Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Can't recommend highly enough! April 23, 2025

By (Engineering, University of North Dakota) - abroad from 01/13/2025 to 05/09/2025 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
As an American who had only been outside of the country for a weeklong trip to Canada, studying in Europe for a semester is a huge perspective shift. I learned a lot about foreign cultures and challenged expectations I had before.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Courses were fairly easy and light on work outside of class, which was great for those who wish to travel.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program was awesome! The only problem I had was getting my residence card from the Norwegian government. That was quite the challenge.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Dorms were nice, great location, awesome roommate.

* Food:

Grocery store was nearby and had plenty of relatively cheap ingredients for me to cook with. Rice and hot dogs are the standard diet for broke college students around the globe apparently!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Moss is a beautiful Norwegian city with reliable transport anywhere else in Norway. It's very close to Oslo and has plenty of events going all the time.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Didn't need any vaccines and never had a health issue.

* Safety:

Moss never felt unsafe. I never saw or experienced anything that made me nervous. The most dangerous thing I ever encountered was ice on my way to class!

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

I am convinced that this is the best opportunity the University of North Dakota has to offer. It's so convenient in language, credits, and cost, and I don't know of any other program that offers the same benefits.

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)

I'm sure if you were frugal you could easily make it on less than $100 a week at ACN. I travelled every weekend, which quickly ate into my budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Easily $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make use of your student discount! Most transit and attractions will have a discount for students or people under 26 years old, and those savings can add up quickly!

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? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • The people! Staff and students alike were a joy to be around.
  • The trip to Svalbard! Very few get the opportunity to visit the arctic circle, and I am lucky to be one of them.
  • The location! Moss is a beautiful city with convenient ways to get anywhere else.
* What could be improved?
  • The process to get my residence card :(
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I would have known what to pack. After a couple months, I really started to wish I had packed certain things and began to regret packing others. For example, I did not pack enough pants and I brought more socks than I reasonable need.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'