Raffles College of Higher Education

Located in the heart of Singapore, Raffles College of Higher Education (RCHE) consists of the Raffles Design Institute, Raffles Merchandising Institute and the Raffles School of Psychology. The school has a global network with 25 colleges in 13 countries, offering students a widely-recognised education, especially in Fashion and Design. Join and learn from the international crowd of Lecturers and Students, which make up 70% and 90% of the cohort respectively. Class size is regulated to remain at a maximum of 15 to ensure that students can get the attention they need from tutors.

School Websites:

 School's Main Website | Raffles Merchandising Institute | Raffles School of Psychology

Admission Requirements:

Raffles College is generally quite liberal in their admission. Its Raffles Design Institute for one, does not require any Portfolio or Admission Interviews as the school believes that every student should be given an equal opportunity to learn regardless of their background.

1. For Diploma

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of 5.5, taken during the last two years; or

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 525 (Paper-based) or 70 (Internet-based), taken during the last two years; or

• TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) with a minimum score of 620; or

• GCE ‘O’ Level English Language Examination of C6; or

• Completion of Advanced English with Raffles College of Higher Education, Singapore

2. For Bachelor’s Degree

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of 6.5, taken during the last two years; or

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 550 (Paper-based) or 79 (Internet-based), taken during the last two years; or

• TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) with a minimum score of 650; or

• Completion of Advanced English with Raffles College of Higher Education, Singapore.

Note: You can apply without meeting the IELTS requirement but the school will arrange for an English Placement test held in-house at the campus to assess your English proficiency.

Language of instruction:

English

University Courses:

Course descriptions can be found here

Preparatory Courses (Certificate in Advanced English Language, IELTS):

• For students who do not speak English as their native language and/or do not meet minimum English Standard to commence their registration with Raffles College of Higher Education.

• Minimum age: 16 years old.

• Duration: 6 Months (Full-time)

Course Fees:

For course fees, please click here

Prices listed in the document are in Singapore dollars and prevailing Goods and Services tax (GST) will be levied on the above fees.

Academic intakes:

4 intakes per year in January, April, July and October

Admission Procedure:

Please contact us (the Flying Chalks team) via the chat widget on the bottom left corner of our website and we will guide you through the entire application process. As Flying Chalks is an official partner of Raffles, you will not be charged for our consultation and guidance!

Campus location:
To view the Raffles campus location, click here

Key facilities:

The campus occupies an area of over 7,000 square metres and consists of seminar rooms, classrooms, workshops, studios, library, student lounge, and laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment and technological applications to create an engaging and interactive learning experience for students.

• Library: They have resources for your perusal such as books by world renowned authors and useful reference materials by contemporary practitioners and publication featuring Raffles’ graduates work. They also have extensive collection of audio-visual materials that are updated regularly.

• Computer and Internet Access: You can access the free wireless internet and computers which allows you to obtain resources online anytime.

Situated in the historical riverside quay of Singapore along Merchant Road, known for its fusion of rich heritage and modern attractions, the Raffles College of Higher Education (or in short, Raffles Singapore) campus exudes a chic and contemporary design, with a spacious layout that aims to provide a creative and ideal learning environment for students.

Since the school is in the city, there is also a plethora of activities for you to do here. Being in the central area of Singapore, it is easily accessible from most locations.

For food:

• Song Fa Restaurant

Located outside Clarke Quay MRT Station, “Song Fa” is a local favourite that sells “Ba Kut Teh”, a herbal pork rib soup dish.

• Jumbo Restaurant

One of the most popular restaurants for tourists where you will find local must-eats like Chilli Crab, Fried Rice and other Singapore famous foods. For you to dine here, you need to make reservation! However, do be mentally prepared to spend quite a significant sum on the meal!

Flying Chalks’ tip: Order fried rice and buns to eat along with Chilli crab!

For nightlife and entertainment:

The campus is in the city area and is close to the Singapore river. You can take a cruise down the river at night and enjoy the happening Clarke Quay. Be amazed by the stunning laser show and Merlion park. There are also many good restaurants in the vicinity where you can enjoy local and international cuisine.

