Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Best Semester Of My Life!! Past Review

By (Hope College) - abroad from 02/02/2018 to 06/24/2018 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I wholeheartedly believe that every student should experience studying abroad at least once in their life because of the TEAN program. I gained a new type of independence and confidence that my home university could have never have taught me.

Review Photos

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland Photo

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.

Since I go to a small private school, I loved experiencing a large public university for the first time. I was able to participate in research and labs that I would have never been able to do back at my home university. The classes were challenging yet extremely manageable. The professors were also always willing to help. I met with professors multiple times at their office hours and they were always understanding and encouraging.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Every staff member on TEAN's team is amazing. They were so welcoming and organized. They helped with any questions or concerns I had. They prepared us through the amazing orientation and were always there for us throughout the whole entire program.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartment TEAN placed us in was absolutely beautiful. The best apartment I have lived in thus far. It was very clean, fully furnished, and even had cleaners come in every month to do some deep cleaning. It was at an excellent location. It was on campus and also only 5 minutes away from the bus stops and ferry stops to get to the downtown.

* Food:

The food in Brisbane is amazing. My friends and I often went downtown Brisbane (in South Bank) and tried new foods every week. The food options are so diverse. They have everything from Thai, Indian, Mexican, and even Turkish. I absolutely loved the restaurants in Brisbane and was never disappointed.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It is very easy to integrate yourself with the local culture as long as you put yourself out there. The University of Queensland has this amazing program called QUEST that is specifically for study abroad students so they can meet other study abroad students as well as students who are from Brisbane. I was also able to be integrated into the culture through classes and extracurricular activities such as beach volleyball and yoga club.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

TEAN provided great insurance coverage and always showed their concern whenever I had a health issue. I did have to go to the doctor a couple of times while I was in Australia and finding a doctor near campus and a pharmacy was a breeze. TEAN assisted me and helped me every step of the way so I felt safe and comfortable.

* Safety:

Brisbane is probably the safest city I have ever been to. I never felt uncomfortable or nervous.

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

I felt so prepared and ready to go because of TEAN. If anything ever went wrong I knew I could count on them to help and be there for me. They made the transition into study abroad so seamless. They assisted me in every step of the processes which a lot of my friends who didn't go with a program didn't have. I also got to go on the amazing orientation in Cairns. I experienced snorkeling and bungee jumping which a lot of my friends outside the program didn't get a chance to do as well.

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? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan on what you want to spend your money on. If you want to do some bigger trips or excursions, maybe save up by skipping on smaller ones. Other options for saving money include making food at home instead of going out and doing less shopping.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • The Orientation
  • The Staff
  • The Organization
* What could be improved?
  • Meeting locals.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how seamless it was going to be so I didn't stress out as much in the beginning.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.