SMU is located in the heart of Singapore. Around SMU you can find everything; great food, museums, bars, and - of course - shopping malls!

Coming from Germany, I had troubles coping with the overall academic system at the beginning. I am used to having one big exam, which mostly determines the grade. However, in this case, I ended up having at least four to five - almost equally graded - projects for every subject.

I found myself in a huge chaos of group chats and deadlines for different projects and courses. But there is hope, if I managed to organize these deadlines, you will too!

One aspect I really adore about Singapore is its diversity. It was extremely enriching for me to talk to different people with completely different backgrounds, religions, and beliefs.

Singaporeans are generally very friendly and helpful and especially amongst the younger students and other friends. I felt completely welcomed and accepted! 

Even if one of Singapore’s official language is English, you might still find yourself wondering what the older man meant by “Ahh can, lah” - Welcome to Singlish! But no worries, this accent is actually pretty charming and the moment you being to listen carefully and get used to the very efficient way of using words, you will get along.

Coming back to diversity, Singapore offers ALL kinds of cuisine. Korean, Japanese, Thai, Malay, Chinese, Indonesian, and yes, even German, French, American, and the list goes on! Nowhere else you can find five or six different cuisines under one roof.

And the best is that the food is very cheap, yet tasty and full of local flavor!  

At the end of the day, my studies in Singapore were the most enriching four months in my life. I met amazing people from all around the world and most importantly I learned a lot about myself, professionally and personally.

Kai, from EBS University Business and Law (Germany),
previously on exchange at Singapore Management University

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