Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amazing classes, but little academic support and no room for failure August 13, 2024

By (Chemistry, Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/07/2024 to 06/22/2024 with

Arcadia: Melbourne - University of Melbourne

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to sample many subfields of chemistry not available at my home university, which was the main reason I chose this program.

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.

Very challenging! Mostly good, but extremely easy to have a bad day and fail a class due to 80% finals.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Like most student housing that provides food, it started off good and went downhill over time.

* Food:

You could go out to eat every night of the week in Melbourne and try a different cuisine each time.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Surprisingly, I felt it was a little hard to connect with the local students at times, but I did end up making some good friends.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

While I do suffer from depression, there was nothing that I wished was available or provided to me that wasn't.

* Safety:

Melbourne seemed quite safe, although I was very rarely out late at night.

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

Despite not doing so well in one of my classes, I greatly enjoyed the other classes as well as the overall experience.

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)

Melbourne is a *very* expensive city.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Melbourne was a really lovely place
  • Advanced Practical Chemistry was probably the single best class I've taken in my undergraduate career.
* What could be improved?
  • Dear god I hate 80% finals
  • There is very little support for students--most professors don't have office hours.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More self-discipline is required than I was expecting, as it's extremely easy to fall behind without realizing it and no one will say anything.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Specialized Topics in Chemistry A
Course Department: Chemistry
Instructor: Many
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very interesting material, but I heavily disliked that the final was worth 80% of my grade.
Credit Transfer Issues: