Academic upgrading
A stronger qualification can ease your Employment Pass.
Qualifications score under the COMPASS framework. If your education is the weak point in your application, upgrading it can raise your score and lower the salary you need to qualify. We offer recognised pathways for working adults through our education partner.
We help working adults upgrade their qualifications through recognised programmes: a Postgraduate Diploma for those whose highest qualification is below a bachelor's, a full Bachelor's Degree, an MBA, and a PhD. Using Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), your verified work experience and earlier studies are credited toward the programme, so you graduate faster. A recognised qualification can also lift your COMPASS score and ease your Employment Pass. The programmes are delivered 100% online, and with RPL a Postgraduate Diploma can be completed in as little as 6 months. Typical fees run from about SGD 8,000.
Who it is for
Many capable founders and professionals are held back not by ability but by a qualification on paper. If your highest qualification is secondary or post-secondary but below a bachelor's degree, a Postgraduate Diploma pathway, with entry assessed through Recognition of Prior Learning, is often the most direct route to a recognised credential. From there, or from an existing qualification, you can progress to a Bachelor's Degree, an MBA, or a PhD if you choose.
- Postgraduate Diploma, for experienced adults whose highest qualification is below a bachelor's
- Bachelor's Degree, to complete a full undergraduate qualification
- MBA, for managers and founders
- PhD or Doctorate, for those pursuing the highest level
Beyond COMPASS, an upgraded qualification can serve other purposes. For construction founders, a relevant engineering diploma from a recognised Singapore Private Education Institution (PEI) can qualify you as a Technical Controller for BCA licensing.
How RPL and APL help you graduate faster
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) are formal ways an institution credits your verified work experience and earlier studies toward a qualification. Instead of starting from zero, you receive exemptions for what you have already demonstrated, so you complete the programme, and graduate, in less time.
This is the part we handle for you. We document your work experience and prior learning, map it to the requirements of the programme, and prepare and submit the RPL or APL application to the institution on your behalf. RPL recognises genuine experience and learning: it shortens the path, it does not remove the requirement to meet the institution's standards.
Programmes and typical cost
| Pathway | Typical fee (SGD) | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma | 8,000 to 10,000 | Highest qualification below a bachelor's |
| Bachelor's Degree | 13,000 to 16,000 | Completing a full degree |
| MBA | 15,000 to 18,000 | Managers and founders |
| PhD / Doctorate | 18,000 to 22,000 | The highest academic level |
All programmes are delivered 100% online, so you can study from anywhere, around your business. With RPL, a Postgraduate Diploma can be completed in as little as 6 months.
Why it helps
More points, a lower salary bar.
A stronger, recognised qualification lifts your COMPASS score, which can reduce the salary you need to reach the pass mark, and strengthens how the authorities view your profile over time. It is a real improvement to your case, not a shortcut.
- Lift your COMPASS qualification score
- Lower the salary you need to qualify
- Strengthen your EP renewal and PR profile
An important caveat
Only a recognised qualification scores.
For COMPASS, points depend on the awarding institution being on the Ministry of Manpower's COMPASS Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) recognised list. We only work with institutions on that SAT list, and confirm how a given qualification is treated before you commit, so the upgrade actually counts.
Level matters, not just the title.
This is where many applicants are caught out. MOM benchmarks a foreign qualification against the UK framework, through UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC), and what counts is the benchmarked level, not the name on the certificate. A UK Level 6 qualification is a full bachelor's degree; a UK Level 5 qualification is only a post-secondary or higher diploma.
Some countries award what they call a "bachelor's degree" that benchmarks to UK Level 5. Under COMPASS, that is treated as a diploma, not a degree, so it does not earn the qualification points a recognised degree does. Before recommending anything, we check the actual benchmarked level of your existing qualification, so you know whether it already counts, and what to upgrade to if it does not.
Recognised, verified, and portable.
A qualification only helps if it stands up to scrutiny. We make sure yours does, on three fronts:
- Recognised by MOM. We only work with institutions on the Ministry of Manpower's COMPASS Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) recognised list, so the qualification can score under COMPASS.
- Verified by a MOM-appointed agency. For a first-time Employment Pass, MOM requires your qualification to be checked by an appointed third-party verification agency. Because the institution is recognised, your certificate clears that verification.
- Portable beyond Singapore. The qualifications are internationally recognised. Graduates have used them elsewhere too, for example toward work-pass applications in countries such as Japan, and as a basis for further study at other universities.
Common questions
I do not have a bachelor's degree. Can I still upgrade? +
Yes. If your highest qualification is secondary or post-secondary but below a bachelor's, a Postgraduate Diploma pathway, with entry assessed through Recognition of Prior Learning, is often the most direct route to a recognised credential. From there you can progress to a Bachelor's, MBA or PhD.
What are RPL and APL? +
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) are formal ways an institution credits your verified work experience and earlier studies toward a qualification, granting exemptions so you graduate faster. We document your experience, map it to the programme, and submit the application for you.
How much does academic upgrading cost? +
Indicative fees in SGD: a Postgraduate Diploma is around 8,000 to 10,000, a Bachelor's Degree 13,000 to 16,000, an MBA 15,000 to 18,000, and a PhD 18,000 to 22,000. Fees vary by institution and programme; we confirm the exact figure before you enrol.
How much faster will I graduate? +
It depends on how much of the programme your prior learning and experience cover. RPL and APL grant exemptions for what you have already demonstrated, so the more relevant your experience, the shorter the remaining path. For example, a Postgraduate Diploma can be completed in as little as 6 months with RPL. We assess this at the start.
Will the qualification score under COMPASS? +
Only if the awarding institution is on the Ministry of Manpower's recognised list. We match you to recognised institutions and confirm how a given qualification is treated before you commit, so the upgrade actually counts toward your COMPASS score.
How is my qualification verified for the Employment Pass? +
For a first-time Employment Pass, MOM requires your qualification to be verified by an appointed third-party verification agency. Because we only use institutions on MOM's Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) recognised list, your certificate clears that verification.
Can I use the qualification outside Singapore? +
Yes. The qualifications are internationally recognised. Graduates have used them toward work-pass applications in other countries, such as Japan, and as a basis for further study at other universities.
I already have a bachelor's degree from my country. Will it count under COMPASS? +
It depends on the level, not the title. MOM benchmarks foreign qualifications against the UK framework through UK ENIC, formerly UK NARIC. Some countries' bachelor's degrees benchmark to UK Level 5, which is treated as a post-secondary diploma rather than a full bachelor's (UK Level 6), and does not earn the COMPASS qualification points a recognised degree does. We check your benchmarked level before advising.
Can the diploma be used for a BCA builder's licence? +
Yes. We can provide a relevant engineering diploma through a recognised Singapore Private Education Institution, which can qualify you as a Technical Controller for BCA contractor registration and the builder's licence. See our BCA licensing service.
Can I study while running my business? +
Yes. The pathways are delivered 100% online and designed for working adults, so they fit around your business and your relocation, from anywhere.
Strengthen your profile, the proper way.
Book a consultation and we will see whether a qualification upgrade makes sense for your case.