Introduced in 1971, the SAFOS is a prestigious scholarship, widely recognised as second only to the President's Scholarship. There are 281 SAFOS recipients to date.

Past SAF overseas scholars include Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong and Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral Ng Chee Peng.

The five SAFOS recipients this year are:

Name: Second Lieutenant Geeva S/O Gopal Krishnan

Junior College: Raffles Institution (Junior College)

Course: Departing for studies in 2012 

Name: Officer Cadet (OCT) Chia Boon Liang Matthias

Junior College: Raffles Institution (Junior College)

Course: Politics, Philosophy and Economics, University of Pennsylvania, USA 

Name: Midshipman (MID) Koh Zhan Wei Aaron

Junior College: Hwa Chong Institution

Course: International Relations, University of Pennsylvania, USA 

Name: MID Thia Shan Zhi

Junior College: Raffles Institution (Junior College)

Course: History, Tufts University, USA 

Name: OCT Tan E-An

Junior College: Hwa Chong Institution

Course: Economics, University of Pennsylvania, USA