About
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a public research university in Singapore that was founded in 1905. It consistently ranks as one of the top 10 universities in the world, and it is currently number one across Asia.
With nearly 40,000 students, NUS brings together students from all over the world and uses a multidisciplinary approach to education with the aim of shaping the future. They seek to achieve this through their multidisciplinary research publications and research projects in collaboration with the government. Consult the NUS Impact Report for more information.
NUS also prides itself in being an eco-friendly university, with six electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and Singapore’s first eco food court. Check out this guide published by NUS about how Singaporeans aim to reduce their carbon footprint.
Consult NUS on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.
Location
Singapore is a vibrantly cosmopolitan and culturally diverse city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula in South East Asia. Singapore is a truly multicultural kaleidoscope with four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, adopted from each of the four major ethnic groups: Eurasian, Chinese, Malay and Indian.
Singapore's strategic location, excellent facilities, fascinating cultural contrasts and tourist attractions contribute to its success as a leading destination for both business and pleasure. Singapore’s city centre hosts a vibrant scene of parks and recreational facilities, from the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay, home to the Flower Dome, the biggest glass greenhouse in the world, to Marina Bay Sands and Orchard Road, a famous street of shopping malls and eateries. Also famous in Singapore are the popular hawker centres, which are food courts offering local delights where many students feast for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Located just beyond the city centre of Singapore, NUS boasts a modern, green campus with a wide range of facilities, including two swimming pools, two climbing walls, and four gyms. NUS encompasses three main campuses: Kent Ridge, Bukit Timah, and Outram. The campuses can be reached easily by the NUS public transport system, which includes 35 bus stops. There are also two essential apps that staff and students use to navigate transport on campus, which can be accessed here, under ‘apps’.
Read more about Singapore from the following websites:
Level of competitiveness
This exchange is only open to students in the School of Law.
- School of Law: Competitive **
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
Language of Instruction
Queen Mary students going on exchange to NUS follow courses that are taught and examined in English.
Singapore has four official languages: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English. The main language of instruction at NUS is English, unless otherwise stated.
Fun fact: Many Singaporeans speak a hybrid of English and the other national languages, called Singlish!
Academic Calendar
The NUS academic calendar is split into two semesters (Semester 1 and Semester 2) and one special term (note: Queen Mary students on exchange do not participate in special term). Each semester includes 13 weeks of classes and two weeks of end-of-semester examinations.
- Orientation week (mandatory): early August
- Semester 1: August - early December (includes exams)
- Semester 2: Mid-January - early May
Courses
NUS provides a detailed list of courses available to exchange students. While NUS encourages students to take a cross-disciplinary approach to their studies, Queen Mary students must choose courses that meet the requirements of their degree programme (including meeting the minimum required number of credits in their subject area) and that correspond to their level of study. Learn about any prerequisites for courses.
Restrictions
Exchange students at NUS are restricted from choosing courses from the following faculties:
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (Course codes that do not start with LSM only)
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (Graduate courses only)
- Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies
- Institute of Systems Science
- All courses in NUS self-funded programmes
Specific course restrictions can be found here.
Credits
Students must enrol on a full courseload equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits for the semester/120 for a full academic year.
At NUS, this is a minimum of 12 credits ("modular credits," or MCs) per semester. Modules are around 4 credits each, translating to about 10 hours of preparation and class work each week per class. Students are expected to take between 12 – 20 credits per semester. The minimum of 12 MCs per semester is a requirement for the Student’s Pass (student visa).
Grading
The NUS grading system uses a Grade Point Average (GPA) and letter grades. Students receive letter grades for each course taken, and each letter grade corresponds to a grade point.
Find out more about Queen Mary’s credit transfer and grade conversion process.
Official video: NUS Student Life video
Queen Mary student feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
Instagram takeovers:
Accommodation
While NUS on-campus accommodation is available to exchange students, it is not guaranteed. NUS offers four types of accommodation (which may be referred to as "hostels" in local terminology):
- Halls (of residence): known for their vibrant activities (include compulsory meal plans)
- Houses: place an emphasis on well-being
- Residential colleges: focus on an integrated living environment (include compulsory meal plans)
- Residences: offer extra privacy
Learn more about fees for on-campus accommodation ("hostels") as well as compulsory meal plans.
Alternatively, any student who plans to secure private accommodation in Singapore (including those who might miss the NUS housing application deadline and thus must look privately) are advised to follow the partner’s guidance to complete their accommodation search safely. General guidance about searching for private accommodation safely is also available on the QMplus resource page, “Pre-departure” tab from early spring.
Arrangements are at the sole responsibility and discretion of the student. For rental of private apartments/condominiums, it is important that students read and understand Singapore’s governing policies on rental/leasing of accommodation, from the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) website. Students are also strongly advised to read and understand all terms and conditions of the leasing agreement before committing to a lease. Once a lease has been accepted and signed, the signatories have a legal obligation to fulfil all the terms stated in the agreement. NUS does not represent either party in any disputes arising from the rental/lease of the property.
Cost of living
NUS provides information on the cost of living as a student here (Page 6). You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Singapore compared to London here.
Living expenses can vary depending on individual lifestyle, especially in Singapore where renting private accommodation can be as (if not more) expensive than renting privately in London. Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Important: Students considering to live and study in Singapore must be realistic about financial matters, this being one of the most expensive cities in the world. In the decision-making process, Queen Mary students must calculate their forecasted budget with confirmed funding to which they will have access against the rising cost of living.
Support services
The NUS University Health Centre is located on the Kent Ridge campus. There is a pharmacy on campus as well. More information about the health services on offer can be found here.
As well as physical health services, NUS also offers a range of mental health services, including university counselling services, student support managers, who help with academic matters, student wellness managers, who help with comprehensive student well-being, and peer student supporters, students who have been trained to provide support and guidance. Some of the on-campus accommodation buildings also have their own residential wellness managers. Links to all of these managers and supporters can be found in the NUS Student Support Directory. The Disability Support Office offers a range of services and facilities.
Activities and Societies
Student life at NUS is fun and enriching. Cultural activities and festive events are organised by staff and students all year round, from sports games and music recitals to artistic and cultural opportunities. Consult the regularly updated, running list of student activities and annual events! NUS has over 200 student organisations, societies, and interest groups, over 40 sports teams, and over 20 groups in music, dance, drama, and visual arts.
Some faculties even have their own activities and events. For example, the NUS School of Law has its own clubs and interest groups, as well as exclusive competitions.
