Studying in Singapore as an international scholar

Language barriers, culture shock, high expectations, homesickness and loneliness - these are some challenges international scholars in Singapore already face, and COVID-19 has added another layer of stress atop all that.
As the pandemic drags on, being away from loved ones for such an extended period of time has taken a toll. Presca Lim, a scholar from Malaysia, has been calling her parents every day since the borders closed. "The homesickness has gotten worse. You can only see what's going on on a screen, but you can't experience it."
"Helplessness" is how Zhang Shukai, a scholar from China, describes his state of mind. His mother is a medical doctor working on the frontline in Hangzhou.
For Vedant Sandhu, a scholar from India, "drowning myself in work and not focusing on what I'm missing out on" is his way of coping whenever he feels homesick.
0:00 Struggles of international scholars in Singapore
0:45 How to get a scholarship in Singapore
3:46 What life is like studying and living in a school dormitory
4:19 Overcoming challenges of language and race
6:17 Dealing with homesickness
7:54 Building friendships
9:07 Plans for the future
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[@xizhilow6815]

cant imagine the courage it takes to leave your motherland at such a young age to pursue ur dreams. thanks for being here pals, hope we make your ride here a warm and pleasant one ❤️

[@hemanshuchudasama3535]

Oh it's very easy xi zhi

[@maximus6884]

Thank you for bringing this up. This is very relatable. International students are going through a very difficult time as ICA has warned that if the student visits home country the return visa is not guaranteed upon arrival. This has been the case for close to 2 years now. So, the only way for students to go home is to risk their studies and sign and submit to to university that they accept risks. The kind of mental stress this exerts on relationships with spouse, children and parents is unimaginable.

[@leewn2319]

Hi Presca, Shukai, Verdant, Welcome to Sg & the courage to take a bold step to leave your motherland & family to strike it here alone at every young age. May Sg offer u great future & that u would consider to settle down here & be part of Sg and help build Sg for future generations.

[@Ccb88888]

No- they should not settle down in Singapore. The whole idea of international scholarships is that the graduates return home and become ‘ambassadors’ for Singapore in their own countries. This is what for e.g. Australia has been doing with the ‘Colombo Plan’ scholarship for decades.

[@hailyrizzo5428]

@@Ccb88888 Are you speaking on behalf of Singapore?

[@limbehh8494]

@@Ccb88888 yo... Singapore have offer an opportunity for these students thus they should be grateful and serve well. For some..their country didn't offer such opportunity for them. Guess it is right to repay back. My personal thought. Cheers

[@oaksoedrgh5974]

@@Ccb88888 i suppose you have no idea about the 3 year bond thing 💀

[@farisdurrani]

Kudos to CNA for portraying international students of color! It’s a terrible stereotype for Asians to only cast white students whenever they mention “international students”

[@THATgirl891]

You know that white is a color as well right? If your poc is a synonymous word for a minority please realize that a white person is poc in Africa too , and an African person in their homeland is not considered a poc It’s hateful and holds racist undertones

[@kookiethefloofy]

yooo, i just took the asean scholarship interview barely an hour ago! i'm hoping i'll get accepted for the scholarship 🥳

[@psingh007]

The best of luck to you

[@Keirosqeen]

Hope it went great! Did the result come out?

[@kookiethefloofy]

@@Keirosqeen mhm i got in xd

[@ozielleitemilhomem9944]

Hello, I appreciated the high level of teaching...I would love to learn how you teach the English Language...

[@w_k773]

Shukai picked up Singaporean accent 👍👍😂

[@twist777hz]

Hi, do most Singapore high-school students take the Singapore A-levels rather than IB? How are they different from British or International A-levels (harder/easier/equivalent) ?

[@chloescafe1077]

most alevels, harder since we are all so smart

[@twist777hz]

@@chloescafe1077 Got it😆 Thank u

[@longangrysausage3495]

@@chloescafe1077 HAHAAH yeaa it’s true that it’s more difficult than before in the past, mainly because of the Singapore government having more involvement in the papers (thus it being called Singapore-Cambridge and not Cambridge-Singapore). We also do not have A* as a grade.

[@bbppchan]

Took Singapore A levels about 9 years back. Had a classmate who went to the University of British Columbia, for his application, he went to take the International A Levels and get an A*/A for it but for the H2 Mathematics in Singapore A-levels, he got a C grade for it.

[@pmdg83t2rvadsfmn9twa0w]

@@chloescafe1077 Despite the harder papers, more than 50% of students score A for Singapore A Level H2 Math.

[@bethelhome9544]

Hopefully someday I'll be there too...

[@Ccb88888]

Good idea for Singapore to offer scholarships to international students. When they graduate they can go home and be ambassadors for Singapore. This is what Western countries and Japan have been doing for decades….

[@russiasucks7170]

You must be thinking that pigs can fly and everyday is a Sunday. Going back to become ambassadors ? You must be flat earther. Giving scholarships to international students is a waste of resources

[@iwynlimweilyn9607]

It depends on everyone individual opinion.

[@_itsafineday]

Why is Shukai eating plain white bread?? No peanut butter or jam??????

