Directly Enrolling in Sydney, Australia Past Review

By Taryn T (Psychology, Mount Holyoke College) for

Macquarie University: Sydney - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Definitely worthwhile. I had a chance to also do a research internship with the psychology department and worked on two projects with Ph.D. students. I learned about the education system in Australia and also decided to pursue research my senior year in college.

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.	The workload is reasonable but there is quite a bit of reading. I recommend taking an Aboriginal studies class if you're in Australia! My grades did not translate into the U.S. system. They are not letter grades.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	It was great! Fully furnished, no need to buy anything except basic things.
* Food:	Sydney has amazing food, and I ended up cooking a lot and learning from my international friends how to cook food.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
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)

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	International Students

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Be sure you motivate yourself to connect with other international students and locals!