Hi everyone.

I've got a question.

In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of studying in Singapore's universities (mainly NUS or NTU) and Australia's universities (mainly Group of 8 universities)?

I ask because right now, I am in kind of a special position.

I was born in Australia but raised in Malaysia. After all these years, I am forced to migrate back to Australia and honestly, I hate it here. But the thing is, Australia's universities are probably thought of as more prestigious than Malaysia's universities. I do not know how true that is as I do not have facts to support the claim, however it really seems as though Australian universities are perceived to be better than Malaysian universities.

Anyway, I want a Malaysian lifestyle AND a good education. So I turned to Singapore's NUS and NTU. High quality education from prestigious universities combined with a very "Malaysian" lifestyle. Best of both worlds.

So back to the question. What are the pros and cons of studying in Singapore and Australia, if money and admission into the universities are assumed to be not an issue?

You can study in an Australia university and come back to Msia to live and to work.

Only Australian National University is better than NUS in the term of ranking. Why not NUS? Can continue to have Asian lifestyle too and can come over into Malaysia anytime he want ..

Agree that the Australian lifestyle is very different. If you have lived all your life in Malaysia, you would probably feel a need (however small) for change, to experience a more liberal, open, "different" living environment - that's what a lot of people want or expect when moving to England, America, Canada, Australia etc. But living in Australia won't necessarily satisfy that need, and as a "Malaysian", for many there will always be the "comfort" of being "home".

But going to university for your first degree(s) only takes a few years. That's not a long time, as you will find once you attend uni in Australia. It's not like school, where you have to do a linear system of Year 10 and 11 to 12 (or 13) after Years 7 to 9. It's broken down into quick little semesters. Ironically the Aussie lifestyle is typically "laidback" but this system is somewhat "rushed".

ANU and NUS actually offer joint degree programmes in some disciplines. This is not like a private school in Malaysia where you get a degree from a programme that has been "endorsed" or "jointly awarded" by a foreign institution... this is actually being able to attend both schools to study that same programme split between them. On that basis I suppose that ANU and NUS are not that different from an educational standpoint, only in their cultural and geographical individuality. In places like Singapore and Hong Kong it is not unusual to get a lot of Asian (be it East Asian or South Asian) academic and teaching staff, even at the top schools, and this is also the case in Australia depending on the discipline of course. Would that make you feel more "at home"? Certainly not for me. Both schools attract some of the top students in the region (Asia Pacific). Expect competitive peers in the top disciplines (Medicine, Law, Engineering, Economics, Mathematics, Actuarial Science).

Consider also that Singapore is Singapore, the one city. In Australia your experience could vary significantly, and depends on where you choose to relocate to - Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane etc.

Actually in the Times rankings Melbourne University is just before Australian National University (#37 and #38, while NUS is at #40). In the QS rankings Melbourne University is not far behind at #31 (ANU at #26, NUS at #28).

But we know these rankings are heavily biased towards scientific research publications and citations, and do not really reflect teaching standards or the satisfaction of undergraduate students (which I think is the most important factor).

They are possibly very prejudiced against social sciences and arts. Rankings also have high levels of inaccuracy (schools where specified subjects don't exist being names the top schools in that discipline or subject area is very common).

I know. I just want to know more about the difference(s) of studying in Singapore and Australia. I'll probably go back to Malaysia to live one day, assuming it still remains a good place to be in the future.

Yeah that's why I specified NUS and NTU in Singapore. Near-Malaysian lifestyle plus good education.

Hey LightningFist. It's you again. Nice to see you're still here!

I would risk a guess that it would be competitive to enter any Go8 universities, NUS and NTU, since all these universities are highly reputable. I want to know if, in my position, it would be wise and/or logical to leave Australia and go for Singapore universities (NUS/NTU).

Rant:

Go8 is quite wide. Compared to the specificity of the 2 in SG (but it is SG, so we understand). As a resident of Australia it is different for you (maybe you don't have to pay as much fees as international students, and can delay payments or enjoy discounts or borrow funds or whatever), but personally I would probably only ever consider Melbourne University and ANU (then *maybe* the Sydney schools), and NUS (probably not NTU) amongst your choices.

