SINGAPORE · BONE MARROW DONOR PROGRAMME
Become a bone marrow donor in Singapore
For people who live in Singapore. Live somewhere else? Find your country.
If you live in Singapore, you can join Bone Marrow Donor Programme from age 18 to 49. BMDP posts the cheek-swab kit to your home in Singapore and you mail it back, and it says you stay eligible to donate until age 60. 1 Checked .
Browsing from another country? See how joining works where you live.
| Place | Singapore (新加坡, Singapura, சிங்கப்பூர்) |
|---|---|
| Region | South-eastern Asia, Asia 8 |
| Population | About 5.8 million (2023) 9 |
| Registry | Bone Marrow Donor Programme 2 3 |
| Who can join | Ages 18 to 49, listed until your 60th birthdayBMDP’s online form lists Singapore citizens, permanent residents, work permit and student visa holders and “others”, with length of stay. An older form on BMDP’s own website still asks whether you’re a Singapore citizen, permanent resident or Malaysian. 1 2 |
| How you sign up | Joining BMDP takes four steps: check your eligibility, fill in the online form (with Singpass, or by typing your details), swab your cheeks with the kit mailed to you, and mail it back to BMDP. 1 2 |
| Cost | Joining BMDP is free from 18 to 49. BMDP’s FAQ says people aged 50 can still register but pay $180, the amount its 2025 annual report says it costs BMDP to add one donor. 3 5 |
| Public cord blood bank | Singapore Cord Blood BankSingapore Cord Blood Bank, a non-profit community bank, takes donated cord blood at every obstetric hospital in Singapore at no charge to donors. Mothers must be at least 21 when they give birth, and donated units are listed for patients worldwide. 6 7 |
| Checked | |
| Next check |
A bone marrow donor registry is also called a stem cell or blood stem cell donor registry.
Who runs the bone marrow donor registry in Singapore?
How do I join in Singapore?
One service signs up people who live in Singapore: Bone Marrow Donor Programme.
Bone Marrow Donor Programme
Bone Marrow Donor Programme is a nonprofit organization.
18–49years old to join
- Who it’s for
- People who live in Singapore, aged 18 to 49.
- Language
- English
Why this one first Singapore’s national registry: register online and a cheek-swab kit comes by post (18–49).
Link checked Read the registry’s rules (opens in a new tab)
Cord blood donation
Singapore Cord Blood Bank
Singapore Cord Blood Bank is a nonprofit organization.
- Language
- English
Link checked Read Singapore Cord Blood Bank’s own page (opens in a new tab)
For patients and families
Bone Marrow Donor Programme
Bone Marrow Donor Programme is a nonprofit organization.
- Language
- English
Link checked
Who can join in Singapore?
BMDP’s FAQ says the Singapore Islamic Religious Council has issued a fatwa stating that it is permissible for Muslims to be marrow donors. 5
- Your health
- Most healthy adults can join. Some conditions rule it out. Read the registry’s health rules (opens in a new tab)
Singapore and the world’s donor search
BMDP’s 2025 annual report says its register stood at 128,695 donors at the end of 2025, and that 5,225 new donors joined during the year. 3
BMDP’s 2025 annual report says 76% of the donors on its register are Chinese, 9% Indian, 8% Malay and 7% other, and that patients from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds still face challenges finding a matching donor. 3
What happens after I join?
Your tissue type is recorded, so searches for patients can find you. If you match a patient, Bone Marrow Donor Programme contacts you, checks you’re still willing and well, and arranges more tests.
BMDP’s FAQ says it takes about 3 to 5 months from sending back your swab and form to joining the register, and that if you match a patient overseas your cells are still collected in Singapore and couriered to them. 5
Questions about joining in Singapore
Can I join if I’m not a citizen of Singapore?
BMDP’s online form lists Singapore citizens, permanent residents, work permit and student visa holders and “others”, with length of stay. An older form on BMDP’s own website still asks whether you’re a Singapore citizen, permanent resident or Malaysian. 1 2
How do I sign up in Singapore: online, by kit or in person?
Joining BMDP takes four steps: check your eligibility, fill in the online form (with Singpass, or by typing your details), swab your cheeks with the kit mailed to you, and mail it back to BMDP. 1 2
Does it cost anything to join in Singapore?
Joining BMDP is free from 18 to 49. BMDP’s FAQ says people aged 50 can still register but pay $180, the amount its 2025 annual report says it costs BMDP to add one donor. 3 5
How old do you have to be to join Bone Marrow Donor Programme?
Bone Marrow Donor Programme signs up people aged 18 to 49. It keeps you listed until your 60th birthday. 1
Is Bone Marrow Donor Programme part of the international donor search?
Yes. Bone Marrow Donor Programme is a member of the World Marrow Donor Association.
Can I donate cord blood in Singapore?
Singapore Cord Blood Bank, a non-profit community bank, takes donated cord blood at every obstetric hospital in Singapore at no charge to donors. Mothers must be at least 21 when they give birth, and donated units are listed for patients worldwide. 6 7
Questions about donating itself have their own pages: Does it hurt?, How donation works and Recovery.
The registries’ own pages
- Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP). Join The Register.
- Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP). Bone Marrow Donor Programme - A Donor For Every Patient (registration form).
- Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP). BMDP Annual Report 2025. 2026.
- Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP). Bone Marrow Donor Programme home page.
- Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP). Frequently Asked Questions.
- Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB). About SCBB.
- Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB). Public Donation.
The World Marrow Donor Association and other figures
- United Nations Statistics Division. Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49): Overview (English table).
- UN DESA Population Division. World Population Prospects 2024: Total population by sex (CSV).
Research and other sources
- Jada Bascom Foundation. About us: Jada’s story.Checked