As Singapore is a developed country, the standard of living can vary depending on the type of lifestyle you choose to live. An average person could probably survive on SGD $1500 per month but those who wish to live a more luxurious lifestyle would probably require more.

The general spending per month of an average person is listed as below.

	Items	Amount
1	Accommodation	$400 - $600
2	Transport	$80 - $120
3	Utilities	$80 - $100
4	Telecommunications	$30
5	Books and stationary	$30 - $100
6	Food	$300 - $450
7	Other Expenses	$100 - $200
Total average spending		$1020 - $1600

The above is just an estimation of spending in Singapore and may vary between individuals. Hence the above only serves as a reference.

Singapore is a multi-racial society, there exist many different religions. The majority of the population practice either Buddhism or Taoism. The other popular religion practiced is Christianity, consisting of Catholicism, Protestantism and other denominations. The Malays in Singapore are mainly Muslims. A small minority of the population practice Sikhism and Hinduism.

Although Singapore is a multi-racial society, some religious practices and reading materials are banned in Singapore. For example, the Jehovah's Witnesses are prohibited from distributing religious materials.

Singapore has a mixture of different ethnics. The Chinese are a majority. The Malay population as well as the Indian and Arab immigrant also co-exists within Singapore. There is also a significant number of Eurasians and Peranakan.

Hence, the main languages in Singapore are English, Mandarin (Chinese), Malay and Tamil. Due to historical reason, Malay is the national language of Singapore. However, since the country's independence, English has been heavily promoted and is the primary language used in daily conversion. The second most frequently used language would be Mandarin. This is due mainly to the fact that about seventy percent of the population are Chinese who descended from the immigrants who came from the southern regions of China back then.

Singapore has placed a heavy emphasis on the arts. Since the 1990s, it has been striving to promote itself as a center for arts and culture. The Esplanade building, a center for performing arts, was built in the center of the city to bring about greater awareness of arts to the public. An arts festival is also held every year.

Singapore has a good network of roads and expressway which provides convenient access to most areas. The primary modes of public transport are buses, taxis and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).

MRT & LRT

The MRT has stations all over Singapore with its rail line stretching from east to west (EW line), north to south (NS line) and central to north east part of Singapore (NE line). A new circle line is already under construction and is slated for completion in 2010. It is generally easy to commute from place to place using the MRT.

The following link shows a map of the MRT stations in Singapore:
http://www.smrt.com.sg/trains/network_map.asp

Besides the MRT, there is the Light Rapid Transport (LRT) which supplements the MRT by further bringing commuters into the heartlands of Singapore. Thus, the LRT increase accessibility to the housing estates in Singapore.

Taxis

Taxis are a plentiful sight in Singapore. They are useful for getting around fast in Singapore without having to wait too long for public transport. An average taxi trip in Singapore will range from SGD $5 - SGD $20 in the day depending on the distance travelled.

Buses

Lastly, the public buses in Singapore are owned by either SBS Transit or SMRT Corporation. The 2 companies serve to bring about greater comfort and a more pleasant journey while travelling with them. The buses are well maintained and clean. The extensive island wide bus network provides for the greatest accessibility.

By now, you should have heard about Swine Flu(H1N1) which has been spreading around the world. And you should be aware by now how you can prevent yourself being infected by this bug. If not, we urge you to examine the preventive measures of following sites for more information.

Please treat these precautionary measures seriously.

For more information on the Flu Pandemic, you may click here or refer to the following websites:

1. http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/default.aspx
2. http://www.crisis.gov.sg/FLU/Precautions/GeneralPublic/
3. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_003
4. http://diseases-viruses.suite101.com/article.cfm/swine_flu_symptoms_treatment_and_prevention

Being strategically located between the East and the West trade routes, Singapore naturally became a place where cuisines of the 2 cultures blend to become its own. The different races living in Singapore also bring about a bigger variety of food that you can enjoy. You can find food ranging from the traditional Malay and Chinese food to those from the West such as pastas and steaks.

Some of the famous food known in Singapore would be:

• Laksa
• Fried Kway Tiao
• Nasi Lemak
• Sambal Stingray
• Bak Chor Mee
• Satay
• Hainanese Chicken Rice
• Roti Prata
• Durian

It would probably take half a life time to finish trying each and every single delicacies Singapore has to offer.

There are many shopping malls in Singapore. Most of them are located in the central of Singapore while some are located near housing estates to serve the estate residents.

In the city area, the most common places to shop would be along Orchard Road, Suntec, Chinatown, Little India, Holland Village, Arab Street and Bugis. Below is a list of the shopping malls that you can shop at in these areas.

