Singaporean Aviation Industry is a significant part to the country’s GDP growth. Besides housing the world’s busiest and renowned airports in the world, it is putting ground to be a global hub for aircraft machineries and maintenance.
With that being said, it is always on the lookout for new and fresh talents to join the taskforce so as to meet these changes.
The Lion City easily scales as one of recognizable educational system even gaining global recognition.
Its devotion to growth and excellence has set it apart from its neighboring countries making it the perfect destination for local and international students alike.
The guide below details why you should and where to study Aviation in the Lion City.
What is Aviation all about?
The term, Aviation, comes from the Latin word avis meaning “bird” which is quite appropriate as it refers to flying as well as manufacturing different types of aircrafts in the aviation industry.
There are different subdivisions to aviation that being, commercial or private airlines, air charters, military and flight training, parachuting and so. It starts from the ground up to the skies.
Why study aviation in Singapore?
1. Industry leader
Singapore is home to largest global air hub and manufacturing chain. Regional and international countries look to Singapore to grow their own competitive model.
It is not only awarded for its respective model but continuously developing a word-class system for the aviation industry. That being said, it is always on the lookout to train new talents to meet these changes.
2. International recognition
Singapore takes the top spot in education in Asian and western region. It even placed amongst the top rankings in university rankings and international links with international countries.
Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA) is connected with over 20 worldwide aviation alliances.
3. Diverse community
Singapore is a melting pot with diverse communities and cultural identities. In this field, you will get the fine opportunity to where you are encouraged to socialize with different people from different backgrounds.
In this way, you will be able to get a sense of how to navigate through different social situations that would benefit your personal and professional life.
4. Quality of life
Singapore tops as good quality of life index in the Asian region and on a global scale.
Based on research data on quality of life, it shows that Singapore has retained its position as one of the higher ranking countries in the world joining ranks as Auckland, New Zealand and Munich, Germany.
What skills do I need?
Good communication skills
Clear communication skills are essential, especially in the context of aviation maintenance and inspection. Any air-ground miscommunication can affect aviation safety and worse, airplane crash disasters.
During flight, the pilot or cockpit crew to open a strong communication line with air traffic controllers of any changes in information or systems to help maintain the safety of the aircraft.
Strong technical and analytical skills
Whichever your line of department you are in, every aviation professionals need to have excellent analytical skills.
In any case of emergencies, you need to be able to approach the situation by choosing the best course of action with the goal of working through flight risk factors.
Be a team player
In any profession, it is vital to know how to work as part of a team. Crewmembers need to learn how to trust the judgments’ of their teammates and learn how to share the authority in any problem-solving environment.
You are also expected to know how to work well with people from different backgrounds by being sensitive to different viewpoints and cultures.
Have flexible time management
In the aviation industry, hours can be irregular. You might be required to work on long-haul flights or even may be required to work on short notice. In some instances, you may need to work on public holidays.
What are the entry requirements and qualifications?
In order for candidates to be eligible for consideration, they must possess these general entry requirements. Applicants are advised to refer to their educational and university institution of their choosing for more details.
- Admissions are usually based on GCE ‘O” Level or any equivalent results. Candidates who speak English as a second language are required to provide English Proficiency test scores as TOEFL, IELTS or SAT with a minimum grade of 6.
- Applicants must fit certain standard of vision and hearing. It is provided that you do not have any or uncontrolled epilepsy, hearing and vision impairment.
How much is the tuition fee to study Aviation in Singapore
The course fees can typically fall within the range of on the lower range and on the higher end.
Naturally, these values would be dependent on the institution that you choose to study at and whether you are a resident of Singapore or international applicant.
Find out more by searching on their respective university website of your choice.
| Level of Study | Fees (EUR) | Fees (MYR) |
| Diploma Courses | 1700 - 2100 | 8,000 - 10,000 |
| Undergraduate Courses | 2100 - 4200 | 10,000 - 20,000 |
How long is the duration of studies for Aviation in Singapore?
The full-time programme covers over three years to equip you with the skills and knowledge to meet with the requirements and real-life challenges in the aviation industry.
| Level of Study | Duration |
| Diploma | 1 - 3 years |
| Undergraduate | 3 - 5 years |
Where can I study Aviation in Singapore?
Choosing an institution is as important as choosing what to study. Here is a list of the top institutions for studying Aviation in Singapore.
- Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA)
Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA) is founded in 1958. It is an internationally-recognised training practice specializing into four schools: School of Aviation Management, School of Aviation Safety and Security, School of Air Traffic Services and School of Airport Emergency Services. It has over 129,000 local and international students in its alumni.
- Singapore Flying College
Founded in 1988, Singapore Flying College is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. It is a pioneer in training Ab-initio cadets and has trained over 2000 cadets since it started.
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic is an established polytechnic first founded in 1963. It has alumni of over 14,000 full-time students, 1,265 part-time students and 1,800 staff.
The polytechnic was granted the Singapore Quality Class Star Award for exhibiting excellence in business quality.
- Temasek Polytechnic
Established in 1990. Temasek Polytechnic is the third polytechnic to be set up in Singapore. The campus is located near the Bedok Reservoir in the east of Singapore. It is home to approximately 15,000 full-time students and 12,000 academic and administrative staff. It is the only polytechnic to open a Centre for TransCultural Studies, working to create cross-cultural experiences or exchanges regionally and internationally.
- Republic Polytechnic
Republic Polytechnic was founded in 2003, located in Woodlands, Singapore. It was the first institution in the country to incorporate problem-based learning in its curriculum.
The Polytechnic has six different schools of thought namely, School of Applied Science, School of Engineering, School of Information and Communications Technology, School of Technology for the Arts, School of Sports, Health and Leisure, and School of Hospitality.
- ERC Institute
ERC Institute is situated at Robinson Centre, Singapore. It is a representative of a wide range of universities, institutes and professional associations from Australia and the United States offering educational programmes in the fields of Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Finance and Investment, and Digital Media and Information Technology.
- Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS)
Founded officially in 2000, Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS) is a training centre for Tourism Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) for the tour and travel industry.
What is the career outlook as an Aviation graduate?
Graduates will be able to embark on different and exciting career in the industry itself. Depending on which roles you choose, you will be prepared to take these roles listed:
Pilot
An aircraft pilot is a professional who controls the flight of an aircraft including, planes and helicopters. They work for companies to offer charter flights to transport people and cargo, perform rescue operations and engine systems operations.
Flight Attendants
Flight attendants fairly known to be, stewards/stewardesses or air hostess/air hostesses are apart of the cabin crew members to perform routine safety-related and customer services of passengers on board.
They make sure passengers are comfortable and safe throughout an airline flight.
Aircraft Maintenance Technicians
An Aircraft Maintenance Technician typically perform repair and do routine maintenance on aircraft carriers and helicopters. They are the first people on call when an aircraft shows malfunction or need slight adjustments.
Gate Agents and Ticket Sales Representatives
They are the face to the public. The duties of Gate Agents and Ticket Sales Representatives can vary. They assist passengers to check-in their luggage, make or change reservations or even answer any inquiries about flight schedules, fares or payments.
They even handle the responsibility of processing and boarding passengers into their flights.
Air Traffic Controller
Usually stationed on control centers and towers on the ground, they give directions to give aircraft to takeoff and landing of aircrafts. They monitor the movement of travel on the runways as well as in the air paths.