Student Life

Life as an International Student @ NUS

Studying at a university where nearly 30% of the population is international is a great blessing. While the first few weeks can feel like a total whirlwind, once you find your rhythm, it’s an unmatched experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. If you’re an international student dreaming of (or currently stressing about) studying in Singapore, you’ve come to the right place!

My name is Hanseol. I’ve just wrapped up my first semester at NUS, and I’m here to give you the real "inside view" on life here as a Korean student who grew up in Thailand.

How I Ended Up @ NUS

I spent my high school years in an IB school, which basically means my life revolved around the International Baccalaureate. To be completely honest, NUS wasn't originally my first choice. Because Singapore has a relatively "laid-back" application schedule, I spent months navigating the Common App for the US, UCAS for the UK, and separate Korean applications first.

But after the dust settled with rejections and acceptances, NUS and NTU climbed the ranks to become my top picks right before my final IB exams. For those curious, here was my academic profile:

• Higher Level: Mathematics A&A, Physics, Computer Science, English B
• Standard Level: Economics, Korean A Literature
• A-Level: Further Mathematics
• SAT: 1530
• Final IB Score: 43/45 (Predicted 45)

With these scores and a handful of extracurriculars, I was lucky enough to get into Electrical Engineering at both NUS and NTU. Amongst a few options available, my final decision came down to the "Big Four" reasons: the relatively affordable price tag (compared to the US/UK), the availability of the Tuition Grant, Singapore’s legendary safety, and, of course, that global academic reputation.

Moving Into Singapore

One of the quirks of being an international student in the IB May intake is that you miss out on some of the "fun" pre-college bits. Because my final results only came out in mid-July and school started the first week of August, I had less than a month to pack up my life in Thailand, move back to Korea, and prep for Singapore. It was hectic!

Thankfully, even though the timeline was tight, the NUS onboarding process was super clear. Help was always just an email away, making it honestly feel way more organized than the American systems I’d looked into.

Settling into Hall Life

As a freshman, you’re guaranteed a spot in a dormitory, which is a huge relief. You have a massive variety of choices:

• Quiet & Calm: If you want privacy, aim for the Houses (Pioneer, Helix, or Valour).
• Close-knit & Active: Go for the Halls.
• Sports: Eusoff or Temasek Hall are for you.
• Strategic Locations: Raffles Hall is right by Engineering, while Sheares and Kent Ridge are perfect for Business and Computing students.

My own housing assignment was a total blessing in disguise. I consider myself a quiet person, so I put the Houses as my top three choices. When I got assigned to Sheares Hall, I was actually a bit worried. But it turns out, Sheares fits me perfectly.

In a massive uni, it’s easy for friend groups to stay in nationality "bubbles" (locals with locals, Koreans with Koreans). But Hall life forces you out of that bubble. Being part of the Sheares community gave me the chance to bond with people from all over the world, which is an experience that has been absolutely invaluable.

Word of advice: Stay active! Beyond Year 1, housing isn't guaranteed. For Halls, you need "Hall Points" from CCAs (extracurriculars). While locals might need to join 5+ clubs to stay, international students usually only need 2 or 3. Just make sure you get involved! For other houses and Utown Residence, you need a valid reason why you MUST stay on campus. This includes good GPA, 2nd Major or Minor, NUS CCAs, or economical reasons.

Academics @ NUS

I won't sugarcoat it. It is hard! Most courses at NUS are bell-curved, meaning only a fixed percentage of students get that elusive 'A'.

But there is an ABSOLUTE MIRACLE called S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory). This is a total lifesaver! If you don't do as well as you hoped in a course, you can choose to "S/U" it, meaning the grade won't affect your GPA or show up on your transcript. You get 32 units of this (roughly eight courses), usually for Level 1000 or 2000 modules.

The ‘credits’ are not granted for IB or A-levels, but for a few APs. But, for EE, the starting math is basically "Calc 3," and the pace is lightning-fast and having done IB HL AA and A-Level Further Maths was the only reason I am still alive

Some Final Thoughts

Looking back at my first semester, I realize that NUS isn't just about the world-class degree; it’s about learning to thrive in one of the most vibrant, multicultural hubs on the planet. You’ll pull all-nighters in the library, grab late-night supper with friends from countries you’ve never visited, and realize you’re growing in ways you never expected.

If you’re sitting there looking at your IB or SAT scores and wondering if you should take the leap, do it. The transition might be fast, and the bell curve might be scary, but the community you find here makes every bit of effort worth it. You’ll come here for the reputation, but you’ll stay for the people and the person you become.

I’m so excited for what the next few years hold. If you have any questions about the move, the EE workload, or just want to know the best place for food on campus, please feel free to reach out to the ATSIS email! Hope to see you around Utown soon!

Hanseol Ryu, NUS EE’25 Intake