If you are reading this report, I believe the reason might be that you are interested in something new. It may be a new country, a new culture or just a new routine. I was looking for a new challenge, something that would make me grow both professionally and as a person. I wanted to do something very different. Years before I had been thinking about going to China or India, but perhaps that would have been too big a step for me. Now, Singapore was starting to grow on me. I did some research and found out that Singapore was a multicultural country combining Chinese, Indian and Malaysian cultures and thatEnglish was the official language. I figured it was a  introduction for me to get to know Asian culture. Short tip: YouTube offers several short documentaries that explain the daily life.

However, I hesitated quite a while because writing my Master thesis at home would have been a safer choice as I could have worked within a research group in Sweden and then easily continue on as a PhD student. I was also told that Singapore was very expensive and very humid. But I could not stop myself from dreaming away to a new land far away. Two days before the deadline to apply, I was standing at a bus stop in the city of Stockholm on a dark winter evening. The bus was late and I was getting cold. Walking around the bus stop I saw a guy also waiting for the bus. We started talking and belive it or not he told me that he was Singaporean. He told me all about his country, that it had a great lifestyle, there were always things going on, people were so open and much more. I felt that that this must be my fate and I decided to take the step and submit my application. Not much later, I discussed my choice with a friend and he told me that he had just heard how Singapore universities were attracting all the famous professors from all over the globe. Moreover, the fact that Singapore had one of the most efficient health system in the world was also an appealing factor for medical students.

After I finally decided to step over the edge, real work began. I was going abroad during the semester when the Master thesis was to be written. Like most people, I wanted to do something meaningful for the field of public health but also something that would benefit me when applying for jobs. First, I started to look into what was going on in the public health department at the partner university. Their website was well structured and all the contact information was on there. I started by contacting two professors via e-mail and the response was quick and helpful. But e-mail did not feel personal and I could not base a decision to travel around the globe on it. So I called the professor that had offered me to work on one of her research projects, I asked her questions like how much supervision I could expect. That’s how it all became real.

Besides the organizing your courses or thesis project, there is a lot of administration required. There are no worries when it comes to visa applications or vaccinations. However, when in Singapore it is very easy to travel around during the weekend, so a hepatitis vaccination will not hurt. Should you not be able to do it in Sweden, you can always do it in Singapore. Regarding visa, you will get a student visa via the partner university . The application is described in detail, step by step. It is not difficult at all, but truthfully very time consuming because several questions need to be answered. So just do it as early as possible. There are also certain minor fees to pay for insurance and sports.  

Lastly, is it worth the effort to do an exchange semester? Today, I cannot even understand how I wasted time thinking about it, because this experience will remain one of the top 10 events of my life. Currently it is number one but I am young and understand now that there is so much more out there in this big world.

It is important to note that the semester begins two weeks earlier in Singapore than in Sweden. However, this is mainly a concern you if you want to take classes. For writing the master thesis, professors are open for discussion when to begin.

The National University of Singapore has a mentor program that  includes several activities and connecting with a Singaporean student. Participation requires that you arrive at the beginning of the semester. As I arrived late, I could not participate. Nevertheless, I was never alone because there was an assistant working at the dean’s office for the department of public health. She took well care of me and was available anytime for any problem.  In general, people are very helpful and welcoming. I even got my own desk and was able to borrow a computer, which was very helpful since I did not need to carry around my own laptop all the time. Another thing to remember: a few days after you arrive in Singapore, you must go to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) bringing the documents that you received via email after registration. At ICA you will receive your official student pass, which is your visa to stay in Singapore. This pass will also simplify traveling in and out of Singapore. For example, you will certainly visit Malaysia, which is only one hour away by metro and absolutely worth a visit.

Lastly, a small piece of practical advice. Already at the airport you can buy a prepaid card to have full internet access on your mobile phone. It made me feel much more safe since I had access to Google maps if I got lost etc. The operator I chose,Starhub, worked very well for me. With this help you can easily take the metro (MRT) from the airport to your apartment or even order an Uber.

There are , as mentioned earlier, certain fees attached to the application, covering student visa, mandatory insurance fees and much more. I paid around 1 000 SEK.

Concerning the living costs, Singapore is one of the most expensive countries in the world. However do not be discouraged. If you live in Stockholm your rent costs will be about the same in Singapore, but more about this in the “Accommodation” section. Even otherwise, surprisingly my living costs were similar to those in Sweden. Living in Singapore, means eating out everyday for lunch and dinner. Eating out is cheap however. Delicious dishes from India, Indonesia, Korea, China and other places are sold for 30-50 SEK a dish by thousands of hawker stalls at Food centers across the city.. The price for traveling inside Singapore is depending on the distance you are traveling. As I had to take the metro (MRT) everyday to go to university, my monthly costs were around 600 SEK. Regarding sports you can either use the local gym at your accommodation (which is then covered by the rent) or join a sports group at campus.

