If you’ve been at NUS long enough, you’ll start to notice a few shirts that make frequent appearances on campus. These aren’t just any regular shirts: they’re the coveted token shirts of NUS, worn with pride by students who have earned them in one way or another. Whether through competition, exclusive sales, or hall affiliations, these shirts hold a special significance in the university’s culture.
Here are the top three token shirts in NUS and how you can (or can’t) get your hands on them.
- TeamNUS Shirts: The Badge of Athletic Glory
One of the most prestigious shirts to own in NUS is the teamNUS shirt, awarded exclusively to students who compete in the annual Inter-Faculty Games (IFG). These aren’t your typical mass-produced merchandise; they symbolise participation in the university’s largest intra-school sporting event.
Each faculty has its own unique teamNUS shirt colour, making it easy to identify where a player hails from. Whether it’s the iconic green for Arts and Social Sciences or the unmistakable black of Computing, these shirts are worn with pride by those who have battled it out on the field (or court) for faculty glory.
Photo credit to NUS; IFG Shirt Colour for Respective Faculties
If you take your athletic prowess to the next level and represent NUS at the varsity level, you’ll be rewarded with an even more exclusive version of the IFG shirt. This special edition features “teamNUS” printed in gold font, making it stand out from the standard IFG shirts. This version is basically a badge of honour for those who compete at the highest level of university sports.
Unfortunately, if you’re not competing, you won’t be able to snag one of these, that is, unless you manage to persuade a participant to part with theirs (good luck with that).
- NUS Collegiate Shirts: The Easier-To-Get Campus Classic
Unlike teamNUS shirts, NUS Collegiate Shirts are much easier to get, and you just need to keep an eye out for the preorder period. These shirts, often featuring a clean and classic university design, are sold through King Edward VII Hall (KE7) and are a popular wardrobe staple for students across all faculties.
Photo Credit to KE7 Hall; Colour Options for NUS Collegiate Shirt
The demand for these shirts is high, but since they’re sold on a preorder basis, securing one isn’t too difficult. To stay updated, simply join the Telegram channel @nusshirts where announcements on preorder periods are posted.
That said, if you missed the most recent sale (which ended just a few weeks ago), you’ll need to wait for the next drop or hope that someone is reselling theirs.
- Halls of NUS (HONUS) Shirts: The Exclusive Hall Identity
The Halls of NUS (HONUS) Shirts are another highly sought-after piece of campus apparel, but unlike the other two, these are exclusively for hall residents. If you’re staying in a hall, consider yourself lucky. You’ll get to purchase an exclusive shirt and rep your hall’s colours loud and proud.
Each hall has a specific shirt colour:
- Sheares Hall: Black
- Kent Ridge Hall: Navy Blue
- Raffles Hall: Green
- King Edward VII Hall (KE7): Red
- Eusoff Hall: Yellow
- Temasek Hall: White
Photo Credits to @uhnnoif on Carousell; Eusoff HONUS Shirt
Here’s the catch: not all halls distribute these shirts freely. Some cap it at one or two per resident, making them even more limited. Since these are not available for sale to the general NUS population, the only way to own one is to be a hall resident or, again, strike a deal with someone willing to part with theirs (Carousell is a great place to start your search).
All in all, whether you’re a sports enthusiast, a hall resident, or just someone trying to get your hands on the coolest NUS merch, these token shirts hold a special place in campus culture. Some require sweat and dedication to earn, while others just need a well-timed preorder. If you manage to collect all three, consider yourself part of an elite group of NUS students who truly embrace the university spirit.
Which of these shirts do you own, or wish you had? Let us know in the comments!
fun read! can non-NUS students get these shirts? 🤭