University of the Arts Singapore

What University of the Arts Singapore does

University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) is Singapore's first dedicated arts university, established as an alliance between LASALLE College of the Arts (founded 1984) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA, founded 1938). UAS operates as a government-supported private university (incorporated as University of the Arts Singapore Ltd) with its central coordinating body located at the National Design Centre at 111 Middle Road, Singapore. The university validates, confers, and awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for programmes delivered through its two founding member institutions, which continue to operate independently on their respective campuses. UAS serves over 1,000 students across more than 30 bachelor's and master's degree programmes spanning fine arts, design, media arts, performing arts, arts management, and creative therapies.

UAS's product offering centres on degree-granting programmes supplemented by industry partnerships, paid internships, international residencies, and student arts initiatives. LASALLE contributes 35 diploma, BA (Hons), and postgraduate programmes; NAFA contributes 7 bachelor's and 3 master's programmes with international academic partners including the University of the Arts London and the Royal College of Music, London. Beyond degree programmes, UAS runs corporate-sponsored student initiatives such as the Mapletree Young Composers and Young Filmmakers Initiatives, an industry internship partnership with Arts House Limited (12 paid placements annually for three years), and overseas residency programmes including its first collaboration at Artfield Nanhai Guangdong in China. A new Cultural Analytics and AI Master's programme is planned for academic year 2027.

UAS generates revenue through tuition and academic fees (charged annually for degree programmes), government support as a private university backed by the Singapore Government, and donations via a 'Giving to UAS' programme that includes named funds such as the Charles & Keith Group Foundation and The Stage Emma Yong Left Behind. Distribution is direct-to-student through website admissions, campus-level admissions at LASALLE and NAFA, and open house events held at the National Design Centre. The university markets through a multi-channel approach spanning its website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn), events such as the UAS Arts Education Symposium and Welcome Night, and earned media coverage in outlets such as The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao. UAS holds QS World University Rankings recognition via LASALLE (joint top in Southeast Asia for art and design in 2023) and EduTrust Star certification.

Name

University of the Arts Singapore

Legal name

University of the Arts Singapore Ltd

Website

https://uas.edu.sg

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

University of the Arts Singapore is Singapore's first dedicated arts university, formed as an alliance between LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. It validates and confers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees across 30+ programmes, serving 1,000+ students with government and donor support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Arts and Design

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHABAG

Arts, Humanities & Creative Research Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAJAA

Fine Arts Colleges (Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Arts, Music & Design Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAJAD

Performing Arts Colleges (Theatre, Dance, Musical Theatre)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Arts, Music & Design Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAJAE

Film, Television & Media Arts Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Arts, Music & Design Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAJAI

Animation, Game Art & Digital Arts Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Arts, Music & Design Colleges

Keywords

• Arts higher education
• Design university programmes
• Fine arts degrees
• Performing arts education
• Postgraduate arts study

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and academic fees: UAS generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for its bachelor's and master's degree programmes offered through LASALLE and NAFA. The university is a private university supported by the Government of Singapore.
2. Government support: As a government-supported private university, UAS receives public funding to support its operations and educational mission.
3. Donations and philanthropy: UAS operates a 'Giving to UAS' programme accepting donations. Named donor programmes include the Charles & Keith Group Foundation and The Stage Emma Yong Left Behind.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

University of the Arts Singapore is Singapore's first dedicated arts university, founded in 2024 as an alliance between LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). UAS validates, confers, and awards bachelor's and master's degrees in fine arts, design, media arts, performing arts, music, arts management, creative therapies, and biophilic design, delivered across LASALLE and NAFA campuses. The university offers over 30 degree programmes, practice-led research, industry internships, and international residency opportunities to prospective students in Singapore and the region.