• Centrepoint
• Chinatown Point
• Delfi Orchard
• DFS Galleria Scotts Road
• Far East Plaza
• Forum Galleria
• Funan Centre
• Palais Renaissance
• Scotts Shopping Centre
• Ngee Ann City
• Orchard Point
• Orchard Hotel
• Pargo Bugis Junction
• Pearl Centre
• People Park Centre
• People Park Complex
• Plaza Singapura
• Shaw House
• Shaw Centre
• Sim Lim Square
• Specialist Centre
• Tangs
• Tanglin Mall
• Tanglin Shopping Centre
• Tudor Court
• The Central
• The Paragon
• Wisma Atria

There are many places of interest in Singapore despite it being small. Some of these places include:

Singapore Zoological Garden

The animals here are not caged. Not to worry though, they are safely separated by barriers such as rock walls and streams. There are also animal performances everyday at different intervals of the day.

URL: http://www.zoo.com.sg/

Jurong Bird Park

The Jurong Bird Park is Southeast Asia's largest bird park housing over 8000 birds of 600 species from all over the world. There are also daily shows.

URL: http://www.birdpark.com.sg/

Asian Civilisations Museum at Empress Place

This museum exhibits cultural and archaeological relics from China and other civilisations.

URL: http://www.acm.org.sg/

National Museum of Singapore

This museum speaks of Singapore's history - tracing its development from a fishing village to the current metropolis.

URL: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is an area specially preserved by the government to protect Singapore's natural tropical forest.

URL: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_visitorsguide&task=naturereserves&id=46&Itemid=75

East Coast Park

The East Coast Park is a favourite hang out spot for many Singaporeans. The beach, its water sports and the food are its main attractions.

URL: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_visitorsguide&task=parks&id=14&Itemid=73

Singapore is a small island located in Southeast Asia. It is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor and from Indonesia by the Singapore Straits. It is located 1 degree north of the equator. As such it is classified as equatorial with no distinct seasons. The country experiences high humidity and abundant rainfall. The country also experience 2 monsoon seasons from mid November to early March and from mid June to early September. During the monsoon seasons, heavy downpours are frequent. The country also experiences haze at around August due to the forest fires from its neighbor Indonesia.

The temperature in Singapore normally range from 23 degree celcius to34 degree celcius. Its lowest and highest temperature recorded were 19.4 degree celcius and 35.8 degree celcius respectively.

For a complete list of embassies and high commissions in Singapore, click here.

Attending AEC College's Student Orientation is important if you want to get the best possible start to your academic and social life at the school.

It is also an excellent opportunity for you to meet other students. Each semester, we plan a series of information services and activities specially designed to assist you to familiarize yourself with life in Singapore and the Singapore culture. The orientation sessions will cover information on

• AEC College
• Life in Singapore
• Attendance Requirements
• Rules and Regulations
• Code of Conduct
• Warning Letters
• Student Contracts
• Fee Protection Scheme
• Student Services
• Counseling
• Student Council
• Medical Insurance
• Grievance Process

Student Orientation are conducted on a monthly basis, and the itinerary is as follows:

Duration	Description	Conducted By
45 Minutes	General Orientation	Student Services
15 Minutes	Library Orientation	Student Services
60 Minutes	Programme Orientation	Respective Heads of Schools
15 Minutes	Campus Tour	Student Services
15 Minutes	Orientation Survey	Student Services

New Students attending the Student Orientation will also receive an International Student Handbook which contains all topics covered during the Student Orientation.

Please click here to download a copy.

December 15 - Visit to National Museum of Singapore - Pompeii Exhibition

December 10 - Visit to Sands Sky Park

November 30 - Indonesian School visits AEC College for Short Study Trip

November 29 - Nature Trail at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

November 16 - Hari Raya Haji - Trip to Masjid Sultan Mosque

November 03 - Deepavali Celebration 2010

October 29 - 31 - Singapore Wine Fiesta

October 15 - Navratri Festival 2010

September 22 - Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Student Lounge

August 26 - Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games - Closing Ceremony

