Partner Country of the Month: Singapore

Singapore is both a tropical garden city and a melting pot of cultures. Sometimes called “Asia’s Switzerland”, Singapore is famously safe, clean, and wealthy. The island city-state lies very close to the equator, between Malaysia and Indonesia. Lush greenery shows up between its futuristic skyline, with gardens, parks, and nature reserves covering almost half of Singapore’s area. Culturally, Chinese, Malay and Indian influences mix with a cosmopolitan vibe.  

With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the wide diversity of countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our students can explore during a semester abroad.

Table of contents

1. 1. General facts and figures about Singapore
      1. Language matters
   2. Did you know that ....?
   3. Cooperations with Universities in Singapore
   4. Don't miss...
   5. Let's have a taste...
   6. Contact
   7. Partner Countries Archive

General facts and figures about Singapore

Population: 6.1 million (2025)
Official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil
National Day: August 9 (Independence of Singapore 1965)
Currency: Singapore dollar (S$ / SGD)

You can find further facts, figures and information on Wikipedia or on the website of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. For travel info, see wikivoyage or visitsingapore.com.

Language matters

Singapore’s linguistic diversity mirrors its mix of cultures. Most Singaporeans are bilingual and speak English and one of the other three official languages – Malay, Mandarin, or Tamil. A few smaller Chinese and Indian languages are also present in Singapore. English enables easy communication between all ethnicities, and is widely used in business, education and the media. So there is no need to fear the language barrier!

Still, English in Singapore may need a little bit of practice. In everyday speech, many Singaporeans speak a special variant influenced by local languages: Singlish. While the government promotes using more international English, Singlish is an expression of local identity and generally popular. Some typical features are reduplications as in don’t play play (“don’t mess around”) and particles such as lah that add nuance to sentences.

Here is a small introduction to Singlish vocabulary:

• shiok – tasty, a pleasure
• makan – to eat
• kaki – close friend or buddy with shared interests, e.g. food kaki, gym kaki
• kiasu – afraid to lose out, cautious and competitive
• blur – confused, unaware
• dabao / tapau – get take away food

At our partner university, English is the language of instruction. You need at least B2-level proficiency in English for your application. If necessary, you can join courses at TUDIAS to brush up your English for study-related stays abroad.

Did you know that ....?

• Singapore is also called “the little red dot”? This nickname stems from a speech by an Indonesian president and references the way in which Singapore shows up on a world map. Small but mighty!
• Singapore is the fastest-growing country in the world by land area? Naturally, the island city-state has limited space, so it focusses on land reclamation. The first expansion took place by razing hills in the interior and using that material to fill up coastal areas. Then, Singapore started importing huge quantities of sand, which eventually led to export bans issued in many neighboring countries. Since 2016, the building of dykes and draining of the enclosed land has become a favored method. Through these measures, Singapore has grown by about 25% since the 1960s.
• Singapore means “city of lions” in Sanskrit? When a Sumatran prince founded his kingdom here at the start of the 14^th century, legend says he encountered a lion – an auspicious omen, as lions are creatures of power and royalty in Hindu and Buddhist tradition. Realistically, he may have encountered a Malayan tiger. Today, a special form of lion guards the city, a merlion with the head of a lion and the body of a fish.

• the world’s largest indoor waterfall is located in Singapore? Called the Rain Vortex, it’s the centerpiece of a 22,000-square-meter tropical garden at Singapore Changi Airport. Circulating rainwater is pumped over the garden’s glass roof, from where it falls a full 40 meters to the basement below.

• you are forbidden from bringing chewing gum to Singapore? Inside the country, chewing gum may be sold for medical purposes only, requiring a prescription. This measure is part of Singapore’s strict, but efficient policy against vandalism and the defilement of public spaces. Other measures include prohibitions against eating and drinking in public transport, littering, and leaving cigarette butts. Getting caught can result in hefty fines. As they say, Singapore is an impeccably clean, “fine city”.

• Singaporean apartments are allocated according to an ethnic quota? This quota reflects the ethnic ratio of the population, including the three big groups of Chinese, Malay and Indian (& other) descent. As a result, individual apartment blocks and neighborhoods are as diverse as the total population, avoiding the formation of ghettos and promoting ethnic integration and peaceful coexistence.

• Singapore issues the world’s strongest passports? According to the Henley Passport Ranking 2026, a Singaporean passport gives visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates share the second place. Passport power is a reflection on the political stability as well as diplomatic credibility and economic power of the issuing country.

• there is a Singaporean form of the German towel reservation? While Germans are infamous for using towels to reserve seats at beaches, Singaporeans chope tables in a similar manner. Choping describes the behavior of leaving objects (usually tissue packets) at tables in busy hawker centres or food courts to reserve a seat. One reason cited is a love of efficiency – as per this choping guide: “’Chope’ save time = can eat faster = win”.

