Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Singapore
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Transportation
Banking Services
Post Office
Medical Services
Telecom
Survival Guide
Transportation

Transportation:

  1. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Trains

The mode of transportation that is most widely used (fastest and most efficient) is the Mass Rapid Transit. Being a well-developed country, Singapore boasts its extensive rail network that allows commuters to get to all parts of the city easily.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations: There are many free mobile applications that you can download to help navigate Singapore’s MRT system.

For Android users, you can download “Singapore MRT and LRT” FREE by RoarApps.
For IOS users, you can download “Singapore Transport Map” by OnDemandWorld.

To calculate the cost of your ride, click here.

To begin your commuting journey, simply purchase an ez-link card at any of the TransitLink Ticket Offices, Concession Card Replacement Offices or Passenger Service Centres located at most MRT stations. It costs $12 with a stored value $7 for use and you can top up your card at all General Ticketing Machines at all SMRT and SBST stations.

For more information on getting around Singapore, click here!

Interactive map can be found here!

  1. SBS & SMRT Buses

Apart from trains, buses are another convenient mode of transportation to get to your destination. Use http://gothere.sg/maps to navigate to your destination in the fastest way possible!

  1. Taxi

Taxis are plentiful and safe, but expensive in Singapore.

Taxi Fares (as of March 9, 2016)

Regular Taxis [mid-size]

Basic fare

Region

Additional Fare
by Meter

Details

$3.00 - $3.90

Varies by region

Fares calculated by
distance travelled.

Every 400m thereafter up to 10 km - $0.22

Every 350m thereafter after 10km - $0.22

In Singapore, a midnight surcharge of 50% applies from midnight to 5.59am.

A peak hour surcharge of 25% applies from 6.00am to 9.30am & 6.00pm to midnight.

Extra surcharge from city area, Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa, Gardens by the Bay and more applies.

Additional booking fee applies when you call for a taxi. 

 

Maxi Cab Limo Taxi (7-seater)

Basic fare

Region

Additional Fare
by Meter

Details

$3.90

Varies by region

Fares calculated by
distance travelled.

Every 400m thereafter up to 10 km - $0.30

Every 350m thereafter after 10km - $0.30

Flat rate maxi cabs are also available – call Limousine Cab @ 6535 3534.

Surcharges are similar to that of regular taxis.

Current booking fee - $10 (immediate)

Advance booking fee - $18 (30 mins and above)

Call Comfort Limousine Taxi Booking @ 6552 2828.

 

Flying Chalks tip: If you want a rough gauge of your taxi fare, http://www.taxisingapore.com/taxi-fare-calculator/

Taxi Booking Contact Numbers:

CityCab / Comfort Taxis – 6552 1111

SMRT Taxis – 6555 8888

TransCab – 6555 3333

Premier Taxis – 6363 6888 

Banking Services

Banking Services:

To set up a bank account, you would require:

  • Passport (original and photocopy)
  • Student's Pass or Letter of Acceptance from the school
  • Matriculation Card (if available)

Once a bank account (savings or current account) is open, the bank will usually issue a chequebook, an ATM card with deposit / withdrawal functions and a PIN for phone or online banking.

Each bank has different requirements to open an account, with differing minimum balances and service charges. 

Major Banks in Singapore:

  1. DBS/POSB Bank Ltd

Opening hours: Differing opening hours, find the nearest bank to you & their opening hours here.
Nearest DBS/POSB Bank to SUTD: East Point Mall (Simei MRT)
Homepage: http://www.dbs.com.sg/personal/default.page
Customer Service: 1800 111 1111; +65 6327 2265 (from overseas)
 

  1. OCBC Bank

Opening hours: Differing opening hours, find the nearest bank to you & their opening hours here.
Nearest OCBC Bank to SUTD: Tampines Central (Tampines MRT)
Homepage: https://www.ocbc.com/personal-banking/index.html
Customer Service: 1800 783 5911; +65 6363 3333 (from overseas)

  1. United Overseas Bank Ltd (UOB Bank)

Opening hours: Differing opening hours, find the nearest bank to you & their opening hours here.
Nearest OCBC Bank to SUTD: Tampines Central (Tampines MRT)
Homepage: http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/index.html
Customer Service: 1800 222 2121; +65 6222 2121 (from overseas)             

Post Office

Post Office services:

The nearest post office from campus is located at Bedok Simpang. Take bus 2 or 24 from bus stop outside SUTD (Opposite Tropicana Condo) and alight at Bedok Market Place.

