Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Singapore-Clean,mostly friendly people,culture shock,traveling southeast asia Past Review

By (Business, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 08/03/2015 to 12/07/2015 with

Nanyang Technological University: Singapore - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to be more independent, patient, humble, and adventurous. Going abroad forced me to become more adventurous and that was good for me. I think it was worthwhile for sure.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were really really hard!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Administration is not very helpful or timely. you kind of have to keep emailing them or bothering them before they give you an answer.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in one of the newer dorms so that was nice. Beware though, you have to pay extra for air conditioning. All dorms are shared rooms with communal showers.

* Food:

A lot of food is not what we're used to here. They have a lot of seafood and the on campus food isn't always so fresh. BUT, it is ridiculously cheap. And eventually you'll find things that you like. They have over 15 food halls, a pizza hut, Mcdonalds, subway, and starbucks.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I spent a lot of time integrating with locals rather than with exchange students and I loved it. The locals are super nice and friendly.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The reason I rate this 2 1/2 is because it's right in the middle. I never had to go to the doctor, but I know there was a local healthcare place on campus if needed.

* Safety:

Singapore is literally the safest place ever.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I wished I had researched more before going to Singapore. There were a lot of things I didn't realize like how humid the weather was, how I didn't really like the local food there, and secluded the campus was from the rest of Singapore (it took 1-2 hours to get anywhere through public transportation). Although I did love it, I also find myself wondering if I would've enjoyed even more if I went somewhere else.

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)

Like I said earlier on campus food was so cheap most of the time! (2-4 USD). The only time I spent too much money was when I went off campus because then things get pricey.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $30-50 USD
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? - Eat on campus!! - Don't drink often (Alcohol is really expensive in Singapore). If you do want to have some alcohol buy it from duty-free on your way out from the airport. - Always try to use the public transportation

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? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • Locals were nice!
  • Gained independence which was easy because of the safe environment!
  • Got to travel through southeast Asia.
* What could be improved?
  • Helpfulness of the advisors in Singapore and at UT
  • More events for international students to interact that weren't parties
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The same things I mentioned in the answer for why I wouldn't do this program again.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.