August 25 - Fund Raiser for China and Pakistan Floods

July 11 - BBQ Party at East Coast Park

July 02 - University of Birmingham Alumni Night

June 30 - East Coast Park - Get Together Session

May 19 - 21 - Trip to Malacca and Port Dickson

May 08 - 13 - Basketball Competition

April 03 - 04 - Karaoke Singing Contest

March 26 - Visit to Temasek Polytechnic

December 06 - BBQ Party at East Coast Park

November 11 - Pool Competition

November 07 - University of Birmingham Alumni Night

October 09 - Jam Session at JBM

September 12 - Paintball Event at Singapore Discovery Centre

August 26 - Visit to Newater Plant

June 03 - Bowling Competition

May 23 - Student Council Pledge Taking Ceremony

November 30 - Brainbox Graduation Ceremony

November 20 - Halloween Party

November 07 - University of Birmingham Alumni Night

May 12 - Fund Raiser for Szechuan Earthquake

May 07 - Fund Raiser for Myanmar Cyclone

April 25 - Jam Session at JBM

April 21 - 24 - Trip to Redang Island

April 12 - Visit to Tiger Brewery

April 20 - Eco-Trail and Buffet Dinner

April 14 - BBA Alumni Event

February 12 - Valentine's Day Lunch

January 26 - Visit to Tiger Brewery

January 21 - Jam Session at JBM

The Student Council is a representative body of AEC College comprising wholly of Students. The Student Council plans Student Events and serves as peers and mentors to aid Students to adjust to life in Singapore and at AEC College.

Students keen on becoming a Student Council member may complete an Application Form available here, and submitting it to Student Services.

02 Dec 2010 - 3rd AEC Cricket Club Meeting

22 Nov 2010 - 2nd AEC Cricket Club Meeting

18 Nov 2010 - AEC Cricket Club Meeting

15 Nov 2010 - Inauguration of the AEC Cricket Club Committee

11 Nov 2010 - AEC Cricket Club

Students are required by the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore to fulfill a minimum of 90% attendance every month. AEC College takes this very seriously, and Warning Letters will be issued to Students who fail to meet this mandatory requirement.

To meet ICA's requirements, AEC College employs a fingerprint scanning system to capture Student attendance on a daily basis.

• All full time Students are required to be in school at least five (5) hours everyday from Monday to Friday.
• All Students are to scan in on time, and scan out after fulfilling five (5) hours for the day.
• Students will be considered absent if they are late for more than fifteen (15) minutes, or if they fail to scan out, or fail to fulfill at least five (5) hours for the day.

Students with valid reasons to be absent are to complete a Leave Application Form and submit it to Student Services within 48 hours of their absence.

Students who wish to go on vacation during their term breaks are to complete a Leave Application Form for approval before making travel arrangements.

Leave Application Forms are available via the AEC Reception Counter or download here.

Being in a foreign land, and away from family and loved ones, studying in Singapore can be a challenge. Therefore, Student Services strives to help Students adjust comfortably to the Singapore environment to facilitate a conducive learning atmosphere.

Students who face difficulties, such as adjustment problems, relationship problems, accommodation problems, academic problems can approach Student Services for Counseling guidance.

AEC College has a dedicated Student Counselor - Mr. Mogan Swamy.

Mr. Mogan started counselling during his army days, giving advise to troubled servicemen in his military unit. At AEC, Mogan tries to impart the skills and techniques that were learnt, to advice students from different countries. In this respect, he has been sought to give advice for problems ranging from academic difficulties to relationship issues.

Students are welcome to arrange an appointment with Mr. Mogan at any time. To fix an appointment, simply send an Email to feedback@aec.edu.sg.

The Academic Skills and Learning Centre (ASLC) is a supplementary skills programme conducted through a series of academic and enrichment talks. The ASLC aims to equip students with a wide range of skills useful in their personal lives, academic endeavours, and future careers.

2011 ASLC Topics

December 14 – Enrichment – Achieving Emotional Balance
December 07 – Enrichment – Writing Resumes, CVs & Interview Skills
November 23 – Enrichment – Conflict Management
November 09 – Academic – Writing: Critical Book Review, Journal Article Review, Abstracts and Summaries
October 19 – Enrichment – Career Development & Career Planning
October 05 – Enrichment – Time Management
September 21 – Academic – Thesis Writing
September 07 – Enrichment – Study Tips
August 24 – Enrichment – Building Positive Self-Esteem, Personal Values & Ethics
August 10 – Enrichment – Study Groups and Group Work
July 27 – Academic – Research Skills
July 13 – Academic – Report Writing: Generic Report Structure & Business Reports
June 22 – Enrichment – Building Healthy Relationships & Getting Along with Your Roommates
June 08 – Academic – Reading Difficult Texts: General Principles
May 25 – Enrichment – Preparing for Exams
May 11 – Academic – Note Taking Strategies
April 20 – Enrichment – Anger Management
April 06 – Academic – Mathematics and Statistics Learning Strategies
March 23 – Academic – Harvard Referencing & Referencing Basics
March 09 – Enrichment – Giving a Tutorial Presentation, Communication Skills & Public Speaking
February 23 – Enrichment – Wine Appreciation
February 09 – Academic – Essay Writing
January 26 – Academic – English Language Resources: A Guide to Punctuation in Academic Writing & Using Academic Language
January 12 – Academic – Book and Journal Articles

