Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? Get to know a lot of local students living in the same hostel

Personal comments:
Almost all students share rooms and so did I. I shared room with a singaporean girl and we got along very well. I am not used to sharing room back home but it turned out to work very well and to be an interesting experience. I were also very happy that my host university arranged everything for me conserning housing.

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Favorite night spot will defenetly be zouk, a really good night club there young singaporeans get together to dance. For eating there are a number of great resturants in little india for evrybody who can take spicy food! Eating is the national hobby of Singapore and there are great choice. Don't miss the hawker centers! And finally I think the best place to stop by to chill out for a drink or a coffee is boat quay with a view over the singaporean skyline.

Course recommendations:
The workload is very tough. The reason why I found the engineeing courses I enrolled in not so good is a lack of problem solving approach in the teaching. It is sometimes more important to learn a lot of things by heart than to understand. The courses do focus on problem solving and understanding to some extent, but I think it would be better to focus on this even more.

Personal comments:
More focus on problem solving and understanding. Open book exams so that it's less imortant to learn by heart than to understand. Removal of some conservative and unmotivated procedures. For example my host university does not allow students to see their exams after correction.

Language of instruction: English

Main source of funding:
Government assistance

Other sources of funding:
Government assistance

Work opportunities:
I didn't want/need to work

Personal spending habits:
Food, the food here is much cheaper. I have spent more because I have been eating out a lot. For everyday food we have the school canteen which is very cheap. No need to cook! Telephone and nightlife is expensive here. I have spent a lot on travelling because I wanted to take the opportunity to see the region.

Food, Travel, Nightlife, Telephone: was more expensive than at home.

Overall, Housing: was less expensive than at home.

I wish I had known...
Know more about the hall orientation. The hall orientation is for all singaporean students to get to know each other. I participated but found it difficult to get along with people because of big differnces. Maybe it would have been easier if I knew more in advance.

In my opinion:
Most people loved it.