Cooperations with Universities in Singapore

You can find all cooperations of TU Dresden in our database. Have a look at the experiences of our previous exchange students at Questionnaires. Professors at your faculty may have direct contacts to your partner university of choice and can advise you.

Our Partner University in Singapore: Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

• NTU and TUD are connected by two distinct exchange cooperations:
  • Interdisciplinary cooperation via TUDworldwide
  • Erasmus+ cooperation for Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology.
    This spot is designated for PhD students, but can be made available to graduate and undergraduate students. Please contact Daniel Weck or Andreas Hornig if you are interested in a non-PhD spot.
• Nanyang Technological University is ranked as one of the top universities in Asia and enjoys a worldwide reputation, particularly in the fields of engineering and applied natural sciences. NTU's park-like campus is not only home to lecture halls, classrooms, and student accommodation, but also houses leisure and sports facilities and even a Chinese garden with a waterfall.

Don't miss...

Gardens by the Bay contains Singapore’s most famous sight, Supertree Grove. Its gigantic artificial trees are covered in ferns, orchids, and climbers. Powered by solar energy, the trees light up every night in a spectacular light and music show. And while the supertrees are most iconic, Gardens by the Bay has more attractions to offer: In Flower Dome, plants from all over the world create an eternal spring; Cloud Forest recreates rainforests from various climate zones; and in Heritage Garden, you can learn about the traditional use of plants by Singapore’s ethnic groups. If you're left wanting to see and learn more, we recommend the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Experience the festivals. In a multicultural city like Singapore, there’s something to celebrate all year round. The traditional Chinese festivals are particularly numerous and colorful, whether it’s the Lunar New Year with its lion dances, Dragon Boat Festival in June, or Mid-Autumn Festival with its lanterns and moon cakes. You also shouldn‘t miss Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, the fireworks on National Day, or Singaporean Christmas.

Vibrant nature in the city-state. For its small size, Singapore has an astonishing amount of nature areas. Even in the heart of the city, you can take a walk through the rainforest at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. To totally escape the hustle and bustle for a while, head to Pulau Ubin. This small neighboring island is easy to explore by bike or on foot. You will find beaches and snorkeling spots, forests and mangrove swamps, and wildlife up close. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent and pack your food in monkey-proof containers!  

Asian Civilisations Museum shines a light on the historical connections between various Asian cultures around Singapore, with the permanent exhibitions focusing on maritime trade, the spread of religions, and decorative arts. One highlight is the cargo of a Chinese merchant ship that sank in the 9th century. In addition, there are rotating special exhibitions, currently covering topics ranging from board games to tea culture.

The Sultan Mosque, recognizable from afar by its golden domes, is one of Singapore’s most significant religious buildings. A black ring made from soy sauce bottles sits at the base of each dome. The story behind this curious material is that all Muslim families in the neighborhood contributed something: the wealthiest gave gold, the poorest gave bottles. The mosque is located in Kampong Glam, the historic Malay-Muslim quarter, filled with colors, murals, and cafés. You can visit the mosque for free outside of prayer times.

Let's have a taste...

Singapore’s food scene reflects its diverse cultural mix, with a wide variety of dishes and cuisines available. However, cooking at home is rather uncommon. Food courts and hawker centres (formalized former street stalls) are everywhere, offering delicious food at unbeatable prices. Typical dishes include curry puffs, char kway teow (stir-fried noodles), or the quintessential Singaporean specialty: Hainanese chicken rice.

The variety of tropical fruits is also wonderful, ranging from well-known favorites like bananas and mangoes to varieties rarely found in Europe, such as rose apples, mangosteens, and snake fruit. A special cult status is awarded to durians, known as the “king of fruits“. Despite their controversial odor, durians are very popular thanks to their custard texture, with Singaporeans eagerly awaiting Durian season.

Teh (tea) and kopi (coffee) are the most popular drinks, served by default with condensed milk and sugar. All other variations follow a specific nomenclature – follow the kopi guide to learn it. A particular specialty is teh tarik, which is made frothy by pulling it from a great height.

Contact

Have you had a great time in Singapore? Do you have tips for places and experiences that are not to be missed? We would be happy to share your experiences here, on social media or, if you want, in information events for other TUD students. Get in touch with us:

Partner Countries Archive

Have you missed a partner country? No worries! Here you can read up on all articles.

Europe (Erasmus+)
Austria	Lithuania
Belgium	Netherlands
Bulgaria	Norway
Croatia	Poland
Czech Republic	Portugal
Denmark	Romania
Estonia	Slovakia
Finland	Slovenia
France	Spain
Greece	Sweden
Hungary	Switzerland
Iceland	Türkiye
Ireland	Ukraine
Italy	United Kingdom
Latvia
Africa
Kenia	South Africa
America
Argentina	Chile
Brazil	Colombia
Canada	Mexico
Asia
China (People’s Republic)	South Korea
India	Taiwan
Indonesia	Thailand
Israel	Vietnam
Japan
Australia and Oceania
Australia