Training@MaritimeSingapore

Scope

Must be MPA Pre-approved courses (SC)        

Types of courses

• Maritime-related courses, seminars or conferences

[Note: MPA is currently reviewing the funding framework for decarbonisation courses related to future fuels and carbon accounting and will not be processing MCF applications for such courses until further notice.]

• For the following courses, only maritime employees would be eligible for MCF co-funding:
  • IT skills*
  • Data analytics*
  • Green Technology with maritime focus*
  • Soft skills customised for the maritime industry

[Note: MPA will cease funding support for the above courses with effect from 1 Jan 2024.]

  *Courses must be listed in SkillsFuture course directory

• Classroom-based
• E-learning
• Live, online training

Including hybrid mode of training involving a mixture of in-person and remote attendees

Who can qualify

• Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
• Self-sponsored individuals, or employees sponsored by business entities/organisations registered or incorporated in Singapore*. They must not be receiving any other form of financial assistance from another government body for the same course with the exception of SkillsFuture Credit or SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC)**
• For classroom-based and live, online learning courses, attendees must attain at least 75% attendance
• With effect from 1 Jan 2025, with the exception of conferences and seminars, attendees must pass the course assessment
• For e-learning courses, attendees must complete all modules

How much

30%* / 50% / 70%** co-funding of the course fee (excluding GST)

How to apply (for participants)

Submit MCF Application Form Trainees to the training service provider before course commences

How to apply for course pre-approval (for training service providers)

Please submit your applications via the Training Partners Gateway.

Getting Started

Other information

For Training Service Providers

• Training programme must be well-structured (i.e. with lesson plans and specific performance objectives)
• With effect from 1 Jan 2025, with the exception of conferences and seminars, training programmes must include an assessment component. Course attendees applying for MCF funding are required to pass the course assessment
• Classroom-based training programmes must be conducted in Singapore.
• Training programme must not have commenced prior to application
• Orientation and induction programmes are not supported
• Training service providers are required to submit the claim on behalf of all eligible participants, no later than 1 month after completion of the course
• For course runs conducted on or after 1 Oct 2023, Training service providers are required to take e-attendance via SingPass through the use of the QR Code generated by the TPGateway. Sufficient attendance kiosks must be set up to allow participants to scan the dynamic QR code with their SingPass app. Attendees’ details will be automatically captured and instantly synced to TPGateway. 
• For e-learning courses, the platform must demonstrate system capability to validate attendance records and track attendees’ progress.
• For live, online training, Training Service Providers will be required to fulfil additional requirements over and above existing criteria, as follows:           
  • Technical Support - Onsite technical support must be provided either by Training Service Providers or platform vendor during the training.
  • Live participation - The live training platform should have interactive features to allow trainers and participants to communicate, raise questions or facilitate group discussions.
  • Participants’ Attendance - To demonstrate if the participants have met the 75% attendance requirement, the live training platform must have the system capabilities to validate attendance records and track trainees’ progress, with the following documentary requirements:
    - Name and email address of trainer;
    - Name and email address of trainees;
    - Date and time records of delivery of training session;
    - Date and time records of trainees’ presence;
    - Time-stamped snapshots of trainees (with video cameras turn on) at start and end of session; and
    - All trainees must turn on video cameras throughout the session.
  • Training service providers will be required to keep the above documentation for a period of up to 3 years from completion of each course for audit purposes and produce them when requested.
    
