Originally Posted by
BOSishome
However, I am wondering if anyone could comment on the student culture at NUS? Did anyone here attend NUS? Would it be difficult for one to make friends coming in as an American?
Suggest you reach out via FaceBook or the like. Try to find other US-based students who have done international study at NUS or in SIN. Also, realize that for the most part, for locals, Uni is a commuter experience in SIN. Very different in that regard, or in regard to campus culture from American universities.
Get housing nailed down first. Campus dorm, if available, will be simplest. Other posters have commented that NUS is "outside of the city." By that, they might mean, away from the "Downtown Core" or CBD (Central Business District). However, to me NUS is not that inconveniently located, between Clementi & Bukit Merah. If it were way out in Jurong, or Woodlands, or even Changi, that could be inconvenient for entertainment/socializing on a student budget.
Realize a few things - you can easily get anywhere on the island relatively cheaply, even at peak times using a taxi, compared to most US cities. Buses and metro are excellent, and taxis are plentiful. Get a local phone, and get a Singapore taxi app on it. It will come in handy on a rainy Friday evening.
The surest way to bust your student budget will be to try to eat like an American. Forget about familiar favorites, for a while. Even a box of Cheerios will be extravagant. If you have a kitchen, get over any squeamishness and shop for at least fruit & veg, if not proteins, at a local wet market. If is perfectly hygienic and safe, regardless how it might appear to your western eyes. If you are buying meals, stick to eating houses and hawker centres. The food is local, inexpensive (unless you're splurging on chili crab or tiger prawns), and unbelievably tasty. Hit a kopitiam for a kopi-c instead of a Starbucks.
Finally, plan for some excursions while over there. Get it into your budget. An amazing array of destinations most Americans barely dream of seeing is within easy reach, and pretty affordable if you take advantage of discount Asian airlines and cheap hotels/hostels. Highlights I'd suggest would be Siem Reap/Angkor Wat, Bali, Thai beach areas, etc.
Originally Posted by
BOSishome
For what it's worth, I do not speak any Mandarin or Malay. However, from what I can gather that shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Singapore has for official languages - Mandarin, Behasa Malay, Tamil, and English. Pretty much everyone, excepting perhaps some relatively poorly educated lower economic class members and recent immigrants, are pretty fluent in English. You might get thrown for a loop a bit in some transactions by Singlish, but you'll get the hang of it quickly.
Enjoy.