Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad in Sydney at UNSW was the best experience ever! June 09, 2025

By (Environmental Policy, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/06/2025 to 05/19/2025 with

Arcadia: Sydney - University of New South Wales

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained independence and a new perspective on the life that I wish to have post-grad as well as incredible life-long friends. Absolutely beyond worthwhile.

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.

I did not find any of the classes that I took particularly rigorous. I am, of course, comparing them to major classes at Middlebury, and as an athlete, my comparison is also skewed by the fact that I was not engaged in a competitive varsity sports season abroad. Nonetheless, while I found the material that I studied interesting, I did not find the coursework to be rigorous in comparison to Middlebury.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Arcadia did an amazing job facilitating my experience at UNSW.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Apartment was great. I had trouble with my roommates and would have switched away from them if I could have.

* Food:

I did a lot of restaurant and local cafe exploration, which was a lot of fun. There was no meal plan associated with my program. Overall, food was very similar to here in the US.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

My program had assisted me with insurance, so my visits to Urgent Care and the UNSW Campus Health Center were free. Local healthcare was much simpler to navigate than the US system. It was very easy for me to see healthcare providers and get prescriptions for necessary medications. (for example, I had strep throat and easily got an antibiotic free of charge)

* Safety:

I have never felt safer in an urban setting as a young woman. While it is always important to remain vigilant and conscious of surroundings, Sydney is the safest major city I have ever been to.

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

I met incredible people (Americans not from Middlebury and non-Americans) who truly made my experience as special as it was. Further, it was very easy to acclimate to Sydney, and the beaches and urban center were so close together, which was exactly what I wanted.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Varied heavily, but maybe USD $150-600 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't forget tickets to various events when budgeting for food/drink

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • Freedom
  • My friends
  • Location
* What could be improved?
  • Communication prior to departure about academic info
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Every day should be a good day, and studying abroad proved that

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Sustainability and Taxation
Course Department: Business
Instructor: Hope Ashiabor
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Policy and Society
Course Department: Social Sciences
Instructor: Naama Carlin, Melissa Nyholm
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: I am under the impression that I am getting major credit for this, but nothing is final. I am certainly getting standard hours credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Indigenous People and Policy
Course Department: Nura Gili Indigenous Studies
Instructor: Dave Kampers
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: I am under the impression that I am getting major credit for this, but nothing is final. I am certainly getting standard hours credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Philosophy
Course Department: Humanities + Arts
Instructor: Simon Lumsden
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Amazing course!
Credit Transfer Issues: I am under the impression that I am getting major credit for this, but nothing is final. I am certainly getting standard hours credit.