Getting a good apartment is never easy in big cities. Firstly, I started googling a little at random and I was horrified about the rents. I wondered what I should do, as I was told that firstly, it is very difficult to get a student room and secondly, it isn’t easy to get a room with a rent with less than a six month contract. So, I got in touch with an old classmate that did her master in Singapore and she gave me the number to a real estate agent. She told me that it is very common that students share rooms in a big apartment.

So I got in touch with the agent, who showed me pictures of several or apartments. He could easily help, but asked me to group up with some other students as he arranged apartments and not single rooms. He gave me some numbers but I actually looked for people via social media. There is a group that is called Swedes in Singapore. We formed a group and those who could met at a coffee shop in Stockholm. It was really nice getting to know each other before hand. Together we chose an apartment suggested by the real estate agent. The agent took a fee of half a month’s rent. This option isn’t cheap but I was happy, because the apartment was amazing. So how was it? In total. we were six students in a four room apartment, meaning everyone shared a room. This was actually a fun experience, you definitely develop your negotiating skills. The apartment was in a condominium where you had access to a terrace, a gym and most important: a nice pool. The pool was the highlight of the accommodation. Returning home from university in the evening I could just change into my bathing suit and jump into the warm jacuzzi and gaze up at the stars. The sun always sets at seven, so it was a real treat after a long working day.

There is, also the possibility to apply for a room on campus, it is not  sure that you will get one, but you can always try. The campus doesn’t have pools but it is located in a nice area. The architecture is futuristic and it is like a small town with coffee shops,  a library, computer rooms, a gym, a cafeteria and a supermarket. The rent on campus was about the same as mine at around 4500 SEK.

You cannot create experience, you must undergo it, as Albert Camus said. During the project there were several meetings and also contacts via e-mail concerning the work.

This exchange helped me to gain more confident in my professional skills as I worked on a non-student project in a totally different setting. I was grateful as I had a co-supervisor that was a PhD candidate. We maintained close contact and I could ask her all my questions. The relationship with the professors are very friendly, helpful and respectful. As everyone has a busy schedule, time in Singapore is efficiently used, why meetings are focusing on the discussion what needs to be improved, why the part where encouragement comes might fall a little short. As teachers are straight to the point and honest. More attention is given to what needs to be done than on complimenting what you did well. So do not doubt yourself, that is just a cultural difference. But you should not be scared by that, but instead be prepared to be honest about things you do not currently know. The professors were eager to teach and when I said I did not know something, my supervisors took their time to explain it to me. In summary it was an experience that prepared me for working life and most important speak up for myself and be confident in my choices and working methods.

The most important part!? Like I already wrote, leisure time can be used so wonderfully. If you want to relax, you can easily just jump into the pool as its always warm and enjoy the sun or the stars depending on the time of day. Also I had flexible office hours. Somedays I worked longer and others shorter. Thereby I had the possibility to travel during the weekend. Indonesia and Malaysia are only an hour away! I can really recommend you to take a trip. It's worth it as these countries are quite different to the well organized Singapore. Certainly Indonesia is an experience. Regarding scams, I am of the opinion that people are much more honest there then in Europe.

Many students go out on Friday as there are certain events and clubs that have free entrance. The nightlife is awesome as the are so many skyscrapers and people from all over the world. You are never alone and everyone is open and want to get to know you. Beach activites are available. I joined a volleyball group by accident but you can also find them through couchsurfer communities. Via social media it is easy to connect to each other. If you want to know more about Southeast Asia you can visit a lot of museums. You can also join sports acitivites on campus or outside. Like I said people are really helpful and you have nothing to loose by asking for help..

I cannot tell you much about student activites as I was there like an employee and almost did not take any courses (officially)

Going to Singapore was the best thing I ever did. I learned a lot about myself and grew new confidence. There were challenges sometimes, certainly with the project, but I got stronger and had always back up from Karolinska Institutet. Once I became ill. I did not feel good at all and it took me week to recover, but I went to the doctor twice. There are no problems regarding insurance and the care is quit good. However, you should think for yourself if you need antibiotics or not as they describe it sometimes unnecessary. Then there is the food. Mh, the food is really good and fresh! Sometimes the meals are a little short on vegetables in comparison to European food. You have food from all over the world. When you are there you should really try Korean food. That is one of my favorites. But do not underestimate the Singaporean steamed chicken and rice. Its delicious.

Having been in Singapore also looks good on your CV, I believe certainly because the health care and the health care system is quite highly ranked.