But I totally understand what you're saying. And it couldn't be more obvious that you would enjoy SG a lot more. Sounds like the part of Australia you lived in has some qualities that almost all Malaysians would sorely despise... food outlets close early, maybe quality of food not up to par (considering Australia's first world status, and the cost of living in major cities).

Most people are too pampered and therefore (in my experience) can hardly take the cold (which is not that cold, it's not Russia or Alaska or Canada). They also tend to exaggerate (negative temperatures aren't as common as people claim). This is not a shot at you, just an observation that most people (sometimes irrationally) feel it is too cold. It's hardly your fault that you prefer the hot/warm weather.

Those that think the weather might be nice and have never been, I can empathise. Malaysia is (too) hot almost everywhere (except Genting, Cameron, the mountains in the East maybe) all year and for people who don't get a chance to live in a cold place, they fantasise about not perspiring even while having a shower, being able to dress well without melting. Although they should enjoy cold showers while they can.

Weren't you going to study a course that was uber-competitive? Apply first and see what you get.

it's just winter blues...it's always a bummer to move to a new place in winter....

come spring, it will fell better....

as for activities, it's a different set of things people do....you are just withdrawing from mamak stalls.... ......it's only a month, you will find new things to do, and they will just ba as much fun...

the lowest point in homesickness is the 2nd month.....

Yes it's different, I get to enjoy significantly cheaper tuition fees as a local.

I'm actually living in a suburb north of Sydney. Restaurants in this area do not close on 5PM. The ones I've been to actually close quite late, about 9PM I think. The food here is, surprisingly, quite good, although it is very expensive when compared to Malaysian food. Eating out may slowly become a luxury here.

Negative temperatures? I don't think Australia has negative temperatures, does it? The lowest I've seen here is just a little under 10 degrees. Many of my friends think Australia has snow too, which isn't true.

But then again, maybe I just don't have any friends here. Life had to drag me more than 4000 miles away from my friends to make me realize how important friends are.

Last year, I was indeed aiming for uber-competitive medicine. But now I guess I'm gonna go for business studies or whatever floats my boat, although I did take the 2012 UMAT exam. Coming from a family of doctors, I don't see how being a doctor aligns with my interests. And the doctors in my family proved that.

However, if I were to be offered a place in medicine, I guess there's no harm trying for at least one semester and see if it suits me.

Oh, and I also want you to know how nice it is to have someone finally understands my situation. I feel like nobody knows what I'm talking about when I tell my friends my "story" in Australia, although it is forgivable since none of them really came to Australia in the first place and all of them seem to think Australia is "the best".

I really hope that spring will be better. I've never been happy for even once since I migrated (forcefully) here. Life is trying to shove some of its lessons down my throat and believe me, it is extremely hard and excruciating to swallow it. Mere words cannot express the difficulty of my current situation, I'm afraid. I just hope no human has to go through what I'm going through.

Like I mention to LightningFist just now, I guess it's difficult because I don't have any friends here. Maybe I would live to love Australia 6 months later when university starts and I start to find new friends. But until then, the following 6 months will be the most arduous journey I'll have to walk in my life.

I have friends that say my situation is not that bad since I am here with my family. Oh they are so wrong I do not even know how and where to start correcting them. I want them to understand and feel what I'm feeling and going through, but then they're my friends and I wouldn't want any human to actually go through all this.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure we're way off topic now. But it feels so much better to rant about it and have someone understand me. For that, I thank both of you seniors, LightningFist and limeuu.

I don't think Sydney is very cold. But Sydney is big (I guess) and maybe the parts I've been to were not the coldest. In any case Australia does have negative temperatures.

And here I thought you had to suffer shops shutting down at 3-5pm! That truly is a luxury. Sydney is a great place! Compared to some other places/cities in Australia. But I guess I wouldn't know what your suburb is like, although it doesn't sound too bad. Because I have tasted great food like the kind you have access to now, too, but all at places I've only traveled to, not lived...

nah global warming has taken its course it's not that cold nowadays. if you ask the older generations here, they will tell you that it's WAY colder in the past. I think it was around -5C on the mountains in Hobart yesterday. fully covered with snow up there now. but I agree. Weather is rather unpredictable here. It's not so bad hey. Winter's rather cold i have to agree. just wrap yourself like a burrito and heater helps. i'm lucky cos i'm living in a house with central heating. super nice and warm. but i'm shifting next year haha.

