The recent Graduate Student Welfare Survey has been officially closed and 800 of you have made yourselves heard. Based on your feedback, we have met with Office of Student Affairs, including Dean and residential services staff, over the past few weeks. Here is the summary:

HOUSING

The application process for the NUS yo:HA hostels will be integrated into the new University Hostel Management System (UHMS). This is scheduled to take place in March 2010.

Under UHMS, successful applicants will be required to make an advance payment upon their acceptance of the accommodation offer. The payment can be made online and the residents will be invoiced the remaining hostel fee upon their check in at the yo:HA hostel.

Priority for the Graduate Student Apartments (GSA) is first given to families, followed by married couples and then singles. Families are given the highest priority due to their difficulties in securing affordable accommodation.

The Graduate Accommodation in University Town is expected to be ready by mid 2011. The new accommodation will have 1700 places for graduate students.

FACILITIES

Internet bandwidth at yo:HA hostels will be improved to 4MB from December 2009.

In yo:HA@190 Boon Lay, a survey of residents to revise the shuttle bus schedule is been carried out. Currently, there's already 62% support for change, however, at least 70% support is required for change. If you've not responded to the survey, please do so.

OSA will work closely with the EM Services management team to improve the service levels at yo:HA@190 Boon Lay Hostel.

In addition, we've compiled the following campus information for your convenience:

Food - these nearby stalls are open 24-hours

Formosa Delights (Kent Ridge terminal)
The Cheese Prata Shop (Kent Ridge terminal)
Fong Seng Fast Food Nasi Lemak (Kent Ridge terminal)
National University Hospital canteen
Do check out the wonderful stalls near bus 95's Kent Ridge terminal!

Others

University Health Centre will be organizing free health screening next semester
Graduate students can apply for a S$1000 notebook loan from Computer Centre
Graduate students can apply for NUS Co-op membership to get discounts
Students are encouraged to make use of the eJob Centre (http://ejobcentre.nus.edu.sg)

In the coming months, we will also be working with Career Centre as well as Counseling Centre to make popular workshops such as Career Planning, Resume & Letter Writing, Interpersonal Effectiveness and personal counseling more readily available.

Finally, 10 lucky winners have walked away with free movie tickets! For the rest of you, there will definitely be another chance!!