1/16

The 15 finalists vying to be crowned Miss Universe Singapore 2016.

2/16

S Sreevana, 24, participated in Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant 2011 and Miss Singapore India 2011. She enjoys cycling, bowling and playing badminton.

3/16

Pooja Gill, 25, isn’t new to the pageant scene, having been a finalist in The New Paper New Face in 2006. The full-time model has also participated in Miss Tourism Queen 2007, Miss Asia Pacific World 2014 and Miss Eurasia 2016.

4/16

Sonya Elisabeth Branson is of English, Indian, Portuguese, Peranakan and Dutch descent. The 25-year-old has a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in psychology and an honours degree in psychology at the University of Western Australia.

5/16

Shanice Hedger, 21, is a communications undergraduate from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). She enjoys singing and was in both seasons of the Channel 5 reality TV singing competition “The Final 1″.

6/16

Vanessa Tiara Tay is on a mission to raise awareness for people who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The 19-year-old was Miss Singapore Chinatown in 2015.

7/16

Patricia Eng, 27, enjoys sports and outdoor adventures, having climbed the Mount Rinjani in Indonesia and Stok Kangri in India. She volunteers regularly at animal and dog shelters.

8/16

Althea Lew, 25, is a marketing manager with an honours degree in business administration from the National University of Singapore (NUS). She enjoys dancing, diving and traveling around the world.

9/16

Shona Woo, 26, participated in the Mediacorp reality TV talent show “Hey Gorgeous 2013″. The chemistry graduate from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is passionate about education.

10/16

Tanisha Lissa Khan, 18, is currently pursuing a diploma in business at Temasek Polytechnic. She enjoys playing football and is interested in speech and drama as well as acting.

11/16

Cheryl Chou, 20, is a fitness and health junkie who loves to cook and exercise. She is currently pursuing a bachelor in fine arts (fashion media and industries) at LASALLE College of the Arts.

12/16

Hazel Tay, 25, was born and raised in Brunei by her Singaporean father and Bruneian mother. The data analyst enjoys yoga, reading and playing the piano.

13/16

Joeypink Lai, 24, aspires to be an entrepreneur and hopes to own a clothing brand. The Ngee Ann Polytechnic alumna is a real estate agent.

14/16

Nikki Tay, 23, is a trainee lawyer, having completed her Bachelor of Law at the University of Bristol in the UK. She hopes to break the stereotype that a woman cannot be beautiful and intelligent at the same time.

15/16

Luisa Gan is a budding actress fluent in English, Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia. The 22-year-old dreams of creating her own brand of cosmetics and clothing.

16/16

Nutan Rai Ramesh Rai, 24, is a full-time nurse specialising in diabetic retinopathy at the National Eye Centre. The freelance model is interested in dance and badminton.

Fifteen Singaporeans will be vying for the Miss Universe Singapore 2016 title at the grand final of the contest in Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel on 16 October.

The winner of the coveted title will win a cash prize of $10,000, beauty wellness services from Beaute Hub worth $24,000, dental aesthetic services from Orchard Scotts Dental worth up to $20,000, and personal training from Bodyburn Fitness Singapore worth $9,000.

From an aspiring entrepreneur, a trainee lawyer to a budding actress, these are the finalists competing in the beauty contest.