Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Local Experience Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/09/2014 to 05/17/2014 with

Boston University: Grenoble - Language & Liberal Arts Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Of course! I had a really good time traveling and just being in Europe in general

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There really weren't nearly as many resources available to foreign students as you would normally have at a U.S. college and libraries and study spaces open later than 7-8pm weren't nearly as prolific. But I think the program directors tried their best to offer a space (the BU Grenoble office) as well as be there for the students.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Very good food in France! Definitely pricey compared to what you'd buy in the U.S. but all very fresh and tasty, I'd definitely recommend opening your wallet a little bit to buy bakery stuff and local fare.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wish there was more opportunity to really engage with the local people and community, like with community service. I feel like I didn't explore everything I wanted to in Grenoble, but that could also be attributed to me traveling too much...

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I really have no idea, as far as I know, no one on the program got very sick so I can't really speak to how good the healthcare was.

* Safety:

Pretty safe in general, but nighttime seems to start early in Grenoble and then you find teens out smoking pot and more sketchy people out, but there weren't any incidents as far as I know.

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

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)

If the BU program didn't give a monthly stipend, I doubt I could have survived on a student budget (especially since none of us were working while studying abroad).

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150-200? It really depends though, because I traveled a lot and didn't always convert Euros to dollars so I can't be sure how much I spent in total
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan early! If you want to travel, plan early and buy tickets in advance. Eat lots of kebab too because it's pretty cheap food and delicious.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? FREN 106
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* 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?
  • Environment
  • Students
  • Food
* What could be improved?
  • More places to study and resources
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Always pack light--you probably won't wear half of what you bring anyways.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.