Well I generally write after guzzling down a few so it comes as no surprise that you might need a few to interpret what I've Witten.
To simplify, I don't believe that there would exist any disadvantage for those who have sought an exemption vis a vis those who have submitted a language score for reasons stated in my preceding post

Any plans/ideas regarding accommodation/stay???When to apply for hostels???And are students allowed to open local bank accounts (like in London) or else how to manage payment of regular expenses???Any suggested books/readings for CFL course???
[if any alumni can help with these queries]

Hostel applications begin on 7th of May and close on 8th of June, 2015 for the first round and the results will be declared on the 24th of June which can be tracked on the graduate application system online. However, to be eligible you need to formally accept the offers and make sure that your status after acceptance on the graduate system is duly changed to reflect acceptance, if not, then immediately follow up with the admissions office to update your status on their end, because until the same is done you cannot apply for hostel accommodation

Hi, can anyone tell me what the following line in the offer letter means - "When you accept the offer, we understand that you also confirm to have withdrawn from any outstanding offers at other institutions and will not apply to or accept an offer at any other institution."

The reason I ask is - can we not withdraw from this program after accepting it in the first instance - they are not even asking for a part fee submission at the time of acceptance.

Just curious!

@LLM-2015,
No positive spin comes to mind while dealing with this part of the offer and it appears to be a pure and simple negative covenant, couched in a prohibitive form. The implication appears to be that all offers which were made by other institutions will be confirmed by the Applicant accepting this offer to have been rejected by him, nor would the Applicant subsequent to this Acceptance apply to any other University seeking admission for the current academic year.
As regards the question of withdrawal is concerned, the same can be done so in the event requisite permission is obtained to them on account of any factors barring inclination to accept any other offer (unless they make an exception to that extent) thereby notating the terms of the contract. The only repercussion which comes to my mind in withdrawing from an admission after having communicated acceptance is that it would probably hamper your chances in the event of re-application to NUS apart from leaving the University with a cause of action against one for damages and loss of revenue in the event they are unable to fill the seat vacated by a candidate.
Speaking purely from an Indian perspective, bearing in mind that municipal/internal law prevails in the event of a conflict and this being a matter related to the enforceability of a contract, the enforcement of such a covenant would be barred under the relevant provisions of the Specific relief act, 1963, as amended upto date.
Hope this helps and apologies in the event your query still remains unresolved
However, other perspectives would be more than appreciated as it is something which would probably be of interest to a number of people depending upon their circumstance.

folks just collating posts from previous years regarding accommodation for reference purposes only:-
Opinion 1 (student from 13-14 batch, thread 14-15) :-
As for housing, I would definitely recommend applying to College Green. Location-wise, Evans is also good but the facilities aren't that great. Same goes to Singapore International Campus. I'm not sure how you guys fare this year but nobody in my batch got through to the campus hostels in Kent Ridge (U-Town, Prince George, etc) except for the married ones bringing their family in. But you can always try, right? commuting will take about 20-30 mins from Kent Ridge to Bukit Timah, but you can take the free shuttle, public bus, even the MRT :)
Guys, don't be in too much despair if you don't get through to NUS hostels. Most people from my batch didn't get through the first time round, you just have to keep applying :) Myself, I didn't get into College Green until 2 weeks before moving out to Singapore (I think someone who got in the second wave didn't accept after all and I was put in the waiting list or something). UTown tends to not take in Law students because of the distance I think, and most of the exchange students get placed there -- and there are loads and loads of them.

If you're into getting rooms on your own, you can try easyroommate.com.sg, the people who advertise there are really responsive. If bad comes to worse and you don't get school housing at all, try getting a short-term lease and look for a new place in the first term. Propertyguru.com offers you a lot of choices but from what I've encountered last year the agents are not that responsive to enquiries from outside Singapore.

Hope everyone gets the housing situation sorted out real soon!
Opinion 2 (Post from 2012-13 thread by a former student):-
Accommodation

1) Graduate Residencies @ UTown- this would be the best option. its brand new(started operating since last year), cheaper than other places and within the NUS Kent Ridge Campus. There is free shuttle bus service so getting to Bukit Timah Campus is no problem. the details of this place is listed in the NUS website.

