NTU students to pay up to $50 more a month for hall rental from August

SINGAPORE – Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will raise its hall rental fees by up to 12 per cent in the upcoming school term.

The move, which will take place from August 1, has upset some students who say the new rates are too costly and that the university did not communicate the changes effectively enough.

The adjustments come after hall rental prices were raised by up to 6.5 per cent in 2022. There had been no increase in 2020 or 2021.

In response to queries, an NTU spokesman said the upcoming hike will mean students will have to pay up to $50 more per month on rent.

Rents will start from $319 per person a month for a double room with no air-conditioning, up to $688 a month for an apartment room for post-graduate students.

The NTU spokesman said it periodically reviews its hall fees to ensure they reflect inflation and the costs of operating and maintaining the halls.

“Since (the Covid-19 pandemic), utilities and operational costs, especially cleaning and security services, have continued to increase significantly, in particular due to the adoption of the progressive wage model in Singapore,” he said.

He added that the university has also implemented cost-saving measures like transitioning to energy-efficient LED lighting.

Students The Straits Times spoke to voiced concerns about having to pay more to stay on campus, as well as finding out about the price increases through social media rather than the school directly.

Many of them said they found out about the rise in hall fees through an Instagram post put up on April 4 by the account @ntufinaidfriends.

A second-year student, who wanted to be known only as Ms Wong, said she felt the hike is unreasonable given that existing fees are “quite costly”.

She currently pays about $400 a month for a single room, which she will soon have to fork out an extra $50 a month for. This adds up to about $200 more for each semester.

Ms Wong, 21, said she will have to cut down on her spending to pay to stay in hall next semester.

“I live in Marine Parade and it takes two hours for me to get to school. Including the commute home, that’s four hours spent travelling in a day. For me, it’s more of a necessity than a luxury to stay in hall,” she said.

The NTU spokesman told ST that even with the upcoming fee adjustment, its hall rates remain lower or comparable to other local universities.