2010 ASLC Topics

December 22 – Enrichment – Achieving Emotional Balance

December 08 – Enrichment – Writing Resumes, CVs & Interview Skills

November 30 – Academic – Writing: Critical Book Review, Journal Article Review, Abstracts and Summaries

November 16 – Enrichment – Conflict Management

October 20 - Personal Values and Ethics

October 08 - Anger Management

August 17 - Career Management

August 13 - Time and Stress Management

August 11 - 7 Habits of Highly Successful People

July 28 - Living with Diversity

Claims Procedure for Government Hospital / Restructured Hospital

1.    On admission to a local hospital, student has to pay all charges when discharged.
2.    Get the Claims Form from Student Services, or download it here.
3.    Complete and sign Part 1 of the Claim Form.
4.    Provide the following documents:
a.    Duly completed and signed claim form (Part 1)
b.    All original final hospital bills, doctor’s bills and receipts
c.    Inpatient Discharge Summary
d.    Inpatient Admission Report (if available)
e.    Day Surgery Admission Form (if available)
5.    HSBC will reimburse up to S$75 for the medical report should there be a need for a medical report.
6.    Create a copy of all the forms.
7.    Submit the Claim Form together with the relevant documents to Student Services within 15 days             from:

        a.    The date of death, or
        b.    The date of discharge from hospitalisation, or
        c.    The date on which the expenses were incurred for which the claim is made, whichever is                         applicable

Note: Submission of the Claim Form does not guarantee liability from HSBC Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Limited.

1.    On admission to a private / overseas hospital, student has to pay all charges when discharged.
2.    Download the Claims Form available here.
3.    Complete and sign Part 1 of the Claim Form.
4.    Get the attending physician / surgeon to complete Part 2 of the Claim Form.
5.    Provide the following documents:
a.    All original final summary hospital bills
b.    All original final itemised hospital bills
c.    Doctor’s bills and receipts
6.    Medical reports if required, have to be paid in full by the student.
7.    Create a copy of all the forms
8.    Submit the Claim Form together with the relevant documents to Student Services within 15 days             from:

        a.    The date of death, or
        b.    The date of discharge from hospitalisation, or
        c.    The date on which the expenses were incurred for which the claim is made, whichever is                         applicable

Note: Submission of the Claim Form does not guarantee liability from HSBC Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Limited.

It is the objective of the Student Services to encourage the prompt and informal resolution of grievances of students as they arise, and to provide recourse to orderly procedures for student grievances to be addressed and resolved.

A student grievance may arise from any aspect of a student's educational experience at the College which they believe to be unfair, unjust or unreasonable. Student grievances can be made verbally, written manually via a letter or electronically via Email to feedback@aec.edu.sg.

A student seeking resolution of a grievance should follow the steps outlined below. These steps have been put in place to facilitate resolution of grievances with a minimum of delay.

Step 1:
Any student who believes that he or she has a grievance shall first take up the matter with the Student Services officer or Head of Student Services within five (5) working days of its occurrence. The Student Services officer or Head of Student Services shall provide an opportunity for full discussion of the grievance with the aggrieved student. The Student Services shall respond within three (3) working days after receipt of the grievance from the aggrieved student.

Step 2:
If the response of the Head of Student Services in Step 1 is unsatisfactory to the student and does not settle the issue, the aggrieved student may raise the issue to the Head of School within three (3) working days after the date on which the Student Services officer or Head of Student Services response was due. The Head of School shall provide opportunity for discussion and review, and shall respond within five (5) working days after receipt of the grievance from the aggrieved student.

Step 3:
For grievances which have not been resolved in Step 2, the student may further appeal to the Chief Operations Officer (COO) within three (3) working days. The COO will take necessary action and decide on the matter. This decision shall be transmitted in writing to the aggrieved student within seven (7) working days from the date the grievance was brought to the attention of the COO. This decision shall be final and not subject to further appeal unless further appeal is approved by regulation.

Step 4:
In the event that the student and AEC College are unable to resolve a dispute in accordance to the grievance procedure, the student and AEC College shall refer the dispute to the Council for Private Education (CPE) Student Services as an alternative form of redress.

Coming Soon