Navigating National Service and University Applications

What is National Service and how does it impact university applications?

National service in Singapore is mandated by statutory law that all male Singaporean citizens and permanent residents must serve a period of compulsory service in the uniformed services (unless exempted).

What this means for you is that in most cases, you must complete your National Service before embarking on your overseas university studies.

Can I apply to university before completing National Service?

Yes - you can apply in your last year of high school (JC2 or Grade 12). This will require that you defer your university entry by 2 years.

Can I apply to university during National Service?

If you are a male student from Singapore doing your National Service, you actually have the advantage of three possible application windows. You can choose to apply:

1. In your last year of high school (JC2 or Grade 12) (application window # 1 - requiring a two year deferral)
2. In your first year of NS (application window #2 - requiring a one year deferral)
3. In your last year of NS (application window #3 - does not require a deferral)

You can either use one of these options, or use a combination of the three. If you do not get into your intended schools in one of the application windows, you also can re-apply the next application window (note however, that something substantial must have changed in your application for you to have a chance when reapplying).

What options do Singaporean students have?

The choice of when to apply can be confusing. Here are a few key factors to keep in mind when applying:

1. Deferral Policies

If you know that one of your top choice schools does not allow double deferment (2 year deferral), then you should not apply in JC2.

For instance, imagine in this scenario that in 2020, you are applying to schools in the UK. Your top choices are LSE, King’s College London, Warwick, Nottingham and Bristol. Let’s assume you apply in JC2 and you receive offers from King’s, Warwick and Bristol. However, you are rejected from LSE - your top choice school - because they do not allow double deferrals.

What now? Do you accept your offer at King’s, but wonder whether you could have gotten into LSE? Should you reapply in NS1 to try your hand at LSE again?

If you choose the latter option, you have to keep in mind that in order to apply again through UCAS, you need to turn down any existing offers and apply on a completely blank slate. So if you apply again in order to gain entry at LSE, you have to turn down your offers at King’s, Warwick and Bristol - and if you re-apply after turning them down, your application may be viewed negatively.

So what does this mean? It means that you should research and plan extensively before applying. You don’t want to be in a position where you have to turn down an offer in order to apply to your dream school. So be strategic about when and where you apply!

2. Academic Performance

In general, it is in your best interests to apply when you are at your peak academically. This can mean different things for different people, and depends on what your admissions requirements are. A few things to keep in mind:

Standardised Testing

Some universities will require you to take standardised tests as part of your admissions requirements. This could involve the SAT/ACT for the US, or specialised tests for certain programs, like the BMAT/UCAT for medicine in the UK, or LNAT / Cambridge Law Test for law schools in the UK.

Some of these tests (like the SAT/ACT) are valid for 5 years, which means that you can take them in advance of your year of application; others, like the BMAT/UCAT can be taken only once, and only in the year of application.

It is worth thinking about which stage in the application process you want to take these tests in. For instance, if you are thinking of applying to US schools in JC2, will you be able to balance studying for the SAT/ACT along with your school exams? On the flip side, will you retain enough academic knowledge to take content based tests like the BMAT/UCAT while in NS, when your grasp of academic concepts gets a little rusty (according to our students, at least!)

Make sure to think ahead, so that you know exactly when to take these tests in line with your applications. This will also allow you to create a study plan for yourself so that you can balance your other commitments alongside your test preparations.

Content-based Interviews

Some universities will require you to interview with them as part of the application process. These interviews generally fall into two categories:

Non-Academic (US Universities)

Schools are interested in seeing how well your personality, motivations and academic and personal goals align with theirs; these interviews are usually conducted by alumni.

Academic concepts based (UK Universities)

Most UK medical schools and Oxbridge interviews fall under this category. Interviewers are usually academic tutors or professionals in the field you’re applying to; you can expect a lot of content heavy questions testing your knowledge and competency in the course you intend to study at university.

For schools that require academic interviews, you should think very carefully about how you can remain “on the ball” academically. If you let too much time pass between NS and when you were last in school, it is possible that you might lose touch with some of these concepts. You should also use your time wisely, if you are applying after JC 2 - some of these interviews will test you on advanced concepts that may not have been covered in your A-Level or IB coursework so you should find time to do some extra studying.

3. Time to reflect!

Perhaps the main advantage of applying while in NS is that you have the time to explore your academic interests widely, and think carefully about what you want to study, and why.

It is often the case that when students are caught up with their school commitments, they are unable to reflect meaningfully on their academic and professional interests and goals. You can use your time after school to explore your interests in more depth than you might have been able to do while studying for your A-Levels or IB exams - you can do extra readings or take online courses in your subject of interest and really take the time to decide whether you want to commit to this field during university.

This is especially important if you are applying to courses in the UK, Singapore or Australia. Unlike universities in the US, where you only choose your major (or course of study) two years into your schooling, you have to apply to your intended course right at the start for universities in the UK, Australia or Singapore - and you can’t change your mind halfway through! So take this time to really think about what you want to study - and have fun doing it!