate your French courses. If all fails, then you are encouraged to learn/practice on your own by getting notes from other FDDP friends, seniors etc. You may also consider signing up for external private lessons at Alliance Francaise at your own costs. Students who are under scholarship may enquire with the scholarship agencies on whether they will be reimbursed for such costs. Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to prepare well for the 2 year stint in France, which also includes a high level of proficiency in French.

Yes.

Two language immersions would be arranged under the FDDP – one in France (June) and one locally (Dec). The first immersion is generally held after Semester 2 of Year 1, starting on the first Monday of June and ending on the last Friday of June. The second immersion is generally held after Semester 1 of Year 2 in December, starting on the second Monday of December and ending on the last Friday of December. Students, however, can take up additional courses on their own to prepare themselves well for their 2 year stint in France at their own costs.

This will vary from year to year. Details will be given at a later date.

You should arrive one day before the start of the language immersion. Students who are arriving earlier will need to make their own arrangements for a hotel as accommodation will not be provided.

The accommodation and tuition fees for the two language immersions in June and December will be covered by NUS. However, students are required to pay for their own airfare, local transportation, visa and other related costs. A modest estimate for personal and travel expenses would be around SGD2,000. Students who are under scholarship may enquire with their scholarship agencies on whether they will be reimbursed for such costs

No, it is at your own expense. Before leaving for France, you are required to buy a medical and accident insurance which offers worldwide coverage. This will also be required for international students who require a visa to enter France.

Generally for language immersions, the guideline is about 75-100 hours over a three to fourweek period and is based on cost per hour basis. Students are strongly encouraged to make full use of their time in France and speak as much French as possible.

Singaporean male citizens facing this problem could write in to their unit/camp to request to postpone their training. The process can be lengthy (a minimum of 14 working days), so students should prepare well in advance. If necessary, the Faculty can provide a letter to certify the overseas language immersion.

No.

Every Grandes Ecoles has its own specializations and specific requirements for admission. We advise students to consult their FDDP coordinators in their faculties or the Grandes Ecoles directly for more information.

The six Grandes Ecoles have different requirements, e.g. some require high competency in Math and Physics (competence assessed by entrance tests), whereas others look for person qualities (assessed through interviews).

In general, students are allowed to indicate their own preference and rank their choices in terms of priority. However, the Faculties reserve the right to review your choices, if required.

There is no guarantee as the discretion lies with the Grandes Ecoles in their selection. Students who are not selected by any of the Grandes Ecoles will have to leave the programme. Given the amount of time and effort invested in taking additional French, Math and Physics courses, students could consider going on a student exchange programme to France.

Application for admissions into the Grandes Ecoles generally starts in Semester 1 of Year 2. We will inform students when the applications open. Meanwhile, it will be good for students to start their research and consult their faculty FDDP coordinators as well as their FDDP seniors for advice.

Application and requirements for each Grandes Ecoles may vary yearly. You may wish to check the Grandes Ecoles website for more information. 

Generally, student will need to apply either online or download the application form from the Grandes Ecoles website or simply submit the necessary documents. 

Each set of application package should generally include the following documents:

  • CV

  • Motivation letter

  • Certified true copies of exam result slip/transcript

  • Certified true copies of your passport details page or birth certificate as proof of citizenship

  • 2 referral letters from academic supervisors/professors

  • Any other items as requested on the Grande Écoles website

You can approach language schools in Singapore for private translation.

Please approach your home faculty’s FDDP coordinator.

Please refer to the information on Registrar’s Office website:
https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/student-records/transcripts/official-transcripts.

If you have learnt French at “O” or “A” level, please enclose the result slips. If you have learnt French at NUS, please enclose your transcripts. If you have learnt French externally, please enclose the necessary supporting documents.

As you would only get your social security when you arrive in France, you do not have to provide any information at the point of application.

As part of the reciprocal agreement between NUS and the Grande Écoles, you are not required to pay tuition fees at the Grande Écoles. Thus, you do not have to indicate anything.

The applications will be forwarded to the Grandes Ecoles. Shortlisted students will sit for an interview and/or written tests in Singapore and/or France. Interviews will normally take place in October to December.

The entrance exams would usually test on similar materials taught during the technical preparation courses in NUS and it depends on the student’s preferred specialization in the Grandes Écoles which they applied for. The exams will be in French and/or English. By then, students should be considerably fluent through the French language and immersion programs.

To ensure continued success, you are strongly urged to attend and study diligently all technical preparation and French language courses in NUS. Doing so would put you in good stead for entry into the Grandes Écoles.

Generally, the outcome of the interviews will be made known to the students around November/December.

Each Grande Écoles operates differently. In general, the letter of admission will be sent to the students in the Spring.

Students leave for their 2-year study in France in their 3rd year. The French term starts in September (Year 3, Sem 1) but you may have to be there 1- 2 months earlier for the language immersion conducted at the various Grandes Écoles. You are advised to check with the Grandes Écoles upon confirmation of your admission. 

Students admitted to École Polytechnique (X) have to be in France from Jan (Year 2, Sem 2) as they have to follow a special “bridging” programme. In other words, they only study for 3 semesters at NUS before leaving for France.

It is compulsory for Singaporeans who are going for more than 90 days to apply for a visa. For all other nationalities, please check the French Embassy website at https://sg.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en. 

