You want to do great work that makes a direct impact on society. You see an opportunity to build something special. You’re gung-ho and determined, resilient and persistent.
You sound like an entrepreneur in the making! If you have the gumption but don’t know a single thing about starting a business, don’t be discouraged. Everyone has to start from somewhere, and we’ve assembled a list of courses that can help you gain some of the know-how you’ll need. Some of these are for individuals further along their entrepreneurship journey but are worth aspiring towards!
Without further ado, here’s a starter list of courses:
*All course fees are accurate as of Apr 2023 and are subject to changes depending on the school/centre. All fees are in SGD unless otherwise stated. This is neither a non-exhaustive list nor an endorsement of the courses listed; please conduct sufficient research to make sure a course fits your needs!
Short Courses
- National University of Singapore – Be an Entrepreneur: Steps to a Successful Business
This intensive two-day bootcamp aims to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with practical knowledge and tools to increase their chances of success in launching and commercializing new startup ideas. The program will cover product/service validation tools, providing participants with actionable methods to develop and translate their product/service concepts into tangible product/service builds.
Attendees will learn how to approach ideation in a systematic way, create a compelling value proposition, validate customer feedback, build a prototype, and develop product/service requirements and a roadmap.
Course candidates must have at least 5 years of work experience to be eligible for this bootcamp.
Curriculum: 4 modules, namely Ideas and Opportunities, Building a Business, Financing a Business, as well as Sources of Investment respectively
Fees: SGD 2,268 (as low as SGD $235.60 after maximum funding)
Duration: 2 days (9am–6pm). The next run will take place from 17–18 October.
Online Courses
- ACRA – Essentials of Starting a Business (ESB)
This free course by ACRA covers the administrative aspect of running a business, with content tailored towards aspiring entrepreneurs.
Curriculum: Covers eight topics such as GST, CPF Contributions, Filing Tax Returns and more
Fees: NA (free)
Duration: 2 hours
This is a course covering the basic principles necessary to start and operate a business. Lecturers with entrepreneurial and business experience teach it.
Curriculum: Covers topics such as Marketing Analysis, Financing, Business Planning, Legal Issues.
Fees: SGD $588.50 for Singaporeans and S$594.00 for repeat students/non-Singaporeans. This course is SkillsFuture credit claimable. Course fees can go as low as SGD $66.55 after relevant schemes or initiatives.
Duration: 27 hours. The next course run will be from 3-6 October.
- Harvard Business Online – Entrepreneurship Essentials course
Geared towards students, aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as emerging entrepreneurs, Harvard Business Online’s Entrepreneurship Essentials course is taught by William Sahlman, an entrepreneur and Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School. It delivers 25–30 hours of material, covering the entrepreneurial journey from finding an idea to raising capital. Key features of the course include real-world, case-based learning and the teaching of the ‘People, Opportunity, Context, and Deal’ framework.
Course finishers will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Curriculum: 4 modules, namely Ideas and Opportunities, Building a Business, Financing a Business, as well as Sources of Investment respectively
Fees: USD $1,750 (approx. SGD $2,335)
Duration: 4 weeks
- Stanford Center for Professional Development – Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program
Part of Stanford University, the Stanford Center for Professional Development offers paid entrepreneurship courses that you can check out! Course topics range from Building Company Culture to The Power of Stories to Fuel Innovation. Course content will be presented by Stanford faculty and top Silicon Valley leaders via lectures, interviews, and talks. You’ll finish the course having a better understanding of how to grow your customer base, lead innovative teams, and more.
If you’re not ready to commit, the program has a free preview!
Curriculum: Topics include Business Model Innovation, Leading Innovation, Achieving Innovation through Inspiration, as well as Cultivating the Entrepreneurial Mindset.
Fees: USD $1,095 per course (approx. SGD$1,462.25)
Duration: Course takers earn a Stanford Professional Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship after completing eight courses in this program.
