Up to 20 per cent of university places will go to them - this year, at most 2,940 places.

Over 20,000 applications a year. Less than 3,000 expected to take up offer.

More places in less popular courses, such as engineering and computing, will go to foreigners.

Foreigners will pay on average $9,540 at NUS and NTU in yearly tuition fees. At SMU, it is $13,700 for most courses.

Fees are subsidised by 50 per cent. There is a three-year bond upon graduation. If a foreign graduate leaves without serving the three years, he must pay back the tuition grant he got with 10 per cent compounded interest per annum.