NTU Hall Alternatives: 11 Cheapest HDB Rooms for Rent Nearby

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has quite the reputation for being inaccessible. Nicknamed “Pulau NTU”, the campus is almost like an island of its own, located in the far west of Singapore at 50 Nanyang Avenue. So very unsurprisingly, many students, both local and foreign, often choose to live on-campus—i.e., the NTU halls.  

Earlier this week (1 July), the university made headlines when they announced a reduction in hall vacancies due to COVID-19, leaving many students in a sticky situation, needing to settle their accommodation before the start of school in August.  

2021 NTU Hall Applications Amid COVID-19 Situation  

University hall applications are always competitive, but it doesn’t typically make it onto The Straits Times. Normally, the NTU halls can accommodate up to 14,000 students, offering a mix of different room types for different budgets and needs.  

However, on 1 July 2021, the university said that it was reviewing its hall vacancies and eventually announced that they will reduce the number of spaces available. It is not disclosed explicitly what the reason for the restriction is, but the announcement stated that it was “imposed by the authorities” and that there is a “need to reserve a certain number for COVID-19 isolation and other related purposes”. 

The most affected are the international students—there is an estimated 6,000 of them—who may need to evict the campus and find an alternative place to live under extremely short notice. At the time of writing, over 5,200 people have signed a petition for the university to reconsider the hall allocations.  

Aside from having to find a roof over their heads within the next few weeks, many displaced students are also concerned about the cost of renting on the open market, which is often more expensive than hall rental rates.   

NTU Hall vs HDB Rooms for Rent  

NTU hall rental rates are very affordable, starting at just $265 for a twin-sharing room without air-conditioning. Those who want air-conditioning and/or an attached bathroom can pay up to $605 for more premium rooms. In contrast, the cheapest rental option on the open market is HDB common rooms. For HDB room rentals in the area, prices are typically at least $600.  

If you’re one of the affected students and are looking for a rental home urgently, you may find PropertyGuru useful in shortlisting potential homes. You can search for room or entire apartment rentals, and if you have a budget, use our search filter to narrow down your choices.  

We can’t promise that they’ll be as affordable as NTU’s hall rates, but at least you can shortlist the cheapest alternatives during this time.  

11 HDB Rooms for Rent Near NTU and Under $700 Monthly 

Note: All rooms listed above were available at the time of writing. However, due to the nature of property listings, the ads may be taken down any time.  

For more options, head to PropertyGuru to browse all HDB flats for rent in Jurong West. 

Where to Rent Near NTU  

Although the NTU campus is indeed very large and quite ‘ulu’, there are residential estates near the entrance into the school.  Nearest to NTU by distance are the HDB flats on the other side of the PIE, specifically Jurong West Street 81, 91 and 92.   

However, although these are the nearest to the entrance into NTU from Pioneer Road North, it may not necessarily be the most convenient. The reason being that NTU is very big, and you probably won’t be walking to your classes.  

In this case, you can consider accommodation near Pioneer MRT and/or Boon Lay MRT, which are only slightly further away. The university has shuttle bus services from those transport nodes that’ll take you directly to the different parts of the campus. 

If you urgently need a place to stay and don’t mind living further away from campus as long as it is cheap, you can simply run a search on PropertyGuru using the price filters. You may also want to search for properties near MRT stations on the East West Line (EWL), so you can take a train to Pioneer or Boon Lay MRT station before switching to a direct shuttle bus to NTU.  

If this is your first time renting a home in Singapore, you may also want to check out these renting guides: 

• Singapore Property Rental: A Guide for Tenants and Landlords 
• Rental Tenancy Agreement in Singapore: What You Must Know Before Signing the Deal 
• Letter Of Intent (LOI): A Simple Guide for Tenants 
• HDB Rental Prices in Singapore: How Much You Need to Earn to Afford Different Flat Types 

We hope this guide has been helpful. According to reports, NTU will be sharing more updates for affected students in the coming days, so do watch out for updates!  

More FAQs related to NTU Hall and Accomodation

How Much is NTU Hall?

NTU hall rental rates start at $265 and go up to $605, depending on what room type you choose and whether you share. There is also an application fee of $16.05 (incl. GST) when you apply.

Can You Choose Your Hall in NTU?

No. You can apply for your preferred room type, if successful, you will be randomly assigned a room in a hall.

How Many Halls Does NTU Have?

There are 23 NTU halls: halls 1 to 16, Crescent Hall, Pioneer Hall, Binjai Hall, Tanjong Hall, Banyan Hall, Tamarind Hall and Saraca Hall.

Is It Cheaper to Stay in NTU Hall or Rent A HDB?

It is cheaper to rent a room in one of the NTU halls. However, it is subject to availability and currently, the vacancies have been reduced due to COVID-19. 

Where Are the Nearest HDB Flats to NTU?

The nearest HDB flats are at Jurong West, and around Pioneer and Boon Lay MRTs.  

For more property news, resources and useful content like this article, check out PropertyGuru’s guides section.  

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