Use the official DSTA Young Defence Scientists Programme page as the starting point. It is the programme owner’s map of YDSP and its different activities.
Do not treat “YDSP” as one application with one set of rules. DSTA lists several strands—including the Science & Technology Camp, World of Science, Research@YDSP, the YDSP Scholarship and the YDSP Congress—so the correct source depends on the activity you mean.
After choosing the activity, check the current brochure, invitation, school notice or application instructions for the relevant year. Confirm the student level, whether entry is school-coordinated or direct, the deadline, required documents and whether submission means application rather than selection.
Find your next step
Use the official source first, then confirm the live route before acting. Choose the right source · Check the details · Take the next step.
Choose the right source
| What you need | Best source | Check here |
|---|---|---|
| Programme map | DSTA YDSP page | Official activity family and programme purpose |
| Activity details | Current DSTA brochure or activity notice | Audience, format, dates and requirements |
| School route | Science/STEM teacher or YDSP coordinator | Nomination, endorsement and internal deadlines |
| Clarification | DSTA YDSP contact shown on the official page | Questions not answered by the current notice |
Check the details
Know what YDSP covers
DSTA says YDSP has operated since 1992 and is an initiative by DSTA and DSO National Laboratories. The official page presents it as an early exposure route into defence science and technology, with mentoring, challenges and opportunities to showcase work. That overview is useful, but each activity can have its own audience and process.
Match the student to the activity
A camp, a research attachment, a scholarship and a congress do different jobs. Start by asking whether the student wants short exposure, sustained research, recognition or a presentation platform. Then read only the current instructions for that strand; an eligibility rule from one YDSP activity should not be copied to another.
Check the year and the route
Look for a current DSTA date, brochure or school communication. If a page explains the programme but does not show an open window, do not assume applications are open. Some opportunities may reach students through participating schools, and a school’s internal nomination date can be earlier than an organiser’s deadline.
Separate application from selection
Submitting an interest form, being nominated or completing requested documents does not guarantee a place. Check for selection criteria, confirmation emails, attendance expectations and any consent or project commitments. Keep the official activity name and year in your records so you do not mix instructions from different YDSP cycles.
Take the next step
Begin with the DSTA programme map, identify one activity, and ask the relevant school teacher for the current route. For adjacent opportunities, compare the Science Mentorship Programme guide, the Youth STEM Empowerment Programme guide and the Engineering Innovation Challenge guide.
Related guides in this batch
Where Can Secondary Students Find Youth Cyber Exploration Programme Information?
Where Can Students Check DSTA BrainHack Registration and Activity Information?
Where Can ITE and Polytechnic Students Find WorldSkills Singapore Competition Information?
Sources reviewed on 21 October 2026.