Diplomas:
- Amity Global Institute – Diploma in Entrepreneurship
Amity Global Institute is part of the Amity Education Group, which has over 20 years of experience in education. Their Diploma in Entrepreneurship is taught via lectures, tutorials, seminars, case-studies analysis, simulations, business games, research journal reading as well as discussions. There will be a project. Both students and mature applicants are welcome.
Curriculum: Topics covered include Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Key Issues in Business: People, Markets, & Money, Learning & Skills Development in Management, Business Statistics, Entrepreneurial Marketing, and Building the Entrepreneurial Organisation
Fees: SGD $7,500 for local students and $10,500 for international students (excluding GST and misc. fees)
Duration: 1 year (full-time and part-time available)
Degrees:
- Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) – Alibaba Cloud-SUSS Entrepreneurship Programme
This is a Certificate/Minor in Entrepreneurship jointly offered by SUSS and Alibaba Cloud that is open to both students and members of the public who have fulfilled CET admission eligibility criteria. Students will receive an introduction to Cloud computing by Alibaba Cloud, Alibaba Cloud Credit for the duration of the programme, and mentorship from Alibaba Cloud, startup advisors and C-level industry experts. You can apply for admission as an individual or as a group, and must have at least a running prototype.
Curriculum: Includes topics like Entrepreneurship, Public Speaking, Cloud Computing, and Start-Up Funding
Fees: NA (there is an application fee)
Duration: 2.5 years if taking it as a Certificate in Entrepreneurship
- Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) – SUTD Technology Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP)
The SUTD Technology Entrepreneurship Programme is an integrated programme that will see students graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science, along with a Master of Science in Technology Entrepreneurship. Students will get to spend terms at the University of California and a Chinese University, plus go through a work immersion experience in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Curriculum: Entrepreneurship and business modules, work immersion, studies abroad
Fees: S$7,175 per Master’s term, S$6,750 per undergraduate term
Duration: 10 terms (full-time)
- Nanyang Technological University – Bachelor of Business with Second Major in Entrepreneurship
A joint degree programme offered by the Nanyang Technopreneurship Centre and Nanyang Business School, this degree also lets you specialise in Actuarial Science, Banking & Finance, Business Analytics, Human Resource Consulting, International Trading, Marketing, or Risk Analytics. The programme offers a 20-week, hands-on experiential session that introduces you to start-ups, venture capital firms, entrepreneurship support organisations, and corporation innovation setups.
Curriculum: Entrepreneurship modules include Social Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Marketing and Business Development, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, as well as Technopreneurial Mindset and Technology Innovation
Fees: S$9,450 for Singaporeans, S$13,250 for Permanent Residents and s$20,400 for international students per academic year
Duration: 3 years (full-time, direct honours)
Postgraduate Courses
- National University of Singapore – Master of Science in Venture Creation
Offered by the School of Continuing and Lifelong Education, the Master of Science in Venture Creation is supported by NUS Entreprise. It strongly focuses on experiential learning, offers a summer program, internship, and practicum, and offers students access to modules across six academic departments ranging from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine to NUS Business School.
Curriculum: Core modules include a Summer Programme in Entrepreneurship, an Experiential Entrepreneurship Internship, a Lean Startup Practicum, as well as New Venture Creation. Options for elective modules are varied and include Digital Transformation & Strategy, Entrepreneurial Management, New Venture Finance, and Intellectual Property Basics for Entrepreneurs.
Fees: $50,000 (excluding GST and misc. fees)
Duration: 12 to 18 months (full-time)
Others
We list some programmes that may be of interest too!
- SUSS Impact Startup Challenge
This is a BootCamp open to SUSS students and alumni aged 18 and above. It exposes participants to the startup ecosystem, the Lean Startup Model, business pitching, and overseas market access and opportunities for those taking part in the Overseas edition.
Participants will attend workshops, go on study visits, hear from investors and founders,
Fees: $180 for CET students (excluding GST and misc. fees), prevailing course fees for current SUSS students
Duration: 7 weeks
Entrepreneurship is a tough journey. We hope you’re ready for what it takes and learn from the ones who’ve been on the journey before you. We wish you all the best!