2) Evans Lodge- For those who are lazy and want to wake up 10mins before class can stay here. Its right across NUS. not even a five min walk from campus. there is Mr. Prata the 24hr food shop @ evans as well. The BIGGEST issue with this place is, there are common loos so it can get quite disgusting at times. Otherwise this place is just fine! the rates differ. Definitely more than the NUS Graduate Residencies. you can check out the website for its rates.

3) Singapore International Campus- SIC is a little off campus but still comparatively closer to NUS. just check up the rates online.

4) College Green- Usually its hard to get a place here coz this place is really nice. these are bungalows with 4rooms, 2-4 personal attached loos, living room dining space and a fully functional kitchen with a personal lawn. so u will share the bungalow with three other people.

For all the above, rates differ from 700-800SGD/per month. but usually if u book a room for a long period of time say six months the rate comes down. it depends from hostel to hostel.

Condos/HBDs are also a good option but ends up being expensive. if u want to live in one for the experience then maybe u shud come here and look up.
LLM students get first preference at graduate residencies in U town. so u will for sure get ur place.

however, i am not sure abt married graduate accommodation...i have actually not come across anyone living with spouse at Utown!

its basically an apartment with 4rooms a living room space,kitchen and dining area and loo. so each student gets a room to themselves.

service apartments would turn out to be ridiculously expensive for the whole period u rent it out (for almost a year).
in ur case u cud actually look for an apartment on rent like a studio apartment or condo whatever. i think it would be best if u came to sg and then looked for a place or if u know anyone here who could check out an apartment for u.
Opinion 3 (posted in NUS Confirmations thread of 2013 by a former student):-
If u get an accommodation at Utown better take it coz it will work out the cheapest for u in Singapore for a Single room and the accommodation is pretty good... As u have a shuttle bus from Kent Ridge to the Law College Campus, so travelling should not be a concern... Also Utown has amazing study rooms with cubicles plus gym and swimming pool facilities amongst other facilities. I can vouch for this as I have lived in Utown for 10 months now... College green is good but will cost u atleast 1000 SGD as ur rent does not include electricity and stuff...

Karthik
2012-13 Batch
Perfect... One advantage about Rc 4 is breakfast and dinner will not be an issue... But walking to the bus stop for the shuttle bus will be quiet a bit... And about pgp, it has an amazing food court... And I hope u applied for it on the same day the applications were open... There is too much rush in sem 1 due to students on exchange and they get confirmed accommodation...
[Edited by rkarthik87 on 20 May 2013]
That's surprising that ur application at CG was not successful... With Utown/PGPR it is surely a tough competition in first sem due to exchange student having confirmed accommodation... So would suggest u to arrange for a spare accommodation... There's and hostel next to the campus which was earlier Evan's lodge but now the name is changed which I need to ask my friends who stay over there... It was recently renovated and apparently has good rooms... Will PM u once i get the details... Also try SIA tough I am not a great fan of the rooms there... U can PM me for ne further clarifications as I generally read the thread rarely and read the PM's frequently...

Karthik
Hey so according to you Evans would be the best option for us right now? How about sic? And these HDB apartments? How are those?


Yup evans would be the best... I personally don't like SIC... and HDB's would cost quiet a bit toward that part of the town... If u r serious about HDB's and don't mind travelling, u can get some in Bukit Batok and Cho Chu Kang... If u guys want I can give no. of a broker here who is my friend... He's an Indian...
[Edited by rkarthik87 on 19 Jun 2013]
rkarthik would u have any idea bout Yo;ha commonwealth is it close to the univ? it seems popular among exchange students.


