Established by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in 2013 and administered by the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) from 2024, the MPA Global Internship Award (MPA GIA) sponsors students for an opportunity to gain on-the-job experience and global exposure at reputable international maritime companies.

The fully sponsored MPA GIA provides high-achieving students with a meaningful and enriching maritime experience in Singapore and abroad where industry practitioners in the sponsoring companies mentor the students throughout the program.

Participating students will be exposed to a diverse range of possible careers in maritime companies. Besides deepening students’ understanding of the maritime industry, this program also enhances their future employability and career opportunities within the maritime industry.

Please prepare the following documents and combine them into 1 single attachment to be submitted with your online application:

• Resume
• Latest University transcript or Degree Audit
• CCA Records
• Award Certificates

You will also be required to provide a 100-word personal statement on why you wish to apply for the MPA GIA during the online application.

This program is only open to Singaporeans and PRs. The applicant must be eligible to work in Singapore without the need to apply for special passes.

Yes, you will need to be a full-time matriculated student in NTU, NUS, SIT, SMU or SUTD throughout your internship for this program.

*For SIT students, the MPA GIA can be part of IWSP. Sponsoring companies, students and IHLs should jointly work out the internship period accordingly, prior to the start of internship.

Yes. The maritime industry is a multi-faceted industry with needs for talents from varied background. This program gives maritime and non-maritime students an opportunity to immerse in an experiential learning with international maritime companies in Singapore and around the world. It aims to deepen students’ understanding of the maritime industry and enhances your future employability and career opportunities within the maritime industry.

Yes. Grades are not the only criteria for the MPA GIA.

No. Once you have submitted the application you will not be able to make any edits. If you’ve already been contacted by SMF, you can let SMF know about your updated CV/resume.

Find all participating companies and roles on this list.

Please ensure you have fully reviewed the job specification you are applying for and that if you meet the minimum qualifications.

You can state your preferences, however, all internship opportunities are based on suitability and availability of positions.

Internships are usually 12 weeks long. The start and end times can vary by company. Usually the companies will advise the estimated internship period during the interview, but the precise start and end dates will be advised post interview(s) after confirmation of acceptance by the sponsoring company.

Visa requirements differ across MPA GIA opportunities. The host company is responsible to ensure that visa requirements in the country of internship (if any) are adhered to. The cost of the visa will be borne by the MPA GIA budget.

Yes, all applications will be assessed equally and an applicant can be considered for multiple applications. However, the applicant can only accept one MPA GIA offer.

Candidates who are shortlisted to move on to the next stage of the application will be contacted in late January or February. Candidates who are offered an MPA GIA programme internship position will be contacted by March.

Application closes on 31 Dec. Shortlisted students will be contacted in late January and February for interviews.

You may apply for a maximum of 3 roles. We ask that you consider the roles which would be of greatest interest to you and most well-fitted to your experiences. Additionally, we request that you prepare well for the interviews you have been selected for to accord due respect to the sponsoring companies. The roles you have applied for will also be transparent to all the companies receiving your application.

It will depend on the needs of the company to which you are assigned, your qualifications and interests. If you have specific interests or requirements for your degree, you should include this information on your cover letter. Please refer to the company list and roles for more information about the specific tasks of the internship position.

Some companies may require you to be on-site everyday while others may practice hybrid working. How long and how often you work in the office will depend on the company’s policy.

Students will need to submit a student report describing your view on the maritime industry, internship experience, personal reflections and feedback for the programme to SMF.

Company-specific deliverables would vary from company-to-company. Generally, interns would be informed of any capstone projects before or at the start of their internship by the sponsoring company.

The MPA GIA will only be awarded once to the same awardee as we would like to provide more opportunities for those who have yet to experience it. Applicants who were unsuccessful and would like to try again in the next year are welcome to do so.

Applicants can try again next year in November – December. We recommend building up your portfolio in the meantime, improving your skills and experience, and maximising your hiring potential.

The process for all applicants is the same, regardless of how far you had previously progressed in the interview process.

If you have questions that have not been answered in this internship FAQs, please contact mpagia@sgmf.com.sg.

You can check out SMF’s website for more information about SMF’s MaritimeONE scholarships, MaritimeONE internships programmes, campus and external events, as well as write-ups and videos on the maritime industry on our SMF website.