Siwon (Sem 2, 2024)

My Exchange at Nanyang Technology University

At NTU, the level of teaching and workload is not too demanding, allowing for much time to explore the busy city of Singapore. The teaching standards are comparable to UOA, although as a STEM major I found the course load to be a bit lighter at NTU. Although, it is obvious that students at NTU are very competitive and it is common for them to exceed assignment requirements to secure top grades. Particularly in one of my classes CS0102, there was a regular quiz and top scorers would get small prizes of encouragement, which I have never seen before at UOA which feels more encouraging of self development and not focusing so much on competing with other students.

All students and teaching staff at NTU speak English to a communicable level, however some workers in hawker centres(food court) or canteens on campus sometimes speak very limited english, although this was not a huge problem because you can always use body language.

I made most of my friends during the first week of orientation for the exchange students. Local students have a separate orientation, so you may find local friends in class or at halls. I highly recommend joining an online group chat of NTU exchange students. I joined a WhatsApp group of about 660 exchange students in the current program at NTU. The group had around 91 subgroups of different nationalities, majors, hobbies, etc. I ended up joining the hiking group which was invaluable to my exchange experience. There I went on a hike every week with a big group of exchange students, meeting friends who I would later travel together with and creating life-long relationships. Joining a big group chat like this is an easy way to find a group of friends who share the same interests as you.

You are sure to never get bored with food options on campus. Each hall has its own canteen, ranging anywhere from 2-10 stalls depending on the location. Faculty buildings also house larger canteens, ensuring you’re never far from diverse dining options. Meals on campus typically cost 4-6 SGD(5.3-7.9 NZD), while dining at restaurants is slightly more expensive at 20-25 SGD. The University has an app ‘Cates’ where you can preorder a meal from any canteen across the campus and get it delivered to your hall free of charge. Although I didn’t track my expenses precisely, I estimate I spent around 12-14 SGD daily on food. Cooking is an option, but you have to buy your own cookware. My hall provided one induction stove, a microwave, and a hot water machine.

Transport from the campus to the CBD area is a bit over 1 hour one way via the MRT. Most of the time we would take public transport such as buses or MRT. Prices for ride-hailing are not vastly different to Uber prices in New Zealand. 

Exchange students are often paired with another exchange student for dormitory placements. I stayed in a double room in Hall 2, sharing with another exchange student. The room is connected to a shared bathroom with the neighboring room. Some of the older dormitories like Hall 1 & 2 do not have air conditioning, and the weather in August/September can get quite unbearable especially at night when you are trying to sleep. On the positive side, the rooms are more spacious than typical UOA dorms like UHT, Waiparuru, and Carlaw. The roommate system is also a great opportunity to make a close friend.

My favourite highlights of Singapore included walking around the CBD at night, Universal Studios, and the Singapore Zoo. The city’s skyline is breathtaking, particularly at night, with views that differ dramatically from Auckland. Singapore Zoo is the best I’ve visited, offering close-up encounters with animals and an expansive layout. We enjoyed Universal Studios without the rush of a crowd as we went during offpeak tourist season, which ended up being the highlight. Singapore is a popular tourist destination, you are sure to find countless activities to fill up your weekends.

Another significant advantage of living in Singapore is its proximity to other Southeast Asian destinations. During my exchange, I traveled to Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and China. My most memorable experiences were in China and Vietnam, where I explored incredible cities and natural landscapes.

Overall, I highly recommend the NTU exchange program to considering UOA students. It is a unique way to experience another tertiary education system outside of UOA. Not only does the city/country itself offer a variety of attractions/activities to fill up your schedule, but travelling to nearby countries is close and affordable.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

• mandarin learning class
• learning in the hive which is the symbolic building of ntu
• weekly hikes around singapore
• tennis courts, running track, pool, sports facilities

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

• travelling around nearby SEA countries
• universal studios
• singapore zoo

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

• Seek help with course registration, there are many advisors such as onestop online and offline, course advisors, school/faculty members
• It is very common for students to book one on one sessions with their lecturer during office hours to discuss anything and everything.
• Join whatsapp/telegram groups organised by fellow exchange students, you can find your people there and make new friends.

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?

I had budgeted roughly 7000 dollars for the entire exchange including travel expenses, dorm fees, and insurance. This proved to be just about enough money for the entire duration, as I had travelled to 5 other countries, and spent some money on activities. I ate at the on campus canteens almost every single day, which helped greatly to save money. If you go into rural areas, you may find much more affordable food than on campus, although it may take more time and possibly transport fees to get out so I would definitely recommend eating on campus as there are also a variety of cuisines and numerous food stalls, so this should be easy to accomplish on a daily basis.

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

Academically, I was inspired by the discipline and competition amongst Singaporean students, which encouraged me to be a better student who prioritises studying and achieves for accuracy. This is a skill I have brought back to UOA that I believe I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The high expectations of teaching staff as well as the motivating study environment and peers at NTU truly changed my persepective on education and our responsibility as students. I believe that an exchange semester at NTU is a great opportunity for students to become the best, most disciplined, and high achieving students who can then inspire peers at UOA positively upon return.

Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?

If you travel during the mid semester break, make sure that you schedule a bit of time of work on school work as many of my subjects required “self learning” where you had to learn some material by yourself during the week long break. Additionally, I still had some meetings for team work and quizzes due during this time, so I took my study material with me while travelling.

Is there any advice you could share about accommodation options at your host university and/or in the local area?

Housing application was done via the onestop@ntu website, and you may not choose the room, option for AC/bathroom, or single/double room. I was given a double room in Hall 2 with no air conditioner and a bathroom. It is typical for exchange students to be paired up with other exchange students in a dorm room. Rent was significantly cheaper than UOA acommodation, and it is paid in one large sum in mid October. I paid around 1500 SGD which is equivalent to 1967 NZD.

Do you have any advice on what mobile phone apps and/or phone plans that were useful in your host country?

Useful apps I used in Singapore include: Grab(ride-hailing), TADA(ride-hailing), Singpass(Id verification), and DBS Paylah(payment at hawker centres).

Payment for public transport can be done with a contactless payment credit/debit card.

It is a good idea to always carry cash on you especially if you do not use contactless payment such as Paylah/Paynow(not paywave) as some canteens on campus and especially off campus do not take card payment.

I signed up to a pre-paid phone plan with M1 in store. I received a physical sim and a singaporean number which is essential for many ID verification processes in the country. Phone plans in Singapore are much more affordable than in NZ, I planned to use mostly data so I opted for a 350gb phone data plan which came with unlimited phone calls and texts, all for about 26 SGD per month. This was enough data to last me the whole month and I did not have a wifi router in my dorm room. However, while travelling, I used roaming with the service provider and the bill became quickly expensive. Overall, in Singapore I recommend signing up to a phone provider that is well known such as M1, Singtel, Starhub, etc. to ensure stable connection, and while travelling buy an esim at the destination country to save the most money.