Visa application is the responsibility of students and applications have to be handled personally by students themselves. Granting of visas lies in the discretion of the individual embassies. Students are to ensure that they apply in advance and prepare the relevant documents for the visa application. More information on visa application can be found on the French Embassy website and Campus France website (for visa for more than 90 days).

After receiving your admission letter from the Grande Écoles and up to three months before departure, you will have to apply for a visa at the French Embassy in Singapore.

Singaporeans do not require visa for stays below 90 days. For all other nationalities, please check with the French Embassy.

All students going for more than 90 days will have to apply for a long-stay visa. If it is just for one month, such as the language immersion, you can just apply for a one month visa, if required.

However, if you intend extend your trip or travel around Europe, you will require a Schengen visa as well. For more information on types of visa, please visit the France-Visas website: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/welcome-page.

All Singaporeans will have to apply for their French visa in Singapore. Foreign students will have to check with their own home country regarding visa application.

Please refer to Registrar’s website below for more information:
https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/student-records/certification-and-status-letters.

You are advised to write to the Grandes Écoles to help you to send the above documents quickly.

At Grande Ecoles (Years 3 and 4)

Generally, it follows the structure:  

Semester 1: September – January 
Semester 2: February – June  

Please check the relevant Grande École website for the precise dates.

Most Grandes Écoles offer intensive French language courses before the start of the semester and during the semester. Students are encouraged to find out more at the partner university website.

You do not have to pay the tuition fees at the Grandes Écoles as you continue to pay the tuition fees at NUS at the prevailing rates. However, students are expected to pay other administrative and compulsory fees at the Grandes Écoles. Different Grandes Écoles would have different administrative and compulsory fees. In general, such administrative and compulsory fees can include fees for the use of sports facilities, computer and others.   

This will depend on your accommodation, language courses, the Grande École’s orientation programme, etc. You will need to check with the Grande École directly to determine the appropriate arrival date.

Please refer to https://www.singapour.campusfrance.org/work-during-your-studies-infrance.

Yes. You can benefit from the French social security and the reimbursement of your medical fees. When you are enrolled at your French Grande École, you just have to sign up for free and online: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/#/.

To increase the amount of your healthcare expenses being reimbursed, you can also subscribe a complementary health insurance called “mutuelle”. 

You will have to apply for a long stay student visa. The procedure can be found on https://www.singapour.campusfrance.org/get-your-visa. Within 3 months after arriving to France, you have to validate your visa on the following website: https://administrationetrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr. Your long stay visa then becomes the equivalent of a “titre de séjour” (residence permit) in France. Then, 3 months before your residence permit expires, you have to apply online to renew it on : https://administration-etrangers-enfrance.interieur.gouv.fr/.

Students are advised to plan for at least S$30,000 for the 2 year stint in France. This is a very conservative figure and it only covers the basic expenses. You should budget more if you wish to fly back home during the term break, travel around Europe, and etc. 

No, scholarships are not provided. Students are advised to have their own funds for the duration of the FDDP. Students who are not on scholarship may apply for scholarships on their own after enrolment into the FDDP. We suggest that you discuss with your family as it is a very important decision that you are making. In addition, you may also consider taking an education loan from a bank.

For financial assistance from NUS, you may wish to check with the Office of Financial Aid. More information can be found at http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/financialaid/. You may also wish to check with your Faculty for any financial assistance.  

Yes, you can contact the Grandes Écoles for financial assistance upon your admission. However, please note that the awards are at the discretion of the Grandes Écoles. Furthermore, you will also be competing with other international students from around the world for the award/ financial assistance so please have some contingency plan in case you do not receive any financial assistance. Students are advised to have their own funds for the duration of the FDDP. 

For information on the Eiffel Scholarship, you can check the website at   https://www.campusfrance.org/en/eiffel-scholarship-program-of-excellence. 

Applications for the Eiffel Scholarship can only be made by the Grandes Écoles. Once you are admitted to the Grande École, you can approach the Grande École and seek their assistance to apply for the Eiffel Scholarship on your behalf.

In addition, you can also try to apply for other scholarships such as the France Excellence Master Scholarship Programme. For information on this scholarship, you can check the website at https://sg.ambafrance.org/France-Excellence-Master-Scholarship-Programme.

At NUS (Master's Programme)

FDDP students will be given tuition fee award for one year only when they return to NUS to embark on their Master’s programme. There is no extension of the tuition fee award beyond one year and students who require more than a year to complete their Master’s programme may be liable to pay fees at the prevailing rates. For information on tuition fees for the Master’s programme, please check the Registrar’s Office website at https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/administrative-policies-procedures/graduate/graduate-fees. 

It is possible, but not advisable. The agreement for the FDDP is that NUS students in this programme must complete the Master’s programme at NUS before the Grandes Écoles will award the Diplôme d’Ingénieur to them. If you leave the programme without completing the Master’s programme at NUS, you can only get the NUS Bachelor’s (Hons) degree.  

Miscellaneous

You will need to withdraw from the programme. The experience at the Grandes Écoles will be treated as SEP. The courses taken will be mapped to NUS courses or UEs for credits. You have to resume study for your programme at NUS and must fulfill the programme requirements as specified by your Faculty and the University. 

Students may be required to reimburse the expenses incurred in the overseas language immersion in France.

Once you have completed all the Masters requirements, we will inform the Grande Écoles and they will prepare the Diplôme certificate. 

The Grande Écoles will send the Diplôme certificate directly to you. 

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