Online Application
Key Application Date For 2026 Intake
| Intake | Application Opening Date | Application Closing Date |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year 2026 (Only one intake in August per year) | 1 August 2025 | 31 January 2026 |
| Admission Interview / Application Result | ||
| Admission interview will be scheduled after the application deadline, only shortlisted applicants will be invited via email. Applicants will receive their applicaiton outcome through email. | ||
Application Process
An application is considered complete when
- Online application is submitted before the closing date
- All reqruied supporting documents are received before the closing date
- Application fee is paid before the closing date
Failure to complete the above will render the application invalid.
STEP 1: Online Application
- It's recommended to use the web browser to complete the online application.
- If encounter any question in the online application system, please contact the programme office at lawphd@smu.edu.sg along with full screenshots and error messages.
For New User | For Existing User | For Existing User (Created before 16 December 2024) |
Register an account with SMU before you can submit an online application form. | Already created an account with SMU, please go directly to the Login page. | SMU has launched a new application portal on 16 December 2024. If you have already created an account with SMU, please go directly to the Login page. |
| Login Now |
Supporting Documents List
- Please go through requirements below and label documents accordingly. Only documents with right format can be reviewed.
- Documents that are not in English must be translated and certified by the issuing institution or a Notary Public/Commissioner of Oath.
- Hard copies are not required at the applicaiton stage, which will be verified if applicants are selected after the admission interview.
- All requried supporting documents below must be uploaded in the online application form.
Identification Document
| Two Referees Two referees are required. Please indicate the details of two referees in the online application form, including name, designation and valid email address. Once the PhD application is submitted, the referee will be automatically notified through email to complete an online evaluation. It may take 15-20mins completing the online recommendation. Referees must complete the online recommendation before the application closing date. Where possible, at least one of the referees should be someone who has taught the applicant or supervised applicant's work during university studies. If applicant has left school for a long time and is unable to submit academic recommendation, please nominate other referees who are familiar with your academic or work performance, such as employers/colleagues/clients etc. The contents of the recommendation are confidential. Under no circumstance should the applicant be able to see the contents of the recommendation. If referee couldn't receive SMU recommendation email, please suggest referees to check spam folders or contact programme office at lawphd@smu.edu.sg directly. |
Degree Certificate The copy of the degree certificate(s) vertified by the issuing institution or a Notary Public/Commissioner of Oath. Only bachelar's degree and above are accepted. Combine all degree certificates into a single PDF file. | CV A concise resume that provides chronological information about your educational background, work experiences and accomplishments. Up to two A4 pages. |
Transcript The copy of the official transcript certified by the issuing institution or a Notary Public/Commissioner of Oath. Only undergradute-level and above transcripts are accepted. Combine all official transcripts into one PDF file. | Writing Sample All applicants are required to submit 1 writing sample (such as a published/unpublished paper, research article, project report or undergraduate report etc). The sample must be composed by the applicant independently. Group wrok is not accepted even if the majoriry of the work was completed by the applicant individually. The writing sample must be submitted in PDF format and can not exceed 10 pages (A4) excluding the cover page if included. |
Statement of Purpose All applicants are required to submit an additional statement of purpose, which can be up to maximum 2,000 words. The statement should address the following questions at least:
| Test Results English Proficiency Test Results (TOEFL or IELTS) are required if the medium of instruction during undergraduate education was not English. GRE is required if applicable. Detailed requirements can be found here. |
Proof of Payment Payment for the application fee (SGD 15) must be done via debit/credit card in the online application system. All fees paid at the application stage is non-refundable. Please save the payment confirmation or receipt for your own reference. | Other supporting documents No more than 6 pages (A4) in one PDF file. |
STEP 2: Admission Interview
The application for SMU YPHSL PhD programme is not on a rolling basis. Once the application is closed, the PhD admission committee will access all recevied applications and supporting documents.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to the admission interview via email. Please check the inbox and spam folders regularly after the application closing date.
The schedule of admission interview will be updated through email after application deadline. The admission interview will be conducted online via Zoom.
