Centre for Future-ready Graduates@Law
NUS Law Regional Internship Grant (RIG)
What Our Students Say
Internship with Patent Court of Korea, Republic of Korea
Nathania How
Republic of Korea
1 July 2026 to 30 July 2026
My internship at the IP High Court of Korea was nothing short of exciting and insightful. Through the experience, I was fortunate to have attended IP forums, judicial talks, visit the Supreme Court of Korea and speak at the Court's International Summer Seminar. My heartfelt appreciation goes to the Faculty, the D S Lee Foundation and Genevieve for supporting me to pursue this invaluable internship, where I have left with invaluable insights, meaningful friendships, and an even stronger interest in international legal practice and IP law.
Internship with Clyde & Co, Shanghai
Renee Phua Hui En
Shanghai, China
13 July 2026 to 24 July 2026
I am deeply grateful to have been supported by the Regional Internship Grant (RIG), which gave me the opportunity to intern at Clyde & Co’s Shanghai office for two weeks. As someone interested in dispute resolution, I was particularly excited to gain exposure to cross-border matters and see how lawyers work together when a client’s dispute spans multiple jurisdictions.
During my time there, I had the opportunity to work with lawyers from both the Shanghai and Singapore offices on several cross-border arbitration matters. One of the things that struck me most was how much more complicated a dispute can become when multiple jurisdictions are involved. Through the research I was exposed to, I saw how questions of jurisdiction, applicable law and differences in legal procedures can create additional considerations for a client. This made me appreciate that transnational disputes often require lawyers from different jurisdictions to work closely together, drawing on their respective knowledge and perspectives to develop a coordinated approach to advising a client.
This was particularly valuable to me as it gave me a better understanding of what cross-border dispute resolution looks like in practice. Beyond developing my legal research skills, I was able to observe how lawyers across different offices collaborate to navigate the complexities that arise when a dispute crosses legal systems. The experience strengthened my interest in pursuing work involving international and cross-border disputes, while giving me a broader perspective on the role of lawyers in helping clients navigate these challenges.
As the internship allowance primarily covered my daily expenses during my time in Shanghai, the RIG played a huge part in making the overseas internship financially feasible by helping to cover the other necessary costs involved. I am very thankful to the Foundation and the CFG team for their support, which made it possible for me to take up this opportunity and gain an experience that has been both personally and professionally meaningful.
Internship with Des Voeux Chambers, Hong Kong
Ian Michael Yam
Hong Kong
23 December 2024 to 3 January 2025
To the people supporting the Regional Internship Grant (RIG), thank you for your generosity. Your kindness gave me a rare chance to experience a legal career in Hong Kong, where I undertook a mini-pupillage at Des Voeux Chambers to examine complex trust disputes. With your support, I can confidently seek opportunities to grow my legal and life skills. Finally, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Genevieve and Siu Yin from the Careers team for supporting my overseas endeavours, and express my deepest thanks to my company law tutor Prof Samantha Tang for guiding me in my law journey.
Internship with Jones Day, Hong Kong
Lim Peng Yong Darren
Hong Kong
2 July 2024 to 26 July 2024
To the D S Lee Foundation and its Director, Mr Tan Cher Liang, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the generous support provided through the Regional Internship Grant, which enabled me to undertake a month-long internship with Jones Day in Hong Kong. This was my first overseas work experience, and it has been an immensely eye-opening and enriching journey. The opportunity was both unique and deeply fulfilling, and it will remain a core memory of my four years at NUS Law. Thank you once again for making this experience possible.
Internship with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hong Kong
Viktor Nguyen Huu Thinh
Hong Kong
2 July 2024 to 26 July 2024
The Regional Internship Grant allowed me to undertake a Vacation Scheme at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer with confidence. The internship was filled with meaningful activities both in and outside the office, giving me greater insights into life in Hong Kong and possible ways to develop my professional career. I am grateful to be a Grant recipient and would like to convey my sincere thanks to the D S Lee Foundation and Mr Tan.