It is about 8-10 Kms i guess and u have enough buses from commonwealth... But it is bit costly... Probably u can look out at holland village... U have bus services from there too..
Opinion 4 (post in 11-12 thread by former student):-
Re: studio apartments. There are 2 major types of housing around here--the HDBs (government-subsidised, where 80-90% of the people live) and the Private condos. Room rent (common room and master's bedroom) in an HDB flat usually range around 300-1300, depends on the location and you have to check if the owner has approval from the HDB to lease his/her unit. HDB is quite strict on this to avoid HDB flats being used as an investment vehicle. NUS Bukit Timah campus is near the central area (Orchard Road). One turn after the Botanical Gardens (which is just beside NUS) and you're a few turns away from Orchard Road, by taxi. There aren't many HDBs around this area, mostly condos and landed residences. Studio apt in this area may fetch around the region of 2K to as high as 5K. A common room may be in the region of 900-1500, while a master's bedroom may be about 2K-5K (Now you can imagine the lease for the whole 1-2-3 bedroom apts in this area). I haven's heard of any HDBs with studio apts.

If you plan to get an agent, the usual agent's fee is half-month's rent for 1 year lease and one-month rent for a 2-year lease, anything less or more than that, then the fee is pro-rated.

Also, do check the website of the Council of Estate Agencies for a complete list of the registered agents.
(NUS 11-12 THREAD):-
for proximity, i don't think you can beat evans lodge, it's about a 5min walk- but the reviews are awful and i don't mind a bit of a commute if the living conditions are better. SIC is only 10 mins by bus, which is pretty closeby as well. Anything on Bukit Timah road shouldn't take longer than about 20-30mins.

The pics of UTown look decent; btw has anyone heard from the accom results? they said 1st June so should be one of these days. Since lots of us have applied, what is everyone going to do if you get UTown? 'cos we have to pay the deposit within a week or so to confirm right?

@Mads: I was looking at the same site, be careful though, I already encountered two scammers. Just keep your eyes open for those types that offer you the world for too cheap a price. Watch out for a girl called 'Sih' with an apartment near Orchard willing to let at aprx $650. There're websites on rental scams with names/typical emails they send out etc, check it out. Having said that, there are some very genuine people on it.
http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5340&start=120&sid=348e5a30545d41ae275f8844ca530388
I've decided on private accom now, and will be staying in owen road/dorset road area, which is about 20min from BT, so not too bad. Anyone else living out?
Now for ready reference here is the links to the hostel Application:-
http://nus.edu.sg/osa/has/graduate/applicationregistration-process
www.sicampus.com.sg/accomodation.htm

Just in case we don't get through to the University Accommodation as has previously happened to a lot of people, here are links for alternative accommodations:-
www.facebook.com/groups/findyourroominsg/
http://www.65hostel.com/hostel/singapore-student-hostel-p1.html
http://www.easyroommate.com.sg/Student-Accommodation/?gclid=CJmeuJbQ-MQCFU8mjgodj0YAkA
http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/singapore/singapore/?&gclid=CObinb3Q-MQCFUQojgodKLwAWA
http://www.sgstudenthomestay.com/
http://www.hotcoursesabroad.com/study-in-singapore/student-accommodation/accommodation-in-singapore/
http://www.nyp.edu.sg/ois/coming-to-nyp/living-in-singapore
www.propertyguru.com
http://www.streetdirectory.com/businessfinder/company/3059/Student_Housing/
http://www.siglaphomestay.com/th/our-services/
http://palmandoak.com/

on a lighter note, found this on one thread regarding F&B:-
Also, check out the all you can eat sushi, teppanyaki and Indian places. For US$15 - 30 you can eat and drink like a king!

Here are some links:
Smart Shanghai is a great source:
www.smartshanghai.com/

Some all you can eat Teppanyaki:
www.cnngo.com/shanghai/eat/shanghais-5-best-all-you-can-eat-

www.smartshanghai.com/listings/restaurants/teppanyaki/?tag=a

For east meets west noodles and great plum juice, go here:
www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4068/Noodle_Bull_shanghai

