Graduate Certificate in International
Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Curriculum
The following are courses taught by visiting professors and Faculty members in various semesters over the years, or are planned for future years. Not all courses will be offered every year - please refer to the course website for the latest information.
Compulsory Course
Super-intensive Courses
Intensive Courses
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Semester-long Courses
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A semester-long course is typically a 36-hour, 5-Unit course taught once a week over the course of 12 weeks from August to November (Semester One) and from January to April (Semester Two). In addition, some courses may have a final proctored exam sometime after the 13th week.
An intensive course is a 27-hour, 4-Unit course taught intensively over 3 weeks and are generally scheduled as follows:
| Day | Time |
| Monday | 6:30pm - 9:30pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30pm - 9:30pm |
| Friday | 2:30pm - 5:30pm |
The following are the periods when intensive courses are conducted in the Faculty:
| Semester | Weeks (Phase One) | Weeks (Phase Two) |
| Semester One | Week 1 to 3 (August) | Week 4 to 6 (September) |
| Semester Two | Week 1 to 3 (January) | Week 4 to 6 (February) |
Each 18-hour Super-intensive course carries 2.5 Units. A intensive course of 27 hours of coursework carries 4 Units. A semester-long course of 36 hours typically carries 5 Units. A 72-hour long course carries 8 Units.
Units are earned when a student passes a course. No units will be accorded if a student fails the course.
Course Assessments
Depending on the courses selected, the examination and assessment of student performances in the respective certificate programmes may be conducted through various modes of assessment such as class participation, written assignments, research papers, take-home examinations and final proctored examinations. Some courses may have examination scheduled after the 13th week. Students are encouraged to review the examination and assessment details for each course before opting for it.
Please refer to the list of elective courses for details on modes of assessments from July (Semester One) and November (Semester Two).
The Class & Assessment Information for the typical Sit-down Final Examination Timetable and Schedule of Take Home Exam and Research Papers may be found here.
Yes, but in accordance with the University’s guidelines for final examinations. Please refer to the University’s Guidelines on Special Consideration here.
Yes, but in accordance with the University’s guidelines. Please refer to the University’s Guidelines for Review of Examination Results here.
No, you will not. Further, you will not be allowed to defer your attendance and complete the course the following year without paying the requisite course fee and other student fees in subsequent academic semesters.
No exemptions are available. Students who have completed similar courses for their past degree requirements will be precluded from applying for those courses. Student should check the preclusions indicated in the courses description before applying to register for the courses.
Students who fail a course may, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, be given two options. First, they may be allowed to take a Supplementary Examination or sit for a Viva (oral) Examination within two months of the release of the course result. The transcript will indicate both the Fail grade of the course taken at the Main Examination and the grade received for the course taken at the Supplementary Examination.
Second, a student may elect to do an additional semester to make up the Units required and carry forward the failed subject(s) to the additional semester, provided the maximum period of candidature is not exceeded. In such a case, the failing grade(s) will be reflected on the transcript for that semester. However, when the student either repeats the subjects or takes new subjects (with full course fees payable) in the additional semester, the subsequent grades received will be reflected in the transcript accordingly.
Grading
NUS Law grades according to a curve. The grade curve used at NUS Law as a guide for classes of a reasonable size (20 or more) is as follows:
| A+, A, A- | B+, B | B-, C+, C | D+, D, F |
| 20-25% | 35-40% | 35-40% | 0-5% |
The average grade in a class of a reasonable size will typically be a “B” grade. This should be contrasted with the situation in many other law schools (particularly in the US) where the average grade tends to be around a “B+” or even higher.
Note: this statement applies only to NUS Law and should not be interpreted as a statement of NUS grading policy generally.
Graduation Requirements
Candidates must pass all courses and successfully obtain a total of 12 to 13 Units (generally 3 course) within the maximum period of 36 months of their candidature in order to be awarded the GCIADR.
Withdrawing from a Course
You may apply to withdraw from a regular course within the first 2 weeks of the Semester, or from an intensive course within the first week of class, without penalty. When dropping a course, students should be mindful of the “W” and “F” grades that will be indicated on the transcript based in the periods indicated below:
| Grading | Occurring within: | |
| Semester One | Semester Two | |
| Registered students may check their course allocation at the Education Record System. |
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| Semester-long Courses | ||
| “W” Grade | 26 Aug 2024 – 29 Sep 2024 | 27 Jan 2025 – 2 Mar 2025 |
| “F” Grade | From 30 Sep 2024 | From 3 Mar 2025 |
| Phase I Intensive Courses | ||
| “W” Grade | 19 Aug 2024 – 25 Aug 2024 | 20 Jan 2025 – 26 Jan 2025 |
| “F” Grade | From 26 Aug 2024 | From 27 Jan 2025 |
| Phase II Intensive Courses | ||
| “W” Grade | 9 Sep 2024 – 15 Sep 2024 | 10 Feb 2025 – 16 Feb 2025 |
| “F” Grade | From 20 Sep 2024 | From 17 Feb 2025 |
| Recess Week Super-Intensive Courses | ||
| “W” Grade | by the end of the 1st lesson | by the end of the 1st lesson |
| “F” Grade | From 30 Sep 2024 | From 3 Mar 2025 |
Students are strongly advised to read the course descriptions carefully before selecting their courses.
If you withdraw within the “No Penalty” period, your course fees (less miscellaneous fees) will be refunded and credited to your EduRec Student Account. You would be able to use the credits to pay for your next course. There is no fee refund for withdrawals after the respective “W” grade deadlines.
No. You will have to apply for a new course in the following semester.