Description of the Grant
The NUS Law Regional Internship Grant (“RIG”, or “Grant”) is made possible by the following funds generously established by the D S Lee Foundation and its Director, Mr Tan Cher Liang, to enable our students to venture into Asia to gain real-world experience while developing a more global mindset:
- Mary Hoe Tan – D S Lee Foundation Regional Internship Grant
- Lee Bon Leong - D S Lee Foundation Regional Internship Grant
- Sin Boon Ann - D S Lee Foundation Regional Internship Grant
- Toh See Kiat - D S Lee Foundation Regional Internship Grant
RIG will provide for up to 3 students (undergrads and postgrads) per academic year to undertake internships in Asia. The stipend is intended to defray the travel and accommodation expenses for the overseas internship and does not apply to internships conducted remotely.
Eligibility Criteria:
In order to be eligible, the applicant must:
- be a full-time matriculated student pursuing a degree at NUS Law at the time of application;
- have secured a confirmed offer for an internship with a start and end date spanning at least 14 continuous days and consisting of at least 10 working days, spent in another Asian country (ie you must live and work outside Singapore for the full period of the internship), with a reputed firm /organisation (this need not be a law firm).
- not have received any other form/s of financial aid from NUS and/or external sponsor(s) which provides travel and subsistence allowance for the overseas internship.
An applicant may, over the course of their time as a full-time matriculated student at NUS Law, apply more than once for the RIG, and be selected as a Grant recipient more than once.
Application Process:
- The applicant must submit a completed application form along with relevant supporting documents, including the internship offer letter, academic records, and proof of financial need.
- The applicant must provide a detailed plan of the travel and accommodation expenses to be incurred during the internship period. The cost of air tickets should be based on the lowest logical economy fare, which takes into consideration factors such as, but not limited to:
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- Type of ticket which should generally be refundable/ flexible for changes in travel plans
- Reliability and safety record of the airline
- Reasonable flight connections and travel time
The accommodation costs should be reasonable and appropriate for the internship purpose and location, taking into consideration safety and security and financial prudence.
Selection Process and Timing:
The selection of applicants for Grant will be made by a Committee. The Committee will assess the applications based on academic performance, financial need, relevance of the internship to the applicant's course of study, and potential benefits to the applicant's future career. In some cases, the Committee may also call the applicant for an interview. The Committee’s decision is final and there is no appeal available.
NUS Law recognises that an applicant may have a small window of time for accepting the confirmed overseas internship offer, and the applicant’s decision on whether to take up the offer may turn on the Committee’s decision. For such cases, the applicant should explain this time factor in their application, so that the Committee can prioritise and expedite the application.
Grant Amount and Time of Disbursement:
The approved Grant amount will be determined considering the Committee's assessment of the applicant's financial standing, alongside Committee-approved planned expenses during the internship period, as forecasted and submitted by the applicant. The Grant amount will not exceed SGD4,000 per application.
The Grant amount will be disbursed one month in advance of the start of the internship and cannot be used for any purpose other than the specified internship expenses.
After the Internship:
The Grant recipient must provide a report on the completion of the internship, detailing the work done, the learning outcomes, and the impact on the applicant's career aspirations. NUS Law may use the report for promotional purposes, and will inform the Grant recipient of such intention (by way of email to the Grant recipient’s stated email address).
The Grant recipient may also be called upon by NUS Law to share their overseas internship experience with other students in NUS Law, and to advise and guide NUS Law students who are interested in pursuing overseas internships.
Termination:
NUS Law reserves the right to revoke or terminate the Grant, if and when NUS Law deems fit. Non-exhaustive examples of reasons for revocation or termination include:
- the Grant recipient fails to comply with any of the terms and conditions mentioned herein.
- the Grant recipient prematurely terminates his/her participation in the internship.
- the Grant recipient’s past or present conduct comes under scrutiny.
In the event that the Grant is revoked or terminated for any reason, the Grant recipient must return the unused portion of the financial assistance to NUS Law. NUS Law reserves the right to demand full and immediate refund by the Grant recipient of all monies disbursed under the Grant.
Grant Administrator:
Ms Genevieve CHIA, Careers Advisor, Centre for Future-ready Graduates@Law