Keon (Sem 1, 2023)

My Exchange at The National University of Singapore

My partner had the amazing idea to apply on semester exchange to the National University of Singapore (NUS)! After all the paperwork to apply for exchange, I took a flight all the way to Singapore, and sort out my accomodation.

I stayed at a residential college on-campus called the College of Alice and Peter Tan. The people there were so lovely, welcoming, and friendly. During the evenings, late night food deliveries and movie nights were a common occurence. Local Singaporeans in my halls taught me all things Singaporean, from the food, slang, etc.

Singapore’s hawker centres (food centres) were something I looked forward to all the time, with food stalls from a vast range of cuisines. Besides the food, a range of tourist attractions can be found in Singapore, from a futuristic city centre to amusement parks such as Universal Studios.

Campus life is just amazing. A huge campus with multiple food courts, vibrant facilities, and top-quality university education awaits you in NUS. The amount of friends from different cultures and backgrounds truly gave me a more worldly view, allowing me to be more understanding and respectful of different ideologies and cultures.

In my opinion, semester exchange is something a student must do during their uni life. Singapore has been the most memorable experience for me, for I met the most amazing people and experienced new traditions and cultures that transformed how I look at the world.

Q&A

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

Courses at NUS was very well-designed. Professors also make it a point for the students to get to know each other, allowing for better studying by the formation of study groups.

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

Visiting hawker centres and suburbs allow for a more authentic Singaporean experience. After going to the city centre and the more touristy spots, it’s very nice to visit the suburbs and observe how locals live their daily lives!

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

1. Immediately familiarise yourself with public transport! Using grab is very expensive, especially in Singapore.

2. Buy some summer clothes and prepare for very humid weather!

3. Keep on top with paperwork needed to be submitted to UoA and NUS! Make sure to make a list.

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 around 4k NZD for cost of living. It definitely was not enough to buy more fancy food and shopping items, but it was enough to do fun activities and eat cheap-moderate priced food!

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

As a Filipino, I now have a stronger connection to other south-east asian nations. Seeing the similarities and differences of cultures in South-east asia made me realise that people have more things in common that what I initially thought.

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

Singapore in considered the centre of SEA, so getting to other SEA countries is relatively easy and affordable. During my exchange, I visited Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam!