Singapore

University of Auckland students have the opportunity to study at two partner universities in Singapore: Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore..

Let’s hear what our students have to say…

My first impression of Singapore can be summarized in two words- hot and humid. Apart from the killer heat, Singapore is nothing short of fantastic

– Adam, National University of Singapore

My first impression of Singapore was that it is an extremely modern city. The architectures are amazing and also interesting. Singaporean people are also extremely friendly. When I was having difficulty finding my way around the university, a lot of the students were happy to help me out and actually offered to walk me to the building. Singapore is considered the most expensive city in the world. However, because I was a student and spent most on my time on campus, I felt that the cost of living was lower than Auckland. What they offer  on campus is heavily subsidized and I did not spend as much as I expected. However, once you go off campus and go to restaurants they are quite pricey.  Although there are cheaper options like hawker centers (which are similar to food courts in New Zealand).

– So Jung, National University of Singapore

 At first, I never considered the idea of going on exchange due to my introverted and shy personality. But as soon as one of my friends went and told me about her experiences, I reconsidered. It occurred to me that going on exchange was the perfect opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and a good steppingstone when I eventually move out of Auckland for my career.

– David,  Nanyang Technological University

Life on campus was extremely easy to adjust to. With two food courts, a Starbucks and several grocery stores all within a short 5-minute walk from my room; it’s no wonder walking became such a chore after returning to New Zealand. Local students were extremely friendly and inclusive, always eager to show you more of their country.

–  Adam, National University of Singapore

Singapore is well known for its varieties of fantastic food with incredibly low prices. A meal in a food court, on average, costs around 5 to 6 Singapore Dollars and the price is even lower on campus due to the subsidies from the Singaporian government. However, the Western food is extremely expensive. A simple plain pizza with cheese would cost you around 20 Singapore dollars. Therefore, you will miss cheese so much if you choose Singapore for exchange!).

– Annie, National University of Singapore

My advice for students that worry about not being able to make friends on exchange is that you are more capable and like-able than you think you are, and you can meet some of the best people in odd situations. For me, it was at a phone shop and a study room.

– David,  Nanyang Technological University

Being an exchange student in Singapore opened up a lot of opportunities for me to travel around South East Asia. There were a lot of cheap options to travel to various countries and it again allowed me to make a lot of friends from so many different countries. I learnt a lot and became thankful for what I already had in my life from travelling around.

– So Jung, National University of Singapore