Hey all! 
I'm new to this forum, literally created this account today just to post this thread. I've seen some existing posts here and they were really helpful so I'm here to hopefully clear my own doubts.
I'm a Singaporean, 21, enlisting into the Army this August. I just graduated from my diploma in Industrial Design (aka Product Design) last week in a local polytechnic, with a Cumulative GPA of 3.45. It's not the best but I tried my best to pull it up after getting only 3.01 in year 1. I wasn't a fan of design back in year 1, I got graded really badly for an important project back then. But after some interesting modules and projects in year 2, my passion for design grew quickly and I began putting crazy amount of efforts to do what I can to get my GPA up to standards. I then got awarded Directors List with a distinction project in year 3 sem 1. That's actually the moment I decided that I wanna further study and learn even more stuff about design!
Just a little more insight for you guys to make better judgements for me before I get into my doubts. Aside from my academic grades, I have participated in many design competitions ever since I started loving design at the end of year 2. Just October last year, I was a finalist in a product design competition hosted by IKEA, alongside some other students from NUS, NTU and other design schools. It was a competition I joined voluntarily, and I got a certificate for being the finalist. Also, I was awarded a certificate for the best project in my design school and it was a client project for Electrolux in Year 3. Apart from all of that, I was chosen by my course manager and lecturers to participate in some other design competitions. Also, I was selected by my Course Manager to be a host/emcee and interview a Minister that came to our school for a talk in front of the auditorium. I was hoping that all these little events would somehow add up to my resume, helping my admission into University be a little more smooth-flowing.
2 days ago, I was at the IDP event held at Orchard Hotel. The GO8 and some other international universities were there to the doubts of prospective students. I got to speak to faculty staff from 3 universities (Monash, RMIT and UNSW) and I found out that my gpa was more than sufficient to be eligible for admission into their universities. However, they had to know clearly what my course outlines back in my Polytechnic were before they could tell me how much exemptions I could get, which would mean a lot to me as I am trying to cut the cost as much as possible. Budget is the only true problem for me right now as I come from a low-middle income family.
So here are several concerns I hope you all can advise me on:
1. I'd like to know if there is any design students out there that knows what are some of the better universities both locally and internationally that is not too expensive and has good design faculties? (I'd like to take a degree in Product/Industrial Design) p/s: does anyone know if swinburne is a good university? They came down to my school for a talk and the exemptions and fees looked really good. Not so sure about the school as I have not heard much about it.
2. Are there any scholarships that could cover hopefully 50-100% of my tuition fees? If so, what are the scholarships/schools that provide that scholarship? (I am trying to save as much money as possible as I am trying to avoid bank loans. Do not want to burden my parents or myself with a huge load of debt)
3. The faculty staff from Monash told me that upon confirmation in admission in their school, I would be granted a mandatory scholarship of 4-5k. She told me that recommendation letters could play a part to help me reach for higher scholarships. I have 3 recommendation letters, 1 from my lecturer and 2 from different course managers. Any of you ever used them and if so, how did it turn out?
4. I heard from my friends that studying abroad in the UK for a degree would be more economical as compared to studying in Australia due to the cost of living in Australia. But I researched and found out that the degree course's tuition fee per year is about 80-100k while in Australia it is circa 25-30k. Anyone of you could let me know more about this?
5. Would it be a waste of time if I try to apply into NTU's Product Design course with my current GPA? Or should I try to apply hoping that they would take my other achievements as mentioned into consideration? (A local uni would save me alot of money but admitting into NTU's design courses requires a lot of work and time as we have to complete a few projects just for admission purposes)
6. Lastly, I am a freelance photographer that has worked with clients such as Asics, Canon and more to shoot photographs for their campaigns. Should I include my photography portfolio into the portfolio that I will be submitting to apply for universities?
Thank you all for taking the time out to read this, I appreciate any feedback and I'm sorry for the long post. I'm really concerned about what I can do after NS and therefore I'm kinda excited/curious. Hear from y'all soon! Have a good day!
