SEP Report
1. Student Information
Name (as in myisis)
Faculty/Major
Host University
NUS Semester and Year of Exchange
(eg. AY14/15 Semester 1)
Yip Zhi Heng, Jonathan
Electrical Engineering
University of Adelaide
AY 14/15 Semester 1
2. Study at Host University
Please provide information on the academics at your host university:
- Studying or learning culture at your host university. How were classes conducted?
- What did you like most or dislike most about the academics at your host University?
- Advice on module registration and module mapping
Being a commonwealth country like Singapore, classes were conducted very similarly to Singapore.
There were lectures, tutorials and practical sessions. Most lectures were held in 1 hour periods three
times a week (compared to NUS’s 2 hour periods). Tutorial and practical sessions were held pretty
much the same way except that there was more guidance provided in the practical sessions there and
the practical lesson flows more methodicaly and the objectives were much clearer compared to
Singapore’s style. We should emulate them in this regard.
The academics were very open to ideas and they seemed to have more time to help students. Not
that they are free 24/7 but they always set aside consultation time every week. They were also
available to help students with assignments. They wouldn’t tell you the solutions or do half the work
for you but they would guide you in the right direction.
Module mapping is a little challenging. I found that many students based their choice of exchange
universities on the module mapping history of past year students. That is a pretty lazy way of looking
for a suitable university and I would not recommend it because it limits your choice of universities and
unnecessarily constraints the number of modules you think (but you don’t know) you can do
overseas.
When I chose the university of Adelaide, there was no module mapping history on the SEP website for
Electrical and Computer Engineering. I was at first dismayed, but when I checked the Adelaide
University website I found that both universities have very similar curriculums (like 70% the same) so I
didn’t have to worry about module mapping there.
Module registration in Adelaide University is a lot easier than in Singapore and the website interface
is a lot cleaner than NUS’s. There was also no complex balloting/bidding nonsense. The website shows
you the number of available places in the tutorial class and you can select your desired class based on
that.
Please list the courses that you took during SEP. (Please take note that the list of modules available to
exchange students at the host university are subject to change. This table merely serves as reference.)
International Relations Office (IRO)
SEP Report
Host University
Module code
Course title
ELEC ENG 2009
Engineering Electromagnetics
ECTS Credit
3
COMP SCI 1201
Introduction to Programming for Engineers
3
PHYSICS 1200
Physics IB
3
ELEC ENG 2007
Signals & Systems
3
2. Accommodation
What kind of accommodation did you stay in during your exchange (eg. on campus / off campus)?
Would you recommend this accommodation to future outgoing students?
Do you have any other suggestions?
I lived in student accommodation that was recommended by the school called Urbanest. I would
recommend it because it is highly convenient. It is in the heart of the city and both the school and the
supermarket chains (Coles and Woolworths) are 10 minutes away on foot so I spent very little time
and money on transportation. It is expensive though (about AU$6000 a semester) so living in the
suburbs is a lot cheaper. Just bear in mind that most places do not include utilities and internet in the
rent and you may have to subscribe for internet access on your own which can be challenging if
you’re living there only for 6 months.
3. Activities during SEP
Were there any activities organized by school/student group/external organizations at your host
university which you would like to recommend to other students?
International Relations Office (IRO)
SEP Report
The school organizes many activites for exchange students such as tours to Victor Harbour, Barossa
Valley and various wild life parks. They have the language and cultural exchange program held on
Friday nights which are really popular with exchange students as there is always free food.
If you are staying at Urbanest, there are always activities planned out every week, from shopping to
sporting activites.
If you are a christian, Evangelical Students is a pretty good Christian club. They have various activities
such as Bible talks and Bible Study every week and you can make new friends. They also have an
international student arm called FOCUS. There are also a number of activities down at Holy Trinity
Anglican Church (Adelaide is also known as the City of Churches so there are plenty of religious
activities if you’re interested).
4. Cost of Living
Please provide an estimation of how much money you spent during your SEP?
Please list travel expenses separately.
Depends on how often you eat out. One meal sets you back about AU$10. But if you cook and do your
shopping at the Adelaide Central market on Saturdays like me (clearance sale day), it can be as low as
AU$100 a month. I spent almost nothing on transportation as I lived in the city and almost everything
is walking distance. Tram rides within the city are also free.
5. Challenges
Did you face any challenging issues during your SEP stint? How did you overcome it/them?
Adapting to the new culture required some patience but it worked out very well for me. Difficulties
may vary, depending on the individual. I come from an English speaking home so it was not a
problem.
Living independently required a lot of adjustment for me as shopping, cooking and cleaning required
much more time than I had anticipated.
Coming back to Singapore was emotionally difficult for me because I don’t know if I’ll ever see my
friends again.
6. Overall SEP Experience
Please write one paragraph about your exchange experience and attach some photos that represent
your exchange experience.
International Relations Office (IRO)
SEP Report
The exchange experience is like a kiss in the dark. It lasts for a short period of time but the
experiences and emotions I felt would last a lifetime. In some ways, I was born again. I started my life
there from scatch. I did not know anyone, lived in a new place, attended a new school, and ended up
having the most rewarding experience I could ever hope for.
I made some amazing friends there. We shared many laughs but we also worked hard together. I saw
many cultural differences through various interactions but what struck me more was how similar we
all are, even though geographically we grew up so far apart. We all shared the same aspirations,
struggles, and desires. It is when we focus on our common humanity that we can break down all the
cultural boundaries and assumptions that come between us.
7. Suggestions for future outgoing students
Please share any other suggestions for future outgoing students.
I noticed many exchange students say that they can’t seem to make any new friends there. Exchange
can be a lonely experience only if you don’t take the initiative to meet people and make friends.
When I first got there, my first priority was to build a social circle. I got to know not just the other
exchange students from NUS, but students in school. Your course mates are going to be the people
you spend the most time with anyway. Tutorials and lectures are good places to start so come a little
earlier and sit beside someone. Say hi (or g’day) and I trust that you can handle the rest from there.
Also, please learn how to cook. Eating out can be expensive and you have to take care of your own
nutritional needs.
International Relations Office (IRO)