Professional Study and Exchange
For short-term study visits on research, horticulture and botanic gardens management.
Last updated 23 April 2026
The Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) offer opportunities to carry out short-term study visits with our staff to explore our research work, horticultural work, botanic gardens management, educational outreach and visitor management. This special programme is offered to botanists, taxonomists, tertiary-level students, and professional staff working in botanic gardens, herbaria, arboreta / forest departments, and educational institutions.
The programme is highly competitive as there is a limited intake per year. We invite you to take full advantage of the opportunities and facilities we offer by joining us in the programme.
About The Programme
The purpose of the Study Visit / Exchange Programme is to provide colleagues from botanic gardens and tertiary students from educational institutions with a unique opportunity to exchange information and technical expertise and utilise our excellent collections and facilities in an applied setting.
The study visit or exchange programme is mainly catered for periods ranging from two weeks to one month. The programme is flexible and individualised according to the interests of the participant and availability of staff time. Goals and priorities are developed by the participant in cooperation with the Deputy Director of Library, Training and External Relations.
Participants will be attached in the Gardens with colleagues as peer-professionals in a mutual exchange of information and expertise. Close contact with staff encourages maximum growth for everyone involved. Reciprocal staff exchanges between the Gardens and other institutions are encouraged; but not mandatory. Participants are welcome year round but subject to availability of resources at SBG and intake quota.
Specialty Areas
The Gardens offer a broad spectrum of specialties to choose from, including:
Arboriculture Management
Curation of Specialised Living Plant Collections (e.g. Orchidaceae, Arecaceae & Zingiberaceae)
Education: Programmes for Students (Learning Journey), Children and Families, and Adults.
General Nursery Management
Herbarium Management and Curation
Horticulture Management
Jacob Ballas Children Garden’s Ground Management
Micropropagation and Molecular Laboratory that entails utilising tissue culture facilities for propagation projects and genetic lab equipment for taxonomic and/or population studies
National Orchid Garden Display & Landscape Management
National Orchid Garden Nursery Management and Orchid Breeding Programme
Singapore Garden Festival set-up in the middle of even-numbered years
Taxonomy that entails utilising the Herbarium and Library collections for research work
Visitor Services Management
Volunteer Programme & Management
Programme Pre-requisites
Stipend & Accommodation
Participating institutions or individuals are encouraged to cover their own stipend during the period of attachment to the Gardens.
Each institution sending staff/students or individual professionals are responsible for covering all necessary costs incurred, such as flights, transport, insurance coverage and visa applications, while attached in Singapore.
Report Submission
All research study visitors are required to submit a report on their visit to SBG within 3 months of departing from Singapore.
For other participants, they are required to submit the reports of their experience in SBG within 1 month of departing from Singapore.
Application Criteria
Applicants must have a good command of the English Language (both oral and written).
Applicants must be a current employee of a botanic garden, arboretum, forest department, park, museum, zoo, or related institution, or a current student in a recognised university.
OR
Applicants must be a graduate student or in a higher degree/diploma programme in Horticulture/Botany/Science at recognised universities or training institution, or have a PhD or equivalent in Botany or Science.
Application Procedure
Applicants are asked to submit the following:
A resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
Letter of support from their institution
Name of a referee or supervisor
Contact information of referee or supervisor
A proposal outlining what they would like to learn or accomplish within this programme
The areas they wish to be attached in the Gardens
Next Steps for Enquiry and Application
How to Enquire and Apply
Applications for this programme are submitted via email. Before applying, please carefully review the programme prerequisites listed above.
Enquiries and applications will reach the following persons:
Dr Nura Abdul Karim (Deputy Director / Library, Training & External Relations)
Serena Lee (Senior Manager / Herbarium)