[@yuhanma6315]

I also like to eat like that lol... I think a lot of people from China like to just eat plain white bread, just some habit developed from childhood. I also saw similar comments in other videos where a chinese guy was eating a plain white bread hahahahahahh

[@cwls9081]

👍

[@ssvegeto1610]

presca

[@leonardusl5141]

I would love to study in Singapore, but I live in America and would never be able to afford it

[@MrAntonychong]

@@leewn2319 If an American with one of the highest GDP cannot afford it, I am wondering how about the hundreds of thousands of non-native Malaysians who had to borrow and dig into their savings of weak Ringgits to send their kids to America/Europe/Australia to study just because of discrimination in our academic sphere. This is a sad reality fact and this comment is not meant to be sarcastic to you.

[@goforbroke7598]

Why do you wanna go to Singapore when America has the best schools in the world?

[@daisuke910]

@@goforbroke7598 you do know Singapore has the best education overall in the world....

[@goforbroke7598]

@@daisuke910 yeah singapore is not bad but america has a lot of good schools, i don't understand why need to travel far when there are many options in your country.

[@daisuke910]

@@goforbroke7598 it is good to see the world. Explore and live in others' culture. It build empathy and good networking. Plus it is a great experience. Should try it. Living somewhere is different than visiting for a vacation

[@diyyouandme6048]

What about lifestyle in Singapore?

[@BarkerMC]

It's okay

[@hailyrizzo5428]

Well, if these Chinese, Indian and Malaysian kids can't cope with the culture in Singapore then they probably won't be to cope in other countries. It's as close to their home countries as it can get, especially for Malaysians

[@NanaChen-lq4dt]

We do have good system of education!! But do you know that if you want to experience our education on creative skills, yet with 35% cheaper rate, there is one institution I would recommend! In addition, it has proven quality with over 800+ students achieving distinction on international music examination!

[@NanaChen-lq4dt]

The institution is @MelodiSingapore 🎉

[@iwynlimweilyn9607]

👍👍Try. Don't ever give up.

[@dodysenputra5126]

Totally relatable

[@jamestiotio]

Hmm I wonder why

[@ianpereirah]

This vedant guy damn cool

[@anonnymouz6826]

Of cos this 3 nationalities are here

[@leewn2319]

Welcome to multi cultural multi racial multi religion Sg to all of u. May God bless all of u with a bright & successful future and may Sg be where u build your family & home. Cheers! 加油！

[@mingzy]

what’s the ROI on these scholars? Wonder if it’s been studied.

[@kelboy98]

Thank god my parents aren't as inhumane. I would've been liquidated!

[@xcelpast]

probably not much. but it's an expense to develop singapore's soft power, where the students then go home and talk about how great the place is.

[@gkheng]

i use MACD, seems it'd reach the crossing soon?

[@laylac]

Higher than you 😂

[@maximus6884]

Do you expect ROI for national day ceremony? Not everything provide measurable ROI. Stop being xenophobic.

[@alexlim470]

Singapore students faced similar challenges when we go overseas to study. On top of that, those of us who go to western countries are facing Asian hate. We risked being beaten up just because we are Asian. There is gun violence too. International scholars here are only bonded for 3 yrs while we are bonded for 6 yrs when we take up a govt scholarship. So who faces more challenges?

[@thomastc4535]

Bonded 6 great years while many are trying to look for a job after graduation...

[@ozielleitemilhomem9944]

I am Oziel

[@tommyliangwei3724]

28th July 2021

[@SuccessforLifester]

Last time one of the Chinese scholars said our locals are dogs

[@limbehh8494]

Well that guy is a AH.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@limbehh8494 What is a AH? Is that the part of the exit of the alimentary canal?

[@cheenangng4050]

Be thankful, sons and daughters of singapore don't get scholarship privilege.

[@kienwenchang7108]

If Studies of Government & Politics ain't free, what is the public policy thinkers thinking.

[@donnagjoka2587]

When a toilets have find the sit...learn young people how to speculation garbages..not created..stay there..

[@Wan-ft4xg]

irrelevant

[@jacobchua6182]

Full-ride scholarships for 5+ years but bonded only for 3 years, might as well just use those money on local poor student instead. Our jobs already given to FT, why bother still pay them to study then let them go home.

[@priyavicky3401]

Agree

[@ryanwoody77]

Meritocracy.. countries need talent to grow. Poor or rich is not a requisite here u must have the brains and attitude.

[@priyavicky3401]

@@ryanwoody77 please la!!! Many pple who have brains and attitude dont even have basic courtesy like u.

[@slaiyfershin]

I can't respect these scholars simply because the standards used to grade them is a diff one than locals. For e.g. To pass local exams to go local U needs a certain grade for English whereas for them they just close both eyes. Not to mention unless they take standardised Os/As, their local tests are just arbitrarily compared to ours. I will never support foreign scholars. Our local placings are just sacrificed for political relations.

[@khyrana85]

They have to take A level as university entrance exam. If you think about it, they have to study their own country curriculum for the high school plus A level curriculum.

[@KingKong-uf3xq]

Must beware with the Indians.

[@user-lm3gw9ws6z]

why ?