1. What are the differences between YES and the existing internship programmes provided by different IHLs in Singapore? How will students benefit from it?

YES is targeted at students who wish to participate in internships directly with companies in China without studying in a Chinese university campus. It allows students to intern in China for up to six months, and the scheme is open to both current students and young working adults. Please refer to Question 2 for the criteria of eligibility.

YES offers additional opportunities for youths who are interested to explore internship opportunities in China. Before the launch of YES, students from Singapore could only participate in work attachments in China through work-study arrangements between the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and their Chinese IHL partners.  During these work-study attachments, Singapore students are required to attend modules or evening classes at the Chinese IHLs and take part in projects related to their course of study offered by their respective Chinese IHLs' industry partners.

2. Who can apply for YES?

Only Singapore citizens and PRC citizens who are studying in or have recently graduated from eligible institutions in their respective countries are eligible for the scheme.

For Singaporean participants, they must be pursuing full-time studies at any polytechnics and Autonomous Universities (AUs) in Singapore or who has successfully completed his or her full-time studies not more than one calendar year prior to the time of application for a visa pursuant to the scheme.

The youth eligible to participate in the scheme shall be citizens of Singapore who have not participated in the scheme previously.

For Chinese participants, they must be Chinese citizens pursuing full-time studies at universities, vocational and technical colleges in China, or who have successfully completed their studies not than one calendar year prior to the time of application for a visa pursuant to the scheme. In addition, Chinese participants will need to have minimally obtained a high school diploma (i.e. completed senior high school in China).

*The detailed eligibility criteria will be updated upon the official commencement of YES.

3. Which are the participating schools in YES?

The scheme will be reciprocal. For Singapore, all five polytechnics and six autonomous universities (AUs) will be eligible to participate in YES. Similarly, Chinese universities and technical and vocational colleges will be included in the scheme. 

4. How can students apply for internship positions under YES?

Students may secure their internship opportunities through various channels. They can either apply for internship positions listed on the official YES website or tap on the current internship programmes arranged by their respective schools.

5. Is there a deadline for the YES application?

Each hosting company will indicate the application deadline while posting internship positions on the YES website. We recommend that all applicants apply as early as possible to secure the internship placement of their choice. Competition for places at some host companies can be high, particularly in the peak summer months, so early applications are encouraged. Applicants should also consider the visa processing time during application.

6. Can students gain academic credit for internships under YES?

Please get in touch with the relevant academic department in your school to discuss whether the placement you wish to apply for from the YES website meets your school's requirements. Business China and hosting companies will provide the documentation required to support this application.

7. How much stipend will interns be paid when they participate under YES? 

The amount of stipend received by interns will be decided by the hosting company. As the cost of living varies across different cities in China, the stipend provided by different hosting companies may vary. Details will be provided by the hosting company upon confirmation.

8. How will the stipend be provided to interns?

The stipend will be provided to interns by the host company directly. Please check with your company' s Human Resource department for details.

9. Other than providing a stipend, is there any other cost that may be incurred by the hosting companies?

The costs of airfare, insurance and accommodation will be covered by the interns. It will be up to each hosting company to decide whether to cover the cost of medical examination for the interns or to provide any other welfare.

10. What kind of visa will be issued under YES?

YES will be covered under the internship visa. The internship visa is only available to countries that have a bilateral agreement with China.

At present, Singaporean students participating in work-study arrangements facilitated by our IHLs in partnership with Chinese IHLs are on student visas.

More details on the internship visa will be announced on the YES website in due course.

11. Is there a deadline for host companies to participate in YES?

YES is an ongoing initiative. However, early participation is encouraged as the availability of students can be affected by schools' academic calendars.

12. What are the roles of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Business China?  

MOE will be coordinating the efforts amongst the relevant government agencies and partners in Singapore. Business China will be maintaining the YES official website that will facilitate both Singaporean and Chinese youths to find and apply for internship opportunities available in Singapore and China.  

As the custodian for the website, Business China will coordinate with MOE, relevant government bodies in Singapore, designated implementation counterpart in China, IHLs and companies to list the internship opportunities on the website.

Business China will also assist participants with the application process for internship visas.

13. Who are the implementation agencies of YES in China?

China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MRHSS) and the National Center of Human Resources Mobility are responsible for implementing YES in China.

14. Are students pursuing their undergraduate and Masters degree eligible to apply for the scheme?

Singaporean students currently pursuing their full-time undergraduate and Masters degree in Singapore, as well as Chinese students currently pursuing their full-time undergraduate and Masters degree in China, are eligible to apply for the scheme. Full-time Singaporean and Chinese students applying for the scheme must be enrolled in educational institutions in their home country.