A worthwhile experience, great start for travel in SEA Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

NUS is very competitive and grades are based on a curve. The local students dedicate a lot of their time into studying so as an exchange student if you do not spend all of your time studying from the beginning until the end of the semester you will most likely not make an A. However a B/B- is very possible with a good amount of effort while also having time for other things such as travel. The professors are available before/after class and during office hours and are willing to help exchange students adjust to the curriculum. It was also difficult adjusting to the competitiveness of the school and many local students were much less willing to help with academic enquiries than students were at UT or any other foreign students I encountered.

On-site administration of your program

There was a lack of communication between the host university and exchange students. It was also very difficult to register for necessary classes.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Prince George's Park Residence is located next to the NUS bus stop and walkable distance to Kent Ridge Station, but it is rather isolated from other parts of campus and it is difficult to interact with local students there. UTown is very different, a majority of exchange students live there and it is easy to meet others and the campus is very large, but it is further from Kent Ridge station and you will need to walk across a bridge or take a bus to any other part of campus since UTown is across the expressway and the bus stop is always packed. Also note that UTown Residence, College of Alice and Peter Tan, Tembusu, Residential College 4, and the Yale/NUS housing is all a part of UTown. Any of the other Halls and PGPR are separate housings found all over the NUS campus.

The food at NUS is alright, it is pretty diverse but the quality is not the best. However it is very cheap since a meal costs about $2-5 and a drink can be less than $1. There are cheap hawker centers nearby such as at Clementi Mall, which is reachable by bus in less than 10 minutes. Or for nicer dining options nearby there is Buona Vista or VivoCity which are both a few stops away from Kent Ridge.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I adapted to the everyday lifestyle of a Singaporean student, but I did not have the opportunity to interact with many local students outside of class projects. However, NUS has a buddy system for exchange students that you can sign up for before you arrive so I highly suggest it since it is very helpful for them to pick you up at the airport and explain everything before school starts. There are also a couple of events for exchange students at the beginning of the semester to show them the city and introduce them to each other. The best way I found to integrate with other students is to find a group to try local eateries with.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

NUS has a university health center on campus available for exchange students. While I was there I visited once to get a shot and malaria pills before I travelled for recess week. The only thing that was disappointing was that I was charged for "consulting" with a doctor for less than 3 minutes when all she asked was how long I would be gone for and then gave me a prescription for malaria pills, when anything less than 15 minutes is supposedly free.

Singapore and more specifically the NUS campus is very safe. Although you shouldn't go around completely oblivious to your surroundings you should not worry too much about coming and going at night. Many times I returned after 11pm when the buses stopped and had to walk from Kent Ridge back to PGP and I did not have to worry. Taxis are also safe to take a night and the prices are fair. Students also tend to leave their things out, especially to save their seat while they go buy something from Starbucks, so it very normal to see laptops and wallets lying on tables everywhere.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It is fairly easy to stay on budget eating wise since all the canteens on campus are cheap, but if you want to go out for dinner it is pricey.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Meeting other exchange students
• Cheap fresh juice

• Preparing students for the competitiveness in modules

The Academic or Linguist