Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Costa Rica: a semester of once in a lifetime experiences Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/05/2018 to 06/16/2018 with

IFSA: Heredia - Universidad Nacional Partnership

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I improved my Spanish greatly, made new friends, lived with a wonderful host family, and had experiences I could not have had elsewhere. I gained a lot of independence and wonderful memories.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There are lots of courses to choose from and lots of resources available to help with course selection. Professors are very understanding. Lots of group work.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Rodney and Angelica are amazing and always available. They really care about the students.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living with a host family was an amazing experience.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program made it very easy when there were health problems. There is a doctor who we could see who spoke both English and Spanish.

* Safety:

I always felt safe, its just important to not walk around alone after dark.

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)

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 end of the program? Advanced

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
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?
  • Immersion
* What could be improved?
  • N/A
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? IFSA provides great resources that prepares you for the program.

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.