  • Authentication of Participants - Checks should be put in place by Training Service Providers to authenticate participants. 
  • Checks by MPA - Upon request, Training Service Providers are required to provide the course link to MPA to enable checks during the conduct of lesson.
• Live, online training programmes may be conducted in Singapore or from an overseas location and Training Service Providers offering live, online training can be based overseas provided that the course administration (i.e. course registration, fee collection, etc) is done by the local entity.
• With effect from 1 April 2022, Training Service Providers administering courses approved under MCF-Short Courses are required to charge nett fee, i.e. full fee minus MCF course fee funding, to eligible course participants.
• The following fees (before GST) are chargeable for applications and appeals made on the TPGateway:
  

For courses commencing on or after 27 March 2023

Training Service Providers are required to manage the pre-approved MCF courses commencing on or after 27 March 2023 on TPGateway, including:

-    Create and manage course runs and course sessions;

-  Submit enrolments, attendance, fee collection status and outcome of assessment (for asynchronous e-learning only) for eligible MCF applicants for each course run; and

-   Submit make-up attendance (e.g. trainee missed a class and attended a make-up class), if applicable.

Training Service Providers are required to strictly adhere to the following submission timelines:

Late submissions are not eligible for funding in the system. Training Service Providers must submit an appeal to MPA and manage course fee collection for such cases offline.

Grant disbursement approvals will be informed through TPGateway. Training Service Providers are reminded to check TPGateway on the status of their grant disbursement approval.

Grants will be paid to the Training Service Provider’s Corporate PayNow. Training Service Providers must set up their Corporate PayNow account and provide details of their PayNow account on TPGateway for the disbursement of grants.

Queries

Please refer to resources in the above section “How to apply for course pre-approval (for training service providers)”.

Scope

Must be MPA pre-approved courses (CC)

For courses which are not in the pre-approved listing, please refer to section “How to apply (for participants)” below on how to enquire on funding availability.

Types of courses

• Maritime-related courses

[Note: MPA is currently reviewing the funding framework for decarbonisation courses related to future fuels and carbon accounting and will not be processing MCF applications for such courses until further notice.]

• For the following courses, only maritime employees would be eligible for MCF co-funding:
  • IT skills*
  • Data analytics*
  • Green technology with maritime focus*
  • Soft skills customised for the maritime industry
  • Executive leadership courses^

*Courses must be listed in SkillsFuture course directory.

^For local courses, Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents may apply. For overseas courses, Singapore Citizens may apply.

[Note: MPA will cease funding support for the above courses with effect from 1 Jan 2024.]

• Classroom-based
• Distance-learning
• Live, online training

Including hybrid mode of training involving a mixture of in-person and remote attendees

Who can qualify

• Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
  The above requirement must be met on or before commencement of course.
• Self-sponsored individuals^, or maritime employees sponsored by business entities/organisations registered or incorporated in Singapore^^. This excludes shipyards, companies in the offshore and marine engineering sector, ferry cruise lines, government agencies and statutory boards, etc. They must not be receiving any other form of financial assistance from another government body for the same course with the exception of SkillsFuture Study Award.
• Participants must successfully complete the programme and be awarded with the certification.

How much

• Up to 70% co-funding of the course/tuition fee (excluding GST), subject to a cap 

How to apply (for participants)

• New! Application-less regime: Applicants are not required to submit an application for MCF co-funding support if they wish to pursue any of the certifiable courses in the MCF pre-approved list. Applicants can make use of the MCF-CC self-assessment checklist to check their eligibility for MCF grant support. Eligible applicants can submit their claims within one year from the date of successful completion of course.
• Applicants can enquire on availability of funding support for relevant courses not in the pre-approved list by emailing to mcf@mpa.gov.sg.  Examples of certifiable courses that may be considered for co-funding support on case-to-case basis are:
  • IT skills*
  • Data analytics*
  • Green technology with maritime focus*
  • Soft skills customised for the maritime industry
  • Executive leadership courses
  • PhD programmes, provided that the scope of dissertation is maritime-related

How to apply for course pre-approval (for training service providers/institutes of higher learning)

• Submit Application Form for Training Service Providers/Institute of Higher Learning to  mcf@mpa.gov.sg for pre-approval at least 30 days before course commencement date
• For live, online training, Training Service Providers / Institutes of Higher Learning will be required to fulfil additional requirements over and above existing criteria, as follows:

• Technical Support - Onsite technical support must be provided either by Training Service Providers / Institutes of Higher Learning or platform vendor during the training.
• Live participation - The live training platform should have interactive features to allow trainers and participants to communicate, raise questions or facilitate group discussions.
• Authentication of Participants - Checks should be put in place by Training Service Providers to authenticate participants. 
• Checks by MPA - Upon request, Training Service Providers are required to provide the course link to MPA to enable checks during the conduct of lesson. 

