Q: “What are the COVID-19 vaccination requirements in Singapore?”
A: Please be informed that from 1 Mar 2024, Student’s Pass holders will not be subjected to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

Q: "Do I need a yellow fever vaccination to enter Singapore?"
A: You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if you have visited or spent more than 12 hours in transit through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission within 6 days before arriving in Singapore.

For the list of affected countries and more information, please click HERE. 

Q: “When can I start the Student's Pass application”
A: We will reach out to you 2-3 months before the course start date to assist with pre-arrival matters. We will guide you step by step till you arrive in Singapore. 

For now, you may want to check that your passport will have a validity of at least 6 months from the planned date of entry into Singapore. Otherwise, please kickstart on the passport renewal process.

Q: “What insurance do you require?”
A: After the approval of your Student's Pass application, please proceed to purchase your insurance.  It is mandatory for all students studying in ESSEC APAC to be covered by insurance that meets our requirements. You can find more information HERE.

After we have reached out to you on Student's Pass application: 

Q: “My ICA webpage is not loading/I'm unable to upload my documents. What should I do?”
A: Please clear your cache and cookies, and try again with a different browser. Avoid opening multiple tabs and clicking ‘Refresh’ or your browser’s back button. 

Q: “The Student's Pass duration starts from xx xxx 2024, but I would like to arrive earlier in Singapore. Could you amend the date?”
A: The start date of your student's pass duration has been applied based on the program you are enrolled in. Once your student's pass application is approved, you will receive an IPA letter which is the visa to enter Singapore.  

With the IPA letter, you will be allowed to enter Singapore even before the start date of the program, subject to the general immigration clearance and entry requirements. In fact, we encourage students to arrive earlier to settle down. 

Q: “My Student's Pass end date is xx xxx 2024. However, I'm only leaving Singapore 3 days later. What should I do?”
A: ICA would normally grant an additional one week on top of the existing end date that the school has applied for. Hence, the expiry date of Student's Pass would normally be xx xxx 2024 + 7 days. 

Q: “I'm a dual nationality passport holder. Which passport should I be using?”
A: Each STP application is subject to the approval from ICA. We are unable to advise the passport that you should be using. However, please use the same passport that you have used for your student's pass application to enter Singapore. 

Q: “I'm unable to login to the ICA portal despite keying in all information correctly."
A: To login to the ICA portal, you have to follow the exact information as stated in the SOLAR form that has been emailed to you. 

Q: “I have submitted my Student's Pass application but it is taking so long to be approved.”
A: The normal processing period of a Student's Pass application is within 1-2 weeks. However, some applications may take longer processing time or ICA may also request for additional documents to be submitted. 

Q: “My official name sequence is [Given Name] [Surname] but in the SOLAR form, it's shown as [Surname] [Given Name]. Is this correct?”
A: The name in the SOLAR form should follow the name sequence in your passport. If your passport displays your surname on the first line and given name on the second line, then the sequence [Surname] [Given Name] in the SOLAR form is correct.

Q: “I'm on the "List countries/places in which applicant has resided for one year or more during the last five years" page in the ICA portal. I've only lived in my home country since birth. How should I fill in the dates? Do I need to include short trips or holidays?"
A:  If you have lived in a country for more than one year during the past five years, please enter the details accordingly. This includes your home country. The system only allows you to input a period covering the last 5 years, so you may enter the relevant dates starting from five years ago.

You do not need to declare stays of less than one year, including holidays.

Q: “I'm on the "Document Required" page in the ICA portal, but I can't find the [Next] button to proceed."
A: Please click [Download Form 16] first. The [Next] button will appear after that.

After your Student's Pass application has been approved: 

Q: “I am unable to make e-appointment with ICA to complete the formalities.”
A: E-appointment booking can be done 1 day after online payment of issuance fee. Appointment slots will be available for booking no more than 1 month before course start date. 

You may find more Q&A at ICA's page.

You may also refer to the step-by step guides here:

Video: Click HERE
PDF: Click HERE

Q: “What are the requirements for the medical check-up? Can I do it in my home country?”
A: If your Student's Pass duration is more than 6 months, medical check-up is required by ICA. You can find more information at Step 5 HERE. 

You are encouraged to do your medical check-up in Singapore as the doctors here are more familiar with ICA requirements and you can be sure that the report will be in English. 

If you still prefer to do your medical check-up in your home country, do take note to use the medical report format and to have the report completed in English.

Q: “What should I take note of for the Medical Examination Report?”
A: Please ensure:

• your information (as shown in the travel document) is correctly stated in the medical examination report;

• the overseas clinic’s stamp is endorsed in the medical examination report;

• examining Doctor’s name and date of medical examination (no more than 3 months ago) done clearly stated;

• you have an official English translation of the medical report, if written in non-English language.

• all fields are duly completed. No additional remarks are allowed on this report. 

