hey guys . i got the offer --LLM in IBL. *_* eh, i'm at a loss about this accommodation things .do you guys have any suggestion? do i need to focus on these booking room thing now ?
P.S I'm a chinese and aiso a shanghainese. after we get to shanghai ,if you guys have any problem, i'll be glad to help. but life in singapore~~,i know nothing~~.

Hi all, I have received the offer for International Business Law LL.M but am still trying to raise the fund for tuition et. al. Does anybody know whether the Service Obligation scheme is applicable for this program?

I understand from the acknowlegdment letter that they will not be giving out infos until mid-May but does anybody know how the payment schedule works?

Appreciate response.

@Mads : Haha!, she was at Durham Uni with me, fantastic girl and lots of fun! I think we pick subjects just before we leave, but can change them within the first two weeks or so? I had a look through admiralty, COGS, Arbitration etc and they all look good..

For accommodation, i think i'm gonna apply to UTown, and in the meantime have a look and see whether it's possible to rent a place, cos that would mean a bit more space. Maybe a studio-1bed-2bed? I would love to live in the Newton/Novena area (close to school, orchard rd and downtown), but it's a bit pricey..

That explains it :) But you haven't ever been to Norway have you?

I haven't been to Sinagapore before so wouldn't know which places that are good to live in. But the Novena/Newton area looks good on the map :p How much do you expect to pay for a one or two bedroom studio in that area? If I don't manage to get a room in Utown, I guess I will live the first week or so on a hostel, just to figure things out and look for apartments in good areas..

how much time before the start will you start moving to singapore ?

how much time before the start will you start moving to singapore ?

I think most of the llm progs have orientation week in the first week of August, followed by lectures from the second. International student orientation should be around the laster week in July, but i'm not too sure if that is compulsory. I was thinking of moving in around the 25th of July? what about the rest of you? We would only probably really know dates after we get the next pack of info in May.

@Mads: I reckon rent is approx $2500 a month in a small apartment, give or take a bit depending on size and location? I wonder if UTown is complete, 'cos all the websites say to expect some construction related noise and dust..

thought to arrive in singapore about on 15th july, what do you think?

I'm going to arrive in Singapore around one week before semesterstart, so about the 20th - 25th july. Will then have some time to settle down and get to know the city before semesterstart.

Dhar: $2500? wow, thats expensive.. Don't now if I'm ready to spend that much on rent. But I guess I'll work something out :) About the Utown, it wouldn't be great to live on a construction site.. But I saw there was another student housing on campus that seems nice.

so what are you guys doing? getting an apartment near the city proper, a studio somewhere near the univ, a hole in campus?
what do you think

@Mads, yup def high! I think renting a room in an apartment is cheaper and can range from 500-1500 depending on where it it and whether utilities are included. Renting a whole apartment is where it becomes costly, even a teeny tiny studio is about S$2000.. I'm gonna check with an estate agent soon-ish, i'll let you know what they say. Where;s the other student accom that's nice?

@imarkon, would love a studio or an apartment, if only it didn't cost an arm and a leg.. cos there's utilities on top of the rent as well.. will look around soon, may even visit n have a look at Utown, 'cos it's apparently still has some construction going on..

please let us know even if dealing with realtors on the spot is better~

hello everyone, i have also been offered a seat in NUS for corporate n financial services (LLM AY-2011/12). I think it would be ideal to leave for singapore in the last week of july..

I am really confused about accomodation. Is it dificult to get the campus hostel? when should we start applying for other accomodations? Will it b better to stay in a hotel for a few days and then look for rooms with the help of property dealers?

Please throw some light on these aspects.

Hi everyone. I'm based in Singapore and I am joining the IBL programme. anyone here who knows when exactly the programme will start and the fees now? Let me know if you have any questions re: rent and other concerns, i might know some things re: life in SG

Hi Earl!
I've bn offered a place in Maritime Law. Could u tell if there are any weekend/part time jobs students take up? U must be aware that working for upto 16hrs/week is permissible on a student visa.

Hi Ayeshia. I am not so sure about part-time jobs around for international students, but what I have heard/read, some LLM students usually work as part-time researchers, tutors, and the like, outside of it, only citizens and permanent resident can work part-time. And yes, there's a 16-hour cap per week if you intend to work part-time. If you are on a scholarship, you cannot work part-time. Hope this helps...

First of all, congratulations Kaush! I think it's better to look around online first. Check out propertyguru.com, iproperty.com among others. There are many owners who lease rooms directly to the tenant, without any agent (you can save on agent's fees). But for your peace of mind, you may want to get the help of an agent who will do the "looking" for prospective rooms/flats for you before you arrive in SG. It is advisable that you get to personally view the room/flat that you will be leasing before sealing the deal. Hope this helps...

Thanks Earl! Visited Singapore last week for work. beautiful place but frightfully expensive!

@ Earl : The fees for IBL/Maritime/ALS are up on the Law Dept website, for 2011/12, and is unchanged at S$10,000/00 from prev years.. The other courses may change 'cos it says TBC. And if you have a CL Course to take, it starts earlier- otherwise 1st of Aug is orientation and lectures a week afterwards i think- the academic calender is on the general NUS website.

The applications for the Uni accom opens up in May - I think I'm gonna apply to Utown in any case, even though I'm looking around for a place.

Earl, I'm trying to arrange with a realtor, but would you know what rent to expect for a studio around D10/11?

@Kaush: it was apparently harder to secure campus accom before UTown was built at Kent Ridge, as space was very limited. Still, it may not be enough for everyone's demands - and even if you get a room it may not be what you wanted (a/c non a/c etc).. I've heard there's still construction going on, I may be wrong, but that wouldn't be an ideal living situation. Evans and SIC are hostels near the Bukit Timah Campus to which you apply directly, but the reviews have not always been very good, although SIC is known to be the better one. The best thing though is that the Uni would be very close by, but all other amenities and activities are a bit of a reach. It's a choice really.