Education in Singapore or Studying in Japan for Courses in Bioinformatics

Courses in Bioinformatics are about learning to use and develop software tools to understand biological data to support multiple areas of scientific research, including biomedicine. You can think of Bioinformatics as essential in the linguistics part of genetics. As linguistics look at patterns in language, in a similar vein, bioinformaticians look for patterns within sequences of protein or DNA.

Why study Bioinformatics?

In various courses in Bioinformatics, the aim is to better understand the genetic basis of disease, unique adaptations, desirable properties, or differences between populations. Also, it is a field of computer science that deals with the analysis of sequences of biological molecules. Usually refers to genes, DNA, RNA, or protein and is particularly useful in comparing genes and other sequences.

Why Southeast Asia is ideal for Indians for courses in Bioinformatics

Southeast Asia is an ideal place for Indian clinicians to begin their careers in Bioinformatics with the education of Singapore, Japan, Thailand being some of the options.This article describes in detail the career opportunities available for Bioinformaticians in East Asian countries. For example, these include Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan.

Analysing the education of Singapore, merits of studying in Japan and others

To start your career in Bioinformatics, you need to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree from a university in Southeast Asia. There are many universities at your reach. Some of the renowned universities include the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Keio University, the and University of Malaya among others. The typical course duration is 1 to 2 years, depending upon the university you opt for.

National University Singapore, Korea University, University Malaya, Keio University, University Indonesia, University of Philippines Manila are popular for Bioinformatics. The Bioinformatics course is discussed in detail here.

Admission requirements for studying in Japan, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries

They require an application form, certified copies of transcripts, a minimum GPA, statement of purpose, and recommendation letters. Also, colleges ask candidates to submit English proficiency test scores like TOEFL, TEPS, IELTS or GRE, etc. However, these are not strictly necessary.

The tuition fees for courses ranges from $3000-$7000 depending on the college you apply for. However, there is a provision of scholarship based on your academic and financial records. The average living expenses come to around $500 per month. Additionally, various part-time jobs can compensate for this.

Job growth after courses in Bioinformatics

As per reportsanddata.com, the global Bioinformatics market was valued at $7.95 billion in 2019 and is said to reach $19.3 billion by 2027. After completion of the degree job opportunities are available both in private and public hospitals, as well as to teach in universities. However, the pharmaceutical industry employs the greatest number of bioinformaticians.

Professionals working as bioinformaticians have reportable starting salaries from $40,000 after graduation from courses in Bioinformatics. However, it may vary slightly based on the country. There’s an expected spike in salary to $72,000 within a decade. The Southeast Asian countries are known for their low living cost except for Singapore. Hence, ample savings and suitable destinations are available to opt for varying courses in Bioinformatics field.

The job market in Southeast Asia is highly competitive. However, the employment rate is said to increase higher than average for Bioinformaticians in the coming years. A simple search with ‘Bioinformatics’ as keywords on popular job site like LinkedIn have listed over 9,000 job openings in various positions. Southeast Asia boasts close to around 1000 jobs available as of July 2021.

Conclusion

To conclude, Southeast Asia is home to a significant number of Indians. They come from all backgrounds as the lifestyle is similar and easier to adjust to who pursue courses in Bioinformatics among several non-clinical options.

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