I agree with you that there's no, OUR so called 'night-life'. I don't drink as well. Most of my friends here do. So they do party and go bars. For me, I just stay at home chilling, doing things i like, or just study. I have church sessions on sat night which is nice too =) it's not all that boring =P either that, or i'm used to it already haha.

so going back to your initial question. I'll say, it's totally up to you. if financially able, you can study any where you like. As far as i know, Go8 and NTU/NUS are all prestigious universities. If you can get into any one of them, good on ya =) all the best

You can look at Monash Sunway or Nottingham but I assume you stay around KL so Monash Sunway could be a viable option for you. It's part of the G8 and you get stay back in KL.

Spoilers added to quotes to ease viewing.

People say Sydney is a great place, but I don't understand why. There's nothing in the city of Sydney, save for the IMAX Theatre. I can't even think of a reason to go.

It's not negative-cold, but still it's very cold. Winter's piercing winds kills any mood to go out (not that there's anywhere to go, actually).

Yeah, I had to lose everything I have to begin truly appreciating everything back in Malaysia. Many people think Australia is awesome and all that, but I beg to differ. However, I think it sucks only because I don't have friends here. Maybe things will change 6 months later, that is IF I can survive the next 6 months.

Back to my question, I think people might perceive studying in Australia as more prestigious than studying in Singapore. Maybe Singapore is when people cannot afford further places of studying, i.e. UK, US or Australia. With that said, it would be ironic for me to go back and study in Singapore since I have the opportunity to study in Australia. Would job prospects be better if one graduates from Australia?

There is no difference in studying a degree in any of Monash's campus?

Is the degree to be awarded "valued" equally if one got the degree from Malaysia and another from Australia?

This post has been edited by SRLee: Aug 8 2012, 09:33 AM

How old are you?? If over 18 then do what most white kids do...move out and be a free agent.In your case come back to bolehland since you like/miss it so much. OZ did not point a gun at your head and force you to to stay there against your will. Learn to be independent and stop whinning

Depends on where you want to work. Clearly you find Australia a terrible miserable place, so while having an Australian qualification is practically a must to start working in Australia (don't get me started on Australia and their "Australian Work Experience", never mind what you did in the other country), if you have no desire to stay and work in Australia, an Australian qualification makes little difference.

In Malaysia, as long as you're not from a local institution of higher learning, somehow having a western qualification gives you an edge. I have heard of employers see Sheffield Hallam University graduates (usually from KTAR) better than "local U graduates". Go figure.

I don't think you will be disadvantaged having a Singapore qualification, as opposed to others who hold Australian/UK qualifications, in Malaysia. Or even Singapore, as long as they don't roll back their open arms policy of foreign talents.

On another note, most of the Singaporeans see Australia as a destination because they can't get into NUS and NTU. The "talent", if you will, generally is in Singapore. It is the second tier that have to get out of the country because they are unable to get a place.


In the context of Monash Malaysia, yes, generally their (non-critical) degree's are on par as their Clayton counterparts. (I'll let member limeuu take the differences in their MBBS program intake).

Most of the "differences" between the Sunway and Clayton qualifications generally stem from the fact that most people don't realise that your qualifications are one thing: the right to work in Australia is another matter altogether.

I did plan to go back to Malaysia. Heck, I wanted to go back just a week after I arrive in Australia.

But for reasons that are too complicated to express here, I could not.

I see. So the main advantage of having a degree from an Australian institution is the opportunity to work in more countries, including Australia itself? This is a huge advantage, is it not? More places available to go is always better than being stuck in one place.

That being said, I now think it is wiser and more logical for me to get a degree from an Australian institute, disregarding the environment. If that is so, I guess this thread can be closed.

I've never been to Australia.. I wish I could stay at least a year there just for experience.