Reserapport - KI-student
Marina Bay Sands Hotel
Lärosäte: National University of Singapore
Utbildningsprogram: Biomedicin Master
Utbytesprogram: INK
Termin: Vårtermin 18/19
Namn: Ashley Pinter
E-postadress: ashley.pinter@stud.ki.se

Innan avresa

Deciding to apply for exchange studies from Stockholm was one of the best decisions I have made. I applied to go on exchange for the 30 credit thesis project as I thought this was the easiest time to be away from KI and would be a much more straight forward process. There are a number of amazing locations for KI students and deciding on a school to apply to was quite difficult. I ultimately chose to apply to NUS in Singapore largely due to my experience in Singapore a few years earlier while on vacation and knowing that the school itself, much like KI, has an excellent reputation. 


Following nomination, I was put in contact with the international coordinator at NUS in order to officially apply for the exchange program at NUS. At first, the communication between NUS and KI was a little bit unclear as each school conducts their exchange programs a little differently. At NUS you are required to fill in an online application with specific instructions for either a third semester or fourth semester exchange period. Despite having free tuition, as an exchange student at NUS you are also required to pay a mandatory student fee (around 700 SEK) which includes health coverage at the university as well as for campus sports facilities. As well, Singapore does not require students (from most countries) to obtain a visa for their studies but instead issues a "Student Pass"which you will start applying for prior to arrival (the confirmation that your application is approved is required for entry and instructions for applying for this will be provided to you by the university). This is provided by ICA in Singapore and allows you to be in the country for the duration of your studies but does not entitle you to work as a visa can sometimes allow. Make sure you bring copies of your acceptance letter, ICA letters and any other necessary documents stated in the student checklist provided by NUS for entering the country. This is provided by ICA in Singapore and allows you to be in the country for the duration of your studies but does not entitle you to work as a visa can sometimes allow.Make sure you bring copies of your acceptance letter, ICA letters and any other necessary documents stated in the student checklist provided by NUS for entering the country. This is provided by ICA in Singapore and allows you to be in the country for the duration of your studies but does not entitle you to work as a visa can sometimes allow. Make sure you bring copies of your acceptance letter, ICA letters and any other necessary documents stated in the student checklist provided by NUS for entering the country.

Ankomst och registrering

As I am a Canadian studying abroad in Sweden, I fly to Singapore from Vancouver, Canada however there are flights to and from Stockholm daily via Finnair and Qatar airways, the laughter of which I used to return to Sweden which was both affordable and comfortable. Upon arrival in Singapore, I purchased a SIM card from a kiosk at the airport. Most everyone in Singapore speaks English which made organizing this thing quite easy. I used the HI! prepaid card from Singtel although from what I heard Starhub is a better choice when it comes to phone plans. You simply prepay for the card and use the app to reload it.You can also top it up with plans that include unlimited access to Facebook, Whatsapp and Wechat which can be cheaper if you use these applications a lot. Next I purchased a metro card which was $ 5 SGD with a required added travel credit of $ 7 SGD. The metro in Singapore is very reliable and easy to use. With a pay per distance, traveling in Singapore by train and bus is very affordable and you can get from one end of the country to the other within an hour and a half. You can also top up your metro card at any metro station by cash or card and I believe it can be done at convenience stores as well (similar to Stockholm). Another handy app to have is "Grab". This is a service similar to Uber that you can take around Singapore and is quite affordable.Just be warned that during a thunderstorm / rain storm or a busy period the prices can be quite high. Travel in Singapore by train and bus is very affordable and you can get from one end of the country to the other within an hour and a half. You can also top up your metro card at any metro station by cash or card and I believe it can be done at convenience stores as well (similar to Stockholm). Another handy app to have is "Grab". This is a service similar to Uber that you can take around Singapore and is quite affordable. Just be warned that during a thunderstorm / rain storm or a busy period the prices can be quite high. Travel in Singapore by train and bus is very affordable and you can get from one end of the country to the other within an hour and a half.You can also top up your metro card at any metro station by cash or card and I believe it can be done at convenience stores as well (similar to Stockholm). Another handy app to have is "Grab". This is a service similar to Uber that you can take around Singapore and is quite affordable. Just be warned that during a thunderstorm / rain storm or a busy period the prices can be quite high. This is a service similar to Uber that you can take around Singapore and is quite affordable. Just be warned that during a thunderstorm / rain storm or a busy period the prices can be quite high. This is a service similar to Uber that you can take around Singapore and is quite affordable.Just be warned that during a thunderstorm / rain storm or a busy period the prices can be quite high.

Ekonomi

Singapore in general to me would be considered a quite expensive country to visit. The cost of groceries can be more expensive than it would be in Sweden depending on what you are looking for as everything is imported. I found that meat was especially pricey and I tended to look for sale items while shopping. I shopped for a majority of my groceries at Fairprice which has reasonable prices and was close to my accommodation. For more big box items (and groceries), Giant is a perfect store as the prices are a bit cheaper and you can find many household items here. This store was a little farther from where I lived so I tended only to do large shops there every once in a while. Alcohol is also regulated in a similar manner to Systembolaget, although you can buy it at convenience stores it is quite a bit more expensive and is only sold at certain hours of the day. In terms of daily meals, especially if you are not a fan of cooking or cannot find accommodation that allows cooking, hawker centers are where you will find cheap and delicious meals. They are scattered all over the country, in every community, where you can get a full meal for as cheap as $ 3 SGD. The food at these centers is often made from scratch, very tasty and perfect for a budget. 