Reports which do not meet ICA’s requirements will be rejected

Q: "I have not found my accommodation in Singapore yet. What Singapore address do I put in the Medical Examination Report and Terms & Conditions of STP? "
A: You may put ESSEC APAC address - 5 Nepal Park, Singapore 139408. However, please update ICA your Singapore residential address when you are completing the formalities at the ICA building in Singapore. 

Q: "Is there a list of recommended clinics in France, India or any other countries?"
A: We have a list of clinics near ESSEC APAC campus which can be found HERE. However, we do not have a list of recommended clinics outside Singapore. If you are doing your medical check-up in your home country, do take note to use the medical report format and to have the report completed in English. 

Q: "Do I have to complete the Declaration section in the Medical Examination Report? "
A:  As stated, the Declaration is only applicable to students who have submitted the medical report to Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) within the past 2 years when they were granted a Student's Pass. 

Q: "In the Terms and Conditions of STP,  what should I fill in for Page 1 under point 7 and Page 2 - Application ID? "
A:  In Page 1 under point 7, please fill in your Student's Pass application number starting with ES. In Page 2, please fill in your Application ID. Both can be found in your IPA letter. 

Q: “Is there AirBnB in Singapore?”
A: Airbnb allowance in Singapore is very complex. You need to book 6 months in one booking and involved other legibility requirements.
We do not advise students to take legal risk in Singapore to book Airbnb. 

Q: “Does ESSEC APAC provide housing?”
A: Under the current license, it is not possible for ESSEC to provide housing to students. 

Q: “Can we do an online viewing?”
A: We encourage you to do a physical viewing to check the property. This is also to avoid being scammed. 

Q: “I have difficulties finding housing in Singapore. Please help.”
A: You can look through the resources HERE, including a list of property agents recommended by our students and e-brochures from some service providers in Singapore. If you really have difficulties finding an accommodation prior to arrival, you can stay in a temporary place such as a hotel first and use the time to search for accommodation. 

Q: “Can ESSEC help me to check my property/my agent before I proceed to make the payment?"
A:  While we provide useful links and tips for you to rent safety, students are responsible to conduct their own due diligence before proceeding with any payments. We advise you to read through the information and take extra precautions to safeguard your interests and ensure a smooth rental process. 

Q: “The minimum legal age to sign a tenancy agreement in Singapore is 18 years old. I'm below 18 years old. How can I rent an apartment in Singapore? "
A:  From the surveys that we conducted with our students, those who are below 18 years old had to:

• check if the landlord allows their parents to digitally sign the tenancy agreement; or

• find housemates that are above 18 years old to share the apartment with; or

• ask their parents to visit Singapore to sign the tenancy agreement. 

Q: “Can we enter Singapore if we have not received the student pass approval?”
A: Depending on the nationality, it may be possible for you to enter Singapore with a visitor pass. However, if you require an entry visa, the IPA letter serves as a pre-approved visa. 

Upon arrival in Singapore, you are required to convert IPA letter to a valid Student Pass. The Student Pass allows you to attend classes in ESSEC.
We do not encourage students to travel to Singapore before receiving the IPA letter.

Q: “My STP has been approved. What do I need to bring to enter Singapore? ”
A: 1. A passport with a validity of at least six months: It must be the same passport that you have used for your student's pass application

     2. In-Principal-Approval (IPA) Letter: This is your visa to enter Singapore

     3. SG Arrival Card acknowledgement (a sample HERE): Please submit your SG Arrival Card with electronic Health Declaration within three (3) days prior to the date of arrival in Singapore HERE. For example, travellers arriving in Singapore on 30 Jun 2024, can only submit their declaration from 28 Jun 2024 onwards.       

Q: “I would like to bring in some personal medication with me to Singapore. Do I need any approval? ”

A: Please check this website for the regulations regarding bringing personal medications into Singapore. If you are unsure whether you need an approval, you can use this online tool to check.

Q: "Which items are not allowed to be brought into Singapore? What are the entry requirements that I need to take note of?"
A: Please refer to the ICA'S website for more information on the general entry requirements.

Q: "Do I need a yellow fever vaccination to enter Singapore?"
A: You need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if you have visited or spent more than 12 hours in transit through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission within 6 days before arriving in Singapore.

For the list of affected countries and more information, please click HERE. 

Q: “Should we get a Singapore Mobile Number?”
A:  We recommend getting a Singapore mobile number, as you will need it to receive the one-time password (OTP) required to complete ICA formalities.

Q: “Do we need to open a bank account in Singapore? Which bank account do you recommend?”
A: If you are assuming a student leadership role, it is preferred that you have a Singapore bank account in order to receive reimbursement from ESSEC. If you only have a foreign bank account, you will be expected to bear all bank charges involved in the reimbursement process 

Different banks have different requirements to open a bank account, as well as different types of saving and checking accounts. If you prefer to use digital payment mode for everyday use, we suggest you to open a bank account that is participating in PayNow. For a list of banks, please refer to HERE.