Undergraduate housing

On 2nd August 2008, the International Olympic Committee announced that it had accepted the proposal by the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) to adopt NTU's 200-hectare campus as the Youth Olympic Village. Upgrading works leading up to year 2010 will be carried out to ensure that our campus will be an outstanding Games village to house athletes, coaches and officials from over 200 countries.

Halls of Residence 3, 8 to 16 and Graduate Hall will be used to accommodate the Youth Olympic athletes. The Halls will have to be upgraded to a standard that is comfortable but not lavish; Halls 3 and 16 are used as the benchmark for all other Halls. As the university continues to maintain its function as an educational establishment, very few window periods are available for the extensive upgrading works up to the year 2010. To meet the tight schedule, refurbishment and upgrading works will be done during the vacation periods in December 2008, May-July 2009, December 2009 and May 2010 to minimize inconvenience to students. The most significant upgrading exercise will be done in the long vacation period from May to July 2009.

  

In December 2008, two blocks in Hall 12 were upgraded. A briefing session was held with affected block residents on 16 October 2008 to update them and to provide information on logistics. For example, moving affected residents who remain in campus accommodation during the December vacation period. All the residents of the two blocks were very co-operative and understanding, and SAO is very appreciative of their support and commitment to the cause. There were adequate places within Hall 12 and neighbouring Halls to relocate about 40% of residents who opted to stay during the vacation. On completion of the upgrading exercise, students were moved back to the rooms. The entire exercise was completed before the beginning of Semester 2 in January 2009. The pictures here show the refurbished rooms in the two blocks in Hall 12.

For residents in Halls 8 to 11, you may note that external painting works started during the December vacation. This will be completed progressively over time. We seek the co-operation of all residents in these Halls to bear with the current work and the disruption to the peaceful environment. More intensive upgrading work will be conducted from May to July 2009.

  

To enable contractors to conduct the work within a tight time frame and set time windows, the University seeks the co-operation and understanding from all residents, Senior/Hall Fellows and their family members, and Hall Office Staff. All students who do not need to stay in campus accommodation during the vacation period, including those residing at Halls 1 to 7, 12 (blocks 57 & 58) & 16, must withdraw from Halls of Residence. Only students taking Special Term subjects in May 2009, industrial attachment, industrial orientation, etc, will be allowed to remain in campus accommodation; priority will be given to students who have no home in Singapore. We hope that this arrangement will enable extensive refurbishment/upgrading of Hall facilities to be completed in time to meet the tight schedule and security requirement imposed by the International Olympic Council before June/July 2010.

  

We have prepared some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below for you to refer to. If you have other questions not covered in the FAQs, please direct them to sao-fa@ntu.edu.sg. A dialogue session was organised by the NTU Students Union on 2 Feb 2009 for all students to raise and to give feedback to us issues that concern all of us. We will provide updates from time to time to all students when information is available.

Q1. How many halls would be affected for the YOG refurbishment works during the May-July vacation period?

Ans: There will be major refurbishment works in Halls 8-15 (except Hall 12 blocks 57 & 58). Graduate Hall will also be refurbished. 

Q2. How extensive are the major refurbishment works in Halls 8 to 15?

Ans: Air-conditioners will be installed in all student rooms. There will be replacement of flooring, lighting, fan, mosquito netting, curtain railing, curtain and wardrobes. Furniture such as bed frames, mattresses, study table, book shelves and chairs in student rooms may also be replaced during this period, if time permits. There will also be total replacement of the fittings in common washrooms such as vanity tops and new mirrors, and replacement of water-proofing at Halls 12 to 15. 

Q3. Will there be an increase of rental rates after the refurbishment?

Ans: Increase in rental rate had been planned before the announcement that NTU was selected as the Olympic Youth Village. This is in line with the annual re-assessment of rising operational and increased utility costs. However, any proposed future increment of rental rate after the refurbishment will be reasonable and adjusted to meet increased operational and utility costs. Students will be informed in good time of any adjustments to the rental rates. Further advice on off-campus accommodation will be provided to those who prefer such alternative accommodation. 

Q4. Can students use the air-conditioner in student rooms after refurbishment?

Ans : This will depend on the progress of refurbishment works. Other than the blower/room unit in the room, the other components (condenser, piping, electrical works) need to be tested/commissioned before the air-conditioners can be used. 

Q5. How is the usage for air-conditioner in student rooms charged if the air-conditioner is usable in AY 09/10?

Ans : The air-conditioners in the student rooms are operated on a 'pay-as-you-use' system. To use the air-conditioner, a pre-paid card has to be slotted into a reader. The reader will deduct the value from the card until the air-conditioner is switched off or when the value of pre-paid card is low. This pre-paid card is similar to the system used by a food court chain operator. 

Q6. Will the refurbished Halls be ready for AY 09/10?

Ans: All eligible residents will be able to move into their accommodation on the first week of August 2009. The actual check-in date will be confirmed in June 2009. 

Q7. Are all students staying in Halls 8-15 (except Hall 12 blocks 57 & 58) required to move out for the May-July vacation period? When is their last day of stay in the Hall?

Ans: Yes, all local and international students staying in these Halls would have to move out by 30 April 2009 to enable contractors to commence preparation and permanent work to upgrade the Halls. 

Q8. Can the students staying in Halls 8-15 (except Hall 12 blocks 57 & 58) be moved to stay in the other unaffected Halls 1 to 7, blocks 57 & 58 of Hall 12 & Hall 16 during the May-July vacation period?

Ans: Only students who are taking the Special Term in May 2009, on industrial attachment, industrial orientation, etc, are allowed to stay in the remaining unaffected Halls. Priority will be given to students who have no home in Singapore. If there are still vacancies after the allocation, students doing academic programmes but whose homes are far from Yunnan Garden campus will be considered. 

Q9. Will students staying in Halls 1 to 7, blocks 57 & 58 of Hall 12 & Hall 16 also be asked to vacate for the May-July vacation period?

Ans: Only students who are taking the Special Term in May 2009, on industrial attachment, industrial orientation, etc, can remain in these Halls. Priority will be given to students who have no home in Singapore. If there are still vacancies, students doing academic programmes but whose homes are far from Yunnan Garden campus will be considered. 

Q10. Can I apply to stay in the Hall during this vacation period if I am doing Special Term or Industrial Attachment/Orientation?

Ans : Application may be considered, subject to vacancy availability after the in-resident local students have been considered. 

Q11. Is the application still based on Hall Admission Scheme for the refurbished Halls in AY2009/10?

Ans : Yes, the rules and regulations governing HAS will continue to apply in the allocation of Halls and rooms in AY2009/10.