If you decide not to live / are unable to live in on-campus housing you will also have to consider the costs for utilities and internet. In the case of utilities, I suggest that you ask the landlord to send you the bill each month rather than opening your own account. In my case, my roommate and I were asked to set up an account through SP group which was okay to set up but inconvenient upon leaving Singapore. Utilities cost us anywhere from $ 100 to $ 300 SGD, the more you use your air conditioner the more this will cost. We learned that despite the heat (it is very, very hot and humid), the air conditioners should only be used for short periods of time during the day to keep the cost down. Many simply leave doors and windows open which also helps with the heat but invites geckos and insects which we tried to avoid. For wireless internet, I would suggest using ViewQuest as it was the only company I found that provides internet without the requirement of a contract. You can apply for the service online which was $ 69 SGD per month and they will mail you the necessary equipment. You can choose to bring a modem with you or purchase one from ViewQuest or Challenger (electronics store). Upon leaving Singapore, canceling the service can be done by returning the device to the ViewQuest store in Suntec City mall within the city center.

Boende

The accommodation situation in Singapore is very similar to Stockholm. Hard to find and quite expensive. The cheapest option for this would be to apply for on-campus housing. There are a number of options at NUS that you can find on their website, however they prioritize Bachelor students so for interested Master's level students it can be harder to secure a place. I was accepted last minute to a student accommodation after finding something else so it is possible but depends how late you want to wait to ensure you have accommodation. I ended up sharing a condo with a fellow KI exchange student in the Clementi area.It was SGD 2300 per month plus utilities, as I mentioned before, and included a pool and gym among other amenities. This is typical of Singaporean condos although they do have an added cost. HDBs are Singaporean social housing complexes which at times are rented out. They are apartment buildings that come with a slightly lower price tag if you can find one. In addition, there are a number of landlords that rent apartments and houses to a number of students (ie 6 students per bedroom) which are much cheaper but may be a little bit less comfortable. In order to find off campus accommodation, I recommend looking at 99.co or on Facebook (if looking for a shared apartment).

Studier allmänt

The National University of Singapore has a very good reputation for both its undergraduate study programs and for its research. The atmosphere of the university is also very nice with welcomed inclusion of all students and numerous sports and leisure activities sponsored by the university. During my time at NUS, I conducted research in a small laboratory group within the physiology department which I thoroughly enjoyed. The department is very collaborative and they have weekly seminars which you are encouraged to participate in to learn about other research being conducted in the department. I got quite into a routine here as well as the working hours were from 9-6 with a short break for lunch and very few stayed past this time. Overall, the university experience was very nice and I would highly recommend it for exchange. 

Kurser under utbytet

Kurser motsvarande termin 4 på KI
As I conducted research at NUS, I did not participate in any course work at NUS. All of my research data was collected at NUS and my report was written while I was in Singapore however the formal evaluation of my work was done by KI and my final presentation was done at KI in June.

Språk och kultur

As you may or may not know, Singapore is full of may different wonderful cultures. With four official languages in the country (English, Mandarin, Tamil and Malay) you will be immersed in diversity here which I felt was both comforting and interesting. Not to worry though, everyone here speaks English and although at times it may be broken there was never a time where I was unable to communicate. Of the groups, the Chinese population is definitely the largest with Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year celebrations being the biggest yearly celebration in the country. I would highly recommend participating in any of the numerous celebrations around the country/in the city if you are in Singapore at this time (February) as it was wonderful to see. I was fortunate enough to be invited to a family dinner and was taught about the customs and traditions of this special day which was really nice. Each culture has a number of days throughout the year that are holidays, where you will be able to learn more about their traditions also. Singaporeans in general are very respectful and orderly people and abide by the numerous strict laws in place in the country. Make sure that you check the government website before you go to understand all of these laws as they may differ from Sweden (or your home country). For instance, chewing gum is prohibited, presumably to help maintain the cleanliness of the city, and something to be aware of. In addition, many drugs are illegal in Singapore that may not be in Sweden, for instance prescription medications and the penalties for smuggling are quite severe, at times including the death penatly. In general this shouldn't be a problem but it is advisable to be informed before you go.

Fritid och sociala aktivteter

Although Singapore may be a small country there are an endless number of things that you can do during your time away from school. NUS organizes a number of activities for exchange students including trips to neighboring countries like Malaysia for example, as well as sporting events and trips around the city. I was lucky enough to participate in a day trip to Kallang where we were able to learn to dragons boat near Marina Bay. It was a lot of fun and I would highly recommend getting a ticket although they are limited. Aside from University organized events, there are a number of great locations to visit within the city. The main areas I would recommend would be Chinatown and Kampong glam to get another feel for culture. Kampong glam in particular was my favorite area with colorful buildings and street art, lots of little shops and a very nice night life. The most popular place to visit would of course be Marina Bay with Marina Bay Sands hotel and Gardens by the Bay close by. There are many beautiful sights in the area including the Merlion, a symbol of Singapore, the Helix bridge which was designed to look like an alpha helix of DNA and lastly Gardens by the Bay with its stunning metal Supertrees. There are nightly shows in this park that are a must see and during the day it is a nice place to explore, full of a variety of plants both natural and man made. Although I feel that there are enough places in Singapore to explore during your time on exchange, there are also a number of countries nearby that are popular destinations for exchange students with cheap flights out of Singapore as it is the hub for Southeast Asian travel . 
NUS biathalon

Sammanfattning

My experience in Singapore was one of the best that I have had thus far. The country itself is beautiful and the people are all very friendly. Although it was quite different from Sweden in terms of climate and culture I think it was a very good experience for me as I was able to learn so much more about the world around me. If you're considering exchange studies from KI I would definitely recommend Singapore. It's a lifetime experience that you won't regret. 

Best wishes on your exchange!
Dragonboating in Kallang