Student Voices
Year 2 student, Double Degree in Social Science – Politics, Law and Economics, and Business Management – Finance
My Overseas Semester Exchange at the University of Manchester was a highlight of my SMU journey. Living with five other SMU students in a shared house for five months created lifelong friendships and unforgettable adventures.
Natanya Chuang
Year 4 student, Psychology with a Second Major in Legal Studies
Yong Pung How School of Law, Year 3 Student
Why did you choose to come to SMU?
During my JC days, I realised that I didn’t enjoy lecture-style lessons. As someone who’s naturally inquisitive, I often had questions about the material but couldn’t ask them until the smaller tutorial sessions. When I learned that SMU conducts all its classes in seminar-style settings, I felt that this was the right learning environment for me. It allows for more interaction, engagement, and real-time discussions, which suited my learning style far better.
Please share a key highlight of your student life in SMU.
One of the most meaningful experiences has been SMU Law’s mentorship programme. I was fortunate to be paired with mentors who genuinely cared about my well-being, both academically and personally. Their guidance gave me the support I needed to ease into law school and find my footing early on.
Please share with us your most recent or your favourite global experience.
I chose to participate in SMU’s Overseas Project Experience with some friends. It was the only law elective offered that allowed for overseas travel as a group, so we decided to bid for it together. It was a great opportunity to combine academic learning with a shared experience abroad.
Visiting Taiwan’s Judges Academy was a real eye-opener. Unlike in Singapore, where judges are typically appointed after gaining experience in legal practice, Taiwan trains its judges through a direct programme. In fact, they don’t even attend law school—they go straight into the Judges Academy as undergraduates. It was fascinating to learn how their judicial training is integrated from such an early stage, and it really highlighted how different legal systems can be in structure and philosophy.
David Soh Kee Kiat
Yong Pung How School of Law, Year 3 Student
Year 4 student, Yong Pung How School of Law
SMU is a great place to kickstart your career, thanks to the networking opportunities and industry exposure available here. The people you meet along the way play a huge role in your career, and SMU provides an environment that fosters those valuable connections.
James Ethan Ang
Year 4 student, Yong Pung How School of Law
Year 3 student, School of Computing and Information Systems
My first programming class at SMU changed my perspective completely. I had no prior experience with coding, but my professor made the subject engaging with thought-provoking puzzles and programming memes. It turned what I initially feared into something I genuinely enjoy and excel in.
Jeremy Lin
Year 3 student, School of Computing and Information Systems
Year 3 student, School of Accountancy
Competing in business case competitions has been a highlight of my SMU journey. Traveling to Canada and Phuket with my team, meeting business students from around the world, and securing third place in an international competition was an unforgettable experience that strengthened my problem-solving and analytical skills.
Shannon Chong
Year 3 student, School of Accountancy
Year 2 student, Double Degree in Social Science – Politics, Law and Economics, and Business Management – Finance
One of my most memorable academic highlights was the Big Questions module. The guest lectures and field trips made the learning experience incredibly interactive, challenging my assumptions about happiness and leaving me with valuable lessons about resilience, kinship, and contentment.
Oh Jia Jun
Year 2 student
School of Social Sciences, Year 2 Student
Why did you choose to come to SMU?
What made SMU stand out to me was its unique interactive pedagogy, which aligned with my preferred learning approach, through active discussions and real-world application. Additionally, the guaranteed choice of major specialisation gave me the reassurance and confidence that I could pursue what I was truly interested in, without worrying about quotas or competition. Furthermore, the guaranteed global exposure reflects the school’s commitment to broadening students' perspectives and offers me the opportunity to travel overseas as part of my academic experience. Moreover, SMU’s strong academic and employer reputation also reassured me that I will be prepared and competitively positioned for life beyond university. Altogether, these key factors made SMU feel like the right choice for both my academic and personal growth.
Please share a key highlight of your student life in SMU.
One of the key highlights was serving as a Psychology student representative at official school events such as SMU Open House 2025 and Destination: SMU. In these roles, I had the opportunity to engage with prospective Social Sciences students and their parents, offering guidance, sharing personal experiences, and answering their questions. Having the privilege to participate in these experiences was incredibly meaningful and fulfilling, as it facilitated my interest in supporting and inspiring others by drawing on my own journey and insights as a way to give back and create impact.
