Accessibility, comfort and affordable but good food. These are the top three considerations that come to mind when deciding good places to recommend for your stay in Singapore while studying at Technical University of Munich (TUM) Asia.
Why do we say so? Read on to find out more!
Accessibility
Singapore boasts a well-developed public transport network offering affordable and reasonably speedy public transport. That said, it is important to locate a place of accommodation near both a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station as well as a bus stop. The MRT is Singapore’s version of a rail network that takes you from one part of our beautiful island city to another quickly, while buses, though slightly slower, offer convenience in allowing you to get from your location to a specific destination, for example, the Orchard shopping belt. An EZ-link card, purchasable from all MRT stations, can allow you to travel on all forms of public transport in Singapore. Taxi and Grab (a form of private hire car) rides are available but cost more and are relatively less affordable than buses and MRTs.
As TUM Asia is currently located at the Singapore Institute of Technology building within the Singapore Polytechnic campus, which is located in Dover, students are highly recommended to stay in the West, in locations such as Buona Vista, Dover, Clementi and Jurong East. Students taking the TUM-NUS (National University of Singapore) joint degree in Industrial Chemistry should ideally reside in Dover, Clementi or West Coast, as NUS is located in the Kent Ridge area off Clementi. (Clementi is located next to Dover, so you would have no problem commuting between both the TUM Asia and NUS campuses.) Students taking TUM-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) degrees can find accommodation in Jurong East, Chinese Garden, Lakeside or Boon Lay, as NTU is located within Boon Lay, and students would need to commute between Boon Lay and Dover, to attend classes held in both the TUM Asia and NTU campuses.
Comfort
It is important to find a good accommodation that provides you with a good environment to rest and relax. TUM Asia has no in-campus accommodation facilities. Our students will have to search for their accommodation. Usually, students may first choose to live in student hostels when they first arrive in Singapore, and after they have made new friends in the university, they rent and share an apartment with some other friends or classmates. Housing Development Block (HDB) flats within the heartland districts mentioned in the previous paragraph can be affordable for this purpose, as the room or unit rents charged by HDB owners are not as high as those of condominiums.
Affordable but good food
Singapore is a food paradise, with a variety of cuisines available everywhere. In my opinion, the most attractive part of Singapore’s culture is its thriving food culture. A typical meal costs anywhere between $3 to $5, and options include chicken rice, noodles and economical mixed rice (i.e. rice with dishes). Students who wish to explore cheaper food options can buy ingredients from supermarkets (notably NTUC Fairprice, Giant and Sheng Siong) and cook in their accommodation facilities as long as their tenants allow this.
Has your excitement to study in Singapore been ignited? We certainly hope so! We look forward to welcoming you into our TUM Asia family!
Apply to our programmes here: www.tum-asia.edu.sg/adm