The SAF Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS) was introduced in 1971,
with the aim of recruiting top students of each year's GCE 'A'
Levels cohort to serve in MINDEF and the SAF. The SAFOS is widely
recognised as second in prestige to the President's Scholarship,
with unparalleled career prospects.
Only about 1,000 of 5,000 male NSFs who sit for the GCE 'A' levels
each year will be selected for officer cadet training. Amongst
them, only about 60 will qualify for the SAFOS selection.
The SAFOS will pursue challenges and diversity of experiences
within the SAF and MINDEF. Their career paths are not limited to
MINDEF and the SAF. Suitable scholars may be deployed in other
Ministries as well.
With the heavy emphasis on talent grooming and management, MINDEF
has a committee chaired by the top management that oversees talent
management policies. This is explicitly shown in the developmental
programmes that MINDEF provides for the SAF overseas scholars,
which groom them to assume key appointments.
With ample training and exposure through taking on a variety of
challenging command and staff appointments, the SAF overseas
scholars are well prepared to hold top management positions in the
SAF, public service and private sector.
The selected scholars will be paid a full officer's salary during
their course of study, and receive a monthly maintenance allowance
and an annual book allowance. Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in
their first year of studies, the scholars will be promoted to the
rank of Lieutenant in their second year. One year after graduation,
they will be promoted to the rank of Captain.
Just wondering...the accelerated promotion for these group of
personalities...are they rewards to their performance or are they
just given freely as they are scholars? Personally, (don't flame me
for being jealous etc.) I'm just wondering, how competent are these
guys serving in the command role and their ability to perform under
combat situations.Just curios...anyone ever had experience with
SAFOS scholars, please share. Thanks!
