A good time Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I did not find the classes particularly challenging, but it was interesting to learn material in my degree from a different cultural perspective. Classes seemed to be mostly taught by graduate students in the Psychology department (particularly the tutorials), but my Economics class was taught a professor. Attending classes and tutorials (which are similar to American recitations) were mandatory for study abroad students.

On-site administration of your program

I found the administration at JCU to be lacking in my time at the school. The adviser assigned to helping international students was very late at responding to emails and it is difficult to set up a meeting with an administrator. You won't find much help with scheduling classes so it is best to have a good idea of what classes you intend on taking before leaving. As a whole, I was disappointed at how little the school's administration communicated with its students. If applying to this program it is best to contact your Arcadia representative with any questions.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Students are allowed to choose which college they prefer and I ended up in Rotary International Housing. I personally loved Rotary as it is self-catered and has a more studious of an environment (although there is certainly more than enough socializing in this dorm). Dorms are set up with 7 rooms on 1 hallway with a shared kitchen at the end. Students that would prefer more social life and more of the typical "aussie" experience should consider living in Uni Hall, which consists of primarily first years.

My program was self-catered so I cannot say much for the food. From what I hear, the catered options on campus are a bit inconvenient.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The benefit of choosing an Australian university in the north (vs more urban cities like Melbourne or Sydney) is that it integrates you thoroughly into the Australian culture. Although Townsville is big, it is more akin to a large town rather than a big city. Many students travel south to Sydney or north to Cairns to experience the city night life, but Townsville certainly has a lot to offer in terms of location (beach-side), dining, and nature.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Health Care is free in Australia and incredibly convenient on campus. There is a free student health care clinic on campus. Depending on who helps you the service can range from being unsympathetic to very helpful. The health center is very busy so appointments must be made in advance.

There were a few safety-incidents I noticed on campus and while the police tended to be quick to help and aid students, I noticed the the school itself did very little to make students feel safe. Incidents were not reported to the student body and I did not get the impression that the school made much effort to handle the incident very appropriately.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Another benefit of living in northern Australia vs southern Australia is that the cost of living is slightly cheaper. Some aspects of living in Australia are unusually expensive (dining out, cosmetics, specialty goods), but it is certainly do-able to live on a budget and have some many saved up to travel.

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• Arcadia
• The countryside feel
• Weather/location

• Safety
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The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer