Details

• Singapore
• MACEMS-17
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Check the essentials: 1. Long-term travel insurance: Check the coverage for several providers individually and ensure your requirements are met! Also consider that if you get very seriously injured or ill, most insurances will transport you back to your home country for you to receive treatment there. So really make sure you also have insurance coverage at home to not run into any problems - some travel insurance plans also offer time-limited coverage for one's home country. Check which plan fits you best! 2. International bank account: Get an international bank account with good foreign currency exchange rates, for example Wise or Revolut. Super helpful for accessing and transferring money both in Singapore and in other nearby countries, free foreign currency payments and withdrawals are really convenient. Also, with Wise you can use PayNow, one of the most widely used mobile payment systems in Singapore. Some restaurants only accept mobile payments (no cash or card), so having a Wise account was really useful for me. 3. Courses: Read about courses offered in your semester on NUSMods, usually the course was offered during same term (winter/summer) in a previous year. If you cannot find your course, google it and try to find any similar sounding courses from previous semesters - NUS likes to rename courses from time to time to make access to previous exams, assignments, and other materials harder. Usually you can find something this way and then look up the old course name on NUSMods. :) The website includes some really helpful tips about NUS and studying at NUS as well, for instance the NUS bus app or the Old Exam Paper downloader. 4. Accommodation: As a CEMS exchange student it is quite hard to get into NUS student housing, so most of my cohort rented rooms/apartments off-campus. Ask previous students for tips and also use the NUS WhatsApp group (a link will be sent out by NUS admin well before the semester begins). Most apartments in Singapore have various amenities (pool, gym...) - those are included in your rent and are largely considered to be "normal". Accommodation prices appear to be primarily location-dependent, a city center room costs more than a room in Chinatown. For your accommodation, check the public transport connection to NUS and also reach out to your fellow students in the WhatsApp group - having multiple people from one program in the same apartment building can be really helpful! Also, living at the designated hangout spot is super convenient. :) Lastly, Singapore rent prices are not fixed, you can haggle!! Usually you can get 5-10% off your monthly rent, which can be quite a lot with Singapore prices. 5. Employment: Please be aware that in most cases, you may not be gainfully employed while being on exchange in Singapore. The MOM website states that foreign students may work up to 16h/week, but this refers only to "full-time matriculated or registered students" - as in, you may only work in Singapore as a foreign student if you are doing your entire degree program at NUS (home university, not exchange only!). If you are in doubt or have any questions, reach out to your NUS program manager; do NOT work without the appropriate employment pass. 6. Legal Stuff: A lot of things are illegal in Singapore. For instance, you may not drink anything when riding public transportation (including water!), and also you must close your curtains when getting changed - if people from the street or the opposite apartment building see you naked, it counts as public nudity. NUS covers the basics in their mandatory introduction seminars about student conduct and consent, but I would strongly recommend some basic research before arriving in Singapore.

2. Accommodation

As a CEMS exchange student it is quite hard to get into NUS student housing or any on-campus dorms, expect to privately rent an off-campus room yourself. Singapore housing is rather expensive: Renting a room within a shared flat will at minimum cost around €1,000 per month, with possibility to increase indefinitely if one can and wants to afford that. Generally, you should be able to find a suitable accommodation in the range of €1,000 to €1,500 per month on the private market (for room in shared flat), the exact amount normally depends on apartment location, number of roommates, room size, and view. For instance, a city center room costs more than a room in Chinatown, if the flat is located on a higher-up in the building and faces Marina Bay, rent will be higher. Please note: The options ranging in-between €1,000 and €1,500 tend to differ very little in quality, city-wide. All flats / rooms will be base-level clean, have elevators, air conditioning, and usually 1-2 pools at minimum; these and various other amenities (portier, gym, observation deck, weekly cleaning of shared spaces, …) are considered "normal" and are largely expected in any Singapore housing option. Your rent normally includes the use of these facilities as a baseline, any “special” facility can be booked with free quota or at an affordable price (e.g., building common area with BBQ grills, time slots bookable by residents). You can expect these amenities irrespective of whether you pay €1,100 or €1,450 per month. The price difference for the same quality & size room appears to be location-dependent for the most part – a city center room costs more than a room in Chinatown. The choice largely depends on availability, pricing, and personal preferences. That being said, do check the public transportation (SMRT) routes for prospective housing and ensure the connections are acceptable for your daily commute. (Tip: Try to keep it <1h!) As a final note, ask previous students for tips and also use the NUS WhatsApp group (a link will be sent out by NUS admin well before the semester begins). For your accommodation, check the public transport connection to NUS and also reach out to your fellow students in the WhatsApp group - having multiple people from one program in the same apartment building can be really helpful! Also, living at the designated hangout spot is super convenient. :) Lastly, Singapore rent prices are not fixed, you can haggle!! Usually you can get 5-10% off your monthly rent, which can be quite a lot with Singapore prices.

