Exchange in Australia: The best 6 months I will have ever experienced Past Review
By Emily C (Nursing., Illinois State University) for
Griffith University: Gold Coast - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I have learned an incredible amount about other cultures. Travelling to Bali, all over Australia, New Zealand, and having lots of friends from Paris, Sweden, Norway really opened my eyes. My academic interests were broadened. I read books by Plato, Freud, Machiavelli and surprisingly enjoyed them. This changed my life, and I am considering moving back to Australia on a working visa for a year. I would recommend this university to any student, hands down.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | n/a |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was decent. The grading system was different and a bit difficult to achieve anything over a 90%. The subjects I studied were excellent and I loved that they have lectures along with a class tutorial/seminar that goes into detail of what went on in lectures. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were at the office when I had questions or concerns. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very close to class and the bus stop. It was a bit expensive, but the experience I got for the 6 months was definitely worth it! I would recommend to live at the University Village to any study abroad student. |
| * Food: |
There are many places to dine out, but when on a budget, it's best to cook at home. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The village hosted many outings during the semester, like hiking trips. Also, there were always concerts going on, parties, or just nightlife in general that was awesome! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
AMAZING. There were always security guards at the village or an RA accessible at any time during the night. The bouncers of the clubs would not let anyone who looked too intoxicated in, which was excellent. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40-60/week on groceries. Personal expenses varied based on where I was travelling but I averaged about $1,000 a month. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | My advice would be to spend very consciously. Instead of eating out, save money and travel with it! I wish I was informed on how expensive Australia was, but I understand that you may not believe it until you experience it. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | First: Best choice you could have made! Second: save up! Third: Be prepared to live it up :) The type of student that would most benefit is one that knows how to balance school and nightlife (if they care about their grades). A laid back beach bum (that still gets their work done) is the perfect student. |
