Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Well worth it! July 06, 2023

By (European Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/13/2023 to 05/13/2023 with

DIS Stockholm Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was truly a great experience in living on my own so far away from home.

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.

Perfect balance between school life and being able to really enjoy a study abroad experience through traveling.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff was extremely helpful and you can really tell they care about DIS students and their experiences.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My housing location made it somewhat difficult to experience Stockholm as it was situated outside the city, but the accommodations were well organized.

* Food:

There was no meal plan but students were given stipends for grocery shopping.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was not as easy to meet locals as the program stated, but as long as you try you can always meet some cool people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn’t have any health issues, however, from what I heard from other people is that DIS made sure that students were well accounted for.

* Safety:

I never felt unsafe during my time in Sweden.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I might choose a different program in a different country just for another 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $75
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make the grocery store stipends stretch!

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

Whenever I’m our institution’s building, we had to use Swedish if we were in the language course.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
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? Entry level language course in Swahili
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Use it as much as you can because that’s how you get better.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Classes
  • Location
  • Ease of travel
* What could be improved?
  • Housing
  • Food accommodations
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? What the weather is like in Sweden.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

European Security Dilemmas
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was challenging yet very fruitful. I’ve never had such an in depth course that was just as entertaining.
Credit Transfer Issues: I’m still working on transferring credit.