3. Academic life at host university

The National University of Singapore’s (NUS) main campus, Kent Ridge Campus, is located in the West of Singapore and is home to most university faculties, including the NUS Business School. Overall NUS campus has great facilities and various study, food&beverage, sports, and leisure options. The campus itself extends over a quite large area, but the internal NUS bus network connects most places, free for students. Students seem generally a tad bit more performative, group works do not always have productive team members only. Still, most people are nice and helpful, so no complaints in the larger scope. Be aware that NUS campus is in fact an outdoor campus, while all walkways are covered the humidity will always be present. Lots of outdoor & green spaces as well as various food options. Definitely check out U-Town!

5. Every day life in the host country

Singapore is an extremely safe country, not least due to their strict laws and regulations, as well as relentless persecution of any infringement. Please note that Singapore is not a democracy (at least not in the Western sense), instead the Swedish research institute V-Dem classified Singapore as “electoral autocracy” (2026). This is reflected in legislation and day-to-day life: Laws are not inherently sound and consistent in their structure, and the applicable laws differ widely from what one is used to in Europe. While NUS provides mandatory orientation classes to inform students of the most important regulations, it would be smart to familiarize oneself with the key points of the legal environment as to avoid breaking any rules and being fined (or worse). Under the umbrella of these strict regulations, Singapore emerges as an extremely safe country with very little crime; day-to-day life is generally safe and experiencing any harm or violence is largely uncommon. While as always, general caution should still be applied, existing concerns about personal safety (e.g., walking outside at night) can largely be dropped in Singapore. Both Singapore and the university (NUS) have a lot to offer. NUS hosts various events across the semester, including (student) fairs at UTown, interactive workshops, and cross-faculty talks and lectures. NUS also offers various sports and activities student clubs; those will be introduced at an NUS student life event quite early in the semester. The available options can also be found online. While Singapore does offer a lot of activities and leisure options, be aware that the tropical climate with heavy rainfall and high humidity year-round can be quite challenging, especially when pursuing any outdoor activities. Generally, most places offer AC by default, and buildings are often connected both via skybridges and underground malls to avoid frequent exposure to the climate conditions. Public transport (SMRT) is widely used and the accepted default method of transportation, you can use your bank card to tap in / out when entering / exiting the vehicle. Get a SimplyGo card at larger MRT stations for cheaper fares! Outside of the SMRT network, Grab and Gojek can be used for ride hailing at slightly cheaper rates than Central Europe, also shared bikes are widely available. Lastly, Singapore’s location within Asia makes it perfect for travelling anywhere, specifically nearby countries are easily reachable also for weekend trips and flights are fairly affordable (especially with some flexibility). Do travel and enjoy your time in (and around) Singapore!

6. Testimonial

My exchange at NUS was an excellent mix of academic challenge, personal growth, and cultural exploration. Living in Singapore gave me the opportunity to experience one of the safest and most dynamic cities in Asia while meeting people from all over the world. The highlights were exploring Southeast Asia, enjoying campus life at NUS, and building lasting friendships with fellow exchange students. Overall, the semester was a unique and rewarding experience that broadened both my academic and personal horizons.