Since its inception in 1905, NUS has gone on to establish itself as a top university in Asia and a global leader in producing quality graduates. With its sterling reputation for academic excellence, NUS ensures that its graduates will go on to become heavyweight players in the paths they choose to embark on.

Kevin Chiam’s passion for Industrial Design drove him to seek out the best educational experience, and he found it at NUS. He explains, “Other schools simply didn’t offer industrial design. Similar courses are offered elsewhere, but NUS has a long heritage in industrial design. Also, when I went to NUS’s graduate shows, I was pretty impressed by the quality of work that was on display. The things that I saw were thought-provoking and inspiring. As a polytechnic graduate, I had the technical skills and hands-on experience, but not the philosophical way of thinking that I discovered at the show. I knew that if I enrolled in NUS, I would be able to come to a deeper understanding of my discipline.”

Kevin Chiam Yong Shen
NUS Global Merit Scholarship

Studying Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design,
National University of Singapore

Diploma in Industrial Design,
Temasek Polytechnic

For Kristalynn Yue, the freedom she was offered at NUS was the deciding factor when it came to choosing where to continue her education. She tells us, “When I was doing some research on scholarships, the bond-free nature of the NUS Scholarships convinced me to apply to the university. I honestly did not expect myself to get through the first round of interviews, but NUS ended up offering me the NUS Undergraduate Scholarship. This was such a good opportunity and it took a huge financial burden off my family’s shoulders, so I definitely do not regret taking up the offer.”

Grooming Students for Success

NUS believes in a holistic and well-rounded education, striving to produce graduates who are ready for the competitive job market locally and globally. As both students would testify, the university provides its students with diverse opportunities for intellectual, personal, and professional growth.

Lessons at NUS aren’t simply about going through textbooks – students are given a multitude of means to learn in order to prepare them for the working world. Kevin elaborates, “At NUS, I am exposed to industrial-based equipment such as 3D printers and 3D scanners. We even utilise Computer Numerical Control systems for precision engineering and prototyping. Everything is pretty close to what we’ll be dealing with in the working world at design consultancies.”

Eager to provide further insights into the school’s offerings, Kristalynn enthusiastically adds, “NUS has plenty of facilities available for students to use! Other than the facilities in each student’s home faculty, University Town also offers lots of amenities for students – such as studio rooms, gyms, a swimming pool, etc. It also bears mentioning that there’s a large selection of food available within campus, which is made easily accessible by the free shuttle bus service.

“Many NUS students treat the school as their second home. We inevitably spend a lot of time in school, whether it’s for our studies, co-curricular activities, or events that we join. The academic staff here are very helpful, assisting students in any way they can. Ultimately, they help make the experience in NUS comfortable.”

A Journey towards Maturity

Kevin’s time with NUS so far has been very enlightening. He shares, “The academic culture was very different from polytechnic studies. In the polytechnic, things were very hands-on and we had a lot of practical work. Over here, ideation seems to be the main core of the curriculum. There’s more emphasis on thinking than doing, with good ideas being valued more than execution. A good idea that may have problems in execution will be more highly regarded than a perfectly-executed bad idea. This whole philosophy is driven by the notion that the way of thinking is what sets a good designer apart from the rest.

“It was hard to get used to at first because I was pretty uptight about my grades and worried about doing the wrong thing. But after a while, I learnt how to relax and approach things from a different perspective. And I must say, I really grew as a designer as a result of the experience.”

Kristalynn Yue Suet Yan
NUS Undergraduate Scholarship

Studying Bachelor of Business Administration,
National University of Singapore

Diploma in Integrated Events & Project Management,
Singapore Polytechnic

Coming from a polytechnic background as well, Kristalynn’s story of growth is not too different. She tells us, “When I first started out in NUS, the first difference that hit me was the huge change in pace. University is definitely not like polytechnic – the pace of teaching is much quicker and the onus is on you to ensure that you’re keeping up. I couldn’t get used to it at first, and it stressed me out that my peers from junior colleges seemed to be coping just fine while I was struggling.

“In time though, I came to the realisation that the most important thing for me was to try my best. The pace became manageable once I stopped putting so much pressure on myself, and I’ve even learnt to enjoy the process.”

Broadening Horizons

One thing that both students agree on is the need to have an open mind in order to experience the entirety of experiences that NUS has to offer.

“Stay open-minded and give yourself time to adapt to university life. With being in a good school comes the stress of needing to live up to that name. Just be patient, and soon you’ll find that being a university student is an experience you’ll definitely treasure,” Kristalynn advises.

Kevin adds, “Don’t just be fixated with what you’ve learnt in polytechnic. Be more receptive and you’ll find that you’ll be able to learn a lot of new things. I know that many polytechnic students enter university with the sole purpose of getting a degree. But you’ll be missing out on a lot if that’s all you think about.”

Kristalynn agrees, concluding, “Go out and try things that you want to try. Don’t let the fear of stepping out of your comfort zone stop you. There’s always a first time for everything and everyone needs to start somewhere. In the working world, you won’t have so much leeway to experiment. So take this chance to discover yourself and experience something that you’ll keep close to your heart.”