Last updated: 11 November 2026
The SSG/SWDA course fee subsidy is government funding that lowers the price of an approved course before you pay anything else. The fee left after the subsidy is your net fee, and the other schemes, such as SkillsFuture Credit (SFC) and UTAP, work on that number. Reading it correctly tells you what you will actually pay before you enrol.
What is the SSG/SWDA course fee subsidy?
Government funding covers part of the fee for approved courses. The funding agency is the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), formed from SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore, and many course pages still show the SSG name.
The size of the subsidy depends on the type of course. GoBusiness, the government’s business portal, lists funding of up to 70% of the course fee for courses at Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centres and up to 50% for certifiable courses. Check the course page for the rate that applies to the course you want.
What is a net fee?
The net fee is the full course fee minus the subsidy. It is the amount you owe before any credit or allowance. Work through the fee in this order:
- Start with the full course fee.
- Subtract the SSG/SWDA subsidy to get the net fee.
- Subtract SFC, if you are eligible and choose to use it. The MySkillsFuture portal says the credit is used on top of existing course fee subsidies.
- Subtract other schemes, such as UTAP, which NTUC calculates after the subsidy and any SFC.
GST sits outside this order. It is based on the full course fee at 9% and is not covered by subsidies, so it is added on top of what you owe.
Worked example: how a S$2,000 course becomes a S$250 payment
The figures below are made up for illustration. They do not describe a real course or a QD Academy fee, and the subsidy rate depends on the course.
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Full course fee | S$2,000 |
| SSG/SWDA course fee subsidy (50% in this example) | minus S$1,000 |
| Net fee | S$1,000 |
| SFC applied | minus S$500 |
| Fee left after the credit | S$500 |
| UTAP (50% of the fee left, within the yearly cap) | minus S$250 |
| You pay | S$250 |
The credit and UTAP only help learners who qualify. SFC is for Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above, and UTAP is for NTUC members.
The figures above leave out GST. GST is based on the full course fee at 9% and is not covered by subsidies, so on this S$2,000 course the GST is S$180, payable on top of the amounts above.
Which schemes work on top of the net fee?
- SkillsFuture Credit: S$500 for Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above, and S$4,000 mid-career credit for citizens aged 40 and above on selected courses.
- UTAP: 50% of the fee left after other funding, up to a yearly cap, for NTUC members.
- PSEA: the Post-Secondary Education Account, for Singapore Citizens who hold one.
- Absentee Payroll and the Enterprise Innovation Scheme: support for employers who send staff on training.
How do you read a provider’s fee breakdown?
Ask for a written breakdown that shows the full fee, the subsidy and the net fee. Check whether the provider charges anything outside the course fee, because the SkillsFuture FAQ on ask.gov.sg says SFC cannot pay a training provider’s registration, course withdrawal or administration charges. Keep the breakdown for your claims. Our guide on how to check whether a course is funded lists the questions to ask.
How does the subsidy fit with the other funding schemes?
The subsidy is one of several schemes. Our guide to funding for AI and skills training in Singapore compares them side by side.
Check your net fee with our team
QD Academy’s courses are taught by practitioners and funded for eligible learners. Our team checks which schemes apply to you and helps with the paperwork and claims for our own courses. See the Grants and Subsidies page for our calculators, or open a course page: Developing an Effective Customer Journey Map Using AI and Automation, AI-Powered Productivity Strategies for the Modern Workplace or Mastering AI for Sales Growth and Team Dynamics. Check the course page for the latest dates, fees and funding.
What is the difference between the SSG/SWDA subsidy and SkillsFuture Credit?
The SSG/SWDA subsidy is applied to the course fee by the funding agency, and everyone who qualifies for the course receives it. SkillsFuture Credit is a personal balance for Singapore Citizens, and you choose whether to use it on the fee that remains after the subsidy.
Who decides how much the subsidy is?
The subsidy depends on the type of course. GoBusiness lists funding of up to 70% for CET Centre courses and up to 50% for certifiable courses, so the course page and the provider’s fee breakdown show the rate for your course.
Can I use SkillsFuture Credit after the subsidy?
Yes. The MySkillsFuture portal says the base tier credit can be used on top of existing course fee subsidies, and you submit the claim online before the course starts.
Does UTAP apply before or after the subsidy?
After. NTUC calculates UTAP on the fee left once the SSG/SWDA subsidy and any SkillsFuture Credit have been taken off.
Can SkillsFuture Credit pay the provider’s registration or administration charges?
No. The SkillsFuture FAQ on ask.gov.sg says the credit cannot offset a training provider’s registration, course withdrawal or administration charges, so ask the provider whether any apply.