Ultimate Guide to SkillsFuture Singapore: SkillsFuture Credit Top-Ups, Benefits & More

At the risk of sounding like a nerd, learning new skills is one of my favourite things.

There are just so many new skills or hobbies that I’ve always wanted to pick up but haven’t because, *ahem*, I have no money.

But in this day and age where information is ubiquitous, surely there’s a way, right?

That said, conventionally, attending a course to learn things properly is still many people’s go-to.

And for those full-on into upskilling through a course, we have SkillsFuture.

Don’t get me wrong, you can’t master a skill within a few days, but it can set the foundation right for a smoother transition if you’re switching industries or simply looking to learn some soft skills.

TL;DR: Ultimate Guide to SkillsFuture Singapore, SkillsFuture Credits, Courses & More

This is a summary of all SkillsFuture-related support and credits:

Click here to jump:

• What Is SkillsFuture Singapore?
• Who can benefit from SkillsFuture?
• SkillsFuture Credit, top-ups for Singaporeans
• How to submit SkillsFuture Credit claims?
• Approved Skills-related Courses
• What are some in-demand skills?
• How to find courses on SkillsFuture

What Is SkillsFuture Singapore?

SkillsFuture is an initiative that allows Singaporeans and PRs to acquire new skills or upgrade existing ones, whether you’re making the brave transition between industries or simply picking up a hobby.

These can be supplemented by courses, some of which may be offset using SkillsFuture Credits. There are also career guidance sessions for everyone, from students to those in their silver years.

Who Can Benefit from SkillsFuture?

We don’t do sponsored posts, so this plug is entirely voluntary: SkillsFuture is designed to benefit Singaporeans at all stages of their lives.

That includes:

• Polytechnic, ITE and university students
• Fresh grads and post-grads
• Job-seekers
• Early-career and mid-career switchers
• Employees
• Employers
• SMEs

SkillsFuture is particularly helpful to the mid-career switchers and those working in the Progressive Wage Model Sectors (PWMS) such as cleaning, retail and security, as upskilling brings about more change in your work area and a chance to increase your salary.

SkillsFuture Credits And Top-Ups

We mentioned SkillsFuture Credits earlier — and it works like cash, except you ironically can’t cash out on it.

If you’re a Singaporean aged 25 or older, you’ll be given $500 in opening credits for use on courses in the extensive SkillsFuture Credit Course Directory.

How Much SkillsFuture Credit Do I Have?

All Singaporeans aged 25 years and above will receive an opening credit of $500.

In Budget 2020, there was a one-off SkillsFuture credit top-up of up to $500 to every Singapore Citizen aged 25 years and above as of 31 December 2020, and an additional $500 credit was provided to every Singapore Citizen aged 40 and 60. Both sets of credits are valid from Oct 2020 to Dec 2025.

The catch? This excess of $500 can only be used on selected reskilling programmes and expire in Dec 2025, but your base credits of $500 won’t.

Here’s a summary of SkillsFuture Credit top-ups and related programmes:

SkillsFuture Level Up Programme

Then, in Budget 2024, it’s announced that there will be a $4,000 SkillsFuture top-up for those 40 and above to push mid-career workers to upskill. This brings up the total credits to $5,500 who are 40 and above!

This is introduced as the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.

This credit will be given out in May this year and can be used to enrol in selected training courses to enhance employability.

Similarly, as part of the programme, folks aged 40 and above in Singapore will get an enhanced subsidy under the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCSE), which covers up to 90% of course fees for courses funded by SkillsFuture Singapore. But from Academic 2025 onwards, the MCSE will be extended to those who pursue another full-time diploma at local polytechnics, ITE, or arts institutions.

You can rest assured that the selected courses should be the most in-demand skills determined by the government. More details about the eligible courses will also be released later.

SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance

Plus, if you enrol in certain full-time courses, you can receive a training allowance based on 50% of your average income over the latest available 12-month period, capped at $3,000 per month for up to 24 months over an individual’s lifetime.

What about those who are below 40 years old?

You will receive your $4,000 top-up when you hit 40!

In the meantime, try these practical tips if you feel like you’re pursuing the wrong degree or job.

How to Submit SkillsFuture Credit Claims

You’ll be asked to log in to the official SkillsFuture portal to redeem your credits while signing up for your course. For this, you’ll need proof of payment from your provider, whether an official invoice or receipt.

Here’s how it works:

1. Login to your SkillsFuture Account (via Submit a Claim button)
2. Fill out your profile if you haven’t
3. Select the course you’ve enrolled in
4. Indicate how much of your SkillsFuture credits you wish to use
5. Upload your supporting documents
6. Submit your claim

The credits will be deducted immediately; you can then foot the balance, if any.

So if your Data Analytics course is $1,000 — and you’ve $600 in credits — you’ll only be charged $400.

What SkillsFuture Programmes Are There?

It can be overwhelming navigating the SkillsFuture site, but this table will have you sorted.

If you’re a student, for instance, you might want to look into these programmes:

• The Young Talent Programme (YTP)
• SkillsFuture Earn and Learn
• Work-Learn Bootcamp
• Work-Study Degree

Conversely, if you’re 50 years old and up, you’ll enjoy course subsidies of up to 90% at major institutions under programmes such as the National Silver Academy.

What Are Some In-Demand Skills?

Well, SkillsFuture Singapore will not offer any random courses without fully backed data. In fact, it has a Skills Demand for the Future Economy 2023/24 report, which highlights key insights into skills required by the Singapore economy over time.

It’s clear that there will be three main pillars – Green Economy, Digital Economy and Care Economy. Here’s a breakdown of the skills that are considered ‘Priority Skills’:

Note: This list is non-exhaustive.

How to Find Courses on SkillsFuture?

Before jumping the gun and signing up for the first thing you see, consider what you actually want.

Are you looking to venture into a side hustle or learn a skill that might help your career transition? 

From there, narrow your options in the SkillsFuture Credit Course Directory, which allows for searches by categories such as Area of Training and Training Providers.

Then check if you meet the course’s prerequisites — and whether you could commit to the length of it. You don’t want to waste credits because some programmes require minimum attendance. 

If you’re employed, you might also want to check if your company offers extra subsidies for certain courses pertinent to your field.

How To Choose The Right Course (And School) on SkillsFuture

It can be hard to discern accredited training providers from dodgy ones. For that very reason, I’d much rather go for a course in a relatively well-established institution than a private school.

To their credit, SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore have been thorough in weeding out shady training providers, but it’s always best to do your research.

Once you’ve narrowed your options, simply follow the steps to be redirected to the training provider’s page — and redeem your credits using the aforementioned steps. 

Should I Only Go For A Crash Course?

A one-day crash course may seem great — minimal commitment! No need for weekly night classes! — but the reality is that you’ll likely struggle to retain this knowledge.

Unless you’ve a basic foundation in your elected course, it’s down to you to commit to practising whatever’s been taught regularly, even after your course has concluded.

As mentioned, you’ll want to research before spending those SkillsFuture credits on something that might not serve you in the long run.

I don’t know about you, but these credits are hard to come by for free, and my inner aunty expects monetary returns for all the hours I’ve spent toiling on something.

But if you’re simply here to try your hand at something new (or just exploring options for a potential side hustle like opening a cafe), these are an excellent starting point:

• Communication skills-related courses
• Cooking or baking classes
• Floral arrangement classes
• Language courses
• Painting or drawing

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