Tisch Asia Snapshot 2012
Table of Contents Living in Singapore 3 Languages 3 Weather 3 Cost of Living 4 Working in Singapore 5 Travel Documents 5 Travel & Transportation 6 Maps 6
Accommodation 7
Private Accommodation 7 HDB Apartments 8 Things to Note About Singapore Rental Accommodation 10
Money Matters 11
Currency 11 Tuition and Fees 11 Additional Resources for International Students 12 Scholarships 12 Financial Aid and Loans 13
Resources & Websites 16
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Living in Singapore
We are so excited that you are planning to study at Tisch Asia. We think the following information is vital to your success.
Languages Singapore’s official languages are English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. English is the language of communication in school, business and daily life in Singapore, thus most of the time you would not need to know any other languages. However, while quite rare, on occasion you may encounter a foreigner or some very old seniors who may not speak or understand English.
Weather Singapore is a tropical island nation. The country is warm, wet and humid most of the year. Average temperatures fall between 28 to 32C / 82F to 90F all year round. Rainy seasons fall between December and March, and between June and September. Air conditioning is provided in most indoor locations to provide relief from the heat.
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Living in Singapore Cost of Living Singapore has one of the highest standards of living in Asia. Costs of living can vary greatly, depending on your lifestyle. It is possible to live economically, for instance by living further away from the city centre, sharing an HDB1 flat with two or three other housemates, using public buses or the subway (MRT) as your main mode of transport, and eating local food at hawker centres and coffee shops. Your monthly expenses would be significantly higher if you lived alone or in a condominium, lived in the prime districts close to the city centre, ate out at restaurants frequently, and took taxis most of the time. In February 2012, students at Tisch Asia reported the following estimated monthly expenses in Singapore: Amounts indicated below are in Singapore dollars: Rent (per person, sharing a flat)
$900 - 1500
Utilities
$90 - 150
Internet, phone, etc.
$50 - 100
MRT & bus
$80 - 160
Taxi
$50 - 150
School Supplies
$50 - 200
Food
$350 - 650
Entertainment
$50 - 400
Clothing
$50 - 150
Necessities
$50 - 250
Miscellaneous
$30 - 100
Total Monthly Expenses:
$1800 - 3860
HDB = Housing Development Board, a Singapore government agency which develops and builds high-rise apartments. The majority of Singaporeans live in HDB flats. 1
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Living in Singapore
Working in Singapore International students who hold valid Student Passes are permitted to work part-time up to 16 hours a week during the semester and full-time during semester breaks. However, we would strongly advise that you first ascertain what demands will be made on your time and energies vis-a-vis your MFA program, before deciding whether to work while studying. Because Tisch Asia only offers graduate programs, Graduate Assistant (GA) and Teaching Assistant (TA) positions are not available. There are, however, a limited number of Technical, Production and Post Assistant positions available each Academic Year. Information regarding applying for these on-campus jobs will be available at the beginning of each Academic Year, and all Tisch Asia students are welcome to apply.
Travel Documents Students who are neither Singapore Citizens nor Singapore Permanent Residents are required to obtain a Student Pass, issued by Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). In order to apply for a Student Pass, we recommend that you possess a passport that is valid at least until May 2013. More details on applying for visas and the Student Pass will be provided upon acceptance to Tisch Asia.
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Living in Singapore Travel & Transportation Public Transportation Singapore boasts a clean, modern and efficient public transportation system, comprising public buses and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains (subway/metro). The Tisch Asia campus is located about 15 minutes from the Redhill MRT Station (EW18). The average train fare is between S$1.20 and S$2.50. SBS Bus services 111 and 132 stop close to the campus. Bus service route information and timetables are available at www.sbstransit.com.sg/transport/trpt_bus_timetable.aspx and www.smrtbuses.com.sg/ebusguide/busguide.asp MRT website: www.smrt.com.sg/trains/trains.asp SBS Transit website: www.sbstransit.com.sg Maps Maps of Singapore and the Tisch Asia campus are available at www.gothere.sg and www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_1289/travel_site_24705/ ShowNearby™ You can download the ShowNearby™ app (available for Android/ Blackberry/ iPhone) to find out what is close to you - bus stops, ATMs, clinics, supermarkets, you name it, they will show it.
