Derek Rodriguez highlights the strengths of each of NTU’s 24 halls of residence
Photo: Kent Lee Joon
BEST FOR MAKERS & TINKERERS
Big ideas are brewed in the innovation garage at the interlinked Crescent and Pioneer Halls (above), where you might take inspiration from living in a tree-like abode surrounded by water features that remind you of being in a rainforest. Students with engineering projects in mind can submit proposals to a panel. And if their concepts are judged to have potential, they are provide with funding and are given access to the garage and the set of tools inside, including a 3D printer.
Hands-on workshops are also conducted regularly as part of the Residential Education programme at Crescent and Pioneer Halls. Some classes that have been held include woodworking, bike salvation and clay craft.
BEST FOR SOCIAL SPIRITS
The first halls built in NTU, Halls 1 and 2 are oldies but goodies. All rooms come with ensuite toilets, meaning you don’t have to stumble down the corridor if you have the runs in the middle of the night. And you won’t notice the lack of lifts, with Hall 1 having only three floors and Hall 2 just two. The layout of the halls facilitates interactions between hall residents and gives them a certain kampung spirit, note past and present residents.
The halls’ canteens make great social spots as well, and boast some of NTU’s most well-known food stalls, such as the ones selling mala hotpot in Canteen 1, and ayam penyet and xiaolongbao in Canteen 2. The well-stocked Giant supermarket and 7-Eleven at Hall 2 make it a popular place to visit too. And if you and your roomie need a quick haircut to sharpen up for the block party, just nip down to the hair salon at this hall.
BEST FOR NATURE LOVERS
Extensive refurbishments, including upgrading of safety systems and the installation of air-conditioning in all rooms, have given Halls 4 and 5 a new lease of life. What’s more, these halls overlook a botanical dreamland. Yunnan Garden and Nanyang Lake have become a hotspot for nature lovers following a major makeover that connected the two sizeable landmarks with a waterfall, fitness areas and thematic walking paths and boardwalks, all with Wi-Fi connectivity.
On the opposite end of campus, residents of Halls 12 to 15 wake up to the sounds of the forest every morning. Birds such as kingfishers, woodpeckers, bee-eaters and even hornbills have been spotted by the NTU community in the area. And NTU’s blue rubberised jogging track, which runs between the halls and the forest, are perfect for working up a sweat at sunrise.
BEST FOR LIFELONG LEARNERS
Some of the most interesting Residential Education programmes are conducted in Halls 9 to 11. For example, the edible gardens in these halls see students growing and tending a variety of plants under the guidance of an urban farming consultant. The astrophotography programme from Hall 10 allows amateur stargazers rare glimpses of the stars using powerful telescopes from the rooftop garden at the neighbouring Nanyang Crescent halls. Through the lenses of the telescopes, budding photographers can also capture great photos of the cosmos. The family-like vibes of these halls make learning together all the more fun.
BEST FOR ATHLETES
If you’re staying in Hall 6, you won’t have to dribble far to get to the Sports & Recreation Centre, which houses an Olympic-size swimming pool, a gym and other sports facilities. Next to the recently refurbished hall is NTU’s football field and running track, a hive of activity on most nights. Slightly further afield is NTU’s state-of-the-art sports hall, The Wave, a multifunctional sports hall that is used for a variety of indoor sports, including badminton, basketball and table tennis. Three full-length basketball courts and six tennis courts are also nearby.
BEST FOR HEALTHY LIVING
The Nanyang Crescent Halls and the North Hill Halls, the newest halls on campus, are home to the largest gyms on campus. The North Hill gym stands out with the Queenax Functional Trainer, a modular system that can be used for weights and resistance training, and can even accommodate an anti-gravity yoga class for 12 people. The gym at the Nanyang Crescent Halls is also impressively rigged with rows of treadmills, strength training machines and a free weights section.
In the North Hill Halls, lessons held in fully-equipped kitchens teach NTU’s next MasterChefs how to concoct and enjoy healthy and delicious food from around the world, including Indian, Burmese, Turkish and western dishes.
BEST FOR LATE RISERS
If you snooze on accepting an offer from Halls 3 and 16, you definitely lose more sleep. With the National Institute of Education and the North Spine just minutes’ walk away, you can skip the wait for the bus if you want. Lifts in all blocks and air-conditioning in all rooms also hit the sweet spot.
Creative minds from the School of Art, Design & Media will find their ideal home in Hall 8, which is less than 50 metres away from the iconic grass-roofed building.
GET A ROOM!
Getting a hall room as a freshman is easy.
Sign up for dorm life by submitting an application online during the hall application period. You can make any number of changes to your application within this period, but only the last submission will be considered. Don’t miss this window of opportunity as late applications won’t get processed.
You can indicate your preference for either a single or double room, and an air-conditioned or a non-air-conditioned room. Prices for double rooms range from $255 to $330 a month. For single rooms, it costs $355 to $580 monthly. The rental rates are subject to revision annually. If you have a roomie in mind who is also a first- or second-year undergrad, you can indicate each other’s particulars in separate applications.
Those with siblings of the same gender who are seniors in NTU can choose to stay with their sibling if he or she has already been assigned a room (NTU seniors are allocated rooms before freshmen and on floors housing students of the same gender).
After the application deadline has passed, your application will be processed and you will receive an email informing you which hall you have been assigned to and instructions on how to accept the offer.