●   Affordable bars: FIV五 Izakaya Bar (16 Collyer Quay #01-05B or 25 Cuppage Road, Cuppage Terrace); Harry’s @ Boat Quay (28 Boat Quay); Orgo Bar & Restaurant – more pricey but with an Alfresco concept on the roof terrace of The Esplanade (8 Raffles Avenue #04-01 Esplanade-Theaters on the Bay, Roof Terrace)

●   Clubs: Zouk Club (17 Jiak Kim Street); Attica (3A River Valley Road #01-03 Clarke Quay); Club Kyo (133 Cecil Street); Home Club (20 Upper Circular Road), The Butter Factory (1 Fullerton Rd)

• Karoke: Teo Heng KTV Studio is highly popular amongst students for its affordability. It has outlets located all around Singapore.

For daily necessities and groceries:

Singapore offers a range of supermarkets found island-wide, from more affordable to premium choices.

If you are on a tight budget, here are some options for you:

1. Fair Price

2. Giant

3. Sheng Siong

On the other hand, you can head over to these supermarkets for more premium buys:

1. Cold Storage

2. Meidiya at Liang Court (Fort Canning MRT)

For shopping:

A recommended area to for you to shop at for luxury or branded goods is Orchard Road. From clothes to shoes, bags to accessories, there is definitely something out there for you! Starting from ION Orchard shopping mall, you can go via underground walkways to other malls like Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City, Wheelock Place and keep walking towards  *Scape, 313@Somerset and Orchard Central.

Mustafa at Farrer Park is recommended if you who would like to shop for goods at affordable prices. It sells a variety of goods ranging from food items to daily household products at lower prices, compared to shopping malls.

ChinaTown is a great place you to purchase souvenirs for your friends and family. They sell bags, magnets, bottle openers, and other knick knacks with designs of Singapore.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• Singapore’s biggest shopping mall, Vivocity, is located at Harbourfront MRT station and can be conveniently accessed via the Circle line from Kent Ridge station at NUS

• If you’re on a budget, check out *Scape Underground, Bugis Street, Far East Plaza and occasional flea markets!

• Bugis street is the shopping haven for youths, especially if you are on a tight budget! It features the latest and trendiest fashion at affordable prices and is easily accessible via the East West line.

Raffles College can be accessed via private pickup services, train or bus. The closest MRT station is Clarke Quay (North-East Line). The school is about a 7 minute walk from the station. Bus numbers 961,33,147,190,143,2,12 (not exhaustive) will take you to the campus. Please refer to google map for more possible options.

School Address:

Raffles Education Corporation Limited

51 Merchant Rd, Singapore 058283

Getting from Changi Airport to your Accommodation:

• Private Pickup Services (Limousine & Large Taxis)

If you have a larger group, private pick-up services are available from the airport to your accommodation or campus hostel via limousines and large taxis. The fare is SGD $55 and above and more information can be found here.

Flying Chalk's recommendation: You may find that using the GRAB or Uber App is a good alternative to this and may be cheaper than flagging a normal taxi!

• Train

If you’re travelling to your accommodation out of the city, click here to check out to estimate the duration and cost of your ride. You can pay for your ride via a stored-value EZ-Link Card which you can purchase at the ticketing counter before you enter the station.  

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: This option is recommended for students who are on a tight budget but it might get burdensome with all your luggage as you are not assured a seat on the train. Do also note the train timings in order not to miss it:

Directions: From the Arrival Hall, head down to the basement of Terminals 2 and 3 and follow the signs leading to the MRT station.  click here for more information

• Bus

To find out more about the combinations of bus services to get to your accommodation, use this website.

You could pay by a stored-value EZ-Link Card (purchased at Changi Airport train station or from any Changi Recommends store) or by cash in exact amount. If you’re travelling to your accommodation out of the city, you can find out the estimated cost of your trip here.

Directions: Head towards Changi Airport Passenger Terminal Building 2 Basement to board bus services leaving Changi.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: Avoid this mode of transport to the campus as there are 2 bus transfers and it takes a long time to reach the campus. Considering your luggage, it would be really cumbersome.

• By Taxi

Taxi is the most convenient way of getting from the airport to your accommodation (especially when you have a lot of luggage). You can get a taxi outside the Arrival Hall of any airport terminal. Fares are metered and there is an additional Airport surcharge for all trips originating from the Airport:

• $5 (Fri – Sun, 5.00pm to midnight)

• $3 (All other times)

• 50% of final metered fare (Midnight – 6.00am)

• 25% of final metered fare (Mon – Fri, 6.00am to 9.30am; Mon – Sun, 6.00pm to midnight)

• The fare can range from about $35 to $45 depending on pickup time, type of taxi and the above surcharges.