Otherwise, click here to locate the post office closest to you!

Flying Chalks’ tip: Shipping rates vary according to destinations, weight etc. Check here for postage rates and delivery time!

 
Medical Services

Medical services:

Singapore being a developed country has plenty of private clinics around. The list of clinics near SUTD can be found here.

Changi General Hospital

Located near campus, Changi General Hospital is highly accessible for students studying there! It is a tertiary care award winning hospital!

Changi General Hospital is a 790 bed hospital located in Simei. The hospital has a comprehensive range of more than 23 medical services, from general surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, ENT to orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. 

Opening hours: Monday to Friday (8.30am to 8.00pm); Saturday and Sunday (8.30am to 12.30pm); closed on public holidays

You can make online appointments here or call 6788 8833 for any general enquiries. For 24-hour emergency service, dial +65 6311 1555. For more information, you can visit their website.

Address: 2 Simei Street 3, Singapore 529889

Information on other general hospitals can be found at http://www.hospitals.sg/hospitals.

Other Medical Institutions available in Singapore are:
  1. Singapore General Hospital
  2. Alexandra Hospital
  3. KK Women’s & Children Hospital
  4. National University Hospital
  5. Tan Tock Seng Hospital
  6. Raffles Hospital
  7. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
Those on a budget go polyclinics to treat their illnesses. Guides to Polyclinics and the services offered can be found here!
Flying Chalks’ tip:
There will always be a long queue at the local polyclinics hence be prepared for the wait.

Medicine

Pharmacies are located all over the city in “Watsons” and “Guardian” stores. You can purchase both prescription and over-the-counter drugs for colds, headaches, and other minor ailments.

Nearest pharmacy to SUTD: Watsons at Changi City Point

Basic medicine such as Panadol can be purchased from NTUCfairprice, 7-11, Cheers, Unity stores or neighbourhood polyclinics.

Telecommunications

Telecommunications:

There are 3 mobile telecommunications service providers in Singapore: Singtel, Starhub, and M1. These providers operate authorized service centres and phone retail stores where you can subscribe to a phone service and purchase a mobile phone.

  1. Singtel

Singtel has prepaid SIM cards with different values ($8, $15, $28, $38, $50). A good deal would be the $50 hi! SIM Card as you get a $100 value + FREE 5GB Local Data. This is available at Singapore Changi Airport. Do note that you will require either your passport or student pass to purchase a SIM card. There are also Top-Up Cards for you to top-up the value in your card.

To find a Singtel store near you, click here!. 

  1. Starhub

Starhub has prepaid SIM cards with different values ($8, $15, $32, $50). A good deal would be the $50 Happy Prepaid SIM as you get a $50 value + 5GB Local Data (valid for 30days upon activation) + FREE 100GB Local Data (valid for 5 days upon activation). Do note that you will require your passport to purchase a SIM card. There are also Top-Up Cards for you to top-up the value in your card – available at all 7-Eleven, Cheers, and Starhub retail outlets.

To find a Starhub retail outlet near you, check it out at here.

  1. M1

M1 has prepaid SIM cards with different values ($5, $15). A good deal would be the $15 M Card as you get a $18 value + 500MB Local Data (valid for 30days upon activation). Do note that you will require your passport to purchase a SIM card. There are also Top-Up Cards for you to top-up the value in your card – available at all 7-Eleven, Cheers, FairPrice Xpress, M1 shops and exclusive distributors.

To find a M1 store near you, check it out at here. 

Survival Guide

Weather:

Singapore experiences summer and remains hot and humid all year round. We experience other seasons such as monsoon and dry seasons. Temperatures average around 31°C.

Dry Seasons (mid-January – March) are normally the warmest, with little rain as compared to the monsoon season (October – January).

More information can be found here!

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Police

999

Fire Engine & Ambulance

995

Emergency Ambulance and Fire

1800-933-6483

Non-Emergency Ambulance Services

1777

Tourist Complaint Hotline (Mon – Fri: 9.00am – 5.30pm)

1800 736 3366

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, click here!