What advice would you give to prospective students (especially your juniors from Poly) who are thinking of applying to SMU?
Go for it! Take that leap and pursue a university degree at SMU. While a diploma may be sufficient to open doors to the workforce, a university education at SMU has the potential to elevate you in ways that go beyond academics, by challenging you mentally, stretching you intellectually, and shaping you holistically. Moreover, you'll gain not just knowledge, but also invaluable experiences, opportunities, and connections that can profoundly shape your personal and professional growth – all of which you might never fully experience if you stop at a polytechnic diploma.
Lim Han Yang
Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Year 3 Student
Please share a highlight of your student life at SMU.
A highlight of my academic experience in SMU would be having the chance to work with external, real-world clients through SMU-X. I have had the chance to do this in 2 ways. Firstly, by taking an SMU-X module, and secondly, by being part of Growth-X, a student consulting club. The SMU-X module I took was called Transformative Leadership, and we had the chance to speak to a real-world client and help solve its business challenges by coming up with proposals. To me, this was a very meaningful experience as we got to meet the client and hear her story, and even had the chance to do a site visit. Knowing that the work that we did through a school module might have a tangible, visible impact on someone made the project made the project feel especially meaningful. Seeing this project as more than just graded assignment, I felt that it was an opportunity to apply what we learned in a real-world context, which for me, has greatly enhanced my learning experience at SMU.
What is your favourite spot on campus?
My favourite spot is the MDL, located on B1 of SOE. I love the MDL because it’s where our Samba Masala practices are held most of the time, and I’ve made many wonderful memories there with my CCA mates.
What advice would you give to prospective students who are thinking of applying to SMU?
Just apply, you won’t regret it!
SMU is a place for holistic development, where you’ll be supported not only in your academics and professional growth, but also in discovering your passions outside the classroom. Whether it’s through interactive hands-on modules, overseas exposure, or career readiness programmes, SMU equips you with the skills and experiences to excel in your future career. At the same time, SMU also provides a vibrant student life, with many CCAs to choose from, and many exciting projects and events to be a part of. SMU gives you the chance to explore your interests, meet new people, and create meaningful memories! In SMU, there are countless ways to grow both as a student and as a person.
My advice is to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and don’t be afraid to pivot or fail. University is the perfect safe space to experiment and discover what excites and interests you. At the same time, learn to prioritise and choose experiences that align with your interests and values!
Elicia Ling Ying Qi
Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Year 3 Student
Year 3 student, School of Economics
As someone who used to be reserved, I initially found it difficult to participate in class discussions. But seeing how actively my peers contributed made me realize that SMU’s seminar rooms are a safe space to voice my thoughts. Since then, class participation has become second nature to me.
Ong Don
Year 3 student, School of Economics
Year 2 student, Lee Kong Chian School of Business
My experience planning Freshmen Orientation 2024 was a major highlight. Being part of the organizing committee allowed me to give back to the SMU community, develop leadership skills, and even present our initiatives to SMU’s Senior Management Team. It was an eye-opening and fulfilling experience.
Nick Seah
Year 2 student, Lee Kong Chian School of Business
Year 2 student, College of Integrative Studies
Living at Prinsep Street Residences (PSR) has been a highlight of my SMU journey. With eight different nationalities in my apartment, every day felt like a cultural exchange. Some of my favourite memories include planning morning walks with my apartment mate—only to end up at a breakfast spot just five minutes in!
Nadia Vong
Year 2 student, College of Integrative Studies
School of Computing and Information Systems, Class of 2020
SMU has allowed me to broaden my perspective through different overseas opportunities. Not only did that help to boost my self-awareness and problem-solving - which is helpful when running a startup - it also taught me how to think creatively and adapt to all sorts of situations.
Derrick Lee
School of Computing and Information Systems, Class of 2020
School of Accountancy, Class of 2011
SMU trains you to be an all-rounded individual. We’re encouraged to develop skills from speaking, creative thinking, project management, understanding of technical theories, people management etc, all of which are essential in running a business.
Bonnie Wong
School of Accountancy, Class of 2011
School of Computing and Information Systems, Graduate
Please share a highlight of your student life at SMU.