Admission
A good Bachelor’s degree in Law from a recognized university and a minimum TOEFL iBT 100 / TOEFL paper-based score of 600-603 / IELTS 7.0, if your Law degree was not in English.
There is only 1 intake a year. The online application portal will be open from the first week of May each year.
The application period for the AY2024/2025 intake starts from 6 May 2024 to 5 June 2024.
Please refer to the GCIADR webpage for the application link.
AY2024/2025 Semester One Intake – 5 June 2024, Wednesday
You should receive an offer email by end-June of the intake year in question.
Some of the courses listed are new courses and their information would only be available at a later date. Prior to enrolment into the programme, successful applicants will be informed of the new course availability and will be asked to confirm their course selection again.
Courses for the following semester will only be available for selection in the next application period. Returning GCIADR students will be able to select their courses when the next application period opens.
No. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority will only issue a Student’s Pass if an applicant has been accepted to pursue a full-time study programme in Singapore. GCIADR is a part-time programme intended for working adults already residing in Singapore.
Fees, Subsidies & Payments
The following are fees payable (inclusive of 9% GST) for a 4-Unit or 5-Unit course for the respective category of student:
| Course Fee | |
| Non-Citizens | Singapore Citizens & PRs [Includes 35% Fee Subsidy] |
| S$5,886.00 | S$3,996.00 |
The 2.5 unit courses are priced as follows:
| Non-Citizens | Singapore Citizens & PRs [Includes 35% Fee Subsidy] |
| S$2,943.00 | S$1,998.00 |
Depending on the nationality of the applicant and the courses selected, the total programme fee for 3 courses (assuming the student passes all 3 regular courses and obtains the required Units for graduation) are as follows:
| Programme Fee | |
| Non-Citizens | Singapore Citizens & PRs [Includes 35% Fee Subsidy] |
| S$17,658.00 | S$11,988.00 |
A Student Services Fee is also payable each semester.
No. Successful applicants will receive an offer email by the end of June for each intake exercise. Instructions on payment will only follow after applicants have accepted the offers.
Payment may be made by cheque, credit card, internet banking or GIRO. Once enrolled in the programme, students will be billed for the course and the student services fees. Payment is due by Week 3 of each Semester.
Most of the listed courses are eligible for a SkillsFuture Credit (SFC) claim. All Singaporeans aged 25 and above can use their SkillsFuture Credit from the government to offset part of the course fee. Applicants who wish to use the SkillsFuture Credit should refer to https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/credit for more details or login to the SkillsFuture Portal to check their SFC balance.
Programme
The following summarizes the differences between the two programmes:
| Programme/ Feature | Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration (GCIA) | Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution (GCIADR) |
| Target Audience | Non-Lawyers & Lawyers | Lawyers only |
| Entry Requirements | Good bachelor’s degree in any discipline | LLB degree or its equivalent |
| External Accreditation | Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) & Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) | N/A |
Yes. GCIADR is conducted on a part-time basis and legal professionals have the flexibility to read a minimum of one super-intensive (2.5 Units), one 3-week intensive (4 Units) or one semester-long 12-week course (5 or 8 Units) per semester.
36 months. This means that the programme must be completed within 3 years.
It is typically limited to 50 students which will include LLB, LLM, JD, Exchange and other graduate students.
No. Courses are usually conducted in seminar-style.
All courses are taught in-person at the NUS (Bukit Timah Campus).
As part of the University’s Crisis Preparedness Exercise, course instructors have the option to teach using online platforms for some classes even during normal circumstances. Students are advised to read the course descriptions before selecting a course and to login to NUS Canvas (an integrated online learning portal) for class announcements at least 3 days before each lesson.
Learning Resources
Yes. The materials will be disseminated via NUS Canvas – an online learning managment platform.
Students will be required to access NUS Canvas to download course notes and readings. Depending on the courses selected, students may be required to make presentations, upload assignments or sit for e-assessments using a personal laptop.
Yes, all part-time students enrolled in the programme will be provided with full borrowing rights and access to all NUS Libraries at the Bukit Timah and Kent Ridge Campuses. They will also be able to access the digital library databases subscribed by the NUS Libraries. To support student learning and research, digital legal research resources such as LawNet, WestLaw, Lexis Advance Singapore and HeinOnline will be made available. You may consult with our Librarians at the C J Koh Law Library if you have any further queries about the research resources available to our Graduate Certificate students.
Yes, all part-time students enrolled in the programme will be provided with an NUS email account and access to the IT Resources required for their learning needs. Details on the available softwares, services and IT support can be found in the NUS IT website: https://nusit.nus.edu.sg/
SILE-CPD Points
The GCIADR programme is eligible for Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE) Public CPD Points. Students who wish to obtain Public CPD points should refer to the SILE guidelines at: http://www.sileCPDcentre.sg and maintain an attendance record form for their course lecturer to sign off after each lesson.
Support & Assistance
Our Graduate Certificate Programmes are not meant to allow adult learners to raise issues not directly relevant to the course material or hypothetical case studies used in teaching. Course instructors are entitled to decline to offer consultations or take specific questions on matters that are not relevant to the course syllabus or pedagogical objectives. In particular, participation in this Graduate Certificate Programme is not a legitimate means to develop competing or in-house training programmes on the same subject matter. This may amount to a breach of copyright or plagiarism and may be dealt with accordingly.
Yes, part-time students are eligible to use the general and mental health services provided by the University Health Centre at the Kent Ridge Campus. Details on the services are available at http://www.nus.edu.sg/uhc.
Yes, there will be an orientation programme arranged on a weekday evening or a Saturday morning prior to the start of each Semester.