Preparing for your Singapore Adventure

By Courtney Blincow, Singapore Management University, Singapore

Studying abroad can seem like an intimidating idea however, preparing for your exciting journey will make the process less daunting. When I was allocated my place at Singapore Management University I found that I was extremely nervous and unsure about what to expect. At this point I was aware that I needed to begin taking steps to get me ready for my trip but I had no idea where to start. My hope is that this blog post will be able to help you and provide tips that I would have found useful when I was in your position.

My first step was to reach out to my academic advisor to ask for contacts of students who had studied at SMU in previous year abroad programmes. I planned to meet up with these students whilst on campus at UoM so that I could ask any questions I had and gage a sense of what to expect from not only student life in Singapore but from the culture as a whole. I prepared some questions prior to the meetings but, in reality, I received more insight through having a friendly chat about their journey as a whole at SMU and allowing them to tell me about their year rather than asking specific questions. If I could recommend one action to include in your preparation, it would be this one. Even now I have arrived in Singapore, I remain in contact with the students and I have been able to contact them whilst I have been here if I have any issues. They have become friends that are also supporting me throughout this adventure.

A very significant action to take is to research any visa requirements. Although I did this when completing my application, it is useful to continuously check the ICA website in case of any changes or updates. The student pass has specific requirements such as a medical exam so it is very useful to begin looking at where you can have this done. A top tip I wish I had known is that, for many, it is cheaper to do the examination once in Singapore.

Another thing to consider is whether you want to travel the surrounding area of Asia whilst studying. Travel is one of my key goals for my placement so I knew I needed to check if there were any vaccination requirements in the regions I wanted to visit. I decided to receive various vaccinations as it was the smartest choice in order to protect myself effectively and it also means I can enjoy my travel experience more with less concern about the conditions I have been vaccinated for.

A further tip I would suggest for your preparation is to check the price of products such as sun cream, shampoo etc. Things that are cheap in England are not always cheap in Singapore. I found making a list of products and prices helpful so that when I was shopping for my trip I knew which items to buy multiple of.

I truly hope that sharing my preparation experience has been helpful! Doing an international placement is scary due to the unknown but as I write this post sat in my room in Singapore, I can tell you that the excitement of arriving and the amazing experiences you will have significantly override that fear. My final tip would be to prepare well but most importantly have fun and enjoy the adventure!