Hope this turns out to be useful

on a separate note, since a few people were wondering as to the criteria for scholarships, i found this in a 2008 thread where NUS itself in response to a query has stated the parameters involved at least at that point of time:-
The criteria are: excellent results at the undergraduate level, and outstanding achievements in other related fields, e.g. mooting, journals, student leadership, pro bono/public interest work, etc (we are flexible in assessing non-classroom achievements). And the scholarships are available for all the LLM and PhD programmes.
cheers guys and keep updating or posting info which you may think is useful

Hostel applications begin on 7th of May and close on 8th of June, 2015 for the first round and the results will be declared on the 24th of June which can be tracked on the graduate application system online. However, to be eligible you need to formally accept the offers and make sure that your status after acceptance on the graduate system is duly changed to reflect acceptance, if not, then immediately follow up with the admissions office to update your status on their end, because until the same is done you cannot apply for hostel accommodation

@lawyer widt law,
Your right on both counts. As regards, the question of all those admitted and eventually joining the course not being participants here is concerned, the same is a pretty safe assumption to make and unfortunately there is nothing the participants here can do about it.
Coming to the question of TOEFL scores, I, myself had availed of an exemption and them granting one by implication means that they consider your proficiency to be well satisfactory as per their standards and therefore during consideration the same would be and should be given due weight. A view to the contrary I.e. Those who have submitted a TOEFL or any other analogous score standing at a better footing would be self contradictory and defeat the very purpose of them enabling students to seek the benefit of a waiver itself. Further, a lack of mention as to the non-eligibility or any disadvantage accruing to those availing language exemption has not been provided for, which certainly would have been so had there existed a disadvantage qua scholarship consideration.
This is at least my interpretation on the subject and other members feel free to contribute and offer a different perspective.
Cheers

I am wondering whether anyone else admitted to the CFL Program has received an email from a Mr./Ms. Dora Neo encouraging you to accept NUS' offer of admission.

Well I got through CFL and IBL. I didnt get any such email . But thats probably coz iv already accepted CFL. My guess is they are sending out a second round of reminder emails as we are heading close to the last date for acceptance .

That would be my guess too. But I got distracted and consumed by Mr./Ms. Dora sweet sweet words. I'm fine now.

Well I got through CFL and IBL. I didnt get any such email . But thats probably coz iv already accepted CFL. My guess is they are sending out a second round of reminder emails as we are heading close to the last date for acceptance .

Hello everyone !!
Myself Tirth, got admission in NUS for the year 2015-16 in Maritime law
@pulkit: you have done a great thing by creating this group.
anyone who has got scholarships??
what is the criteria for scholarship ??
how is that we get to know my admission is confirmed as I have sent them acceptance offer??

People may also like to review this link for residence options http://nus.edu.sg/osa/images/has/downloads/private_student_hostels_list.pdf

Hey guys,
This is a link to Singapore MRT map.
http://subway.umka.org/map-singapore.html

NUS Bukit Timah campus is at Botanic Gardens MRT which is on Circle line. So, make sure when you considering accommodation, its at walkable distance from MRT.
"Walkable" in Singapore means 5- 15 min.
Apart from MRT as mode of transport, there are buses having higher connectivity and bus stop at every 5 min walk, bus usually takes a little longer due to traffic and frequent stops.
I am currently based in Singapore, so let me know if I could help you guys with any other query.
Cheers!

Congrats @Tirth. Welcome to the group.
After a desperate and futile wait for scholarship I too have sent the Acceptance mail for LLM Maritime Law.

hey guys.. its me again.. i have a doubt regarding hostel application.. when are we actually eligible to apply ? becoz in the NUS offer letter they had stated like they would send me an official acceptance form by mid -may . So, is it after that official acceptance we get eligible ..? ..and one more thing.. how many of u are going to pursue IBL there :)

Pulkit thanks for the group !! :)

hey guys.. its me again.. i have a doubt regarding hostel application.. when are we actually eligible to apply ? becoz in the NUS offer letter they had stated like they would send me an official acceptance form by mid -may . So, is it after that official acceptance we get eligible ..? ..and one more thing.. how many of u are going to pursue IBL there :)

Yes i did recieve an acknowledgement mail ..but its jus an computer generated one , thts why i got confused with the official acceptance part..