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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) What does the Student Exchange Programme (SEP) offer?

The SEP provides you with many opportunities and challenges. The benefit to you depends on how you make use of these opportunities and meet the challenges.

Do consider applying for the SEP if you are eager to take on the challenge of learning about a new legal system or if you are curious about different perspectives of the law and its processes.

If you like to make new friends and experience different cultures, you would probably enjoy the SEP very much. Conversely, if you do not enjoy making new acquaintances and are likely to be home sick, your experience will not be an entirely positive one.

Apply for the SEP if you believe you will be enriched by the experience.

2) How do I decide on which law school to choose?

The universities that we have selected are all highly reputable. However, the way they teach law, and the way they think about the law and legal process may be very different from what you are used to.

Generally speaking, the courses and methods of teaching in law schools in England and Australia will be comparable to what you are accustomed to at NUS. Also, the law students in these countries will be about the same age as NUS students. In North America, law is taught at the post-graduate level, so many of the students will be slightly older than undergraduate students at NUS. Also, as a general rule, the approach to the study of law is more policy-oriented in North-America than in Singapore.

However, you will be reassured to know that NUS law students generally have had no difficulty adapting to the study of law while on exchange, and most students have had a very rewarding educational and cultural experience.

Different students have different preference. Do your market research. Visit the websites of the universities that you are interested in. Look up the prospectuses in the law library (limited copies are also available with the Law Exchange Team). Talk to those who have returned from exchange. Correspond with your seniors who are currently on SEP.

For your convenience, we have compiled a list of students who have recently returned from SEP and another list of students who are currently on SEP. You may wish to contact them. To view the lists, click here

3) How do I apply? What is the selection process for AY2010-2011?

Please refer to the Application Procedure web link at http://law.nus.edu.sg/current/outgoing_exchange/application.htm

4) What are the selection criteria for exchange and is my ranking of choices relevant?

The selection criteria include your academic grades, ECA record, character and personal statement. In some instances you may be called for an interview. The dominant criterion is your academic grades. You are allowed to list up to 10 choices for exchange in order of priority. We take this ordering into account when selecting students. For example, if Student A who is ranked 45^th places University X as his 7^th choice and Student B who is ranked 50^th places University X as his 2^nd choice, we may give University X to Student B and give Student A his 8^th choice. If the difference in placing of the student is considerable, then the ranking of choices is less influential. For example, if Student A, who is ranked 9^th, places University X as his 4^th choice and Student B who is ranked 30^th places University X as his 1^st choice, we will give University X to Student A.

5) I understand that I may have to attend an interview. What is the purpose of the interview?

There can be fierce competition for places on the SEP. We would like to select those who are not only academically strong but who are also keen to broaden their perspectives and eager to accept the challenge of living and learning in a different environment.

The interviewers may also be able to provide you with advice on what institution you might be most suited for. The interviewers will also assess your language proficiency if you are applying to a partner university where the language of instruction is not English.

6) What is the financial cost of going on exchange?

Students going on SEP pay tuition fees and other related fees at the NUS. You thus avoid paying the often higher fees of the host institutions.

The cost of living varies from country to country. Indeed it varies between different cities in the same country. You should access the websites of the different universities or look at the profiles found beside the name of each region, to ascertain the estimated living expenses for the time that you will be away.

Also, once you are certain that you are very interested in attending a particular institution, you can get in touch with NUS students currently on SEP at that institution to get their advice concerning living expenses. You can also contact Ms Rahima Hussain at lawsep@nus.edu.sg to put you in contact with incoming exchange students from overseas universities who are currently studying at NUS.

7) Are there any financial assistance schemes?

To view the financial assistance schemes that the NUS has put in place to encourage our students to go on SEP, click here.

8) Can I participate in both the SEP and the NUS/NYU Programmes?

You can apply for both programmes but you can only go for one programme which you will have to elect at the outset. DDP students cannot participate in the NUS/NYU LLM Programmes.

Updated on 20 October 2009