Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Middlebury STEM September 18, 2025

By (Physics and French, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/03/2025 to 06/03/2025 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Poitiers

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned resilience and to not expect myself to be perfect. It was worthwhile. I'm still in touch with friends from Poitiers and also Americans in the same program.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was taking Physics courses and they were very hard. However, it was a very rewarding experience and Middlebury provides a lot of support (tutors + regular meetings with the director).

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Middlebury on site administration was good as they did their best to plan the semester and respond to issues that arose as fast as possible. However, french administration does not fall under middlebury administration's jurisdiction. This means that many times when issues arose with french administration, there was very little that middlebury administration could do. This did lead to some frustrating moments, but many of them were not directly related to middlebury.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was as good as it could be, but I did have a gnat infestation that got really out of hand when it got warmer. This was a french administration problem. Middlebury was able to move me to a host family.

* Food:

I have celiac disease and was able to get a crous with a kitchenette. It was a bit difficult to cook all my meals (no gf food in crous meal plan but that's to be expected) and have an hour commute to classes. I would wake up at 6am to cook because my classes started at 8am. I got used to this and was just grateful that my crous had a kitchenette because most crous do not have that.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt pretty integrated, I had local friends, international friends, and american friends from the program itself. It is difficult to integrate socially in classes the same way as we do in the US because in the US we all live on campus. In Poitiers everyone felt more distant because there wasn't that forced proximity. I was still able to make friends with my lab partners and also friends from the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare was cheaper but also took much longer. I had a lung infection and was able to get antibiotics.

* Safety:

The city was safe. I didn't have any issues.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I gained a lot from this program and really enjoyed my internship.

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)

Because I had a mini kitchenette and cooked the living expenses were pricey compared to the other students, where a meal is a few euros. If you have allergies or anything of that sort, everything will seem more expensive.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 euros

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

Middlebury language pledge was hard but worth it, but also there weren't many opportunities to speak english anyways.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 300 level
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Make french friends

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?
  • Language pledge
  • Cultural integration
  • Internship
* What could be improved?
  • Knowing schedules in advance
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Bring more t-shirts for when it gets warm (I was there until june).

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!