Living in Brunei

The local climate and dress code

The temperature in Brunei ranges between 28°C and 32°C, with high humidity and heavy rainfall. You should only need to pack light-wear clothing in general. The local dress code should be observed and we encourage modest attires on and off campus. So make sure you bring the right clothes with you!

Religious and language practices

The main religion in Brunei Darussalam is Islam, which is reflected in the day to day life of Bruneians. However, the population has the freedom to practice other religions. Meanwhile, the main language spoken in the country is Brunei Malay and English. Other Borneo languages such as Iban, Dusun and Kedayan, and variations of Chinese are also largely spoken in the Sultanate.

Cost of living

Students are encouraged to manage their finances to include accommodation, books, food, travelling and social life. We advise students to allocate $500.00 Brunei Dollars a month to ensure our students are financially secure and comfortable throughout their stay at the university.

City Life

Surrounded by beautiful tropical trees, our campus is located near the South China Sea along the wonderful warm sandy beaches between Berakas Recreational Beach and Tungku Link Beach which stretches to about 5-10 kilometers. Students who enjoy the outdoors can enjoy the campus facilities which include running tracks in our sports’ complex, as well as around campus. And here in Brunei, we embrace the lovely weather as it is summer all year round!

Brunei Darussalam is known for its diversity in race and culture. Here in the university, social cultural events are carried out every semester to brace the bond among students. We strive to achieve a jubilant community whereby students can feel welcome whole heartedly.

Both local and international students can enjoy the facilities that UBD has to offer. From an active sports athlete, to a creative artiste, we provide what the needs of the student are. Various restaurants and café, as well as small tuck shops can be found around campus. If you ever feel the need to unwind, the campus will make you feel at home.

Life outside of campus is relatively peaceful and quiet. The community places high importance on respect for the elders and each other, and especially their family members. The people in the Sultanate are often described as friendly, helpful and polite. This can certainly be expected and fulfilled when you are studying in Brunei Darussalam and exploring the city (and urban) landscapes during the weekends and semester breaks.

Accommodation

Students who wish to stay on campus have the choice of choosing an archetypal architectural of our longstanding hostels, or our newly established modern concept dormitory. Both are located nearby and are within a 5-7 minutes’ walk to campus. The residents of The Residential College of UBD have their own social events to encourage harmonious atmosphere. Here at UBD, we will ensure that you will have the best experience in the most wonderful and laid back environment. Find out more on UBDCorp.

The Residential Colleges

The first UBD residential college is comprised of ten blocks; four for male and six for female students. Some facilities are shared in each block of 70 rooms such as a launderette, kitchen, toilets/bathrooms, common rooms, prayer rooms, television rooms and Wi-Fi. Each room is furnished with a single bed with mattress, a pillow, a wardrobe, a ceiling fan (for selected rooms, air conditioner is available), a study table and chair, bookshelves, and a wired LAN connection. Residents from the colleges share a canteen, resource room, prayer room, activity room, in-house badminton court and a multi-purpose hall.

The Core Residential College

The Core residential college, more commonly known as The Core is fully fitted with modern facilities which caters exclusively to its clientele – students and academic travelers alike. The Core comprises of 440 individual study-bedrooms, in a standard and premium apartment settings. Each 5-bedroom apartment incudes common living room, kitchen, bathroom and laundry room facilities. The Core also offers four fully furnished executive houses.

For students with special needs, this residential college has wheelchair ramps and Braille plates for ease of mobility obtaining bearing. These students are also are given the priority of obtaining accommodation on the ground floor.

Sports and Recreations

UBD encourages graduates who are not only well-versed in their academic field of study, but also who are healthy and active in their sports and recreation activities. The university is constantly striving toward providing ample opportunities and support for students to carry out their leisure activities such as the provision of jogging/running tracks in campus, the maintenance of fields and courts for various sport activities and recently, the construction of an Olympic-size swimming pool!

The safety of students are also a priority in the university, thus 24-hour CCTVs are placed in campus and security posts are strategically located to keep you safe whilst performing your healthy recreational activities.

Sport clubs that are available in the university include:

  • Aerobic Club
  • Aikido Club
  • Badminton Club
  • Basketball Club
  • Bowling Club
  • Dodgeball Club
  • Handball Club
  • Hockey Club
  • Kempo Club
  • Kendo Club
  • Netball Club
  • Parkour Club 
  • Ping Pong Club
  • Silat Club
  • Squash Club
  • Taekwondo Club
  • Tennis Club
  • UBD Archery Club
  • UBD Football Club
  • UBD Rugby Club
  • UBD Ultimate Club
  • Volleyball Club
  • Wadokai Karate Club
  • Yoga Club

Clubs and Scoieties

What can you do to unwind after a long day of hard work and determination? Well, sports and extra-curricular activities might just be the answer to your droning. Students in UBD are able to choose from a variety of extra-curricular activities (ECA) that they wish to take part in. Every week, each ECA has its own weekly get-together to conduct their activities. Ranging from oratory activities to performing arts, we encourage diversity for students to explore and discover their hidden skills and talents.

Among the ECA clubs available are:

  • Aspirasi English Debate Club
  • Automobile Club
  • Bimbingan Al-Quran club
  • Brunei Japan Friendship Association – UBD Chapter
  • Chess Club
  • Chinese Club
  • Dikir and Tausyeh Club
  • Financial Intelligence Club
  • Fonemic Club
  • Gamers
  • GulingtanganVarsiti Club
  • Hadrah Club
  • International Club
  • Muslim Youth Club
  • Pendeta Bahasa
  • Photography Club
  • Physical Education Club
  • UBD Aquatic Adventure Club
  • UBD Army Cadet (PKTUBD)
  • UBD Arts Club
  • UBD Choir Club
  • UBD Dance Culture Club
  • UBD Go Club
  • UBD Ijau Club
  • UBD Korean Club
  • UBD Performing Arts Club
  • UBD Rover Scout Crew 1016
  • UBD Sawadee Club
  • UBD Volunteer Club
  • Warisan Club
  • Wildlife Club
  • Writers’ Club

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