Singapore as an introduction into life in Asia August 14, 2025

By (Media Arts and Sciences, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/13/2025 to 05/09/2025 with

Yale-NUS College: Singapore - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The most meaningful part of my exchange was the opportunity to live in Asia for a significant period of time. I have long considered moving to Asia, and this experience certainly helped me understand what that would look and feel like. I have heard many people say that Singapore is too small to be interesting for long, but I thoroughly disagree — the city truly has so much to offer.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Incredible academic resources, especially in terms of study spaces. Courses were on par or easier than those at my school.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a single bedroom within a suite — shared bathroom and living room. The place provided suitable furniture and was spacious enough to be comfortable. Unfortunately, after two months of living there, I began finding mold on my things. From then on, at least once a week, I discovered something else had molded. I had to throw out many of my things, and buy special cleaning agents to sterilize other things. At one point, my entire wardrobe was contaminated. The stress of dealing with this ongoing situation definitely impacted my mental health, and I believe that living with and breathing in mold for that amount of time affected my physical health as well. I went back and forth with the building management for months, often having to defend myself with photographic evidence as the staff tried to gaslight me into thinking that there was no mold. Later, I was told that the entire dormitory building has a recurring issue with mold, and that the only thing they could do was to move me to a different room, which also probably had mold.

* Food:

I was very grateful to have had access to a dining plan at NUS, as many of my fellow-exchangers did not. The dining hall always had plenty of options to choose from, with 6 choices at breakfast and 7 at dinner. Portions were scaled to the size/preference of the individual, and meals always included vegetables — a rare find outside of the dining hall.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

UHC services were very accessible, and system very organized. Services were generally very good, although different doctors were more or less helpful. I visited the UHC quite a few times for different reasons, and the doctors almost always addressed my health concerns with genuine care and concern. They are, at least relative to the US, quite quick to prescribe strong medications (especially for pain), but you can also choose not to fill a prescription if you do not wish to.

* Safety:

Both the city and campus are incredibly safe. I felt entirely comfortable walking around late at night by myself, and never had any incident. It is also quite common for students to leave their personal belongings (laptop, wallet, etc) behind for 1hr+ without fear of anything being stolen. Dormitories also have cameras all throughout — lobby, inside elevator, laundry/kitchen, down every hallway — which adds to a feeling of security.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

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

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 60

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Campus
  • City
  • Safety
* What could be improved?
  • Dormitories
  • Communication from the university
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I do wish I had known a bit more about the school culture, but I don't think it was necessary either way.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.