On-campus housing at NUS and NTU is competitively allocated and not guaranteed. Understanding the system and having a backup plan matters.

At NUS, all new international undergraduates are guaranteed on-campus housing for their first year. After that, you need to apply through a balloting system for subsequent years, and availability is limited. On-campus rooms range from SGD 400 to SGD 700 per month depending on hall, room type, and meal plan. Halls at NUS have a strong co-curricular activity culture and participation is often expected, not just encouraged.

At NTU, on-campus housing is available at Halls of Residence and Student Residences. International students are generally given priority but spots are still competitive. Costs are similar to NUS.

For postgraduate students, on-campus options are more limited. Many PGP (Postgraduate) students live in university-managed apartments that are more expensive and less social than undergraduate halls, or they rent off-campus.

Off-campus is where most students end up after their first year. HDB (Housing Development Board) public housing is what most Singaporeans live in, and renting a room in an HDB flat is common for students. A private room in a shared HDB flat costs SGD 700 to SGD 1,100 per month depending on the MRT zone and room size. Areas like Clementi, Buona Vista, Kent Ridge, and Jurong East are popular for NUS students. For NTU, Boon Lay and Jurong West are well-connected.

The main platforms for off-campus housing are 99.co and PropertyGuru. Facebook groups for NUS and NTU international students also have active housing sections.