Live, online training programmes may be conducted in Singapore or from an overseas location and Training Service Providers / Institutes of Higher Learning offering live, online training can be based overseas provided that the course administration (i.e. course registration, fee collection, etc) is done by the local entity.

How to claim

• For claimants whose application has been approved earlier, please submit a copy of the awarded certification and proof of payment to mcf@mpa.gov.sg upon completion of the course, and no later than 3 months after the end of the course.
• For claimants on application-less regime, please submit the MCF-Certifiable Course claim form, no later than one year from the date of completion^ of course. The following documents would be required for the submission:
  

• Copy of NRIC (front and back) of course participant
• Copy of course completion certificate
• Copy of invoices and receipts for course fees
• Copy of e-signature of authorised company representative
• Copies of relevant bank statement or remittance advice to show the equivalent payment in Singapore dollars or the foreign exchange rate used.

• Participants who have received MCF support are obligated to serve the maritime industry for 1 year after the course completion

^The course completion date refers to date of conferment of degree or date of issuance as indicated on the certificate of completion.

Scope

• Well-structured in-house training programme conducted in Singapore for employees to gain knowledge and experience in maritime domains

Types of courses

• Maritime-related courses

[Note: MPA is currently reviewing the funding framework for decarbonisation courses related to future fuels and carbon accounting and will not be processing MCF applications for such courses until further notice.]

• IT skills
• Data analytics
• Green technology with maritime focus
• Soft skills customised for the maritime industry
  

[Note: MPA will cease funding support for the above courses with effect from 1 Jan 2024.]

• Classroom-based
• Live, online training

Including hybrid mode of training involving a mixture of in-person and remote attendees

For live, online training, applicants must ensure that the training service providers whom they have engaged are able to fulfil the following requirements:

• Technical Support - Onsite technical support must be provided by applicant or Training Service Providers during the training.
• Live participation - The live training platform should have interactive features to allow trainers and participants to communicate, raise questions or facilitate group discussions.
• Participants’ Attendance - To demonstrate if the participants have met the 75% attendance requirement, the live training platform must have the system capabilities to validate attendance records and track trainees’ progress, with the following documentary requirements: 
  - Name and email address of trainer; 
  - Name and email address of trainees; 
  - Date and time records of delivery of training session; 
  - Date and time records of trainees’ presence; 
  - Time-stamped snapshots of trainees (with video cameras turn on) at start and end of session; and 
  - All trainees must turn on video cameras throughout the session.

Duration

• Locally-based trainer: at least 1 day
• Overseas-based trainer: min. 3 working days to 6 months

Who can qualify

• Maritime businesses/organisations registered or incorporated in Singapore, and not receiving any other form of financial assistance from another government body for the same in-house training programme
• Training programme should be conducted by an instructor and in the form of a workshop/lecture
• At least 25% of the trainees (employees) must be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents
• Trainees (employees) must attain at least 75% attendance at the course

How much

50% co-funding of qualifying costs (i.e. professional fees and economy return airfare/subsistence allowance for overseas-based trainers), subject to a cap

How to apply

Submit MCF Application Form for In-house Training to mcf@mpa.gov.sg, at least 30 days before course commences

How to claim

Submit a copy of the signed attendance sheet (for classroom-based training) or system-generated attendance log and other required documentation as specified above under ‘Participants Attendance’ (for live, online learning), the trainer’s invoice and receipt of payment to mcf@mpa.gov.sg upon completion of the programme, and no later than 3 months after the end of the programme