Details

• Singapore
• BBE-18
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

I didn't prepare too much. Once I got the confirmation that I would go to SMU I mainly spent time on talking to friends that knew Singapore already as well as doing some online research/looking on Google Maps to get a feel for the city and a better understanding of where I would want to live/spend my time. I knew I wanted to travel a lot when I got there so I looked into what vaccines to get and made sure I had the recommended ones for the areas I was going to visit ahead of time. The Visa process was very simple and handled well by the uni I didn't really have to think about it especially because initial entry in Singapore with an EU passport only requires filling out a quick online form before arrival. Around the time that I got the confirmation I got an ad by Scoot airlines that had just started flying non-stop from Vienna to Singapore for an incredibly low price (terrible airline, but around 250€ one way) so that was the obvious choice for getting there. Within Singapore public transit is great and I took the bus to uni or a Grab (local Uber) if it was raining a lot.

2. Accommodation

Finding accommodation was challenging. Prices are generally incredibly high. The baseline that I found under which it wasn't really possible to find an apartment (given I didn't want to spend too much time commuting into the city every day) was around €800. However I decided to spend more than that as at that price point the apartments are generally not very nice and don't have very many amenities. I ended up finding a good deal from a private renter that had split up a larger apartment into several smaller ones. This meant I had some roommates (among them one other exchange student from WU) but the apartment was large enough that that wasn't an issue and it had great amenities on site (large pool, gym, cinema, golf simulator, grill area) that made that tradeoff well worth it even given the high price that I ended up paying (€1500). It was located in the River Valley (next to Great World Station) which made it easy to get to most places in the city via one of the three nearby metro lines or via the Bus. Starting early if you want to find a good deal is definitely recommended so you aren't desperate to find something last minute as things get booked quite early.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is located in the middle of the city which makes it easy to get to and allows for many food options (other than the already great integrated food court) in the close vicinity. Though I never used them there are many facilities such as a gym and a pool as well. The library while not as nice as LC is a good place to study and even during exam season it was always possible to find a spot if you arrived early enough. The teaching style was surprisingly relaxed I had expected it to be stricter and more challenging than it was but that might vary based on the courses you take. One of my professors started the course by stating that all past exchange students had failed his class but he ended up being an alright Professor too and it wasn't a problem to, even with relatively little effort, pass the class with a good grade. Somewhat active participation is required though throughout the lectures (not challenging to do most local students seem to be rather shy) and participation in the group works is mandatory (look out for this especially if you're travelling between lectures that you're at least available) and there is peer assessment.

5. Every day life in the host country

The public transit in Singapore is great making it easy and relatively fast to get around the country, though I spent the vast majority of my time within a small area around the university and my condo as most places including leisure offerings were in that area. Safety is as close to perfect as it can get in Singapore. My friends were able to routinely leave valuables unattended in public places without having to worry about them being taken. Walking in the city, even at night never felt even remotely unsafe. There is a lively club scene in Singapore and while it is expensive (mainly because alcohol is taxed to a high degree) it's a great way to meet an international crowd. There are also events organised by third parties specifically for exchange students. In the daytime there are lots of sports offerings and specifically the river valley offers itself up for running. Shared city bikes are also easily available and cycling is possible in the entire city with many bike paths as you get further from the center. The botanical gardens offer a great and free escape from the heat during the day. Sentosa island has many offerings worth exploring too (real life Mario Kart was a highlight).

6. Testimonial

I had a great time in Singapore. The city/country itself was great as there wasn't a language barrier to get in touch with the locals and the international environment means you don't feel like an outsider. It was a great opportunity to get to know and build a better understanding for Singaporean and ASEAN culture as well as explore the region with the large offering of low-cost flights to other countries in the area.