- Singapore adds eight foreign universities, including India’s Manipal Academy, for medical degree recognition
- Move helps address growing demand for doctors amid an aging population
- Graduates will undergo supervision to maintain high medical practice standards
Singapore will now recognize medical degrees from eight additional overseas universities, including Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India, to support its growing healthcare needs. The expansion, announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), increases the total number of registrable foreign medical schools in Singapore to 120 as of February 1, 2026.
The other universities added include Adelaide University (Australia), University of Galway (Ireland), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Aga Khan University Medical College (Pakistan), Tsinghua University (China), University of Exeter (UK), and St George’s, University of London (UK). Students pursuing medical degrees from these institutions from 2026 onward can now register with SMC to practice in Singapore.
“This update allows Singapore to better meet the rising demand for doctors as our population ages, even as we have increased local medical school intake from 440 students in 2014 to 555 in 2025”, the Ministry said.
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The SMC regularly evaluates foreign medical programs to ensure they match Singapore’s standards. Factors considered include international rankings, English as the language of instruction, and past performance of graduates. Graduates, whether Singaporean or international, will be supervised in their initial years to maintain high standards of medical practice.
The move not only provides more opportunities for students seeking quality medical education abroad but also strengthens Singapore’s healthcare system, ensuring the country can meet future workforce demands while maintaining safe, skilled, and competent medical professionals.