Product overview

University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) is Singapore's first arts university, established as an alliance between LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). The institution offers degree programmes through its two founding member institutions, with UAS validating, conferring and awarding the degrees. LASALLE offers programmes including Fine Arts, Design, Film, Animation, Dance, Theatre, Music, and Creative Writing (36 programmes including Diploma, BA Hons and postgraduate). NAFA offers programmes including Fine Art, Biophilic Design, Design Practice, Performance Making, Contemporary Chinese Theatres, and Music in partnership with University of the Arts London and Royal College of Music (7 Bachelor's and 3 Master's programmes). Student initiatives include the Mapletree Young Composers Initiative and Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative. An industry partnership with Arts House Limited provides paid internships at six arts venues. UAS also facilitates international exposure through overseas residency programmes such as Artfield Nanhai Guangdong.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LASALLE College of the Arts Degree Programmes Educational programmes offered by LASALLE College of the Arts, one of the two founding member institutions of UAS. Includes 35 Diploma, BA (Hons) and postgraduate programmes in arts and design. LASALLE is the highest ranked specialist arts institution in Singapore and joint top in Southeast Asia for art and design (QS World University Rankings 2023), with faculty comprising award-winning artists, designers, educators and researchers whose practice-led research sets it apart as an international centre of excellence. Degrees are validated and conferred by UAS.
• Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) Degree Programmes Educational programmes offered by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, the second founding member institution of UAS. NAFA, founded in 1938, is Singapore's pioneer arts institution and offers 7 bachelor's and 3 master's degree programmes with university partners including University of the Arts London and Royal College of Music, London. Programmes span Fine Art, Biophilic Design, Design Practice, Performance Making, Contemporary Chinese Theatres, Music, and other disciplines. Degrees are validated and conferred by UAS.
• Mapletree Young Composers Initiative An annual student arts initiative supporting LASALLE and NAFA students in music composition, offering funding, professional mentorship, and public performance platforms. Six awardees present their compositions at a public concert and award ceremony, e.g., the inaugural performance held on 30 May 2026 at Lee Foundation Theatre, NAFA.
• Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative A filmmaking initiative supporting Year 2 and Year 3 BA (Hons) Film students from LASALLE's Puttnam School of Film & Animation to produce short films of up to 10 minutes, with S$5,000 production grants, professional mentorship, and public showcase platforms.
• Arts House Limited Industry Partnership (Paid Internship Programme) A paid internship and project work programme providing 12 UAS students annually for three years with hands-on experience in festival and event programming, venue management, marketing and communications, and partnership development at Arts House Limited's six arts venues (including Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall). Students receive a minimum monthly allowance of S$800 and must complete at least 400 hours.
• Artfield Nanhai Guangdong Overseas Residency