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Accommodation
Students at Tisch Asia are responsible for securing their own housing in Singapore, and they should make accommodation arrangements before they arrive. Although Tisch Asia does not operate any student housing in Singapore, a number of options are available for both short-term and long-term accommodations, and students accepted into the program will be given detailed information about the rental process and advice about realtors and roommate matching. Tisch Asia students looking to room together can meet one another at a series of pre-Orientation events, which include housing talks and social activities, held in the weeks before Orientation starts. In recent years accepted students have also used social media platforms like Facebook to get to know one another and find roommates before arriving in Singapore. Currently, most Tisch Asia students rent and share apartments with one or two housemates. Rental accommodation in Singapore falls into two broad categories – HDB or private housing:
Private Accommodations Private housing consists of condominiums, high-rise or walk-up apartments, shop houses as well as houses (known as “landed property� in Singapore). The range can vary widely, from run-down to posh, and from relatively affordable to quite expensive. Most condominiums offer 24-hour security, and access to amenities such as swimming pools, gyms and tennis courts on-site. However, condominiums may sometimes be less accessible to bus stops and MRT stations, and farther away from grocery stores, eating places and shopping malls, compared to the average HDB estate.
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Accommodation Private Accommodations (cont) Click here to see pictures of the condominium Tanglin Regency, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Tisch Asia campus.
HDB Apartments The majority of Singaporeans live in HDB flats (HDB = Housing and Development Board), which are government-subsidized apartments. HDB flats tend to be more affordable and are usually of good quality, but may not be as nicely appointed as private housing (eg. Ceramic tiles in the bathrooms rather than marble or granite – though some HDB flats do have the latter). HDB housing estates are often situated in self-sufficient neighborhoods with malls, supermarkets, eating places, libraries, clinics, public swimming pools, sports complexes, bus and MRT stations. As the HDB has been building flats since the 1960s and continues to build more flats even today, you will find a wide range of HDB flats available for rent, each varying in terms of architecture, layout, interior designs and amenities. When browsing rental listings, look out for keywords such as “newly renovated”, “upgraded” and “Design & Build” for more aesthetically pleasing flats and estates. Click here for an overview of the latest median rents of HDB flats. Prices are in Singapore Dollars.
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Accommodation HDB Apartments (cont) Pictures of typical HDB estates and HDB flats:
Interior of typical 2-bedroom HDB flat:
A snapshot of the Singapore rental market (as of June 2011): 5 to 15 minutes drive (bus/taxi) from campus
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Neighborhood
Property Description
Monthly Rental (SGD)
Queenstown/Strathmore
Common room* for rent in HDB flat, fully furnished, a/c, new furniture. 5-min walk to MRT, 5-min drive to Tisch Asia, 10 mins by bicycle.
$600-800
Redhill
Common room in HDB, fully furnished, a/c. 5-min drive to Tisch Asia, 10 mins by bicycle.
$600-900
River Valley
F/furnished room with private bathroom, in a 3-bedroom condo w pool, tennis, gym etc.
$1600-2000
Tiong Bahru
2-bedroom HDB flat (1 bathroom), fully-furnished, a/c. 5-min walk to MRT, 10-min drive to Tisch Asia, 15 mins by bicycle.
$2000
Redhill
3-bedroom condo, 10-min walk to Tisch Asia.
S$4000 neg
Accommodation A snapshot of the Singapore rental market (as of June 2011) (cont.): 20 to 30 minutes drive (bus/taxi) from campus Neighborhood
Property Description
Monthly Rental (SGD)
Little India / Dhoby Ghaut
Spacious common room for rent in apartment, fully furnished, 8-10 min walk to MRT
$1500
Commonwealth/ Tanglin Halt
Common room in HDB, a/c.
$600-900
Commonwealth / Tanglin Halt
2-bedroom HDB flat, a/c, newly-furnished & renovated
$2000
Little India / Farrer Park
1-bedroom condo, walking distance to MRT.
$2600 neg.
Holland Village
Private studio apartment (1 bedroom), fully furnished, high floor.
$3300
Dhoby Ghaut
1 bedroom apartment near Dhoby Ghaut MRT, fully-furnished, a/c. Rent includes broadband internet access.
$3500
Things to Note About Singapore Rental Accommodation Types of Apartments Available Studios are difficult to find in Singapore, and can be quite costly. One-bedroom apartments are harder to find than those with two or three bedrooms. The larger and newer the apartment, the more you should expect to pay. Furnished and Unfurnished apartments Many apartments (upwards of 70%) in Singapore are rented with at least some furnishings. Inform your realtor what furnishings you want included with the apartment. More information Singapore Education publishes an introduction to living in Singapore designed for international students. It is strongly recommended that Tisch Asia students not from Singapore read this handbook: Student Accommodation Handbook.
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Money Matters
Currency Currency in Singapore is the Singapore Dollar (SGD). As of Feb 2012 on www.xe.com: 1 Singapore Dollar = 0.798 U.S. Dollars 1 U.S. Dollar = 1.254 Singapore Dollars Singapore uses 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c and S$1 coins. Notes are in denominations of S$2, S$5, S$10, S$50, S$100, S$500, S$1000 and S$10,000.k.
Tuition and Fees Tuition is charged (in U.S. Dollars) every semester and revised every academic year. Tuition and fees can be paid with: • electronic checks (if you have a U.S. bank account) • wire transfers • personal checks Click www.nyu.edu/bursar/payment.info/methods.html for details.
