Upset students complain after NTU raises hall rental fees, say new rates too costly

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

The increment, which will take effect on Aug 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 was 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 spokesman said NTU 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 such as 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 Tuesday by the @ntufinaidfriends account.

Said the NTU spokesman: “The hall fees are released during each application period, so that students can plan their finances in advance. The adjusted rates are reflected in the hall application page on the Intranet.”

He added that financial assistance schemes and bursaries are available to students who require support with their costs of living and studying at NTU.

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A second-year NTU student, who wanted to be known only as Ms Wong, currently pays about $400 a month for a single room, for which she will soon have to fork out an extra $50 a month. This adds up to about $200 more for each semester.

Ms Wong, 21, said she will have to cut down on her spending to continue staying in the 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 added.

The NTU spokesman said that even with the upcoming fee adjustment, hall rates at the university remain lower or comparable with other local universities.

ST found that the National University of Singapore charges $344 per person a month for a double room with no air-conditioning at Raffles Hall or Temasek Hall, both located in Kent Ridge.

Another NTU student, who wanted to be known only as Justin, will also continue staying on campus next semester, though the rate he has to pay for the double room he is staying in will rise by $36, to $341.

“The price increase is not insignificant, but I study better in hall and it’s more convenient for me to attend project meetings in school,” said the 23-year-old first-year student.

His main concern is that he had found out about the price adjustments through word of mouth and social media.

“NTU sent us an e-mail recently on hall rental application for next semester with no mention of the price increases. They just updated the hall rental rates page quietly. Many of us only found out about it through our friends,” he said.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.