New to filing? This friendly, keyword-optimised guide explains Singapore income tax for students, internship tax rules, fresh graduate tax filing, allowable reliefs, and deadlines—so you stay compliant and pay only what you legally owe.
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🧭 How Singapore Taxes Individuals (Student Edition)
- Calendar basis: You’re taxed on income earned Jan–Dec. Your return for that year is assessed in the next Year of Assessment (YA) (e.g., income in 2024 → YA 2025).
- Who must file? If you receive a filing notice or your annual income generally exceeds SGD 22,000, you must file. Many first-timers get No-Filing Service—but still check your details online.
- Deadlines: Paper by 15 Apr; e-Filing by 18 Apr (YA deadlines).
- Resident rates (YA 2025): Progressive 0%–24% after reliefs. Non-residents: employment income at 15% flat or resident rates (higher of the two); most other income at 24%.
💼 Is Your Internship or Part-Time Income Taxable?
- Internship/part-time jobs: Wages, allowances, overtime, bonuses—taxable employment income.
- Scholarships/bursaries: Generally not taxable if they’re true education awards and not payment for services. If you’re paid to perform work (e.g., company allowance for duties), it’s typically taxable.
- Short-term work: If a visiting non-resident works ≤ 60 days in a calendar year, income may be exempt (excludes directors and public entertainers). Most local students don’t rely on this.
🎓 Fresh Graduate? Your First Tax Return Checklist
- Create/activate Singpass and log in to myTax Portal.
- Verify Auto-Inclusion income from your employer (most companies submit directly to IRAS).
- Declare any side-hustle/self-employed income (freelance tutoring, content creation, online sales, delivery/gig apps).
- Claim personal reliefs you qualify for (see below) and review the SGD 80,000 overall relief cap.
- Submit by the April deadline. Opt for GIRO monthly instalments to spread payment.
🧾 Common Reliefs & Deductions for Students and New Workers
| Relief / Deduction | What It Covers | Typical Amount / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Earned Income Relief | Given when you have employment or business income | Up to SGD 1,000 if you’re under 55 |
| Course Fees Relief | Tuition/exam fees for approved work-related courses | Up to SGD 5,500 per YA; can be claimed within 2 YAs of completion; slated to lapse from YA 2026 |
| Donations to IPCs | Cash, shares, approved gifts to IPC charities | 250% tax deduction; make by 31 Dec |
| Professional Subscriptions | Fees to bodies required for your job | Claim actual amount (if not paid by employer) |
| Self-Employed Expenses | Business-only costs (software, marketing, phone split, platforms) | Claim actuals; keep receipts & logs (or use prescribed ratios if applicable) |
Overall relief cap: Total personal reliefs per YA are capped at SGD 80,000.
🧪 Side Hustles, Freelancing & Platform Work
- Income from tuition, content creation, online stores, ride-hailing, deliveries, design gigs etc. is business income (declare net profit = revenue − allowable expenses).
- Keep ledgers for sales, bank in/out, platform statements, equipment and software invoices.
- Some intermediaries submit income info to IRAS—declare consistently to avoid audit flags.
🍀 What’s Typically Not Taxable for Individuals
- Interest from Singapore-approved banks and licensed finance companies.
- Dividends from Singapore-resident companies (one-tier system).
- Foreign-sourced income generally not taxed for individuals unless received via a Singapore partnership.
- Windfalls like lottery/betting winnings (but gambling as a trade is different).
🧮 Example: First-Job Tax (YA 2025)
Scenario: You earned SGD 36,000 from your first job in 2024. You donated SGD 200 to an IPC and claimed SGD 2,000 of course fees. Earned Income Relief applies (SGD 1,000).
- Assessable Income: 36,000
- Total Reliefs: 1,000 (earned) + 2,000 (course) + 500 (donation × 250%) = 3,500
- Chargeable Income: 36,000 − 3,500 = 32,500
- Tax (bands): 0–20k @0% = 0; next 10k @2% = 200; next 2.5k @3.5% = 87.50 → SGD 287.50
- YA 2025 Rebate: 60% × 287.50 = SGD 172.50 (below SGD 200 cap)
- Net tax payable ≈ SGD 115.00
(Illustrative only. Your numbers vary with your actual income and reliefs.)
🏦 CPF, SRS & Other Planning Moves for New Workers
- CPF: Applies to Singapore Citizens/PRs. Your mandatory employee CPF contributions create CPF Relief (within caps).
- SRS (Supplementary Retirement Scheme): Voluntary contributions can reduce taxable income; consider this once you’re earning steadily (Dec 31 cut-off each year).
- Donations: Time IPC donations before year-end to lock in the 250% deduction for the coming YA.
📝 How to File Your First Return (Step-by-Step)
- Log in to myTax Portal with Singpass.
- Confirm pre-filled employment income; add any gig/freelance earnings under “Trade, Business, Profession or Vocation”.
- Enter reliefs/donations you qualify for.
- Review tax calculation; submit by 18 Apr (e-Filing).
- When you receive your Notice of Assessment, pay within 1 month or set up GIRO instalments.
⚠️ Common Rookie Mistakes (and Easy Fixes)
- Thinking internships aren’t taxable—they usually are if you’re doing work.
- Forgetting to declare side-hustle income.
- Missing receipts for course fees or business expenses—scan and store them now.
- Waiting past 31 Dec to donate or contribute to SRS—then you miss that YA.
🙋♀️ Quick FAQs for Students & Fresh Grads
Q: I started work in Oct 2024. Do I still file for YA 2025?
A: Yes—declare your Oct–Dec 2024 income in YA 2025 if you’re required to file.
Q: My bank interest is small. Do I declare it?
A: Interest from Singapore-approved banks is generally not taxable for individuals.
Q: I sold items online occasionally. Is that taxable?
A: Casual sales of personal belongings are not taxable; systematic buying-to-sell/gig commerce is business income and should be declared.
✅ Final Takeaway
For students and first-year employees, tax is simple once you know the steps: track your income, claim the right reliefs, file by April, and use GIRO if needed. Learn the rules now—you’ll save money and avoid stress every future YA.
