Planning to pursue studies in Singapore? Great choice! The Lion City is known for its high quality of life and education—so you’re in good hands. Still, we can imagine you still have questions about your upcoming experience.

Questions like: “what degree program should I pursue? Are there ways I can plan mixers on the island through an event space Singapore? How will I get around the city? And even what should I wear in tropical weather?” will be answered today.

Is Singapore best for studying? Why do people study in Singapore?

Despite being a small country in Southeast Asia, Singapore consistently ranks high in measurements of quality of life and education. With a stable economy and hard-working folk, the country is also a hub for booming businesses globally.

Thus, the country is known to have one of the most important central business districts in not just Southeast Asia, but also around the world.

Because of this, many flock to Singapore to build their professional career—starting with their education. The country is best for studying simply because of the opportunities it gives to its students. In Singapore, there is access to the best technology, best housing, and best education in Asia.

Best Degree Programs to Join in Singapore

If you are planning to study in Singapore, do know that the country specializes in the following courses—Banking and Finance ; Data Science; Engineering; Information Technology; and Healthcare.

Generally, however, studying anything in Singapore is worth a shot. Especially in their top 5 universities: National University of Singapore; Nanyang Technological University; Singapore Management University; Singapore University of Technology and Design; and the Singapore Institute of Technology.

Life in Singapore

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Diversity and Culture

For a small country, Singapore sure is home to a lot of different cultures. Its estimated population of around 5.5 million Singapporeans includes people of Indian, Chinese, and Malay descent. The country was built mainly from immigrants in the early 1800 – 1900s.

Because of its diverse culture, Singapore celebrates a mix of Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, and even Catholic holidays. Additionally, its diversity remains its biggest strength, turning it into one of the richest countries in the world.

The country is also a former British colony, which helped build its reputation among expats. This is why the country has streets named after the former Queen of Britain and why they drive on the left side of the road (among others).

Languages

Due to being home to people of all cultural backgrounds, most people in Singapore are bilingual. They can speak English quite fluently, and have been known for their Singaporean-English. However, to the surprise of many, English is not their national language—Malay is.

The most common languages spoken in Singapore—other than English—are Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. If you are planning to study in the country for a long while, you may want to pick up a book or two in learning one of their national languages.

Should languages not be your strongest suit, consider learning Singaporean-English. This will come in handy when you order in food stalls and shopping malls.

Food Spots

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You will have no trouble finding quality food in Singapore. The country is also a popular food hub across the globe, with tourists flocking to try hainanese chicken, durian ice cream, laksa, and the chili crabs.

As a student, however, sometimes you want a quick, cheap, and easy meal. For these, you can visit a few of the many hawker centers around the island. These are open-air food complexes where meals can cost for as low as $3 SGD.

Getting Around the City

Singapore is a very walkable city, with many economical ways to commute. You can opt to take the bus or the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) to get around the city. There are bus stops and MRT stops within minutes away from each other.

If you’re a student planning to take these public transport systems to school, you should definitely get an EZ-link card. This tap-and-go card can be loaded through your credit/debit cards or in a loading machine located in train stations. Each ride can cost around $1.50 SGD.

Ride-booking systems such as Grab and Gojek are also available for everyone (especially those traveling late at night).

Tips to Those Planning to Study in Singapore

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Know Your Travel Requirements

Back in April, Singapore finally opened up its borders to tourists and students from all over the world. However, there are still requirements to get in the country.

For fully vaccinated visitors (2 doses or 1 single dose vaccine), these are the requirements:

• Proof of vaccination
• Submit an SG Arrival Card and download your e-health declaration via the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority site
• Download the TraceTogether app and activate it once you have passed immigration

For unvaccinated visitors (or with incomplete doses), these are the requirements:

• Pre-departure RT-PCR or antigen test that shows you are COVID-19 NEGATIVE
• All other requirements mentioned above

Settle Your Student’s Pass

Other than the requirements above, those planning to study in Singapore also need a Student’s Pass. The requirements for these will vary depending on the program and school you apply for.

For those planning to attend a private school, for example, they need to attend an Edu-Trust Certified school to be granted a pass. Learn more from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

Prepare for Tropical Weather

Singapore is a tropical country, so as far as jackets go, you will only need them for the rainy season. Remember that for most parts of the year it is sunny and humid.

Thus, it is best to equip yourself with umbrellas, sunblock, and hand-carry fans especially if you’ll be a student on-the-go.

Have Your Accomodation at the Ready!

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Singapore also has many accommodation options available for their students. There are student hostels around the island, with varied prices and room types. Since the country is a small island, you can benefit from staying almost anywhere (since it has a great public transport system as well).

Still, some accommodations are closer than others. It is still best to start looking for accommodations near your institution. You can ask your school for suggestions, especially if you don’t know much about Singapore.

The most common options are residential college and student residence accommodations. The former is similar to the western college life—treating student residences more like apartments.

Make Friends—Here’s How!

It is always quite daunting to make friends when you’re in a new country. If you’re interested in forming friendships in Singapore, you’ll be pleased to know that Singaporeans are very warm and friendly.

In building your community, you can connect with your immediate classmates, join clubs, or online groups. May it be through Telegram, Discord, or Facebook, there are many online groups you can join to start building your Singapore community.

Once you’re in a club, you can also plan out school mixers and other networking events. In Singapore, you don’t have to worry about finding the perfect event venue since there are platforms such as Venuerific.com that can aid your event planning ASAP.

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Are you ready to start your semester in Singapore? It’s okay to feel nervous or a bit anxious leading up to your big move. However, don’t let this fear consume you! Singapore is a beautiful country with great food and even better company. Hopefully this list makes you see all the good waiting for you when you study in Singapore in 2023!