Studying in Australia= a Life Changing Experience Past Review

By (Nursing., Towson University) for

ISA Study Abroad in Sydney, Australia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Much more culturally aware now, and have a greater understanding of how the rest of the world views Americans. Learned a lot about myself and gained a lot of confidence in my own independence.

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.

Very different to the American collegiate system, especially in ways of grading and number of assessments. That said it is not a hard system to understand, and some might prefer it.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Orientation helped a lot in preparing you for what to expect during your semester abroad.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Arranged housing through Australearn, decided to go with the more expensive option of Urbanest in Sydney and it was well worth the money. Had my own room and bathroom, shared a kitchen. Everyone in the whole building was a student at one of the Universities in Sydney, and thus met a lot of other people my age to hang out with, both international and local student. Building just opened in Feb 11 so everything was nice and new and in working order. Laundry was expensive though.

* Food:

As a warning be prepared to pay more for food in Australia. Both food in the supermarket and eating out at restaurants is on average 30% more expensive in Australia than in America.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Take advangtage of as many oppurtunites as you can. If in Sydney, its worth the money to do the BridgeClimb. Also try and make time to visit and browse the local weekend markets, that have more than just fresh food and crafts. Some of my favorites were the Glebe Markets, The Rocks Market, and Paddy's Markets in Haymarket.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Overall Sydney is a pretty safe city if your smart about it. I felt much safer walking around in Sydney, both daytime and night, than I've ever felt walking in Baltimore or NYC.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 250-300 a week. Mostly spent on food, transportation, and misc exepecenes. I paid for internet monthly at $40 for 30GB. If you want to travel or do some expensive experiences be prepared to pay for it.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? On average everything is a least 30 percent more expensive in Australia. Everything including food,entertainment,alcohol, homegoods, health items, clothing. I ended up (while keeping to a budget) in one semster spend 3 times what I would usually spend in 1 semester in America. I didn't expect Australia to be as expensive as it was.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

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  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Local Students
* 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? Be prepared to spend more then you budgeted, Australia is just more expensive then America. Also to try things you might not have done while at home, studying abroad is a time to discover and learn more about yourself and the world.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Chemistry 1A: Life Sciences

Course Department: CHEM 1108
Instructor: Adrian George and Rob Baker
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Course covers introduction into Organic Chemistry in the 2nd half of the semester, and as such makes this a challenging course. Teachers were very knowledgeable, Rob Baker struggles somewhat with lecturing to the large group. Important to attend all lectures and tutorials to really learn the material.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Jewish History: From Emanciption to the Holocaust: 1750-1933

Course Department: JCTC 2605
Instructor: Suzanne Rutland and Konrad Kweit
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Wonderful course, wonderful lecturers who really had a passion for the subject. Only 3 assessments for the entire course including the final exam. Important to attend tutorials for this class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Anthropology: Introduction to Diveresity in Culture

Course Department: ANTH 1001
Instructor: Gaynor MacDonald
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good course, great Lecturer, a lot of reading.
Credit Transfer Issues: