Past Review
By Elad C (International Relations and Affairs., Tufts University) for
IES Abroad: Sydney Direct Enrollment - University Of New South Wales
I'm definitely glad I studied at UNSW, and I really couldn't see myself studying elsewhere. I gained a few foreign friends who I am still in touch with 3+ years later. I gained some amazing memories from an incredible continent/country, and I also took full advantage of the free time I had to travel (I traveled to Byron Bay, Melbourne, Great Barrier Reef/Whitsunday Islands, New Zealand). Finally, I'm just glad I got to spend 6 months living in another country as it broadened my horizons, and I knew it's not an experience I could easily replicate after I graduated.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2006 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Let's face it - most students who study abroad in Australia don't go their for the academics. Having said that, the courses I took were at a relatively high level - comparable to Tufts. The major difference was that an 80 translated into an A. Most of the students in my program took some of the typical made-for-American Aussie courses like "History of Australian Sports", but I opted for courses that I couldn't necessarily take at Tufts like Business Management (great class), History of the World (OK class), Great Books (relatively boring class), History of Jazz (very interesting course), and Latin American History (not very engaging). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
IES was great, and most of the credit goes to the program leader - Merlin Luck. Merlin was friendly, funny, helpful, and very much engaged with us throughout the entirety of the program (e.g., we all had his cell phone number and called him numerous times). IES also organized a very fun mid-semester trip to the Great Barrier Reef and helped foster a bond among the students in the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Described above - Lived in Shalom College (a dorm designated as Jewish and kosher but in fact over 75% non-Jewish) on campus. I don't know if I would have chosen an alternative housing arrangement as the other options were inferior dorms or all-american housing 20+ minutes from campus. The nature of the program is such that the housing arrangements are sub-par. <br /><br /> Proximity to class was very good (5-10 minute walk) and proximity to nighlife was decent (UNSW Roundhouse Bar was a 5 minute walk but most people went out in Coogee which was a 20-25 minute walk). |
| * Food: |
Food was pretty bad. Would have given it a 1, but I know the other dorms (e.g., Basser) had worse food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Students in the program went out several times a week and I joined them many nights. There are plenty of good options in Coogee Beach and in the city itself (Three Wise Monkeys was my favorite...live music, dancing, kebab stands nearby). |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
When I sprained my ankle, the health services on campus took care of me. Another program participant had a serious health issue and health services took care of her as well. Regarding safety, I felt safe at all times at UNSW. |
| 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? | My dorm had a cafeteria so I spent minimally on food. Personal expenses were also minimal. For students not living in dorms, expect to spend around what you might spend at home if you didn't eat at a cafeteria ($100+ / week). |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The only unanticipated costs are a cell-phone and any trips you plan on taking during your semester at UNSW. I took several trips and absolutely loved them. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I started using Aussie slang instead of standard American English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | IES is a very good provider, UNSW is a good University, and if you want to experience living in a country that you will likely never live in again, you don't want to work on improving your language proficiency, and you enjoy the beach then UNSW is a great choice. I didn't really look at any other programs as I had a family member who recommended UNSW and lived nearby. I was set. |
