Singapore snapshots

Gan Lin shares his experience at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where stunning architecture and great food made every day memorable.

Gan Lin

Gan Lin

Why I chose my host uni:

Because NTU offers a great range of courses and allowed me to have a taste of education outside of New Zealand. The uni itself is also very beautiful.

How I found applying to my host uni:

Applying to the university was a tedious process as you could only apply for a visa after and before a certain timeline. The visa I got was an STP/Student Pass, which allows you to remain and study in the country for the duration. The application itself was somewhat similar to AUT, with you needing to provide required documents and wait for a reply.

How I found learning in a different academic system:

It was a very different experience as the university had different exam formats and scheduling, and the courses were challenging. I made friends with some locals who helped me with some of the courses.

What I gained from this experience:

Academically I learned some knowledge that has benefitted me in my later studies in AUT. Personally, I experienced another country, enjoyed it and visited as many places as I could.

Top tips for other students

  1. Attend as many events as possible, either school hosted, club related or just the starter trips the uni offers as a taster. You meet other exchange students and often get along with a few of them
  2. Know your surroundings and shops around you. This will benefit you for buying food and supplies with ease. Also get to know the public transport system. The buses are super reliable and the MRT trains are even more reliable and cheap
  3. Attend the sports clubs, as you’ll make friends and meet the locals. I ended up being good friends with some of them and talked a lot with them about New Zealand, as they love to know about other countries
  4. Bring cash as non-locals can’t open bank accounts unless they’re there for a year or more. However, on campus there’s an ATM that allows you to withdraw cash from your Revolut account, which is an online bank that allows you to exchange currencies at no extra fees. The withdrawal from the account charges a flat fee of 8SGD, which is cheaper than exchanging at a currency exchange location
  5. A lot of places do not accept VISA payments, only their local payments or cash, so definitely have some on hand
  6. In Singapore, almost everyone eats out and no one cooks unless it’s instant noodles, so definitely go for it and try as many things as you can but be careful of your budget
  7. Reserve some money for public transport as you’ll need it
Gan Lin
Gan Lin
Gan Lin
Gan Lin
Gan Lin

About Gan and his student exchange

AUT degree:
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering

Host uni:
Nanyang Technological University

Host country:
Singapore

5 favourite things

Favourite place in my host city:
Marina Bay Sands – there was Gardens by the Bay, which was amazing, and the mall/hotel area was a wonder with many shops and views.

Best dish/food I tried:
Salted egg chicken – excellent taste

Most useful thing I packed to take with me:
Small table fan as it was super hot in my room

Favourite thing about my host uni:
The university itself is a tourist attraction with wonderful, beautiful buildings

Best trip I took outside of my host city:
I went to Malaysia for a day for ice skating. It was amazing and had great food

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