I haven’t written a blog post in a while this semester, mainly because I’ve been focusing on academic work. I plan to start writing more regularly to share my thoughts in both academic and more general. In this post, I’ll be sharing my journey of finding off-campus accommodation as an international student studying at NUS.
This is the first part of a three-part series. In this post, I’ll focus on the scouting process. The next posts will cover contacting agents, visiting places, negotiating, and signing the agreement.
Background #
NUS generally provides two years of guaranteed on-campus accommodation for international students, but starting from my cohort, that policy was reduced to just one year (sadly). Most people I know didn’t get a spot in the housing they applied for. Typically, hall residents who earn enough hall points get to stay, and house residents rely on their senior retention scheme. I don’t know much about Residential Colleges (RCs), so I won’t comment on that.
To apply for Student Residences with a higher chance of success, you usually need to be nominated under the Residential Admission Scheme (RAS). This includes executive committees or members of NUSSU and other recognized interest groups and societies. I kind of regret not participating in any of these CCAs, which likely contributed to not getting accommodation. Most people I know who secured housing were nominated through this scheme.
Finding Off-campus Accommodation #
Honestly, I panicked a bit after seeing the results. But life goes on, so I started searching on platforms like PropertyGuru.
Pro Tips: There are plenty of property rental platforms out there like PropertyGuru, 99.co, or co-living providers like Homey, Cove, Bespoke Habitat, etc. I think these are generally safer than Facebook groups, though not 100% risk-free, always watch out for scams!
From here, I’ll walk you through what I think is the most strategic way to search for rooms and what I learned along the way, step by step.
Step 1: Deciding on Budget and Property Type #
As students, we usually go for either HDBs or Condos. NUS’s website also mentions other student accommodations like ACS Independent or NUS High School, which are good options if they suit your preference. Personally, I felt that staying off-campus would be a great chance to learn how to live more independently while exploring Singapore.
From what I know, the main differences between HDBs and Condos are pricing and environment:
- HDBs generally have a lower PSF (Price Per Square Foot), meaning you can get more space for the same price compared to Condos.
- HDBs often come with more restrictions and fewer amenities. Since you’re likely staying with landlords, it’s important to check if they’re good and reasonable.
If you have friends to share with, renting an entire HDB unit together, either with or without the landlord, can offer better value. I know a few people who’ve done this.
Personally, I prefer a more independent lifestyle, so I chose to go with a Condo. There are older HDBs where rent can be as low as $500–$600, but the living conditions might not be ideal. For better HDBs or Condos, expect to pay over $1,000 per month.
There might be other hidden costs as well. Some places offer the rent inclusive of utilities where some do not, you may want to check this first.
Step 2: Selecting a Good Location #
Once your budget and property type are set, it’s time to look at locations. In my opinion, commuting between home and school shouldn’t take more than 30–40 minutes, though you can adjust that based on your preferences. I scoped out locations using MRT stations from CC19 Botanic Gardens to CC29 HarbourFront, with CC24 Kent Ridge (NUS) in the middle. You can also filter by East-West Line, though I wouldn’t go farther than Clementi.
Remark: During peak periods, some people stay farther out for cheaper rent. Common alternatives include DT5 Beauty World or EW25 Chinese Garden.
If you do end up far from campus, try to stay close to MRT or bus stops with easy routes to school (more on this later). Also, make sure there’s good food nearby (you don’t want to suffer).
Here’s a tip I don’t often see: being closer doesn’t always mean more convenient. For example:
- Many NUS students know Clementi for its food and bus connections. But commuting there can be frustrating as you may need to switch MRT lines, and the EW line is often overcrowded. In contrast, places like HarbourFront on the Circle Line may feel smoother for daily travel.
- Apartments near campus, like those on Pasir Panjang Road by the Business School, can be a hassle during heavy rain. It seems convenient when it’s a five-minute walk, but with no nearby bus shelter, rainy days become painful. You can bus to Kent Ridge MRT, but it’s not ideal.
So, convenience to your faculty really matters, especially on rainy days. For example, near the School of Computing, the CLB bus stop is one of the few where you can get off and walk in without getting drenched. Small things like this can make a difference.
Step 3: Choosing a Good Room #
This step should be quick. Just be cautious about “cheap” rooms! In Condo units, landlords sometimes partition bigger rooms or lease out the utility room. They’ll often post misleading photos of nicer rooms on PropertyGuru to attract interest. These cheaper rooms might not even have windows, which can feel claustrophobic and stressful.
Pro Tips: Condo listings often include several rooms. Prices are usually listed in the description. Compare photos and prices to see which room corresponds to which rate. This helps you avoid surprises!
I recommend screening rooms carefully before messaging agents. Otherwise, you’ll waste time waiting for replies (I’ll dive into this in the next posts). If a listing seems unclear but promising, it’s still worth reaching out for more details.
Closing Thoughts #
That’s it for this post! I want to keep things digestible and split up my thoughts into more manageable chunks (also, better for retention 😉). These are just my opinions, so don’t rely on them too heavily. At the end of the day, it’s your room. your comfort should matter just as much as your budget, and more than any outside judgment. Thanks for reading, and I hope you find a great place!