Your Student Experience in Medical School

Housing options at Saba include dormitories and a wide range of homes and apartments throughout the island. First-semester students should plan to live in dormitories, but second-through-fifth semester students generally live off-campus.

If any questions arise as you make plans to live on Saba, our Housing Coordinator can help:

Housing Coordinator

Telephone: 599-416-3456, ext. 221
Fax: 599-416-3458
Email: housing@saba.edu

Mail:

Saba University School of Medicine
P.O. Box 1000
Church Street
The Bottom, Saba, Dutch Caribbean

Dormitories

To ease your transition, unaccompanied first-semester students live in one of three dorms, built exclusively for Saba medical students. Dorm rooms come in a range of sizes, including quads, doubles, and singles, and are assigned based on availability. Dorm rooms are fully equipped with beds, private baths, closets, ceiling fans, air conditioning, refrigerators, microwaves, desks, chairs and lamps. Pay-per-use laundry facilities are located on the premises.

We feel it is important for incoming unaccompanied students, single or married, to stay in dormitories during their first semester. This helps them get accustomed to campus life and connect with their fellow students.

Consistent with the institution’s commitment to supporting the broader community, these dormitories are owned by Saba residents. You’ll find a list of current dormitory charges on the financial information page.

More information about dormitory housing is available from the Housing Coordinator.

Saba Housing

After the first semester, most students move out of the dorms. A wide range of fully furnished apartments and houses are available for rent throughout the island. In addition, many families on Saba have private rooms for rent.

Saba is known for its charming, Dutch-inspired architecture, and many homes afford stunning views of the water and mountains.

Most rentals are completely furnished and come with linens, towels and fans. On average, fully furnished housing prices start in the range of $650 for a studio/one-bedroom apartment and up to $1,200-$1,800 for a 3-4 bedroom house. All properties are privately owned, and therefore the price of rentals and utilities can vary. Electricity is generally a separate cost.

More information about off-campus housing is available from the Housing Coordinator.

Food

When it comes to food, students at Saba have a range of options:

• There are several grocery stores in The Bottom and in Windwardside.
• Saba is also home to a number of well-regarded restaurants serving a range of cuisines from barbecue to French to Middle Eastern.
• When time allows, the nearby island of St. Maarten can be an enjoyable destination and is well known for its French restaurants.

Saba University School of Medicine has an active Student Government Association (SGA) that sponsors numerous student events, including a welcome party for new students , and volunteers in different health-related (health fair), cultural (carnival), sports (5K run) and cleaning (trails) projects with the island community. Each semester, the student body elects a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Class representatives to the SGA are elected from Semesters 1-5 and serve on the SGA. Student Activity Fees are allocated for SGA projects each term. The officers meet regularly with the Dean of Student Affairs (or other medical school administration member, as needed) to discuss student issues. Membership in the American Medical Student Association, as well as other relevant student associations, is actively promoted by the SGA. The specific goals of the SGA are to promote self-improvement, mediate and resolve student problems, and organize recreational activities. The Student Government Association at Saba ratified its constitution in July, 1995.

Significant Others of Saba is a support network of spouses and significant others of medical students and faculty members. The organization elects officers and sponsors a number of events, including Welcome and Farewell Dinners and several other events throughout the semester. Members meet all new students to help families through the initial adjustment to island life. They can be reached via email at sos@saba.edu.

The mission of the Women’s Medical Student Association is to facilitate the integration of women into the field of medicine at all levels. It is dedicated to the enhancement of personal growth, promoting gender balance in administrative and faculty appointments, and sponsoring education events for the Saba community to further the cohesion of all medical students. Officers are elected each term and meetings are held monthly.

The purpose of the South Asian Student Society (SAS) is to provide a platform for the development of a South Asian community within the school and provide information pertinent to South Asian students studying medicine abroad. The society will also help to celebrate South Asian heritage with island residents and other members of the student body, and support students in their adjustment to island living.

The Muslim Students Association (MSA) hosts several special events such as a welcome dinner for new incoming students and gatherings to mark Ramadan and Eid. Meetings are held monthly and are open to all students and spouses.

The Christian Students Organization (CSO) meets every Sunday for an informal student worship service. CSO is open to all students and is non-denominational and Bible-based. Students play musical instruments, and the worship service is led by fellow students.

The JSA serves the Saba University School of Medicine student body, including those who are Jewish and those who are interested in the association. Their goal is to build and sustain a community that enhances the professional, social and educational experiences for Jewish and interested students at Saba. They welcome all medical students as members and are open to Jews of all denominations or political persuasions.

The Africa Diaspora Association is a student group that welcomes students and faculty of all different backgrounds to learn about different cultures while embracing the similarities that tie us all together. Their goal is to explore African history and traditions, and discover the ties that live in many cultures today. They have a diverse executive board who come from many different cultures and backgrounds. Their goal is to collaborate and promote diversity. They are very interested in different thoughts and ideas, so please feel free to contact their executive board.