Well, i think its fair to say that its an investment. I'm planning to go for a master's after 3 years of working. Have to remain competitive if you want to stay in the rat race...

today is my confirmation, hope to increase my pay by a 100

Wow! Graduated from UOL and you get only $2k? that's demoralizing. No offense.

I'm a diploma holder. After 3.5 years in the working world, my current salary is $2k.
At present, I'm taking a part-time degree from UOL and from your $2k starting salary, I'm starting to think that I'm wasting my money and time taking higher studies @ UOL. I hope I'm not making the wrong choice.

Do you mind sharing what industry are you working in?

In Singapore, degree and diploma got big difference, but MBA and degree little difference lar. Any clown got money to spend can also get some part time private U or NUS/NTU MBA, where got value add?

If one to get Masters at least get something specialised and useful like the Engineering or Life Science or IT related majors. After that can at least move up to specialist roles.

So when you take UOL what kind of pay increase are you looking for exactly? No offense to you also, but if your UOL degree is generic business admin or humanities go outside look for job at most co. will only consider you as fresh local degree grad ~2.4k.

It all depends on your expectations, if you study as some sort of self development for the future, it will help you career wise modestly over long term. But if you are expecting some sort of significant jump in pay, dun think it will happen.

What ~2.4k? With generic business admin degree can go into investment banking with starting pay at least ~240k. That's why all the engineers regretted not studying business admin and losing out to their peers.

You mentioned "UOL degree is generic business admin or humanities go outside look for job at most co. will only consider you as fresh local degree grad ~2.4k."

How about UOL Accounting and Finance?? i might be dreaming but is it possible getting an increment to between 2.5k-3k after graduated?

it's possible, depends on the cable link you have upon entering the company, ie, network. if not, you have to climb the ladder lawfully.

you need to get ACCA afterwards and CPA as well to move on.

but i had a frd who graduated last year from UOL and managed to get hold of a job just recently. i guess market must have been harsh on UOL these days.

If you really want my honest opinion, yes you can. But you have to ask yourself whether it's worth lor. You can join a big4 (they take in any Tom Dick Harry these days as cheap labour) start at 2.7k now, but they really work you like a bloody cow.

Joining big MNC as Finance Executive will be much harder because competition very fierce and UOL is kinda "bleh" compared to the local U.

Big4 = no life.

Don't make the same mistake I did last time, was wowed by the brand name and thought going there and chiong no day no night for a few years will open up door to lucrative jobs in MNCs after that.

When I left after 3 years to join corporate finance, so many people also got big4 experience it wasn't worth much to companies. In the end join TNT as an accountant for 4k, not too bad for 3 yrs exp, but now think back totally not worth it. I could have a much easier life and still get 3.5k after 3 years in a big co.

I do not have a degree and did not regret not getting one after stopping at Poly Diploma, for I know I'm not of the material for studying. Been changing jobs a couple of times in Engineering before finally ended up working offshore on semi subs as a hydraulic technician. It's not as safe as working in the offices of big four or other companies, I have to admit. But it pays and I'm drawing US$13.5K with 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off. It allows me to pursue some personal interests during my off days, which is the thing that attracts me to this industry. And yes, they do pay during my off day if you ask, albeit a couple of thousand bucks lower for not having to face the risks of working offshore.