Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My Unforgettable Experience Studying Abroad in Seoul with TEAN Past Review

By (Illinois Institute of Technology) - abroad from 02/20/2019 to 06/22/2019 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Seoul - Korea University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The whole experience was definitely worthwhile, as living so far away from my family forced me to have to learn more myself and how I deal with different situations on my own. I also primarily went abroad in order to find out what career path I wanted to go towards with my life, and enrolling in certain classes abroad truly helped me pick where I want to do.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* 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

Studying abroad through TEAN was probably one of the best decisions that I could have made. All of the advisors and office personal were so helpful, friendly, and reliable that I went to them for literally everything.

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? I would say that I spent about $50-$100 every week, sometimes more if I had a special occasion or went out with friends.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would recommend that future study abroad participants sign up for the meal plan offered by your school, as it can save you some money throughout the week by just eating at your cafeteria.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had never taken an official Korean language class before I arrived in Korea.
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? I would try to surround yourself with Korean as much as possible before, so like watch Korean dramas, movies, or listen to korean music. Also, there are many free apps on your phone that you can use to help you learn Korean.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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?
  • My Resident Director and Adviser
  • My fellow Study Abroad participants
  • The different excursions and trips we had throughout the semester
* What could be improved?
  • I can't think of anything that could have been improved.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I definitely packed way too much clothing in order to do this program, which made it hard fitting everything back into my suitcases when I was trying to go back home.

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.