I'm new to this forum, literally created this account today just to post this thread. I've seen some existing posts here and they were really helpful so I'm here to hopefully clear my own doubts.I'm a Singaporean, 21, enlisting into the Army this August. I just graduated from my diploma in Industrial Design (aka Product Design) last week in a local polytechnic, with a Cumulative GPA of 3.45. It's not the best but I tried my best to pull it up after getting only 3.01 in year 1. I wasn't a fan of design back in year 1, I got graded really badly for an important project back then. But after some interesting modules and projects in year 2, my passion for design grew quickly and I began putting crazy amount of efforts to do what I can to get my GPA up to standards. I then got awarded Directors List with a distinction project in year 3 sem 1. That's actually the moment I decided that I wanna further study and learn even more stuff about design!
Just a little more insight for you guys to make better judgements for me before I get into my doubts. Aside from my academic grades, I have participated in many design competitions ever since I started loving design at the end of year 2. Just October last year, I was a finalist in a product design competition hosted by IKEA, alongside some other students from NUS, NTU and other design schools. It was a competition I joined voluntarily, and I got a certificate for being the finalist. Also, I was awarded a certificate for the best project in my design school and it was a client project for Electrolux in Year 3. Apart from all of that, I was chosen by my course manager and lecturers to participate in some other design competitions. Also, I was selected by my Course Manager to be a host/emcee and interview a Minister that came to our school for a talk in front of the auditorium. I was hoping that all these little events would somehow add up to my resume, helping my admission into University be a little more smooth-flowing.
2 days ago, I was at the IDP event held at Orchard Hotel. The GO8 and some other international universities were there to the doubts of prospective students. I got to speak to faculty staff from 3 universities (Monash, RMIT and UNSW) and I found out that my gpa was more than sufficient to be eligible for admission into their universities. However, they had to know clearly what my course outlines back in my Polytechnic were before they could tell me how much exemptions I could get, which would mean a lot to me as I am trying to cut the cost as much as possible. Budget is the only true problem for me right now as I come from a low-middle income family.
So here are several concerns I hope you all can advise me on:
1. I'd like to know if there is any design students out there that knows what are some of the better universities both locally and internationally that is not too expensive and has good design faculties? (I'd like to take a degree in Product/Industrial Design) p/s: does anyone know if swinburne is a good university? They came down to my school for a talk and the exemptions and fees looked really good. Not so sure about the school as I have not heard much about it.
2. Are there any scholarships that could cover hopefully 50-100% of my tuition fees? If so, what are the scholarships/schools that provide that scholarship? (I am trying to save as much money as possible as I am trying to avoid bank loans. Do not want to burden my parents or myself with a huge load of debt)
3. The faculty staff from Monash told me that upon confirmation in admission in their school, I would be granted a mandatory scholarship of 4-5k. She told me that recommendation letters could play a part to help me reach for higher scholarships. I have 3 recommendation letters, 1 from my lecturer and 2 from different course managers. Any of you ever used them and if so, how did it turn out?
4. I heard from my friends that studying abroad in the UK for a degree would be more economical as compared to studying in Australia due to the cost of living in Australia. But I researched and found out that the degree course's tuition fee per year is about 80-100k while in Australia it is circa 25-30k. Anyone of you could let me know more about this?
5. Would it be a waste of time if I try to apply into NTU's Product Design course with my current GPA? Or should I try to apply hoping that they would take my other achievements as mentioned into consideration? (A local uni would save me alot of money but admitting into NTU's design courses requires a lot of work and time as we have to complete a few projects just for admission purposes)
6. Lastly, I am a freelance photographer that has worked with clients such as Asics, Canon and more to shoot photographs for their campaigns. Should I include my photography portfolio into the portfolio that I will be submitting to apply for universities?
Thank you all for taking the time out to read this, I appreciate any feedback and I'm sorry for the long post. I'm really concerned about what I can do after NS and therefore I'm kinda excited/curious. Hear from y'all soon! Have a good day!
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Unfortunately, I'm a Chinese so the Mendaki would not work out for me. I have considered SIT but I am really only interested in Industrial design, so I think i'll have to cancel that out. 
