Singapore is teeming with viable job opportunities for foreign workers. For this reason, many Filipino workers want to try their luck in this Asian country. It seems like an ideal destination because of the high-paying job opportunities and its proximity to the Philippines.

However, there are things that one should be aware of before considering employment in Singapore. The Ministry of Manpower in Singapore has set strict guidelines that would determine if a foreign worker should be given an Employment Pass. Singapore uses different criteria to determine a person’s eligibility to work in their country such as skills, professional qualifications and the college or university where one earned the degree.

Many aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would probably want to know the list of Philippine colleges/universities that are recognized by the Singapore government. One should be informed that Singapore has no list of accredited educational institutions. Nevertheless, they use a wide range of criteria to evaluate an application, including:

• Global and country institution rankings by independent accreditation boards
• Hiring history by top companies in Singapore
• Validation by HR consultants in listed countries
• Employment outcome of the institution's graduates
• The institution's enrollment standards.

Here are some important points to remember in the employment of foreign workers in Singapore:

A successful Employment Pass application is not guaranteed to a foreign worker belonging to a recognized university. This is because aside from the approved institutions, there are still other criteria to be met such as such as relevant work experience or professional skills.

Likewise, an applicant who does not belong to an approved educational institution may not automatically be rejected for Employment Pass, if he possesses other compensating factors.

Singapore recognizes qualifications from institutions that are of comparable and equivalent standards to the sample list below. (Note. This is just a sample list.)

Sample List of Approved Institutions in Singapore:

Adventist University of the Philippines

Angeles University Foundation

Asian Institute of Management

Assumption College

Ateneo de Davao University

Ateneo de Manila University-Quezon City

Ateneo De Naga University

Ateneo de Zamboanga University

Baliuag University

Central Philippine University

Centro Escolar University - Manila

College of the Holy Spirit of Manila

De La Salle University

De La Salle University - Dasmariñas

St. Paul University Dumaguete

University of La Salette

Holy Angel University

Holy Name University

Jose Rizal University

Liceo de Cagayan University

Lyceum of the Philippines University

Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation - Lucena

Mapua Institute of Technology - Manila

Miriam College

Our Lady of Fatima University (Fatima Medical Science Foundation)-Valenzuela

Notre Dame of Dadiangas University

Philippine Christian University

San Beda College

Silliman University

St Joseph's College of Quezon City

St Louis University

Philippines      St Paul University Philippines

St Paul University – Manila (St. Paul University System)

St Paul University - Quezon City

St Scholastica's College

Trinity University of Asia

The Philippine Women's University System-Manila

University of Baguio

University of Mindanao

University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos

University of San Agustin

University of San Carlos

University of San Jose Recoletos

University of Santo Tomas

University of St Louis - Tuguegarao

University of Saint La Salle

University of the East, Manila

University of the Immaculate Conception

University of the Philippines (Diliman)

Wesleyan University Philippines (Cabanatuan)

Xavier University

University of Luzon