News Releases
101 Award Recipients, One Defence Community
12 August 2026
Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing presented 101 awards to defence scholarship recipients this evening.
Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing presented 101 awards to defence scholarship recipients this evening. He presented the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship to seven recipients, Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship (Engineering) – Defence and Security to eight recipients, SAF Merit Scholarship to 27 recipients, SAF Engineering Scholarship to three recipients, Defence Merit Scholarship to 10 recipients, SAF Medicine Scholarship to one recipient, SAF Dentistry Scholarship to two recipients and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) Scholarship to 43 recipients.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Temasek Club, Minister Chan highlighted the need to master emerging technologies. He said, “Cutting-edge technologies often take decades to develop and master. As you grow in MINDEF, SAF, DSTA, or DSO National Laboratories, you will be inspired by the quiet dedication of those who have worked tirelessly to deliver Singapore’s secret edge in the decades before today. Your challenge is to, similarly, stay ahead of the curve, to master these technologies before they become commonplace, and to ensure that Singapore remains at the forefront of defence innovation.”
In closing, Minister Chan expressed his hope that the recipients will remain grounded in values and lead with collective purpose. He said, “Leadership is not just about strategy and technology; it is, ultimately, about people. The men and women you work with – whether they are Full-time National Servicemen, Operationally Ready NSmen, or civilian specialists – they are the heart of our defence. Our role is to imbue them with the commitment and the will to stand our ground, so that we will always answer the call of duty even in the toughest of times.”
This year's 101 scholarship recipients have demonstrated academic excellence and outstanding leadership qualities. They will be pursuing their undergraduate studies at reputable local and overseas universities. Upon completion of their tertiary education, recipients of the uniformed scholarships – The SAF Scholarship, the SAF Merit Scholarship, and the SAF Engineering Scholarship – will return to the organisation to assume a variety of challenging appointments that will groom them for senior command and leadership positions in MINDEF and the SAF. Recipients of the SAF Medicine Scholarship and SAF Dentistry Scholarship will return as Medical Officers and Dental Officers, and be groomed for senior medical positions in the SAF Medical Corps. The Defence Merit Scholarship recipients will return as Defence Executive Officers and be groomed for senior management positions in MINDEF by taking on varied job challenges to hone their skills in critical defence areas. The PSC Scholarship (Engineering) – Defence and Security, and DSTA Scholarship recipients will be groomed through multiple career pathways for engineering and technological leadership positions in the defence technology community.
Also present at the awards ceremony this evening were senior officials from MINDEF and the SAF, DSTA, DSO National Laboratories, the Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT), members of the PSC, school representatives, as well as invited guests of the scholarship recipients.
More Resources
Fact Sheet: The Defence Scholarships and Profiles of Scholarship Recipients