Quantifiable outcome

• LASALLE is the highest ranked specialist arts institution in Singapore and joint top in Southeast Asia for art and design (QS World University Rankings 2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• HUBART (via LIVE ART BRAIN platform)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026UAS marked its first overseas residency collaboration at Artfield Nanhai Guangdong 2026 in Foshan, China, through a partnership with HUBART's Singapore-based platform LIVE ART BRAIN. Four students from LASALLE and NAFA participated in a month-long pre-festival residency (8 May – 10 June 2026), developing site-responsive works across installation, moving image, ceramics, and mixed media. UAS was the only Singapore university and sole overseas arts university participating.
• Pasat MerduminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2025Pasat Merdu, founded and managed by Mr Felix Phang, served as a judge in the Mapletree Young Composers Initiative 2025, which was conducted in collaboration with UAS and Mapletree. Mr Felix Phang participated in the rigorous judging process to select six winning compositions from 20 submissions by LASALLE and NAFA students.
• Mapletree InvestmentsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2025Mapletree Investments partnered with UAS to launch the Mapletree Young Composers Initiative 2025 and Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative 2025 as part of Singapore's SG60 (60th anniversary) celebrations. The partnership provides over S$30,000 in funding, professional mentorship, and public showcase platforms for UAS students. The Mapletree Young Composers Initiative awarded six selected proposals S$2,500 each with mentorship; the Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative provided three selected proposals S$5,000 production grants each. This reflects Mapletree's CSR commitment to arts and education.
• Arts House Limited (AHL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2024Arts House Limited (AHL) is UAS's first industry partner, providing paid internships and project work opportunities for 12 UAS students annually for three years. Positions span festival and event programming, venue management, marketing and communications, and partnership development. Students receive a minimum monthly allowance of S$800 and must complete at least 400 hours. AHL manages six arts spaces including Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall.
• Royal College of Music, LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024NAFA offers undergraduate and postgraduate music programmes in collaboration with the Royal College of Music, London. These include Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Instrumental & Vocal Teaching, Bachelor of Music (Honours), Master of Composition, and Master of Performance. Students may study at the Royal College of Music during their degree.
• University of the Arts LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024NAFA offers programmes in collaboration with the University of the Arts London (UAL), including BA (Hons) Design Practice, BA (Hons) Fine Art, and BA (Hons) Performance Making. Students spend seven weeks in London as part of these programmes, experiencing the latest design trends and global artistic perspectives.
• CPG CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024CPG Corporation collaborated with NAFA to develop the BA (Hons) Biophilic Design programme. As part of the course, students are introduced to design solutions which can improve human well-being through nature-connected spatial design.
• Central Academy of Drama (Beijing)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAFA's partnership with Beijing's Central Academy of Drama provides students with international perspectives and enriches the learning experience through global arts education connections.
• National Arts Council (NAC) SingaporeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe National Arts Council of Singapore provides credit and recognition for UAS initiatives, and is referenced as a collaborator on national arts initiatives and events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts: Hong Kong's dedicated performing arts tertiary institution offering degrees across music, dance, theatre, film/TV and Chinese opera. Comparable as a regional specialist arts academy serving Asia with government backing, similar in mission and scale to UAS.
• Central Academy of Drama (Beijing): China's premier performing arts university and a UAS partner institution. Comparable as an Asian specialist arts tertiary institution with government backing, focusing on theatre, film and performing arts education.
• RMIT University (School of Art / Design): Australian public university with a strong specialist art, design and media faculty ranked globally. Comparable as an Asia-Pacific arts higher-education institution with practice-led research and industry-integrated programmes.

Direct peers

• Royal College of Art: World's only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, based in London. Directly comparable as a specialist arts university focused on advanced practice-led research and postgraduate arts education, competing for similar international student segments.
• University of the Arts London (UAL): A federation of six arts colleges in London and a global benchmark for specialist arts higher education. NAFA's existing UAL partnership and UAL's position as the world's largest specialist arts university make it a directly comparable peer for UAS's arts degree portfolio.
• LASALLE College of the Arts: Founding member institution of UAS and one of its primary degree-granting arms. Offers 35 diploma, BA (Hons) and postgraduate programmes across arts and design; directly comparable as a specialist arts institution in Singapore under the UAS umbrella.
• Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA): The second founding member of UAS, founded in 1938. Offers 7 bachelor's and 3 master's degree programmes in fine art, design, music and theatre; directly comparable as the partner institution delivering UAS-validated degrees in Singapore.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): US private specialist art and design college consistently ranked among the world's top arts institutions. Directly comparable as a private, practice-led specialist arts institution with a similar size and educational focus to LASALLE/NAFA within UAS.
• Pratt Institute: US private specialist art and design university offering undergraduate and graduate programmes across art, design and architecture. Comparable as a private, practice-led arts university with a similar mission to UAS.

Broad incumbents

• Nanyang Technological University (NTU) School of Art, Design and Media: Major Singapore public research university with a dedicated art, design and media school. Comparable as a competing Singapore-based provider of art and design higher education, though broader in scope than UAS's specialist focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@uas.sg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UASsingapore
• Facebookfacebook.com/UASsingapore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uassg
• Instagraminstagram.com/uas.sg
• TikToktiktok.com/@uas.sg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of the Arts Singapore