Professional Capability Grant (PCG) — Professional Development Sponsorship
The Professional Development Sponsorship provides funding for in-service staff at social service agencies to achieve their first recognised qualifications in social work and psychology. It also offers training support for additional graduate and postgraduate studies in social services. A bond period pegged to study duration applies. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance.
Eligibility Criteria
- 01
Must be a permanent staff member (Singaporean or PR) of an NCSS member or MSF-funded SSA
- 02
Must not be receiving other government funding for the same studies (except MOE subsidy)
- 03
Must not be eligible for Career Conversion Programme for social workers
- 04
Must have been accepted into an approved Bachelor/Graduate Diploma/Masters programme
- 05
Course must not have already commenced
How to Apply
1. Secure acceptance into an approved programme 2. Apply via the OurSG Grants (OSG) portal at oursggrants.gov.sg 3. Check the PCG submission dates PDF for deadlines 4. Upon approval, supporting agency signs NCSS funding agreement 5. Awardee must fulfil bond duration with the supporting agency after completing the course
Claims and Disbursement
Disbursed in tranches. Upon approval, the supporting agency signs a funding agreement. Bond period applies: Graduate Diploma ~1.5 years, Degree ~4 years, Masters ~2 years. Liquidated damages for non-compliance: total disbursed amount plus 10% compounded interest per annum.
Frequently Asked Questions
It funds social service agency staff to achieve their first recognised qualifications in social work and psychology, covering up to 75% of course fees (capped at $99,400) for degree programmes.
Yes. Bond duration is pegged to study duration: ~1.5 years for Graduate Diploma, ~4 years for Degree, ~2 years for Masters. You must remain with the supporting agency after completing the course.
Liquidated damages apply: the total disbursed amount plus 10% compounded interest per annum, payable to NCSS in one lump sum within three months.
Related Grants
Professional Capability Grant (PCG) — Overseas Training Grant
NCSS
Up to 60% of actual expenditure, capped at $20,000. Up to 80% if presenting a paper at a conference.
The Overseas Training Grant supports specialised training programmes that are not available in Singapore, including short-term conferences and seminars, specialised certification courses, and study trips. Higher funding rates are available for professionals presenting papers at international conferences, encouraging agencies to showcase their work to the international community.
Professional Capability Grant (PCG) — Sabbatical Leave Scheme
NCSS
Salary support of up to $15,000 for 10 weeks of paid leave
The Sabbatical Leave Scheme offers social service professionals 10 weeks of paid leave with salary support of up to $15,000. Available for Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists, Psychologists, Counsellors, and EIPIC teachers. After completing the sabbatical, recipients may be asked to mentor junior professionals and must conduct a sharing session and submit a written report.
Professional Capability Grant (PCG) — Open Grant
NCSS
Single agency: up to 80% of approved cost, max $100,000. Multi-agency: up to 100%, max $200,000. Clinical supervision: up to 80%, max $100,000 over 2 years.
The Open Grant empowers initiatives within the social service sector to enhance professional capabilities through diverse projects, including clinical supervision. It supports agencies in engaging external consultants for clinical supervision, fostering the growth of social workers, case workers, counsellors, and psychologists. Projects must be one-off and non-recurring. Multi-agency collaborative projects receive higher funding caps.
SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP)
SkillsFuture Singapore
Up to 95% course fee funding for eligible jobseekers, up to 90% for other eligible trainees. Can be combined with SkillsFuture Credit.
The SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) supports mid-career individuals in acquiring industry-relevant skills to improve employability and pivot to new sectors or job roles. This train-and-place programme is available in part-time or full-time format, typically ranging from three to 12 months, and is delivered by Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centres with employment facilitation services. Courses under the SCTP have been progressively launched since April 2022, with a target to have at least 200 SCTP courses by 2025. The programme focuses on sectors with good hiring opportunities such as Infocomm and Technology, Professional Services, and Advanced Manufacturing. It operates on a train-and-place modality with career advisory and employment assistance.
SkillsFuture Credit (SFC)
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
Base Tier: $500 (no expiry), Mid-Career Tier: $4,000 (no expiry)
SkillsFuture Credit helps Singaporeans offset course fees for eligible courses that support skills development and lifelong learning to be future-ready and relevant. It is a personal credit for individuals (not employers) and is available to all Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above. The credit can be used on top of existing government course subsidies. There are two tiers of SkillsFuture Credit: a Base Tier for all Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above ($500), and a Mid-Career Tier for Singapore Citizens aged 40 and above ($4,000). The Base Tier credit can be used for all courses listed on the MySkillsFuture portal, while the Mid-Career Tier credit can be used for selected courses with better employability outcomes. Neither tier has an expiry date.
SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES)
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
Up to 90% of course fees for CET Centre courses, up to 70% for other certifiable courses
The SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy recognises that mid-career Singaporeans may face greater challenges in undertaking training and provides additional subsidies to encourage upskilling and reskilling to adapt to changing job requirements. It offers higher subsidies of up to 90% of course fees for SSG-supported courses and at least 90% of programme cost for MOE-subsidised courses. This enhanced subsidy is designed specifically for Singapore Citizens aged 40 and above, covering courses ranging from Nitec to postgraduate level across universities, polytechnics, ITE, and arts institutions. Eligible individuals must first qualify for the MOE/SSG base course fee subsidy to receive the enhanced rate.