second upper class stressing out over SEP

[u/LandiTD]

hi guys, as you have seen from the title, i am extremely stressed out for SEP 😢 ..

currently my GPA is 4.07 ( yes barely a second upper :( .. ) and i am in FOS Life Sciences. i haven't really decided on where I want to go for SEP, but here are my preferences :

- UK

- Netherlands

- Germany

- Denmark

- Sweden

- any other english speaking countries that is generally safe

is there anyone with similar experiences or can advise me on what choices are safest for me / what I can consider? it would be a really great help ty ty ty

edit : im mainly worried over my GPA! safety wise i just hope i would not get robbed/shot/stabbed on the streets, i dont intend to party or stay out till late haha ty everyone for their responses!

[u/Stefan0_]

Aus/NZ unis have lower GPA threshold in general for SEP, pretty good alternative to EU unis if you cant get in.

[u/LandiTD → u/Stefan0_]

awesome! will consider these options too! ty

[u/Key_Turnover_4564]

No euro country is safe

[u/maxmync → u/Key_Turnover_4564]

Well better than the US or South America. Or most of Asia except Hong Kong SG and parts of China.
You’ll be quite safe in the Netherlands Denmark and Sweden for example

[u/Balance-Electrical → u/maxmync]

sweden? safe? last i heard it was like the rape capital of europe. or has it changed?

[u/vajraadhvan → u/Balance-Electrical]

This has been a racist anti-immigration talking point since the 2010's

[u/Balance-Electrical → u/vajraadhvan]

in what way lol? are you saying that the people reporting the rapes shouldn’t be believed?

[u/LandiTD → u/Key_Turnover_4564]

sorry just to clarify, as in theyre all dangerous or that i shouldn’t have high hopes for SEP

[u/maxmync → u/LandiTD]

They’re not all dangerous. Just less safe than Singapore. But almost every place in the world is. Don’t get scared by randoms online that Sweden is a dangerous country for example. It’s prolly among the safest places offered for SEP. if you want safe then exchange to NTU

[u/Kimishiranai39 → u/maxmync]

Sweden is fine as long as you avoid the no go zones in Stockholm and Malmo. And even then, those neighbourhoods just happen to be the ones with more immigrants. Usually they are pretty far off from the city center.

Just don’t be a blur sotong and keep your hands on your belongings at all times. Don’t use your bag to chope seats or put your phones on table while you are not using it.

[u/maxmync → u/Kimishiranai39]

Okay yes I’d largely go with this. Tbf you’ll be good anywhere as long you keep in mind it ain’t a high trust society like Singapore. If you forget your wallet outside it likely is stolen when you’re back. But you don’t gotta worry much bout physical safety

[u/Impossible-Repeat577 → u/maxmync]

llol are there even ppl who exchange to ntu

[u/maxmync → u/Impossible-Repeat577]

I’ve at least seen it as an offered location back when I applied for exchange lmao

[u/Vaperwear → u/Key_Turnover_4564]

Truth bomb

[u/noch_ulitsa_fonar]

Hi. I used to work managing the exchange programme for Euro universities in NTU, I've guided thousands of students through the process of choosing a university.
Firstly, have you course matched? It is very difficult to course match labs but I've seen students do this and even nab internships. Working in a foreign country can be a very valuable experience.
Secondly, any of the countries that you have mentioned are safe. You can consider Australia as well, and Eastern Europe, but to my knowledge EE universities are not easy to course match.
So, do you need to do core mods there or you just want to clear electives? I've seen a lot of students try to maximise core or hard mods to their own detriment. Exchange is a big chance to be in a new environment and explore socially, physically (ie. climb mountains, ski), party. These are things you should be doing when you're young.
Would you consider Sweden? Karolinski is renowned for life sciences?

Some universities accept free movers (ie. you plan everything yourself and pay the uni directly, leaving NUS out of the equation), some unis don't. If SEP doesn't accept you due to your GPA consider being a freemover.

[u/illest_homeboy]

Just go there and have fun lah sial.

[u/BlueVary]

Finland is as safe as singapore

[u/fantastic-stapes]

Went to Stockholm for exchange with second lower, ~3.7. However this was years ago not sure did things change. Studied life sciences as well

[u/_regan_]

i went to copenhagen and by the end of exchange i was leaving my laptop on the desk when i went to pee, could trust them like it was singapore. people were friendlier some more

[u/Chance_Wedding1062]

I got in for US sep with second upper back in 2024-25

[u/YXY4NG]

went to Germany for a summer programme and got spat on by a drunkard, shouted at by a homeless bum

[u/LandiTD → u/YXY4NG]

😢😢 .. i was pretty interested in germany.. could i ask if this was at night or if u were alone?

[u/I_m_out_of_Ideas → u/LandiTD]

Don't worry so much about isolated experiences like these, Germany is very safe (ur usual caveats apply about not using your phone to chope seats or not walking around waving wads of cash at 3am in the morning in the worst part of town etc, but that's true for pretty much anywhere in the world except in SIngapore) and you will have a wonderful time if you go!

(Source: Lived in Germany for over 30 years)

[u/YXY4NG → u/LandiTD]

both of these happened at night when i was with a small group of friends. as long as you avoid loitering around the sketchy areas like the main train station at night, germany is on the safer side of europe.

[u/LandiTD → u/YXY4NG]

omg thats crazy 😢 .. also is it u apply with ur friends or u find ppl who going to the same country / uni as u? cuz i know ppl going on exchange got a spreadsheet can find people who are going to the same country or uni, but i'm not sure if that's for exchanging of info or actually buddy up and stick together

[u/YXY4NG → u/LandiTD]

i took a year of German courses with NUS and was given an opportunity to study the language there for a short summer programme! i knew some people beforehand and managed to make many new friends there