 

By Mohsin Ahamed
2016-07-18 07:36:30
SUTD has a beautiful campus, with lots of greenery and great architecture. While looking very modern and innovative, it still manages to keep the essence of a close-knit community and a homely feel. The community is friendly and encourages collaboration amongst everyone from different pillars. SUTD is quite a unique university because it strips away all the assumptions people have had about higher education and comes up with its own system based on recent research on the most effective methods of pedagogy. Instead of just attending lectures and tutorials, we have classes where a lot of active learning takes place. New concepts are tested on the spot using clicker questions, and more complex questions are attempted on the whiteboard simultaneously while learning takes place. This really helps to bridge any gaps on understanding that may be present.
By Chevalie Brawijaya
2016-07-15 17:02:28
SUTD's unique curriculum exposes us to knowledge that are not only fundamental, but also essential for our future. Projects as part of our modules encourage us to collaborate and often engage with industrial partners, providing great opportunities for us to learn to apply our knowledge to the real world. Meanwhile, our campus life is very vibrant, with a variety of Co-Curricular Activities from Choir to Taekwondo and from Japanese Society to Mechanical Design. All in all, SUTD is a great university which can give you many opportunities that would suit your passion and interest :)
By Indira P
2016-07-14 22:18:52
In a sentence, SUTD is the place where students can learn new things, explore their interests and pursue what they're passionate about. I chose SUTD because it seemed to be one of the few institutions out there that has a dynamic and active learning environment – basically less boring lectures and more hands-on activites and projects. Indeed, SUTD has teaching methods and lesson structures that are enjoyable. The best part for me about classes here is that we solve questions together in groups in class to reinforce the theories taught and have many hands-on activities and projects that emphasize the practical applications of these theories. These activities and projects are also often quite open-ended in order to give more room for creativity and emphasize the importance of good design thinking skills. Admittedly, things can get a little busy and stressful at times with so many projects and usual assignments to work on, but the journey so far has been very enriching and rewarding for me. SUTDents, in my opinion, come out as really good thinkers, designers and team players. Besides academics, SUTD has a lot of Co-Curricular Activities (we call them Fifth Rows) that students can explore. Although most Fifth Rows are pretty new and growing, they are very friendly and open to new-comers. It’s really a place for anyone to try anything. I would say that anyone with interest and/or passion can definitely find their place in SUTD; if they can’t find it, they can create it. Be it building new contraptions, initiating research projects, creating new Clubs and Societies, anything at all, we have an environment that encourages and helps make it happen. I myself have done a variety of new things in SUTD, like setting up my own Student Club, organising events, making my own products in the Fabrication Lab, etc. and I have always had support from the school, fellow students and professors to guide me and help me out with these things. On the whole, I have enjoyed my SUTD journey so far. I’ve tried so many new things and found many like-minded and supportive friends here. It’s really a wonderful environment where students can learn and grow, which I think is the most important for a good college education.
By Gabrilla Samsir
2016-07-14 21:56:02
SUTD is definitely one of a kind university, with all of the up to date fabrication facilities and unique education structure (we called our major as pillar, because they believe that these pillar are essential for the future). People here are very friendly too! they all are creative but dont mind to share their ideas and collaborate with each other.
By Isha Shah
2016-06-08 13:31:57
One of the most beautiful things about SUTD is its small community! This makes it possible for us to get to know almost everyone in our batch. This combined with the small, green campus makes SUTD a home far away from home. The compulsory student housing in year one reinforces these relationships. Besides the friendly environment, the education at SUTD is very unique. Every class has about 45-50 students and has 3 teachers!!! That's a 1:15 teacher student ratio! And I must say, this is really great as we have more professors to choose from, depending on whose teaching style we prefer, for consultations. Some professors even stay back in class till midnight a day before exams! :O I haven't heard of universities with such dedicated professors! The various projects that we do all throughout the year provokes design thinking! I remember, in my second term in SUTD we would often be up till late (sometimes stay up all night!!), doing our project related tasks in our class. Sounds scary, yes, but the results of the project was more than satisfying! Besides academics, I love how SUTD provides students ample opportunities to carry forward their interests. You want to organize an event? Set up a club? Do your own research? SUTD won't stop you, but rather help you embark on your journey! It is lovely how we are given this freedom and how our voices are always heard! There aren’t many food outlets in SUTD, mainly due to the small student/staff population. But efforts are constantly made by the school and student government to improve this! SUTD definitely has its drawbacks, but I have never regretted my decision of studying at SUTD:)