NUS Overseas Colleges
Live, study, and intern at high-growth startups across 15+ entrepreneurial hubs. For NUS undergraduates who want to learn how ventures actually get built.
About the programme
NOC sends NUS undergraduates abroad for 6 or 12 months to study at a partner university and intern full-time at a high-growth startup — in 15+ cities including Silicon Valley, New York, and Toronto.
It's not study abroad. It's an immersion in how startups actually run — anchored by a working internship, supplemented by entrepreneurship coursework at the world's leading partner universities.
Updated [as_of_date] · Source: NOC programme office · [CONFIRM all 5]
Three things, every day, for 6 or 12 months.
Step 1 — Study
Take entrepreneurship and innovation courses at one of NOC's partner universities — Stanford, Tsinghua, TU Munich, KTH, and others. Coursework connects to what you're seeing in the startup.
Step 2 — Intern
Work full-time at a high-growth startup in your host city. Real responsibility, real product, real customers. NOC's network has placed students at companies that became Stripe, Grab, and beyond.
Step 3 — Build
Live alongside other NOC students at N-House, attend founder events, meet investors and operators. The network you build during NOC tends to compound for the rest of your career.
Choose where you want to learn how startups get built.
From a 2001 handshake at Stanford to 14 colleges across four continents.
NUS signs MOU with Stanford under President Shih Choon Fong
First cohort lands in Silicon Valley (14 students)
Philadelphia and Bio Valley open
Shanghai and Stockholm open
iLEAD launches as a Singapore-based local programme
iLEAD becomes NOC Singapore
Munich and Lausanne open with deep-tech focus
Toronto and Southeast Asia programme launch
Shenzhen opens
14 colleges, 15+ programme variants
VERIFY all dates with NOC team
Break photo · a working moment from a NOC alumnus — at their startup, with their team, on a stage, mid-pitch. Bridges the historical timeline above with the alumni cards below.
"You walk into NOC as a student. You walk out as someone with a network."
Cohort 2018 alumna, NOC Silicon Valley · [Caption draft — replace with real testimonial]
A few stories from over 5,000.
Name Surname
NOC Silicon Valley · 2018
Co-founder, [Startup]
Read story →"One-sentence pull-quote about what NOC changed."
Name Surname
NOC Shanghai · 2020
Operator, [Company]
Read story →"One-sentence pull-quote."
Name Surname
NOC Munich · 2019
Investor, [Fund]
Read story →"One-sentence pull-quote."
Name Surname
NOC Toronto · 2022
Engineer, [Startup]
Read story →"One-sentence pull-quote."
Closes 30 March 2026 · NOC AY26/27 Sem 2 — Jan 2027 Intake
Travel Preparedness Course (TPC) — required, ~24 hours to reflect
Resume and latest unofficial NUS transcript
1-minute video introduction (MP4, hosted via shareable link)
The NOC mascot.
Whallycorn is the mascot of NUS Overseas Colleges — a small character that shows up across NOC moments, alumni stories, and N-House community life.
Answers visible by default — not hidden in accordions.
Can I apply if I'm in Year 4?
NOC is open to NUS undergraduates in [year range — CONFIRM]. If you're in your final year, talk to the NOC office about whether your degree timeline can accommodate 6 or 12 months abroad.
Does NOC count toward my degree?
Yes. NOC internship and coursework units count toward your degree, with mapping rules that vary by faculty. See the Curriculum Overview for your faculty's specifics.
What does it cost?
You pay regular NUS tuition for the semester(s) you're abroad. Living costs vary by city. NOC offers stipends, scholarships, and travel awards — see Awards & Scholarships.
Will NOC find me an internship, or do I need to find one myself?
NOC's host-city teams support placement, but securing a specific role is collaborative. You apply to startups; NOC's network and reputation open doors.
What's the difference between Full Year and Short Programme?
Full Year is 12 months at a single location, undergraduates only. Short Programme is 6 months — open to undergraduates at all eligible locations, and to postgraduates at a subset.
Do I need to speak the local language?
No. Coursework is in English at all NOC locations. Basic local language helps for daily life but isn't a requirement.
Mentors, employers, and supporters who back the next generation of NOC founders.