Indonesian student’s failed crowdfunding appeal highlights Singapore MBA ambitions
Evelyn Clarissa Siregar’s request for more than S$100,000 to fund an MBA in Singapore attracted criticism rather than sponsors. Her experience illustrates the appeal of Singaporean universities to Indonesian students, while scholarship recipients and an academic describe the city state’s reputation, proximity and educational opportunities as major draws.
An Indonesian professional’s unsuccessful crowdfunding appeal for an MBA in Singapore has triggered an online debate over access to international education, the cost of elite degrees and expectations placed on applicants. Evelyn Clarissa Siregar, a 28-year-old sales manager in Jakarta, sought more than S$100,000 to cover study and living expenses for a business programme at Singapore Management University. Her appeal attracted fierce criticism, with some users questioning her plans and calling her entitled.
Siregar said she had been accepted into SMU’s MBA programme, which begins in January and carries tuition of S$82,480. She received a S$3,000 Asean student discount but said it was insufficient. She had applied for three scholarships, securing one, and had also tried unsuccessfully to find work in Singapore.
Three days after receiving her acceptance, she asked internet users to fund her education and said she would repay investors through her skills and experience. The appeal produced no sponsors, but generated comments urging her to work first and finance the degree herself. The tuition cost compares with 99.15 million rupiah listed for a general-management MBA at Indonesia’s Institut Teknologi Bandung, according to the source.
Siregar estimated living costs at S$2,000 to S$2,500 a month for 10 to 15 months. Other Indonesian students have reached Singapore through scholarships. Tri Maira Pangestuti studied environmental management at the National University of Singapore on an Indonesian government scholarship and said the programme provided professional skills and support for future doctoral applications.
Sulfikar Amir, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, said Indonesian students were attracted by Singapore’s academic reputation, infrastructure, proximity and scholarship opportunities. The source says NUS ranked third among foreign university destinations for Indonesian students, citing a 2024 report, and had 2,282 Indonesian alumni as of 2022.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.