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Money Matters Tuition and Fees (cont.) The normal payment deadline dates fall on the third or fourth week of each semester. NYU offers several payment plans to assist in either budgeting or financing your education. The information listed will enable you to decide which of these plans will be most beneficial to you. • Deferred Payment Plan • TuitionPay Plan (TPP) - (formerly AMS) • Tuition Stabilization Plan • Fixed Payment Plan Please see www.nyu.edu/bursar/payment.info/plans.html for details. Please also review the NYU Tisch Asia’s Office of the Bursar website for other fee-related information.
Additional Resources for International Students The Foundation Center: Reference Guides for International Students IEFA.org: International Education Financial Aid
Scholarships A limited number of partial scholarships are awarded each year to incoming students. All students are eligible. These scholarships are awarded each year by the Department Chair to help cover the cost of tuition and range in value from $5,000 to $15,000 USD.
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Money Matters Financial Aid and Loans U.S. citizens and permanent residents: FAFSA All U.S. citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for all forms of federal and state aid, including the Federal Work-Study Program and the various federal and private loan programs. The FAFSA is the basic form for most student aid programs; be sure to complete all required sections and submit it to the central processor as instructed (do not send it to New York University; your data will be transmitted to us electronically). Students are strongly encouraged to apply online using FAFSA on the Web, www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you have missed the deadline, you may still apply, but your eligibility may be affected. Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents Please see the table below for an overview of the government scholarships available to Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs). Applications should be submitted online via app.cischolarship.sg. Media Education Scheme Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents may wish to consider applying for the Media Education Scheme (Overseas), a funding scheme administered by the Media Development Authority Singapore to support talents who wish to pursue full-time tertiary education in media-related courses at reputable institutions. Please note that applications will be considered on the basis of individual merit, and that the application deadline is 15th March 2012. Details are available here. Creative Industries Scholarships (for Dramatic Writing students) Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents in the MFA Dramatic Writing program may also wish to consider applying for the NAC Arts Scholarship (Local), a funding scheme administered by the National Arts Council. Please note that applications will be considered on the basis of individual merit, and that the application deadline is 15th March 2012. Details are available at here. In addition to scholarships, a summary of funding schemes available to Singaporeans and permanent residents can be found at www.smf.sg/BusinessCentre/Pages/Funding.aspx 13
Money Matters Financial Aid and Loans (cont) Study Loans The following Singapore banks offer study loans to Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents: DBS / POSBank Andeline Goh Consumer Banking Group DBS Unsecured Loans Tel : + 65 6878 6593 www.dbs.com/posb/loans/studyassist/default.aspx Maybank Educational Loans, Post-Graduate Loans Tel: 1-800-438-3333 info.maybank2u.com.sg/personal/loans/personal-credit/education-loans.aspx OCBC Carol Lim Educational Loans, Post-Graduate Loans Tel: 1-800-438-6088 www.ocbc.com/global/main/index.shtm RBS Educational Loans, Post Graduate Loans, Personal Loans Tel: (65)6517-5600 www.rbs.com RHB Educational Loans, Post Graduate Loans Tel: (65)6296 7882 www.rhbbank.com.sg
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Money Matters Financial Aid and Loans (cont) International Students Students are encouraged to explore the scholarship and study loan options available in their home countries. Tisch Asia will be happy to assist with required documentation for loan and scholarship applications. Please contact fauzana@nyu.edu should you require such documentation.
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Resources & Websites
Tisch School of the Arts Asia Website: www.tischasia.nyu.edu.sg Tisch Asia Blog: www.tischasiablog.com Tisch Asia Facebook: www.facebook.com/tischasia Tisch Asia Twitter: www.twitter.com/tischasia Accommodation websites: singapore.craigslist.com.sg singapore.gumtree.sg property.st701.com www.singaporepropertiesonline.com www.share-accommodation.sg www.rentinsingapore.com/ singapore.roomsdb.net/index.php Singapore Education: Living in Singapore: www.singaporeedu.gov.sg/htm/liv/liv.htm Singapore Education: Student Accommodation Handbook www.singaporeedu.gov.sg/htm/stu/stu0309.htm
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Resources & Websites Expat Singapore www.expatsingapore.com Enter Singapore: Information for Expatriates in Singapore entersingapore.info Uniquely Singapore Calendar of Events eventful.com/singapore/events/categories US State Department Consular Information Page - Singapore travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1017.html Public Holidays in Singapore www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-rights-conditions/leave-and-holiday/ Pages/PublicHolidays2012.aspx List of Embassies in Singapore embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/Singapore Singapore Emergency Phone Numbers www.expatchoice.com/relocation_guide/useful_resources/useful_numbers.htm
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