A key highlight was participating in the SMU LIT Hackathon 2022 during the summer. This was a legal tech hackathon, where we had to think of solutions that could help digitialise the legal processes. This would be a memory that I would not forget as it was the first React web app that I created. My team also made it to the finals and won the Norton Rose Fulbright The Big Leap Forward Award for which we were awarded $1000.
What is your favourite spot on campus?
SCIS Lounge at basement opposite Wolfrik’s Pizzeria. This is where I usually do my mugging as well as take naps after classes.
What is the #1 thing you think you will miss about SMU after you graduate?
I think that I would miss the human-free Pick n Go store a lot.
Please share a community service project/trip that you have taken part in SMU.
Back in Year 1, I participated in Project Illuminate under SMU Caretalyst. For this Community Service Project, we planned activities for primary school students and conducted enrichment sessions where we mentored them in various school subjects that they needed help in. This was a very meaningful project to me as it reminded me of myself back in primary school.
Ahmad Musyaffaq bin Ahmad Mazhar
College of Integrative Studies, Year 3 Student
Please share a key highlight of your academic experience in SMU thus far.
Last year I took Introduction to Arts and Cultural Management, and it was full of new experiences! Not only could we hear from both artists and arts managers in class, we were also able to watch a live theatre show.
Please share a key highlight of your student life in SMU.
One highlight of my student life is being able to arrange a song for a concert! I’m in SMU Guitarissimo, which is our resident Niibori guitar ensemble. I arranged one of my favourite songs, The 6th Summer by PLAVE, for the ensemble because I wanted to give arranging a try. Not only did we perform the song in our annual concert, I also conducted the ensemble for my own song!
How has SMU’s city location enriched your university experience?
The city location makes it so much easier to go anywhere to meet up with my friends after class! I could easily walk to Plaza Singapura to catch a movie or walk to Bugis+ to play at the arcade, and places like Suntec City are just a few MRT stops away!
Andrea Chandra Putri
College of Integrative Studies, Year 3 Student
School of Economics, Graduate
Please share a highlight of your student life at SMU.
One of my key highlights in SMU is joining SMU Fencing. I was previously a fencer in junior college, so I decided to continue my fencing journey here at SMU and have found myself a tight-knit community here at SMU Fencing.
Have you had any international experiences at SMU so far?
I participated in SMU Diverse-City and got to experience and learn about different cultures from Cambodia to Vietnam and many other countries! Even though it was held online due to Covid-19, it was such a fun and enriching experience to go on virtual tours and have a tour guide bring us to tourist attractions in another country!
Name your favourite class/mod at SMU.
French - It was fun and refreshing to learn a new language!
Dharshayini D/O Ramesh
School of Economics, Graduate
School of Accountancy, Year 3 Student
Please share a highlight of your student life at SMU.
One highlight of my academic experience in SMU was the ACCT111 Financial Accounting class under Professor Hye Sun CHANG. As the introductory module for Accountancy undergraduates, it shaped my first impressions of what university learning would be like and what accounting truly entails. Professor CHANG’s teaching style was both interactive and informative. She broke down complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner, encouraged participation, and made each lesson feel purposeful. Her passion for teaching and high standards motivated me to stay curious and disciplined in my learning.
What is your favourite food to get on campus?
Yong Tau Foo stall at Koufu.
Name your favourite class/mod at SMU.
My favourite class at SMU so far is ACCT334 Intermediate Financial Accounting. The difficulty of the module challenged me intellectually and pushed me to deepen my understanding of accounting concepts beyond the basics.
Koh Wei Le
School of Accountancy, Year 3 Student
School of Economics, Class of 2023
My beautiful journey at SMU has gifted me my best memories. The wide variety of CCAs, global exposure, collaboration-focused classes, interdisciplinary learning, connectedness with industry, have all transformed my life.
Shaurya Jain
School of Economics, Class of 2023
School of Accountancy, Class of 2009
The new College of Integrative Studies offer a unique pathway for undecided students to try their hand at different disciplines before committing to a major. I would have applied to CIS if I am just about to start my SMU journey today.
Ben Toh
School of Accountancy, Class of 2009
