Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Once in a lifetime opportunity! Past Review

By (Minnesota State University, Moorhead) - abroad from 08/12/2019 to 12/11/2019 with

American College of Norway (ACN): Moss - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned more about myself, how much I matured over just one semester abroad, how independent I became. Also, I learned about an amazing culture and history!

Review Photos

American College of Norway (ACN): Moss - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

ACN offers a different variety of general education classes, perfect for starting or finishing your general requirements. Each class was super fun to attend and each professor made it a point to get to know each students' name and were almost always available by email and each had a set of office hours. All of the professors were accommodating to individual student's needs.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

ACN's administration team is amazing! They go above and beyond in making sure each student is comfortable and can answer almost any question or will research and find the answer to your questions as soon as possible.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartments are located less than 5 minutes away from the school. Each apartment houses two students (you get your own room), with one bathroom (heated floors!), and a kitchen. You are allowed to freely decorate your apartment as you would like, but you have to be careful hanging things up (no holes in the wall).

* Food:

The food in Norway was very good. Make sure to hit up the dining halls in Oslo, amazing!!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was a little hard to integrate myself into the local culture as my Norwegian language skills are subpar, but ACN makes it easier by doing group outings around Moss and even Oslo. They also offer tips and work really hard to get amazing student discounts all around the city!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have an experience with the local healthcare system, but ACN was super accommodating for any mental health related issues.

* Safety:

I felt very safe in Moss. They were no reports of anything bad or suspicious happening while I attended ACN.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

ACN was amazing and I am super bummed I could only attend for one semester! Definitely go earlier in your college years to spend the entire year in Norway!

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Food can get quite expensive while living in Norway, but it isn't that bad. I definitely recommend hitting up supermarkets in Sweden (about 45 minutes away) and I would compare it to the equivalent of a COSCO in the USA. Definitely helps with the food costs!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $50 on food a week. ACN finds a ton of student discounts that really help a lot!
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Definitely go grocery shopping in Sweden when possible! Other than that, use your student discount as much as possible around Moss and on the trains and buses!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the staff and the students!
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing that I can think of.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I had gone earlier in my college years to be able to spend an entire year and not just a semester.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.