SIM University is offering 150 courses, ranging from languages and sciences to technology and culinary arts, specifically for senior citizens who are keen on continuous learning.

Each certificate course, usually comprising about 10 hours a week over six to 12 weeks, costs $850 and students will need about 15 courses to obtain a diploma.

However, different students in different age groups can get discounts off their course fees - students above 50 will get 10 per cent off while those above 60 get a 20 per cent discount, The Straits Times reported today.

Set up in 2005 to promote adult learning, UniSIM is making several other concessions to allow senior citizens to study at their own pace while interacting with younger classmates in a campus setting. They can sign up for a course even without the minimum five O level passes, provided they pass an interview or a test.

In addition, examinations are not compulsory. Senior students can qualify for a certificate of attendance instead of a full certificate if one wishes to.

If they do qualify for a certificate, they can go on to accumulate enough course time to graduate with a diploma and then on to a degree in general studies.

At the programme's launch yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Boon Heng said the programme stood out because it catered to an individual's interests and offered flexibility.

The new general studies programme was developed by UniSIM and the Council for Third Age (C3A), an independent body that promotes active ageing.

Applications for the new programme close on Oct 27.