My Exchange at The National University of Singapore – Business
I had always wanted to do an overseas exchange during my time at university and so I did some research online for how to do so. I came across the 360 international exchange program and kickstarted my exchange experience at the National University of Singapore with them.
When I first arrived in Singapore, I was sweating like crazy. I had just arrived from a trip in China (where it was hitting temperatures of -15°C) and so the temperature differences between the two places were massive. Not only that, it’s extremely humid so you feel all sticky after spending a couple of hours outside. The air conditioning systems were my lifesavers during my time here (no, really they were)
Weather aside, the country is so unique and cool! There’s so many different cultures and people in such a small country. It’s quite amazing to see everything blend together so nicely and for everyone to be getting along well with each other. There’s a bunch of attractions to go see, especially on Sentosa Island, but there’s also a lot of random niche walks and other lesser known areas that are also quite nice as well.
My accommodation was quite suitable for my time there, A small room consisting of just a bed, open closet and a desk was all I needed. I was lucky enough to get a room with aircon installed (all rooms come with a fan at least though). I stayed in PGPR, one of the largest residences with more than 20 blocks of students living together. There is plenty of facilities around the accommodation with a food court only a couple of minutes away. Floors are separated by gender and each floor within a block has up to 15 residents. We had shared bathrooms, showers and a kitchen between the 15 of us which means that it can get a bit unsanitary at times but for the most part, the people on my floor were pretty good at keeping the areas clean. Our floor even went out together a few times like going out for lunch or getting together to have game nights, I made quite a few friends from these!
Speaking of activities, orientation at the university was great, they had a few activities for exchange students to partake in. The one event I went to was an “Amazing Race” across Singapore where we were put in groups and went around the country to complete challenges. We were not even close to coming first but it was such a fun day! These events only happen in the week before the semester starts however, so if you wish to join in then make sure to arrive early.
The whole campus is very walkable, it took me about 30 minutes to walk from end to end but there are multiple shuttle busses that come every few minutes to take you around the major residences and university departments. These are free so you can just hop on and off whenever you wish. In fact, a lot of things in Singapore cost significantly less than in New Zealand. One of best things you can get for cheap is food. A decent meal in Singapore can cost as low as $3 at places called hawker centers. These places sell really good food for really cheap and so I went to these places extremely often. You can find them everywhere in Singapore and they all sell different things too. The country has some really great food like Chilli Crab and tons of skewers that you can get easily at Lau Pa Sat (go to stall number 8 it’s the best one) but there’s also many good drink places like Mr Coconut and Koi Thé.
The courses were actually a lot easier than what I had expected. They felt a lot more casual and friendly than business courses in New Zealand. One of my lecturers actually bought us breakfast every week, she was so very kind. Most of the courses in the business school do not have final exams, instead they are mainly coursework. Most of these courses involve a large project or presentation due in the final week of the semester so there is a lot of group work and meetings throughout the semester.
My highlight of the exchange was going out with friends to see attractions and eat good food. There are a lot of things that we did together and this made my time so much more memorable and enjoyable. There were not many challenges that I came across except for one major one. There are quite a few restaurants, hawker stalls and shops in Singapore that do not accept credit cards. Most places accept cash but those that do not will accept a method called PayNow/PayLah. This method uses a QR code scanned by an app on your phone but can only be done if you have a Singaporean bank account. I suggest applying for one as soon as you land in Singapore or even before you leave just so there is another way for you to pay in the country. Unfortunately, the food court stalls on campus are such places that only accept PayLah/Cash so be prepared to stock up on cash or get a new bank account.
My one piece of advice to future students thinking about the exchange is to go and have fun. There’s only so much you can do in 4 months and the exchange is the best time to go see it. Of course you will need to keep up your studies and do well in your courses but go out and see everything. Whether it is to go for a 5 hour trail walk or visit a nearby island or even get out of the country and go to a nearby place like Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia, Singapore is such a nice place to be in so make the most of it.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
The courses that I took were very engaging and the lecturers/professors were all very friendly. I think the reason why I enjoyed the courses during my exchange was because of this. The content itself was pretty standard but the people teaching it made it much more interesting. There’s a lot of hands on activities and group work that really makes you think and this makes you understand the courses better.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Definitely get involved in the orientation activities before the semester starts. They may vary between semesters but regardless of what they are, it allows you to interact with peers and other exchange students that might be doing a similar course to you. Having people to talk to and do activities with during your time on exchange makes it a lot easier and definitely less stressful – this is coming from a massive introvert by the way.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Bring all your necessities or do a massive shop when you arrive. Unless you have arranged private accommodation, the university does not provide you with anything other than a mattress and a chair. Make yourself comfortable in your room as you’ll be spending the next 4 months there. The university also has 2nd hand items available but I prefer fresh sheets and pillows etc.
- Open a Singapore bank account. Being able to pay via PayLah/PayNow is extremely convenient and easy. It’s quick, simple and basically everywhere supports it. You can get by paying with cash everywhere but you might get stuck at cashless vendors that do not support credit cards. It’s the safest method as long as you transfer money into the account.
- Watch the weather. And I don’t mean check your weather app. Being on the equator and somewhat a “rainforest” region, Singapore’s weather changes rapidly and can be absolutely random at times. Lightning is common and heavy rain can just happen with no prior warning. I’ve found that its almost impossible to predict the weather and weather forecasts can be completely wrong at times. It can ruin your whole day if it starts raining for no reason on a trail walk. Always carry an umbrella with you and be prepared to call it quits if it starts raining like crazy.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
If you have a weekly student allowance/student loan you should be completely fine on that. $300 a week is more than enough to survive in Singapore. However, if you wish to do a bunch of activities such as crossing the border to another country, going to Universal Studios or eating out at good restaurants for most of your trip, keep a few thousand dollars to the side just in case. I was a bit of a cheapskate and did activities that didn’t involve much money like walks and going to see national parks but there are a few paid activities that cost reasonably more. Accommodation on campus is paid upfront and costs up to $3000 NZD total depending on what type of room you get.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I don’t wanna sound too generic but the world is a big place. There are so many people from around the world that came to NUS to study, I have made friends from everywhere from Canada to Germany and even those who are from Singapore too. Everyone has a different worldview and likes to do different things but it is still so awesome to hear about everyone’s stories and differences in culture. I even went travelling with one of them after my studies were over and it was such a great experience
Final Comments
Just go and do what you like to do. There are so many opportunities and experiences waiting for you to discover and so many places to do so. There’s only so many years where you can do such a thing so go enjoy yourself!