Nanyang Technological University (NTU) – PhD in Finance

Research Focus

The Ph.D. in Accounting at the South Asian Business School focuses on core areas such as capital market accounting, auditing and assurance, corporate governance and financial reporting, management accounting and organizational behaviour, taxation and public policy, accounting information systems and data analysis, and sustainable accounting and ESG disclosure. The study emphasizes rigorous empirical measurement methods, interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks and data-driven analysis to explore the generation, disclosure and economic consequences of financial information for enterprises, while focusing on the impact of regulatory policies, technological innovations and changes in the global business environment on accounting practices. The overall orientation is both deep and international, with particular emphasis on Asian situational research, accounting changes in the context of digital and financial technology, and the key role of accounting in capital market and enterprise decision-making.

Programme Structure and Funding

This is a 5-year full-time PhD programme based in Singapore. Tuition is approximately RMB 125,000 per year. For August entry, the application deadline is 31 January of the same year. Full funding includes a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend of SGD 2,500.

Entry Requirements

Academic background: A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant subject from a Chinese 985 university or a university ranked in the QS top 100. GRE: 319 (3.5), or GMAT: 650 (3.5). GPA: above 3.5. Language requirements: IELTS 7 or TOEFL 88 or above. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree taught in English are exempt.

Application Materials

1. Passport personal information page
2. Recent passport size color photographs
3. GMAT or GRE score report
4. Arth or Toffle report.
5. bachelor’s degree or master’s degree diploma
6. Official baccalaureate or master’s degree certificate
7. Two academic references.
8. Short research proposals
9. Personal and academic curricula vitae

Tuition and Living Costs

Study and living costs

Singapore has one of Asia’s higher costs of living. The university recommends that international students budget approximately SGD 24,000–30,000 per year, equivalent to about RMB 127,000–158,000:

• Accommodation: A single room in university accommodation costs SGD 12,000–18,000 per year, approximately RMB 63,000–95,000, including utilities, internet and gym access. Shared off-campus accommodation in areas such as Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang costs SGD 1,800–2,500 per month, approximately RMB 95,000–132,000 per year. The campus is around 30 minutes from central Singapore by MRT.

• Food: University food courts cost SGD 4–8 per meal, approximately RMB 21–42. Nearby hawker centres offer good value, with meals costing SGD 3–6. Self-catering costs SGD 500–700 per month, approximately RMB 2,630–3,680. Groceries at NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage are fresh and around 12% cheaper than in the city centre.

• Transport: A Singapore student EZ-Link card costs SGD 100–150 per month, approximately RMB 526–789, and covers MRT and bus travel. Free campus shuttle buses connect the schools. The oBike bicycle-sharing system costs SGD 1 per hour, and the main buildings on the Yunnan Garden campus are about 5 minutes apart by bicycle.

• Other costs: Overseas student medical insurance costs SGD 500–700 per year and is compulsory. Textbooks cost SGD 400–600 per semester, or more than SGD 800 for science and engineering subjects. Student-union membership costs SGD 30 per year. The Science Centre Singapore and ArtScience Museum offer free student admission.

Career Prospects

Under the mentor ’ s system, Ph.D. students will have an in-depth knowledge of cutting-edge research methods such as capital market accounting, auditing and assurance, corporate governance, management accounting, tax policy, accounting information systems and data analysis, as well as a comprehensive scientific capacity that transcends accounting, finance, economics and data science. Graduates have broad development prospects in the following areas:

• Higher education and research institutions: Academic research and teaching in the areas of financial accounting, auditing, corporate governance, management accounting, ESG disclosure, accounting and financial measurement, becoming lecturers, assistant professors or researchers at research universities.

• Financial and professional services: perform high-end positions in accounting and auditing research, capital market analysis, risk control, policy evaluation or professional consulting in investment firms, regulatory agencies, four audit firms and consulting firms. - Corporate finance and analysis positions: support for corporate financial decision-making, internal audit, risk management, data-driven financial analysis and information disclosure strategy development in TNCs, science and technology enterprises or large groups.

• Government departments and regulatory bodies: carry out specialized functions in the fiscal sector, accounting and auditing regulators, stock exchanges or financial regulators, such as policy research, accounting standard-setting support, regulatory system assessment and capital market data analysis. Through systematic academic training and cooperation with internationalized scientific research, students will not only be able to acquire a solid theoretical basis of accounting and sound empirical research capacity, but will also develop independent scientific thinking, data analysis and interdisciplinary collaborative capacity to provide a solid and long-term basis for future development into global universities, research institutions, the financial industry or international innovative enterprises.